Introduction to the solo chapters
The big problem for me was to learn about the individual projects featuring Nits members in whatever form. Since I could not make short trips to the Netherlands, I have managed, over the years and with a lot of patience, to get hold of most of their records.
I would especially like to thank Clemens van Driel. His lists have supplied information for most of the Entries marked with a "+". Thanks also to Ruedi Fehlmann in Zurich for his attempts to supply me with not only up-to-date material, to MMM in Hoorn for the large offer of used records at fair prices and to the great Stips site.
Then Dennis and Thomas with their great support and – of course – their internet sites. And in the last months, all the sellers who offered their stuff in the internet.
The studio sessions of the Nits have involved various musicians over the 30-year period. The solo chapters indicate that the individual Nits members knew a lot of musicians very well beforehand.
HH 1001-1115 RK 2001-2029 MP 3001-3017 AR 4001-4018 RJS 5001-5319
JG 6001-6011 MB 7001-7049 PM 8001-8042 AL 9001-9011 LvK 10001-10025
- As for the Nits chapter, "+" means that I do not have the associated record, tape, broadcast, etc. Either it is a rarity, or I do not need it. Please use caution with such information!
- Composer credits: S and RJS are identical.
- Most of the time, the first single of a project was released before the LP. Because of the presentation format, a LP is listed first.
- Question marks after the issue date indicate that it’s missing on labels and covers.
- I know that all the new info and records lead to a lots of As and AAs and ABs, etc. So I promised to re-number the whole Stips chapter.
November 2009: It’s done! I kept a few As, because the recording dates aren’t fixed. The file with the former Entry numbers is still available. Ask!
- Lots of Best Of/Greatest Hits records are not listed in chronological order. Some are like Supersister’s 5038 or the Earring’s 5068, but in most cases, the songs ask for another place. Here’s a list with all “exceptions”:
Supersister: 5048
Golden Earring: 5068, part 2
Sweet d’Buster: 5111, 5112
Gruppo Sportivo: 5118, 5119, 5182, 5183
Robert Jan Stips
5001 Born on 4th Feb. 1950 in Den Haag
5002 1964-65: The Blubs No recordings known
RJS: voc, p, tamb, harm; Gerhard Smidt: g, cla, voc; Arnold Slagter: bg; Marco Vrolijk: dr.
(Founder was MV. After the start, he invited RJS to join. Sometimes it was difficult to have a piano on stage, so RJS had to play another instrument.)
Smid in the liner notes of the first LP, Smit in the *m*a*n* CD booklet and Smidt on the Stips site!
5003 This continued on via The Q-Provocation (with Theo Nijenhuis: g) (later The Provocation (1965/66, with Ron van Eck: bg), Sweet Okay Supersister (1967, with Sacha van Geest: fl, voc; Rob Douw: toys, tru, voc (both replaced TH); Gerhard Smidt: g, cla, voc; RJS; RvE; MV), early Supersister (with Rob Douw) to Supersister (for musicians see Entry 5013).
5004 1965/6: RJS played piano for a children/ballet company called Morgenstond (at the time of Q-Provocation.)
No recordings known
5005 1967(/1968): Centre Experimentele Maatschappij (?), Den Haag
1 Super Blues (Band: Sweet Okay Supersister)
Notes: Song 1: Soundtrack for part two of the second Supersister DVD. (For DVD see Entry 5285).
Recording date not known to me. Additionally, no location is mentioned in the DVD booklet. They had a rehearsal room in 1967 (and 1968?) in the Centre. Or taken from an unknown studio session?
5006+ 1968: ...?... Studio, Den Haag
1 Pinknalsally (S) 2 Seven Devils (S) 3 Seven Ways To Die (S)
Notes: First studio recordings, according to the Stips site.
Songs played live but most probably not recorded at a studio: Antonella (S), Heebaberieba (S, RD), Lonely Rocking Rocket Man (S), Nothing Is Real (S), We’re On A Ship, Now (S).
