Robert Jan Stips is a Dutch musician born in The Hague, 4 February 1950. He initially found fame as a keyboard player, arranger, and producer with the group Supersister. At the time an underground experimental rockgroup and their albums are still very much wanted by music-collectors worlwide. After Supersister Stips joined one of the most famous Dutch Rockgroups: the Golden Earring. The albums ” Switch” and “To the hilt” has Robert Jan playing on them. Stips also took part in the group’s successful American tour in 1976, but left afterwards to form Stars & Stips which released Nevergreens in 1976. The album wasn’t very successful but one song in particular, titled “Music Makes My Song Cause Words Will Fall Apart”, has always been a favourite Stips song for me. After this album Stips joins Sweet d’Buster with saxophonist Bertus Borgers and has guested on several Golden Earring efforts since.
In 1979, Stips left Sweet d’Buster and formed Transister, which released one album : Zig Zag. In 1981, Robert Jan Stips released his first solo LP (U.P.). The same year, Stips became the keyboard player for The Nits, with whom he had previously worked as a producer. During his years with The Nits he also produced albums for Cloud Nine and Vitesse. He was the main composer of The Nits’ orchestral work, Hjuvi – A Rhapsody in Time. In 1982 Stips appeared on Golden Earring’s “Cut” release. It featured the groups worldwide hit “Twilight Zone”.
Robert Jan Stips left Nits in 1996 at the end of their Greatest Hits tour, and launched the group STIPS (album : Egotrip). Robert Jan Stips released two albums with Freek de Jonge: Gemeen Goed in 1997 and Rapsodia in 1998. In 1999, Robert Jan Stips released two solo albums : Greyhound and Rembrandt 2000 (at the occasion of a great exhibition Rembrandt in The Hague). He also appeared on Golden Earring’s “Last Blast Of The Century.” A two disc live career retrospective. In 2003, he rejoined Nits for their thirteenth anniversary tour and has continued to tour and record with the group.
