THE GOLDEN AGE

Early in 1988, Legendary Pink Dots' sound technician Hans Meyer scrawled the message "Grow or Disappear" in big black letters on the wall of the barn where we recorded at this time. It was prophetic, for this was the year when the band had to make that decision and it would have been simpler and easier to simply vanish because life could not have been harder.

After a 40-odd show tour the Dots literally fell apart in the early months of '88. Guitarist Barry Gray decided that he'd had enough on the last day of that tour, Graham Whitehead (keys) missed England and also stepped out while Jason Salmon (bass)  found the life simply too much and became the third member to quit. It left a line-up of 3 people...Edward Ka-Spel, The Silverman and Patrick Q. Paganini to embark on the recording of a new album.

That barn, which belonged to Niels, actually became "home" for Edward and Phil as the squat they inhabited in Amsterdam was reclaimed by the city in '88 and was subsequently converted to a restaurant for yuppies. When recording began the two moved into Niels's caravan and long evenings were spent by candlelight discussing dissolving relationships and crumbling bands with Patrick who also moved in for a month. It IS a sad album. It reflects absolutely the mood of that time. "The Golden
Age" is a most ironic title.
 
On a more positive note, The Dots were introduced to Bob Pistoor who basically joined for a few sessions on guitar. He was phenomenal, but over a year would pass before he became a Pink Dot. "The Golden Age" was also Patrick's last full album as a fully fledged Pink Dot. Again the circuit of playing toilets for peanuts and worrying about
affording the rent proved to be too much. The Dots became a duo. Niels Van Hoorn joined three days before the first mini-tour promoting the "Golden Age" and has remained in the Dots ever since.

Grow or disappear....ultimately it wasn't a choice at all.

- EK