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Sire Records Bio, June 1979

Gruppo Sportivo isn't a world championship soccer team, a line of expensive men's sportswear or an exotic disease. And it's not any run-of-the-mill rock band. It is an energetic and slightly outrageous Dutch sextet that sports an italian name, effects a continental image and serves up wholly original and imaginative pop tunes in english.

Pretty bizarre, you say? "Not at all," counters Hans Vandenburg, the band's guiding light/guitarist/songwriter, who, for artistic reasons, prefers to be called Vandefruits. "We picked our name because we saw it on a poster and liked the sound...and we are a sort of team. We write in English because no one else outside Holland speaks Dutch and we want our songs to be heard and listened to everywhere.

Gruppo Sportivo has already proved itself outside Holland. The band's records have sold throughout the continent and they've toured England and France to excellent reviews. And Gruppo's garnered a small--but rabid--following on this side of the Atlantic as well.

All hailing from the Hague, Gruppo Sportivo is:

• Hans Vandenburg aka. Vandefruits -- guitar/vocals/songwriter
  A self-described "rock 'n' roll addict", he's set his goals at writing songs worth listening to, playing 500-mile-an-hour riffs and getting a girlfriend.
• Peter Calicher -- keyboards/vocals
  Gruppo's resident sex symbol, he's tall, dark, sunburned, and rich. His musical tastes tastes range from reggae to full-throttle rock and R&B.
• Max "Climax" Mollinger -- drums/vocals
  He supplies the beat to all of Gruppo's musical madness. He cites Santana and Osibisa as favorites.
• Eric Wehrmeyer -- bass
  A very modest young man, his favorite pastime besides making music is "looking under pleated skirts."
• Meike Touw -- vocals
  One-half of the Gruppettes, she prides herself as being an original Gruppo groupie.
• Josee Van Iersel -- vocals
  The remaining Gruppette, she's responsible for a lot of Gruppo's stage presence, notably some tight choreography, sexy moves and great do-wops.

The personnel in Gruppo Sportivo were originally in two separate bands -- Vandefruits and the girls in one, Calicher, Mollinger and Wehrmeyer in the other. They joined forces in 1976 and recorded their first single, Out There In The Jungle for Polydor that December. Produced by Barry Hay of Golden Earring ("Radar Love"), it made Gruppo a sought-after band on the Dutch club circuit. They subsequently toured with Golden Earring, broadening their audience even further.

Gruppo's second single, Hoola Fever, was produced by another member of Golden Earring, Robert Jan Stips, and released in March 1977. Stips went on to produce their debut album for Ariola in October 1977 entitled 10 Mistakes. The LP showcased the band's virtuosity and offbeat sense of humor with cuts ranging from the reggae music business take-off I Shot My Manager ("...because he kept my royalties") to the pop masterpiece BeepBeepLove with its mesmerizing "future love tonight" refrain.

Back To '78, Gruppo Sportivo's second Ariola LP, was released late last year to critical acclaim. England's Radio & Records called them "Top Newcomer '78" as a result of the record and the band's ensuing tour. The album's cuts encompassed a wide variety of musical styles -- the kinky Shave, the very commercial sounding The Single, the girl group tribute Bernadette and the wonderfully upbeat self-parodying Blah Blah Magazines, where Gruppo takes off on the rock press and their penchant for comparing the band to Abba, Blondie, etc.

For their American debut, Mistakes, Sire has put together the highlights of Gruppo Sportivo's two European albums. Released June 1, it includes 13 cuts plus a six-song EP that features their newest single Disco Really Made It. Mistakes is Gruppo Sportivo at their best -- strong vocals, electrifying guitar and keyboards and a diverse assortment of songs -- Mission A Paris, Blah Blah Magazines, BeepBeepLove, Bernadette, Tokyo and more.

Gruppo Sportivo -- it may be a funny name, but it's a great band. So the next time someone asks you what's made Holland famous and all you can think of is chocolate, tulips and wooden shoes -- think again. It won't be hard to come up with this band.