Supersister (Dutch band)

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Supersister was a Dutch progressive rock band formed in The Hague, Netherlands in 1968. The classic lineup consisted of Robert Jan Stips (keyboards, vocals), Sacha van Geest (flute), Marco Vrolijk (drums) and Ron van Eck (bass).^[1] The group underwent multiple lineup changes over the course of its history, including the deaths of van Geest and van Eck. Their first and biggest hit was "She Was Naked" in 1970, from their debut album Present from Nancy from the same year^[2].

Originally formed as a school band under the name The Blubs in 1965, the band's initial lineup included Stips, Vrolijik, van Geest, van Eck, and briefly Rob Douw and Daniel Denis.^[3] The Blubs continued to play at local venues for the next three years and after Douw and Denis both leave in 1968, the remaining quartet rename themselves Supersister in 1968.

Releasing Present from Nancy in 1970, the track She Was Naked spawned their biggest hit to date, reaching the Netherlands Top 40 and granting them a record deal with Polydor Records that same year.^[2][1] The next two years see the release of To The Highest Bidder and Pudding and Gisteren, followed by the departure of van Geest and Vrolijik (replaced by Charly Mariano and Herman van Boeyen, respectively).^[3]

By 1973, the band started to incorporate more jazz fusion elements into their music moving forward and began recording what would become their fourth album Iskander.^[3] After its release, Mariano was replaced by Elton Dean while Stips left the band to play keyboard in another Dutch band, Golden Earring.^[2] The band decided to split up after the release of their fifth album Spiral Staircase in 1974, citing diminishing interest in the band's jazz fusion direction and lackluster commercial reception.^[3]

A 2000 reunion included the "classic" lineup of the band (Stips, van Geest, Vrolijik, and van Eck) and was held at Progfest in Los Angeles. Memories Are New, the band's first official studio album in 26 years, was released to commemorate the reunion and included new material from 1969 to 1973.^[1] The reunion came to a premature end as Sacha van Geest unexpectedly died of a heart attack in 2001.^[4]

In 2010, the last three remaining members of the "classic" lineup reunited once again for a performance at VPRO. In 2011, Ron van Eck passed away of cancer and Stips and Vrolijik decide to permanently split up the band.^[5] Almost a decade later in 2019, Robert Jan Stips announces the formation of a spin-off group called the Supersister Projekt 2019, with two new members; Rinus Gerritsen and Leon Klaasse.^[6]

• Robert Jan Stips - vocals, keyboard (1968-1974, 2000–2001, 2010–2011)
• Sacha van Geest - flute (1968-1972, 2000–2001; died 2001)
• Marco Vrolijk - drums (1968-1972, 2000–2001, 2010–2011)
• Ron van Eck - bass (1968-1974, 2000–2001, 2010–2011; died 2011)
• Rob Douw - vocals, songwriting (1967-1968)
• Charley Mariano - flute, clarinet, saxophone (1973-1974)
• Herman van Boeyen - drums (1973-1974)
• Rob Kruisman - flute, saxophone (1974)
• John Schuursma - guitar (1974)
• Elton Dean - saxophone (1974-1975)
• Gerhard Smid - guitar, vocals (1968-1969)
• Daniel Denis - drums (1965-1968)

• Official website
• Official website of Robert Jan Stips
• Unnoficial Supersisters fan website & biography
• Supersister at AllMusic
• Supersister at Discogs