5007 Late 60's: Prob. Bureau GeluidsManipulatie, Den Haag
Supersister - CD *m*a*n* Memories Are New (SOSS 55 23272, late 2000)
1 (2x3=) 6 blauwe dwergen (RD, S) 2 Seven Ways To Die (S) 3 Woods Of
Frustrated Men (RD, S) 4 Corporating Combo Boys (S) 5 Manke boerenwals (RD, S) 6 Psalm (RD)
Notes: Songs 5, 13-17 on the CD. “Late 60’s” taken from the booklet.
Demos, recorded as Sweet Okay Supersister or Supersister. Song 5 aka "Een manke boeren wals". Demos? Acc. to RJS, everything was ready for a LP release, but Negram, their record company of that time, was not interested.
Musicians: See Entry 5013, and with Rob Douw: tr, voc, lvoc (1), ideas;
Gerhard Smid (Smidt?): g, voc.
Stips site: Songs were recorded in 1968. Song 1 at Westland Studio, Den Haag (?), songs 2-6 at KRO Studio, Hilversum (or Kortenhoef) (?).
Song 2: Used as soundtrack for part two of the second Supersister DVD.
A date is given: 1969! (For DVD see Entry 5285.)
5008+ 1968: Radio studio, ...?... (KRO)
1 (2x3=) 6 blaue dwergen (RD, S) 2 6 blaue dwergen (RD, S)
Notes: Recording date taken from the Stips site. Broadcast on 12th Nov. 1969 ("Radio KRO 1969").
Doesn’t sound very convincing to me! Either a 1969 recording or a 1968 (or early 1969) broadcast.
5009 1969: De Laan, Den Haag (SB?)
1 Jam session (Band: Sweet Okay Supersister)
Notes: Soundtrack for part four of the second Supersister DVD. (For DVD see Entry 5285).
“1969” taken from the DVD booklet. A rehearsal or a live session at the De Laan club?
De Laan was later on named “Provadaya?” (Club).
((With flute and guitar.))
5010+ 1969/1970
For Shame: Every Night (.?.)/When The Sun Refuses To Shine (S) (Polydor ...?..., 1970)
RJS: songwriter.
5011+ 1970 (?): GTB Studio, Den Haag
Simon: Little Jane/Natalie (both: P. Seilberger) (Polydor ...?..., 1970)
RJS: p.
5012+ 1970 (?)
Frenk’s Crazy Crooks And Cranks: The Goose Blues (FvM, S)/ …?... (CNR …?..., 1970)
RJS: songwriter, p (?); Frenk van Meeteren: g, voc; Ruud Schoemaker: washboard; Gwy Marlet: fl.
Notes: Replaces former Entry 5017C: 1973 (?) / Frenk van Meeteren: The Goose Blues (FvM, S)/...?... (...?..., 1973) / RJS: songwriter.
5013: Supersister (1970-1973) (also known as Super Sister in the beginning):
RJS: keyb, leadvoc, vibes, harp; Ron van Eck: bg, g, harp; Sacha van Geest: flute, sax (1972 onwards), voc; Marco Vrolijk: dr, perc, voc. (RD and GS had left in late 1969)
(last concert: 28th July 1973. SvG and MV announced their leaving on first August.)
Supersister (1973-1974):
RJS; RvE; Charlie Mariano: sax, flute, bassclarinet, natha-suaram (March '74: replaced by Elton Dean: sax. First concert: 20th March, last: 23rd July); (John Schuursma: dr, then) Herman van Boeyen: dr; Daniel Denis (1973): dr (?); Rob Kruisman (1974): sax, flute.
(first: 24th Aug. 1973 / last: 10th Aug. 1974)
5014 March 1970: Geluids Technisch Bureau Bakker (GTB), Den Haag
She Was Naked (S)/Spiral Staircase (S) (Blossom Rec. 2103 002, May 1970)
Notes: I have two different covers: One with a blue one, the other with a picture of the band.
