# Ekdom in de Morgen op Radio Veronica **Source:** Dutch Pinball Museum **Type:** video **Published:** 2025-02-04 **Duration:** 3m 23s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywbPJWRGds --- ## Analysis Gerard van der Zanden, founder of the Dutch Pinball Museum in Rotterdam, discusses the museum's collection and history during a radio interview. The museum traces pinball history back to 1777 and features playable machines themed around music artists, including licensed machines like Twilight Zone (Golden Earring), Tommy (The Who), and others. Van der Zanden emphasizes the museum as a 'museum of use' where visitors can interact with and play the collection. ### Key Claims - [MEDIUM] Pinball history dates back to 1777, making it approximately 205+ years old — _Gerard van der Zanden claims pinball origins go back further than commonly thought, to 1777 rather than the 1940s. This appears to reference early bagatelle games, the mechanical precursor to pinball._ - [HIGH] Twilight Zone pinball machine features Golden Earring's 'Twilight Zone' song and was from 1993 — _Gerard states: 'Twilight Zone is one of the best you ever started with It an existing flippercast from 1993 The makers of it really wanted that golden earring's little ring.'_ - [HIGH] Twilight Zone pinball makers used Golden Earring's music without initially paying for licensing rights — _Gerard: 'And did that work? Yes, it did work, but they never paid the rights. And they found out about it.'_ - [HIGH] Joyce Kooymans (Golden Earring) received a Twilight Zone pinball machine as compensation for unlicensed music use — _Gerard: 'And Joyce Kooymans has also received a box of these as a reward. And she still has it with her.'_ - [HIGH] The museum features pinball machines themed around multiple music artists including Dolly Parton, Aerosmith, Anita Dott, Elvis Presley, Foo Fighters, Beatles, and Elton John — _Gerard lists: 'You also have a Dolly Parton box, an Aerosmith box...Anita Dott, Elvis Presley, Foo Fighters, whatever. I have a Beatles and an Elton John'_ ### Notable Quotes > "Pinball is maybe older than you think. How old do you think pinball is? Yes, you would think that it started in the 40's, but in my opinion it goes even further back then. Yes, it is already 1777." > — **Gerard van der Zanden**, early in interview > _Establishes the museum's historical positioning and challenges conventional understanding of pinball's origins_ > "I also like to call our museum a museum of use. A museum of use. We are looking for the origin of the music, where it comes from, where it goes to. And you can play a lot of our music on a large part of our collection." > — **Gerard van der Zanden**, mid-interview > _Defines the museum's philosophy as interactive and music-focused, emphasizing playable machines rather than passive display_ > "Yes, it did work, but they never paid the rights. And they found out about it. And Joyce Kooymans has also received a box of these as a reward." > — **Gerard van der Zanden**, mid-interview > _Reveals a licensing dispute story and how it was resolved with compensation, illustrating pinball industry music licensing dynamics_ > "If I ask you what your favorite song is, you'll do that song with it. The whole collection is something I think is fantastic. But if I have to name one, it's Tommy from The Who, from the Pinball Wizard." > — **Gerard van der Zanden**, near end > _Identifies The Who's Tommy/Pinball Wizard as the museum's flagship piece, connecting music and pinball symbolically_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Dutch Pinball Museum | organization | Pinball museum located in Rotterdam, Netherlands founded by Gerard van der Zanden. Features interactive, playable pinball machines themed around music artists and licenses. | | Gerard van der Zanden | person | Founder of Dutch Pinball Museum in Rotterdam, age 50 at time of interview. Lifelong pinball collector and enthusiast. | | Twilight Zone | game | 1993 pinball machine featuring Golden Earring's 'Twilight Zone' song. Notable for licensing dispute where makers initially did not pay for music rights. | | Golden Earring | organization | Dutch rock band whose song 'Twilight Zone' was used in the Twilight Zone pinball machine (1993). Joyce Kooymans from the band received a machine as compensation for unlicensed use. | | Joyce Kooymans | person | Member of Golden Earring. Received a Twilight Zone pinball machine as compensation when the band discovered their music was used without licensing payment. | | The Who | organization | British rock band. Their album/song 'Tommy' featuring 'Pinball Wizard' is Gerard's