On the age of 16 I started to
play the saxophone with the band The Willows. However not for
long, because I had to fulfill my Army Duty and was enlisted
with the Belgium Navy. Our ship was often gone for many moths
and I had to put myself on non-musical-active. Once this Army
Duty was done, I was asked to join the band The Sparrows to
play the organ, the saxophone, and do a little backing vocal.
This formation exists out of 4 people: myself, Mark Verley
(guitar), Guido Verley (bas) en Guy Van Releghem (drums).
From the first moment the spirit of the band was superior and
the musical level of the group rises to a very high level in
the existence of The Sparrows. In a very short time we had
weekly concerts in and outside Belgium, included regular
places like dancing’s or roadhouses. The calendar of
the band was well booked. Things where going so good that we
dive into the studio a recorded a first album. A few months
later a first version of the “Night of The
Sparrows” was put together, with guest performances of
Ruth McKenny and Eurovision Singer Stella. Unfortunately was
my input in the group for a short period, because a year
after I started to play with the band I had a terrible car
accident on the way back home from a rehearsal. I had broken
my cervical spine and become a paralyzed wheelchair user. As
well for myself as for the other members it came on very hard
and they had to search for someone to replace me. A few
months later I went to a concert of the band and saw how
Jacky had take my place. That was indeed very hard to see how
my dream was blown away, but live lust go on. I still have
good contact with my former members and maybe a reunion can
be made. Who knows?
Under need you find 3 articles which where written in a
magazine in the period I was with The Sparrows. I describe
the history of the band from the time before I joined the
group and give an impression of the career of each musician.
Unfortunately it is written in the Dutch language and
impossible to translate. I apologize for this inconvenience.
In name of the four of us, we wish you a pleasant stay in the
company of the former Sparrows! Marc, Guido, Guy en
Luc
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![Artikel Sparrows [B] 002](http://www.roppekesplace.be/assets/Artikel%20Sparrows%20[B]%20002.jpg)
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![Artikel Sparrows [B] 003](http://www.roppekesplace.be/assets/Artikel%20Sparrows%20[B]%20003.jpg)
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