— A story of two men, one city, and three records that never quite got the attention they deserved — until now. —
In the vast mosaic of European Progressive Rock, the Netherlands has always held a place of honour. If Focus and Kayak represent the most visible spires of this sonic cathedral, an entire underground of formations defined the “Dutch sound” with surgical precision and unparalleled creative freedom. Suspended between the most technical Jazz-Rock and melodic fusion, the Fontessa meteor burns at the centre of this web. Yet they cannot be spoken of as an isolated entity — they are the direct product of a unique musical ecosystem: The Hague (Den Haag) of the 1970s, when the city was not only the administrative capital of the Netherlands but the true pulsating heart of continental Rock.
The Hague: Cradle of Dutch Beat and Prog
To grasp the full significance of Fontessa, one must immerse oneself in the atmosphere of Den Haag in those years. The city boasted an impressive density of talent — a kind of Dutch Seattle avant la lettre, where musicians migrated continuously from band to band, creating a blending of influences that ran from Psychedelic Blues to Avant-Garde Jazz.
Frank van der Kloot (born in Den Haag in 1952) and Peter Vink were children of this ferment. Van der Kloot had begun his ascent with Bobby’s Children at the start of the decade, making himself noticed for a style that wed the speed of nascent Hard Rock to the melodic sensibility of the Blues. It was through encounters with figures such as Shell Schellekens, and through the ranks of groups like Drama — who released an LP on Philips in 1971 — that the Hague sound began to crystallise into more ambitious forms.
The birth of Fontessa in 1973 was not chance, but the natural evolution of a journey begun in the streets and clubs of Den Haag.
The signing with Pink Elephant — the same label that had launched Drama — marked the beginning of a partnership that would push the boundaries of Dutch rock beyond the traditional song form.
Shell Schellekens: The Architect of Sound
If Frank van der Kloot was the pulsating heart and lead voice — not to mention the pyrotechnic guitar — of the project, Shell Schellekens (born Antonius C.J. Schellekens in Breda, 1948) was undeniably its structural mind and sonic architect. His importance in Dutch music transcends his considerable skills behind the kit.
His career is a living chronicle of the national scene: before co-founding Fontessa, he had already brought his technical drumming to the legendary Brainbox (in 1970) and to formations such as The Incrowd, Big Wheel and The Rest. His versatility allowed him to shift from tight beat rhythm to the metric complexity demanded by Fontessa‘s Jazz-Rock, where he carved out solo spaces — sometimes criticised by stricter reviewers for their “structural redundancy,” yet fundamental to defining the free aesthetic of the era.
Schellekens‘ true genius, however, emerged as he gradually moved from the drum riser to the recording console. With 236 registered production credits across his career, Shell became one of the most influential producers and sound engineers in the Netherlands — the man behind the international success of Golden Earring, shaping the powerful, crystalline sound that would scale the world’s charts. His influence stretched across labels from Polydor to Ariola and the prestigious Red Bullet, and iconic studios such as Bullet Sound Studios and Soundpush Studios. Within Fontessa, this directorial role was already evident: he co-produced the 1973 debut alongside Van der Kloot and Michel Damen, seeking to balance progressive ambitions with a sonic clarity that few could achieve at the time.
The Fontessa Aesthetic: Anthropomorphic Guitars and Cosmic Visions
The music of Fontessa, especially from the golden period between 1973 and 1976, is a hymn to the electric guitar — a tool that contemporary reviewers described, without understatement, as “the greatest invention in the history of man’s musical apparatus.” Frank van der Kloot was no mere executor; his technique — frequently associated with a Gibson Les Paul — has been described as “anthropomorphic.” His bent notes, tight vibratos and tender slides seem to sing directly to the listener, forging an emotional bond rarely found on records of such technical complexity.
In pieces like “Necernomicon,” Fontessa‘s Jazz-Rock reaches peaks of luminous velocity, with Van der Kloot executing scales at “speed of light” pace, underpinned by Schellekens‘ inventive drumming. Yet there is always room for atmosphere: the first album is steeped in an inventive darkness, almost a “mausoleum” abstraction that gives the record a unique character in the Nederprog landscape.