stated favorite machine in the museum collection. | | Tommy (Pinball Machine) | game | Pinball machine based on The Who's Tommy album/Pinball Wizard song. Gerard van der Zanden's stated favorite machine in the museum. | | Ekdom in de Morgen | event | Radio show on Radio Veronica where this interview took place. Features 'Rondje van de Zand' where companies select music for an hour. | | Radio Veronica | organization | Dutch radio station that aired this interview featuring the Dutch Pinball Museum. | ### Topics - **Primary:** Pinball museum and heritage preservation, Music licensing in pinball machines, Pinball history and origins - **Secondary:** Interactive museum design philosophy, Music-themed pinball machines ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Gerard is enthusiastic and proud about the museum. Radio host is appreciative and encouraging. The tone is celebratory of pinball history and Dutch cultural preservation. No criticism or negative sentiment expressed. ### Signals - **[licensing_signal]** Twilight Zone pinball (1993) used Golden Earring's music without initial licensing payment, representing early licensing disputes in music-themed pinball machines (confidence: high) — Gerard: 'Yes, it did work, but they never paid the rights. And they found out about it. And Joyce Kooymans has also received a box of these as a reward.' --- ## Transcript That was Adele. Rondje van de Zand. Rolling in the deep and now for Golden Earring. Stepping into the Twilight Zone. It is so far. It is Tuesday 4th February. It has been 9 o'clock. That means a brand new round of the business. In other words, one company is responsible for the playlist for an hour. And today, a very special Dutch Pinball Museum in Rotterdam. Gerard van der Zanden knows everything about it. Gerard, good morning. Good morning, Gerard. Look, a pinball museum. That's fantastic. Is that a hobby, Gerard? I'm completely out of the game. How did that start? At a young age, I'm 50, I became a fan of the pinball machine from the flipper box. You collect it for a long time and you're 50 and you think, where do I get it? And then you go to the museum. And you say in Rotterdam there is a pinball museum. What do John Youssi there? What is there? Yes, it is pinball. Pinball is maybe older than you think. How old do you think pinball is? Yes, you would think that it started in the 40's, but in my opinion it goes even further back then. Yes, it is already 1777. So! It is 205 years old. I also like to call our museum a museum of use. A museum of use. We are looking for the origin of the music, where it comes from, where it goes to. And you can play a lot of our music on a large part of our collection. So you can also play a lot of our music on a large part of our collection. Oh, that's crazy. There are a lot of cabinets. I don't know if I know this, but I've been to your place once, Gierert. So I know exactly what's in there. And the nice thing is if I look in the playlist almost every artist you worked with is a cast Yes Twilight Zone is one of the best you ever started with It an existing flippercast from 1993 The makers of it really wanted that golden earring's little ring. And did that work? Yes, it did work, but they never paid the rights. And they found out about it. And Joyce Kooymans has also received a box of these as a reward. And she still has it with her. But those are beautiful stories, you can find them in our museum. We try to tell a lot of stories and that's some background information. You also have a Dolly Parton box, an Aerosmith box. Of course, there must also be a Tour Unlimited one, because in the video clip of No Limits there is also a box of flippers. Anita Dott, Elvis Presley, Foo Fighters, whatever. I have a Beatles and an Elton John, so that's nice, right? Yes, it's a nice line. And what is your absolute favorite? What are you most proud of? Yes, I think the whole thing is something. If I ask you what your favorite song is, you'll do that song with it. The whole collection is something I think is fantastic. But if I have to name one, it's Tommy from The Who, from the Pinball Wizard. Yes, exactly. That can't be otherwise. It's all coming together. Pinball Wizard, he says enough. Sure plays a mean pinball. And he's of course on your list, so I'm going to play him for you. This one from the Pinball Wizard. I wish you a lot of fun, Gerard. Thank you, man. And go to the Dutch Pinball Museum in Rotterdam. There you'll find it. And you can come everywhere. Thank you, Gerard. Have a nice day. Bye. _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 696e94c5-922b-4457-9c79-21926276cecb*