Wally Tax

Wladimir "Wally" Tax (; 14 February 1948 – 10 April 2005) was a Dutch singer and songwriter. He was founder and frontman of the Nederbeat group The Outsiders (1959–1969) and the rock group Tax Free (1969–1971).

After commercial and artistic success with The Outsiders in the late 1960s, he had a brief solo career in the 1970s, and then was a successful songwriter, producing a number of hit songs for Dutch artists. He faded into obscurity in the 1980s; after his death in 2005, two benefit concerts in Amsterdam proved his lasting popularity and influence.

Early life Wladimir Tax was born on 14 February 1948 in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His Dutch father and his Russian Romani mother had met in a concentration camp during World War II. He grew up in Amsterdam and learned English at an early age from contacts with American sailors, for whom he acted as a pimp. The band sang English lyrics, with Tax as the main songwriter; Tax sang and played guitar and harmonica. Even while playing with The Outsiders, Tax recorded a solo album (with a symphonic orchestra), Love-In.

The Outsiders reached a measure of success, opening up for The Rolling Stones in 1966 and scoring a number of hits in the Netherlands. Leading what Billboard called "the leading Dutch beat group," Tax had a high-profile—he was reported to have the longest hair in the country, and lived a lavish lifestyle involving expensive dinners, chauffeur-driven cars, and friendships with Little Richard and Johnny Hallyday, as well as rumors of an affair with Brigitte Bardot.

After recording three albums, The Outsiders broke up in 1969.

In 1997 The Outsiders came together for the last time to play a reunion tour in the Netherlands. The tour was short-lived because of Tax's unpredictable behavior. Jerome Blanes wrote Outsiders by Insiders around this time, the official biography of the band.

Solo career Tax, after briefly heading a band called Tax Free, went solo. He was accompanied, in succession, by Bamboule (1972), George Cash (1973), Watermen (1973), and The Mustangs (1976).

Songwriting After his playing career had ended, he concerned himself mainly with songwriting and wrote a number of hits for Dutch artists such as Lee Towers ("It's Raining in my Heart") and Champagne ("Valentino", "Oh Me Oh My Goodbye", and "Rock 'n Roll Star", the latter charting at #2 in the Netherlands and #83 in the United States).

Personal decline and death

The 1980s saw his personal decline, starting with the slow death by cancer of his long-time partner Laurie Langenbach, who died in 1984 — according to close friend Armand, he never recovered from her death and for the next twenty years lived surrounded by her personal belongings. Efforts to revive a music career appear hampered by personal problems caused by alcoholism and tax problems. A year later, a benefit concert was held in Paradiso to raise funds for a monument to be placed on his grave. The monument, three guitar necks crossing, continues to draw visitors.

His biography, Wally Tax – Leven en Lijden van een Outsider, was written by Rutger Vahl and came out ten years after his death in 2015.

Discography Solo Albums Love In (LP, Philips, 1967) Wally Tax (LP, Ariola IT 87762, 1974) Tax Tonight (LP, Ariola XOT 89244, 1975) Springtime in Amsterdam (with The Music) (LP, 1989) The Entertainer (CD, Virgin, 2002)

Singles Year Title Peak chart positions NEDTop 40 NEDTop 30 BEL(Fl) 1967"I Sat And Thought And Wondered Why"1718—"Let's Forget What I Said"1110— 1968"I Won't Feel Alone"Tip14— 1973"Miss Wonderful"1174 1974 "It Ain't No Use"1313 11"Evidently"212828"Bridges Are Burning"2619— 1975"This Girl Is Mine"Tip—— 1977"Let's Dance"31—— "—" denotes releases that did not chart

With The Outsiders Outsiders (LP, Relax 30007, 1967) Vahl, Rutger (2015). Wally Tax - Leven en Lijden van een Outsider.