Mariska Veres was the singer for the late 1960s/early-70s Dutch group Shocking Blue, with a powerful voice and striking presence that reminds me of Grace Slick. With her dark kohl-rimmed eyes, long black hair and thick brow-skimming bangs, Mariska's look is all about colorful mini-dresses and bright outfits, bold jewelry and tall boots. Born in Holland to a Hungarian gypsy violinist and a German mother, she had music in her blood. Contrary to popular attitudes of the time, especially for rock groups, Mariska was no wild woman in regards to her lifestyle - she didn't smoke and rarely drank, almost always preferring tea and taking lots of time apart to herself. When Mariska was asked to join Shocking Blue, she requested that the other members of the band would not start any relationships with her that were not strictly professional.
In a 1996 interview with Belgian magazine Flair, Mariska says of her days with Shocking Blue: "I was just a painted doll, nobody could ever reach me... Nowadays I am more open to people."
Mariska died of cancer in 2006, but her legend and influence live on.
Before being covered as a disco-heavy rendition by Bananarama that is still played to death on the radio and razor commercials, Shocking Blue's Venus was their biggest hit (and only one stateside). I have to say I'm not really a fan of this particular song, for nothing else thanks to its oversaturation, but Mariska's strong, deep vocals paired with the high energy of the band make for a compelling catalogue and gained them a bit of a cult following: among many other groups who still perform their songs, Nirvana covered Shocking Blue's Love Buzz on their debut single in 1988.
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