The Nits are a Dutch pop group founded in 1974. Their musical style has varied considerably over the years, as has their line-up with the core of Henk Hofstede (the group's lead singer and lyricist), Rob Kloet, drummer, and Robert Jan Stips (Supersister, Gruppo Sportivo, Golden Earring), keyboards. Their biggest hit in the Netherlands was "Nescio" (1983), a tribute to the Dutch author Jan Hendrik Frederik Grönloh. The major hit that brought the band to the attention of an international audience was "In the Dutch Mountains" (1987). Other well-known Nits songs include "J.O.S. Days", "Adieu, Sweet Bahnhof" and "Sketches of Spain". Top 10 albums include Omsk (1983), In the Dutch Mountains (1987), Urk (1989), Doing the Dishes (2008) and Hotel Europa (2015). The Nits originally consisted of Henk Hofstede (vocals, guitar), Alex Roelofs (bass), Michiel Peters (guitar) and Rob Kloet (drums). Influenced by British pop music, especially the Beatles, they also incorporated influences from new wave music into their sound. They made their live debut in 1974 and released their self-financed, limited-run debut LP, The Nits, in 1978. This brought them to the attention of Columbia Records, for whom The Nits would continue to record for the next 22 years. Their major-label debut, Tent (1979), carried on the new wave style of The Nits, but was considerably more polished, partly due to the influence of producer Robert Jan Stips. Omsk & Adieu, Sweet Bahnhof In the meantime, the group had been developing their sound on their numerous European tours. Many songs were radically reworked for live performance, a practice the group would continue throughout their career. Between the group's experiments with different arrangements, and the addition of Stips to the line-up, The Nits gradually moved toward a more distinctive musical style, with Kloet playing a wide range of percussion, and Stips' keyboards used to produce a lusher sound. Omsk showcased the new Nits sound with songs like "A Touch of Henry Moore", almost entirely based around Kloet's percussion, and the dramatic hit single "Nescio". The follow-up "Adieu, Sweet Bahnhof" was another hit, but tensions between the group and producer Jaap Eggermont led to the departure of Peters, and a change in the group's working methods. In future, they would produce their own material and bring in guest musicians as required. Henk & In the Dutch Mountains The album Henk - which included such classic songs as Bike In Head, Home Before Dark and Port Of Amsterdam - was recorded as a three-piece, after which new bassist Joke Geraets became the first female member of The Nits, completing the line-up that would go on to enjoy commercial success with single and album In the Dutch Mountains (1987). Its title track became a European hit and one of the band's biggest. It was accompanied by a video with just the image of man in a rowing boat. Follow-up J.O.S. Days was a successful single as well. Hat, the band's 1988 6-song EP, includes popular songs like The Dream, Bauhaus Chair and The Train. Supersister Supersister is 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. Tent The Nits 1988 – Netherlands Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Red Labels CBS 32228, 84051 Vinyl: VG+ Cover: VG+ 2. Omsk The Nits 1983 – Netherlands Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo CBS – CBS 25364 Vinyl: VG+ Cover: VG+ (incl. original inner) 3. Kilo The Nits 1988 – Netherlands Vinyl, LP, Mini-Album, Reissue, Stereo Red Labels CBS – 17-25670 Vinyl: EX Cover: EX 4. Adieu, Sweet Bahnhof The Nits 1984 – Netherlands Vinyl, LP, Album CBS – CBS 25985 Vinyl: EX Cover: EX 5. Henk The Nits 1986 – Europe Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Gatefold CBS – 26870 Vinyl: EX Cover: VG+ 6. In The Dutch Mountains The Nits 1987 – Europe Vinyl, LP, Album CBS 460071 1 Vinyl: EX Cover: EX (incl. EX original inner) 7. Hat The Nits 1988 – Europe Vinyl, 12", Mini-Album CBS – 463142 1 Vinyl: EX Cover: EX (incl. EX original inner) 8. Pudding En Gisteren Supersister 1977 – Netherlands Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Polydor – 2419 058 Vinyl: VG+ Cover: VG+ (incl. original inner)