The steam is undoubtedly coming out of the ears at Lee Towers. His sneer at Johan Derksen and René van der Gijp is firmly answered. “That man has had his day!”
It doesn’t sit well with Lee Towers that he is mocked so often in Today Inside. They regularly hint that his expiration date has really been reached and he doesn’t like that at all. Johan Derksen in particular is disrespectful, says the You’ll Never Walk Alone singer. And their senior battle now continues.
Rene is mild
René van der Gijp initially tries to calm things down in the Inside today from last night. “Lee is angry. No, but he shouldn’t be mad at us. Then he really didn’t look, because you know… He says that Johan thinks he should stop, but nobody wants him to stop.”
The football connoisseur continues: “He just has to keep going as long as he wants that man, only I have to laugh at him now and then. I actually watched that documentary three times, The Voice of Rotterdam. That was really fascinating.”
Colleague Hélène Hendriks: “These are such innocent remarks. He shouldn’t be bothered by that at all.”
Feel sorry for Lee
Johan reacts a lot sharper. “What happened of course: he was a great crooner by Dutch standards. I always feel sorry for older singers who can no longer reach their level. I bought Aretha Franklin’s last album and then you don’t know what you’re hearing, so bad.”
That was not something to listen to, says Johan. “And Lee Towers has just – he must realize that – his day has run out. If he performs often now, it gets a bit pathetic, but that’s very personal. Look, Tom Jones is also in his eighties and he still has his voice.”
wrong
Hélène doesn’t think that fierceness is necessary. “That doesn’t matter at all, does it? It is cult!”
René: “We only joke about it. He shouldn’t mind that either.”
However, Johan is serious: “There is a difference. You – and I think so too – find him sympathetic, but he is now a very flawed singer.”
Hélène: “But that doesn’t matter, does it?”
‘Very painful’
Johan: “I don’t know if it doesn’t matter. I don’t mind for myself – I let him scream You’ll Never Walk Alone to his death – but for him I find it painful. That man still wants to, but no longer has the power. Then you get this. Then people will sit and yawn. We also had it with Frank Boeijen. If you no longer reach the level, you have to cut down.”
Does Lee deserve such mean words? He’s a nice guy, isn’t he? “But do I have to say that he is still a good singer if I don’t think so?”