Dolly Dots

Dolly Dots
File:Dolly Dots 1981.jpg Dolly Dots in 1981
Background information
Origin	Netherlands
Genres	Pop, Dance, MOR
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1979–1988, 1998, 2006–2008, 2015-Present
Labels	Warner Bros. Records
Members	Angela Groothuizen Angéla Kramers Anita Heilker Esther Oosterbeek Patty Zomer
Past members	Ria Brieffies

Dolly Dots were a popular Dutch girl band in the 1980s. With their style of upbeat dance/pop, they scored many hits throughout Europe. The sextet consisted of Angela Groothuizen, Angéla Kramers, Anita Heilker, Esther Oosterbeek, Patty Zomer and Ria Brieffies.

Biography

The Dolly Dots had many hits between 1979 and 1988. They were most successful in the Netherlands, but they also scored hits in the rest of Europe. Their single "Radio" was a big hit in Japan. "P.S." was a Top 50 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play hit in 1981. They also enjoyed hits in Turkey, Lebanon, Iceland, and toured through Egypt.

At the peak of their success in 1984 the Dolly Dots had their own TV series, Barbie dolls, wallpaper, and a #1 hit, "Love Me Just a Little Bit More (Totally Hooked On You)". At the end of the next year, Anita Heilker left the group to have a daughter. She later became the Dutch voice of Donald Duck. The rest of the band continued as a five-piece.

Heilker had already launched her own career. In 1986 she released four solo singles ("You've Got Me Keyed Up", "Into The Night", "Dancing On The Moon" and "Don't Treat Me Like This"), as well as a solo album (The Girl In Black).

Since the TV series' success in 1984, there had been plans to record a Hollywood movie. In the summer of 1986 the 5 remaining Dolly Dots finally went to the US to work with an unfinished script and made a movie called Dutch Treat, which was released later that year. The movie and its soundtrack were modest successes in The Netherlands but were not released in the US due to poor reviews. The group broke up in 1988. Their last single was an attempt to break into the UK market. The Dolly Dots teamed up with hit producers Stock Aitken Waterman and released the song "What a Night". It reached number 18 in the Dutch charts, but was not successful in the UK.

On October 2, 1988, the Dolly Dots played a farewell show at the Amsterdam Escape. After more than 9 years, they felt the time was right to go their separate ways; as Ria Brieffies would later say, "There's more to life than being a Dolly Dot".

Solo careers

In 1989 Anita Heilker taped a sitcom with satirical duo Henk Spaan and Harry Vermeegen (Die 2, 'those 2' in English) for early 1990 broadcast on Veronica.

Angela Groothuizen teamed up with Ruud Mulder, former guitarist of disco/funk-contemporaries Spargo, to record as Angela & the Rude. She also began a television hosting career for AVRO starting in 1990 with an adaptation of Challenge Anneka; this was followed by Sex with Angela and later, Who's the Mole?. Her contract expired in 2005 and was not renewed. Groothuizen has since moved to RTL 4 where she was a panel judge for X Factor, The Voice of Holland and The Voice Kids. She is also host of the show Een Nieuw Begin. Angela is still making music and has her own theatre shows.

Patty Zomer became a fashion stylist for several well-known Dutch artists and magazines. In the early 2000s she co-hosted The Fashion Police with former actress Nada van Nie.

On October 1, 1998 all six Dolly Dots were interviewed by Paul de Leeuw and surprised everyone by singing a medley of three of their biggest hits. Two months later they reunited for a one-off concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their split, and the release of a compilation album of all their hits, called The Collection.

In 2003, Aad Ouberg, who was closely involved with the group, was responsible for getting a Dolly Dots musical off the ground. The musical Love Me Just a Little Bit More played at The Chassé Theatre in Breda and around the Netherlands during 2004.

As result of renewed interest in the group after the musical, Warner Bros. Records released a Dolly Dots greatest hits compilation album of the group as well as a DVD. In 2007, all six original members reunited for a series of guest performances during Vrienden van Amstel Live. Their success there led to three concerts of their own in Ahoy Rotterdam. The DVD of those concerts reached gold status in the Netherlands. In 2008 a tour followed, called 'Goodbye For Now'.

Ria Brieffies, who went on to pursue culinary interests, was diagnosed with cancer in November 2008; she died on July 20, 2009. Angela Groothuizen announced that without Brieffies, the Dolly Dots would never perform again.

In 2011 Anita Heilker made her comeback as a solo artist in a Dutch show called: The Winner Is...

Discography

ALBUMS

Dolly Dots 1979

American Dream 1980

P.S. We Love You 1981

Take Six 1982

Display 1983

Dolly Dots Live in Carre 1984

Thirst 1984

Attention 1985

Dutch Treat 1986

Love Me Just A Little Bit More 2004

Give The Girls A Break 84-87 2007

Reunieconcert 2007

SINGLES

(We tell it all about) Boys 1979

Radio 1979

(They are) Rollerskating 1979

We believe in love 1980

He-la-di-la-di-lo 1980

The Dreammachine 1980

Leila (the queen of Sheba) 1981

P.S. 1981

Crazy situation (promotional only) 1981

Keep on doing it 1981

S.T.O.P. 1981

Do you wanna wanna 1982

Do wah diddy diddy 1982

All the roses 1982

Don't give up 1983

Money lover (bite the dust) 1983

Love me just a little bit more (Totally hooked on you) 1983

She's a liar 1983

Trick of the eye 1984

Give the girl a break 1984

Tell me why 1984

Little angel 1985

Only the rain 1985

Unique 1985

Where were you (when I needed you) 1985

Dreaming of you 1985

Hearts beat thunder 1986

This girl 1986

Make it up to you 1987

What a night 1987

Love me just a little bit more (1993 Remix) 1993

What a night (1998) 1998

Jij hoort bij mij (Sam's lied) 2007

External links

• Unofficial website
• "Dolly Dots" at IMDb