Dingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs (; 28 December 1947 – 18 September 2024), better known by his stage name Dick Diamonde, was an Australian bass guitarist. He was a founding mainstay member of the Easybeats. Diamonde, with the group, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005.
Early years
Dingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs was born in 1947 in
Hilversum, Netherlands.
His father is Harry van der Sluijs (also seen as Vandersluys) and he has a younger sister.
Diamonde emigrated with his family from the Netherlands to Australia when he was four years old.
Diamonde was raised in a Jehovah's Witness family, living in the suburb of
Villawood near the migrant hostel of that name.
The Easybeats
Widely regarded as Australia's greatest pop group of the mid-1960s,
The Easybeats had their beginnings in Sydney's Villawood Migrant Hostel.
All of the five founding members were migrants to Australia from Europe.
In mid-1964 the group was formed by van der Sluys (renamed as Dick Diamonde) on bass guitar. He was joined by fellow Dutchman Johannes van den Berg (known as
Harry Vanda) on lead guitar and vocals, George Young from Scotland on guitar and vocals, and two Englishmen: lead singer
Stevie Wright (Yorkshire) and drummer Snowy Fleet (Liverpool).
By October 1969, the Easybeats had disbanded and according to Young, Diamonde was "having a ball just being Dick."
Death
Diamonde died on 18 September 2024, at the age of 76.
Discography
Studio albums
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Easy (1965)
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It's 2 Easy (1966)
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Volume 3 (1966)
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Good Friday / Friday on My Mind (1967)
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Vigil / Falling Off the Edge of the World (1969)
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Friends (1970)
External links
