Biography

de DIV Leading Dutch New Wave Band, founded in 1979 by engineering students in Delft, the Netherlands. Original line-up: Art Zaaijer - vocals / Niek van Slobbe - guitar / Rob Dingemans - guitar / Marc de Reus - bass / Peter de Wolf - drums. The band’s sound featured tight, powerful, driving rhythms with a funky slant, angular guitars and highly original socially critical lyrics. On the album Open Zee the band was joined by star producer and T.C. Matic guitarist Jean-Marie Aerts and on the album Twist and Turn, Luc van Lieshout of Tuxedomoon played trumpet. The music press drew comparisons with the Gang of Four and the Talking Heads. Initially a five-man Dutch-language formation, de DIV became a four-piece band in 1984 with the arrival of subsequent Urban Dance Squad drummer Michel Schoots. It also gradually changed over to English-language lyrics. de DIV's rock-solid live reputation soon took them across national borders as well. In the following years, de DIV toured Belgium, France, Germany and Scandinavia with great success. After seven experimental albums and two indie hit singles - (Take Me To Your) Heart and Sex Sex Sex - the band broke up for good in 1990. By then, Michel Schoots experienced global success with the Urban Dance Squad, Marc de Reus’ career as a producer was taking off and Art Zaaijer and Niek van Slobbe were highly sought-after architects.