His bent notes, tight vibratos and tender slides seem to sing directly to the listener — an emotional bond rarely found on records of such technical complexity.
The second chapter, published in 1976 and credited as a Van der Kloot solo work but intrinsically bound to the Fontessa name, represents perhaps the apex of their Progressiveness. The influences of giants like Finch and Focus become unmistakable: instrumental tracks alternate between moments of melodic grace and sudden technical accelerations. Suite-like constructions such as “Heaven Is Across the Street” display an almost poetic aspiration, seeking to transform music into a literary, sonic artwork. The sound is further enriched by high-profile collaborators: American keyboardist Eric Tagg (who would also work with Schellekens on the Rainbow Train project) and bassist Jan Visser, freshly emerged from his tenure with Alquin.
The Jazz-Rock Knot and the Criticisms of the Time
Despite their undoubted talent, Fontessa were not immune to criticism. The 1973 debut was said by some to suffer from a certain stylistic incoherence, oscillating between the blues of “What Is Man,” the Funk of “Victum of the Past” and the pure Jazz-Rock of “Epilog.” A recurring point of friction was the presence of Ritchie Hamilton — author of the lyrics and a “spoken” or murmured vocal performance — which many found irritating or out of place. Critical consensus vastly preferred the moments when Van der Kloot took the reins of the microphone or simply let his six-string do the talking.
Even the length of certain tracks drew debate. “Victum of the Past,” at over fifteen minutes, was considered by some “ten minutes too long,” penalised by drum solos that fractured the creative flow. With hindsight, however, it is precisely these excesses — this refusal of heavy editing — that make the record an authentic document of an era in which experimentation recognised no commercial limits.
The Funky Turn and the Decline of an Era
With the arrival of 1978 and the release of “Heavy Days Are Here Again,” Fontessa‘s Progressive soul underwent a sharp retrenchment. Influenced by the shifting times and the swelling success of disco and funk, Van der Kloot embraced a more direct, less complex “funky rawk.” Although tracks such as “One of These Days” still preserved that pastoral Focus-like touch that had distinguished albums like “Moving Waves,” the break with the experimentation of previous years was palpable.
This period also marked the end of the Fontessa partnership. Shell Schellekens was by now a fully established professional behind the scenes, occupied with producing artists like Anita Meyer, The Meteors and Urban Heroes, consolidating his position of power within the Dutch music industry throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s. Frank van der Kloot, after a brief but significant live collaboration with Group 1850 — including contributions to the recording of their second LP — chose a more secluded life.
Epilogue: The Guitar Shop and the Memory
The story of Frank van der Kloot concludes ideally where it began: in Den Haag. In the years following his retreat from the main stages, he became the owner of a celebrated guitar shop in his hometown, turning his technical passion into a service for new generations of musicians. His passing on 30 October 2020 left a profound void in that Hague community that had watched him grow into one of its most gifted sons.
Today, thanks to reissues by labels such as the Japanese Vivid Sound and the Korean Big Pink Music, Fontessa‘s records continue to circulate among devotees of rarities. They represent not merely good music, but the testament to an unrepeatable historical moment — the sound of a city, The Hague, that dared to dream large, and of two men, Van der Kloot and Schellekens, who knew how to translate those dreams into electric notes and Avant-Garde sonic architectures. To rediscover Fontessa is to restore dignity to an essential, if brief, chapter in the complex and marvellous history of world Progressive Rock.
Discography
(1973) Fontessa [Pink Elephant]
(1975) “A Look In Your Eyes” / “Where Have You Been” 7″ [Polydor]
(1976) Fontessa [Poker]
(1978) Heavy Days Are Here Again [Poker]
Lineup · 1973
Frank van der Kloot / Guitar, Vocals
Shell Schellekens / Drums, Producer
Ritchie Hamilton / Vocals, Lyrics
Eric Tagg / Keyboards
Peter Vink / Bass
Jan Visser / Bass · ex-Alquin
To rediscover Fontessa is to restore dignity to an essential, if brief, chapter in the complex and marvellous history of world Progressive and Jazz-Rock.