The Pebbles
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 in Hoboken, Antwerp, Belgium |
| Founder | Fred "Bekky" Beekmans, Bob "Bobott" Baelemans |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Headquarters | Hoboken, Antwerp , Belgium |
Area served | Belgium, France, Spain, international (late 1960s) |
Key people | Fred "Bekky" Beekmans, Bob "Bobott" Baelemans, Louis de Vries (manager), Luc Smets |
| Products | Rock music, albums, singles |
The Pebbles were a rock ensemble originating from Hoboken, Antwerp, Belgium, who rose to prominence during the beat craze and gained international recognition in the late 1960s.
History
The group was established in Hoboken, Antwerp by Fred "Bekky" Beekmans and Bob "Bobott" Baelemans, initially performing under the name 'The Fredstones'. In 1965, they encountered producer Norman Petty while he was on a promotional tour across Europe. They recorded several singles and, following his advice, rebranded themselves as 'The Pebbles'. By 1967, with Louis de Vries as their manager—who also managed Ferre Grignard—they secured a contract with Barclay. Their 1968 release "Get Around" marked their first chart success, soon followed by their most notable hit, "Seven Horses in the Sky".
Their popularity extended to Belgium, France, and Spain, and they earned a reputation for dynamic live performances, sharing concert bills with artists like Jimi Hendrix and The Small Faces at Paris's renowned Olympia.[1] Despite this, Barclay showed little enthusiasm for promoting them in English-speaking markets, resulting in no UK releases. The band sent their track "Incredible George" to George Harrison, who expressed admiration and nearly facilitated a deal with Apple Records, the label founded by The Beatles. Harrison even conveyed his congratulations through telegram; however, Barclay ultimately prevented the agreement.
Their self-titled debut album released in 1969 failed to achieve commercial success. Disagreements regarding musical direction between members Luc Smets and Fred Bekky caused internal tensions that led to line-up changes. After terminating their contract with Barclay, they signed with United Artists with hopes of breaking into the UK and US markets. Their 1973 album Close Up yielded modest hits but did not match previous achievements. The band disbanded in 1974 as members embarked on individual ventures.
Keyboardist Luc Smets (born 1 August 1947 – died 20 August 2023) passed away at age 76.[2] Lead vocalist Fred "Bekky" Beekmans (born 18 February 1944 – died 21 February 2025) died aged 81.[3]
Members
- Guitar and vocals: Fred "Bekky" Beekmans (deceased 2025), Bob "Bobott" Baelemans
- Bass guitar: Miel Gielen, Axel Van Duyn, Patrick Wyns
- Drums: Louis De Laet, Marcel De Cauwer, Rafael "Johnny" Verhas, Tony Gyselinck
- Keyboards: Luc Smets (deceased 2023), Tim Turcksin, Ronny Brack
Albums
- The Pebbles / Jess & James – Pop made in Belgium (Music For Pleasure, 1966)
- The Pebbles (Barclay, 1969)
- Close Up (United Artists, 1973)
- The Story of the Pebbles 1964-1994 (Indisc, 1994)
Singles
- "Let's say goodbye" (CBS, 1965)
- "It's alright with me now" (CBS, 1965)
- "Huma la la la" (Canon, 1966)
- "Someone to love" (Arcade, 1967)
- "I got to sing / You better believe it" (Barclay, 1967)
- "Get Around" (Barclay, 1967)
- "Seven Horses in the Sky" / "The verger" (Barclay, 1968)
- "Incredible George / Playing chess" (Barclay, 1969)
- "Mackintosh" (Barclay, 1969)
- "24 hours at the border" (Barclay, 1970)
- "To the rising sun" (Barclay, 1971)
- "Down at Kiki" (Barclay, 1971)
- "Beggar / Amontillado / Fire" (Barclay, 1971)
- "Mother army" (United Artists, 1972)
- "Jan, Suzy and Phil" (United Artists, 1972)
- "Some kind of joker" (United Artists, 1973)
- "No time at all" (United Artists, 1974)
- "The kid is allright" (United Artists, 1974)
- "Figaro" (Killroy, 1980)
External links
- Canvas – Belpop Season 3, Episode 2: The Pebbles
- Discogs Profile: The Pebbles
- IMDb Entry: The Pebbles