Engineer: Eric Bakker, prod: Hans van Oosterhout. Any connection to the studio Bureau GeluidsManipulatie?
((Polydor sampler Nederpop 1965-1975 (2426 016, 19??) with She Was Naked: B4.)).
Bonus tracks on Present From Nancy CD (see Entry 5016).
5015+ 21.6.70: Session '69, Dordrecht (AT?)
1 Memories Are New (E+S)/ 2 She Was Naked 3 Mexico 4 11-8/ 5
Dreaming Weelwhile (both: E+S) 6 Unknown Instr. (?) 7 Wow (Band) 8 Metamorphosis/ 9 Eight Miles High (rem. songs: S)
5016 July-Aug. 1970: Phonogram Studios, Hilversum : "Present From Nancy"
LP (Polydor 2441016, 1970?, with foc),
LP (Polydor 2419061, 1978?),
+LP Supersister (Dwarf PDLP-2001, 1970?, USA)
((LP Supersister (Dwarf PDLP-2001, 1970?, Promo for USA))),
CD PFN & To The Highest Bidder (Polydor, 843 230-2, 1990),
CD (Esoteric Rec. ECLEC 2056, 13.6.2008).
A1 Present From Nancy (E+S) (1a Introductions 1b Present From Nancy) 2
Memories Are New (E+S) (2a Memories Are New 2b 11/8 2c Dreaming
Weelwhile) B1 Corporation Combo Boys (S) 2 Metamorphosis (S) (2a Mexico 2b Metamorphosis 2c Eight Miles High) 3 Dona Nobis Pacem (H. van Oosterhout, Band)
Notes: Song 1a on US record as “Introduction”. Song 2 is also known as Memories Are New I (see also Entries 5043 and Nits – 067) and Memories Are New (Boomchick) (taken from the label). In the liner notes of the LP, the recording studio is called Phono Dream Studio, but it’s of course a nice description of the Hilversum Studios.
Song B1 with Gerhard Smid: g, voc.
The 2008 CD contains 2 singles as bonus tracks: Entries 5014 and 5017.
5017 (July-Aug.) 1970: Phonogram Studios, Hilversum: "Present From Nancy" (??)
Gonna Take Easy (Band, H. van Oosterhout)/Fancy Nancy (S) (Polydor 2050 048, Sept. (?) 1970?)
Notes: Most probably released before the LP. Cover and label stated Fancy Nancy as being on the A-side, but according to the lyrics, the song on the A-side is Gonna Take Easy. Same mix-up on LP (and CD) Superstarshine (see Entry 5038).
Bonus tracks on Present From Nancy CD (see Entry 5016), with the right sequence!
5018+ 1970/1971: GTB Studio, Den Haag
1 Working Woman (S)
RJS: keyb, voc.
Notes: Hauser Orkater demo session.
5019 Late 1970 (?): Phonogram Studios (?), Hilversum
A Girl Named You (S)/Missing Link (Band) (Pol. 2050 090, Febr. 1971?)
Notes: In comparison to the LP track with the same title, it seems to be a different song. B-side = instrumental.
Bonus tracks on To The Highest Bidder CD (see Entry 5028).
5020 Late (?) 1970: GTB Studio, Den Haag: "Musicians Union Band"
Musicians Union Band - +DoLP (Pol. 2675 009, Febr. '71),
- CD (Angel Air Rec. SJPCD010, fall '97).
B1 (LP) / 5 (CD) Bad Boy (E. Clapton, B. Bramlett)
RJS: p; Ray Fenwick: g; Bertus Borgers: voc, sax; Hans Vermeulen: g; Rinus
Gerritsen: bg; Willy Morcus: dr.
5021 Late (?) 1970: GTB Studio, Den Haag: "Musicians Union Band"
Bad Boy (E. Clapton, B. Bramlett)/Carolina Belle (R. Fenwick, H. Vermeulen) (Pol. 2050 102, 1971)
RJS: p (only A-side).
