Wijnand Ott was born on the October 12, 1955. At a relatively
young age he started doing studio sessions, although 25 years later
he can't remember that he played on any hits. Originally Wijnand was
a guitar-player, but as bass-players were hard to find, one day he
decided to buy a Music Mann Sabre bass with his last money. Before he
knew he was asked to audition for Diesel. How this exactly came about
Wijnand can't remember, but it was probably through engineer John
Solleveld, who worked together with producer and Diesel drummer Pim
Koopman. So Wijnand was hired as a replacement for Frank Papendrecht
who had left Diesel with Mark Boon to join Meike Touw's Tutti Frutti.
Later Mark was to return and Wijnand had an especially good
relationship with Mark with whom was to stay in Diesel until October
1984. In those four years Wijnand went through all the good and the
bad times of the Diesel saga.
First there was the sudden departure of drummer/producer Pim Koopman,
but Wijnand immediately hit it off with replacement Kim Weemhoff, who
was his room-mate during the American tour. Then there were the
traumatic sessions for the album "Unleaded" with Kim leaving and
after the album came out Rob Vunderink leaving. Then Bas Krumperman
was lured into the studio by Pim Koopman to do the "By appointment of
the President" album, so Wijnand and Mark were left to pick up the
pieces of what was left of Diesel. Early 1983 Wijnand switched back
to his original instrument, the guitar, leaving room for André
Versuijs to join on bass-guitar. Apart from "Unleaded" Wijnand is on
the cover of "Sound of the 60's", but he can't remember playing any
parts on that single. Wijnand thinks that probably Mark Boon did all
the guitar work. Being the shy man that he was and is Wijnand
preferred to stay out of the spotlight, leaving the attention for
other members. Late 1984 he felt he'd had enough, he didn't see any
positive developments in the Diesel history (a fact enhanced by the
first demise of the band less than a year later).
It's remarkable, that Diesel was the only band Wijnand ever played
in. After he left Diesel he never played in another band. He went
into design for television and now has his own company making
computer animations with accompanying music. "I never made as much
money out music as I do now" he states. And that says more than
enough about the music business...
