Rick de Leeuw, Leo Kenter, Theo Vogelaars form Tröckener Kecks in Amsterdam, May 1980. The group's first single, Rick Ringers, is released one year later and is followed by the band's debut album Schliessbaum. The Kecks are inspired by the Buzzcocks and most of all The Undertones. Second single Niet Alle Meisjes Zijn Verliefd Op Kors ('Not All Girls Are In Love With Kors') is released in 1982. In 1983 the band reaches the finale of the Grand Prix of the Netherlands Talent Show.
De Leeuw becomes the band's lead singer. The band's sound gradually changes into the direction of mainstream rock. In 1985 the album Betaalde Liefde ('Paid Love') comes out. Een Op Een Miljoen ('One In A Million') is the first Kecks album to be released on the small Torso label. Its follow-up De Jacht ('The Hunt') from 1988 is the first Kecks album that enters the Top 100. In 1989 the live album Meer! Meer! Meer! ('More! More! More!') is released.
The Kecks sign to BMG/Ariola in 1990. The single Met Hart En Ziel ('With Heart And Soul') enters the Top 40 and the group receives a Zilveren ('Silver') Harp music award for the album Met Hart En Ziel. In 1991 the group plays at the Pinkpop festival. After the release of Andere Plaats, Andere Tijd ('Different Place, Different Time') the band stops all promotional activities because they oppose the programming of Dutch radio stations. Their decision causes them to break up with Ariola.
In 1994 ex-Jack of Hearts keyboardist Rob van Zandvoort joins the band. Leo Kenter quits the band after the release of Het Grote Geheim ('The Big Secret'). Ex-Bad To The Bone drummer Gerben Ibelings replaces him. In 1995 the Kecks re-record their greatest hits for the compilation album Hotel Nostalgia. Dichterbij Dan Ooit ('Closer Than Ever ') comes out in 1997. In November 1997 guitarist Rob de Weerd quits the band. He is replaced by Philip Tilli (former Railroad Steel and The Bartales).
In 1998 The Kecks tour Belgium and Italy. And in1999 they sign to Play It Again Sam (PIAS) and start to work on a new album.
In 2000 the album >tk is welcomed upon positively. The albums Meer! Meer! Meer!, De Jacht, Een Op Een Miljoen and Betaalde Liefde are re-released. The single Niemand Thuis ('No-one At Home') enters the Top 100. >tk is released in a special edition, which includes a bonus CD with seven extra tracks.
By the end of August 2001 the Kecks announce the end of the band.
The group's very last album, Meer Niet! ('That's It!'), a double live CD, was released released in 2002.
Het Komt Nooit Meer Goed
Tröckener Kecks Lyrics
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Die ik in de spiegel zie
Haar in zijn kam
Twee kinnen teveel
Ik voel me oud, ouder dan hij
Ik schrik van de vrouw
Die ik in de keuken zie
Is dit degeen
Denkt zij dat ook van mij
De avond valt
De dag is voorbij
Je loopt eenzaam over straat
Wat je ook zegt
Wat je ook doet
Je weet diep in je hart
Het komt nooit meer goed
Je schrikt in de kroeg
Als je de rekening betaalt
Is dit de prijs
Voor je dronken gelijk
Van iemand net als jij
De avond valt
De dag is voorbij
Je loopt eenzaam over straat
Wat je ook zegt
Wat je ook doet
Je weet diep in je hart
Het komt nooit meer goed
The lyrics of Tröckener Kecks's song "Het Komt Nooit Meer Goed" convey a sense of despair and disillusionment, focusing on the internal struggle of the singer who is confronted with the reality of aging and the disappointment of unfulfilled dreams. The opening verse sets the tone of the song by describing the sense of shock the singer feels when he looks in the mirror and sees the reflection of an older version of himself. The use of the third person highlights a sense of detachment from his own self, as if he cannot recognize the person in front of him. The reference to "hair in his comb" and "two extra chins" reinforces this idea of physical decline and the anxieties that come with aging.
The second verse shifts to the perspective of the singer's spouse, who is also struggling with her own sense of disappointment and disillusionment. The lines "Is dit degeen/ Met wie ik ooit ben getrouwd/ Denkt zij dat ook van mij" ('Is this the one/ With whom I once got married/ Does she think that of me too') suggest a breakdown of communication and emotional distance in the relationship. The use of the word "ooit" (once) also conveys a sense of nostalgia for a past that is no longer attainable, and a feeling of regret for lost opportunities.
The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Het komt nooit meer goed" ('It will never be alright again') reinforces the sense of hopelessness and tragedy in the song, as if the singer's struggles and disillusionments are beyond repair. The lines "Je loopt eenzaam over straat/ Wat je ook zegt/ Wat je ook doet" ('You walk alone through the street/ No matter what you say/ No matter what you do') emphasize the isolation and loneliness of the singer's situation, while also highlighting the impossibility of escaping from it.
Overall, "Het Komt Nooit Meer Goed" is a poignant and introspective song that captures the struggle of human existence and the search for meaning and purpose in life. Through its vivid imagery and heartfelt lyrics, it invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences of disappointment and despair, and to find solace in the beauty and meaning of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
Ik schrik van de man
Die ik in de spiegel zie
Haar in zijn kam
Twee kinnen teveel
Ik voel me oud, ouder dan hij
Ik schrik van de vrouw
Die ik in de keuken zie
Is dit degeen
Met wie ik ooit ben getrouwd
Denkt zij dat ook van mij
I am shocked by the man I see in the mirror, with thinning hair and an extra chin. I feel old, older than the person I see. I am also shocked by the woman I see in the kitchen, wondering if she sees the same changes in me. Do we both feel this way?
De avond valt
De dag is voorbij
Je loopt eenzaam over straat
Wat je ook zegt
Wat je ook doet
Je weet diep in je hart
Het komt nooit meer goed
Night falls, day is over, and you walk alone on the street. You try to say or do anything, but deep down you understand that it will never be the same again.
Je schrikt in de kroeg
Als je de rekening betaalt
Is dit de prijs
Voor je dronken gelijk
Van iemand net als jij
You are startled when you pay your bar tab, wondering if the price you paid was worth the cost of your drunken certainty, and if, like you, others suffer the same consequences.
De avond valt
De dag is voorbij
Je loopt eenzaam over straat
Wat je ook zegt
Wat je ook doet
Je weet diep in je hart
Het komt nooit meer goed
Night falls, day is over, and you walk alone on the street. You try to say or do anything, but deep down you understand that it will never be the same again.
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.