5022+ 5.2.71: Groeneveld Castle, Baarn (RT, TV)
1 Sweet Suicide 2 Present From Nancy (both: E+S) 3 Interview with .?. 4 A Girl Named You (S) 5 Interview ctd. 6 Mexico (S)/ 7 Metamorphosis (S)/ 8 Eight Miles High (S)
Notes: Two recording dates are circulating: 5th Feb. (5/2/71) and 2nd May (2/5/71)! 13th May is most probably the date of the VPRO radio broadcast. Interview recorded live in the studio or pre-recorded?
Song 3 re-broadcast on 31st August 2008 in Radio BRTO’s “Paperlate” (Nederpopclassics No. 572). Song listed as being from Baarn. Taken from a CDR, VPRO TV (!!) Special 1971, track 4. According to the retsisrepus site, VPRO recorded a show at Baarn’s Groeneveld Castle for this broadcast, but the tour list of the Supersister site doesn’t mention a Baarn show, neither in 1970 nor in 1971. But on the 5th Febr., a TV show is listed: VPRO televisie. On the 2nd May, no gig is listed. Other sources mention a VPRO telecast ((!)) in February 1971, resp. on 5th Febr. 1971.
Songs 2 (Introduction + PFN) and 4 released on an illegal (?) CDR “live in Baarn & Meerlo. Sources are VPRO recordings. (See Entry 5036, and with 5 single tracks)
5023+ 10.3.71: TV studio, …?...: “TopPop” (AVRO)
1 A Girl Named You (S)
Notes: No song mentioned, but this was the single track in March.
5024+ 1.5.71: Session '69, Dordrecht (AT?)
1 No Electricity (?)/ 2 Seven Ways To Die 3 A Girl Named You 4 Mexico 5 Energy (Out Of The Future)/ 6 Higher 7 Present From Nancy (E+S) 8 Memories Are New (E+S)/ 9 She Was Naked (Rem. songs by S)
5025 May 1971: ..?.., Den Haag
1 Interviews with RJS
Notes: Part three (and one) of the second Supersister DVD (see Entry 5285): A 1971 VPRO telecast or a best of of sev. telecasts. Introduction of the musicians and interviews with all four members. With small snippets of band rehearsals, a radio interview, piano demonstrations by RJS, etc.
The retsisrepus site has with “Supersister on the road” a part of this telecast as bonus. But the audio track is different. The original sounds are replaced by Seven Ways To Die (S).
A part of these interviews were re-broadcast on 24th Sept. 1986 in "Zomerpop" (VARA). (See Entry 127 (1986)).
5026 31.5.71: Damensportpark Geleen, Burg ("Pinkpop")
DVD Pinkpop – The Vintage Years 1970-1974 (Universal 981 787-7, 2004)
4 Mexico (S) 5 Wow (Band)
Notes: Both songs incomplete. Concert footage without live sound!
(According to the pictures, they were filmed playing both songs incl. “I love you”. Although they recorded Wow for a single release in 1973, it’s an old song. See Entry 5015.).
Bonus on the retsisrepus site.
YouTube site: Both songs.
5027 6.6.71: In De Warrekam, Laren (“Popfestival”) (TV)
1 …?...
Notes: Fragment only. Part of a broadcast about this festival. Aired in 1971 by ..?..
YouTube site: Whole broadcast.
5028 June-July 1971: Phonogram Studios, Hilversum: "To The Highest Bidder"
LP (Polydor 2925 002, 1971?, with foc),
+LP (Polydor 285 133, 1979?),
+LP (Dandelion 2310 146, 1971?, UK, with She Was Naked),
CD Present From Nancy & TTHB (Polydor 843 231-2, 1990),
+CD (Esoteric Rec. ECLEC 2057, 13.6.2008).
A1 A Girl Named You (S) 2 No Tree Will Grow (On Too High A Mountain) (S) B1 Energy (Out Of Future) (S) 2 Higher (S)
Notes: Release date was August or September 1971.