Van Kooten was known under his pseudonym Joost den Draaijer. On January 2, 1965 he presented the first episode of the Top 40 on Radio Veronica. He died exactly 60 years and 1 day after that first broadcast. The hit list was devised by himself, following an American example.
He coined the term ‘eel sound’ after the release of Cats as Cats Can by The Cats in 1967. Not because of the music style, but because the band came from Volendam, which is known for its eel fishing.
Pound of eel
According to rumors, The Cats manager Jaap Buys took over 2015 died, regularly one pound of eel for Joost den Draaijer when he came to play samples from The Cats. This is said to have given the spiritual father of the Top 40 the idea for the term ‘eel sound’.
Although The Cats were initially unhappy with the term, it has become increasingly common over the years. It is now a catch-all term and nickname for music by Volendam artists. The music of BZN, Jan Smit, Monique Smit, Nick & Simon and other artists also falls under the heading eel sound.
Best scoring eel sound
As a tribute to Den Draaijer, NH investigated which eel sound has scored the best in the Top 40 in sixty years. The results can be seen below, where the ‘all-time position’ is a calculation of all hits and positions added together.
Read more below the table.