De Spelbrekers

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

De Spelbrekers were a Dutch vocal duo, consisting of Theo Rekkers and Huug Kok. They met during the Second World War in a munitions factory in Bremen, where they worked as forced labourers. In 1945, after the war, they formed the duo. Their recording career began in 1950 and in the 1950s they released many singles.

Music and breakthrough

The greatest success of those years was Oh wat ben je mooi, which reached number five in the Dutch charts in 1956. In 1962 they won the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with Katinka and represented the Netherlands at the contest in Luxembourg. Katinka received no points at all there, but became a big hit all the same and remained an evergreen. After that they never managed to repeat that success. In the 1970s Kok and Rekkers moved into management and guided the careers of, among others, André van Duin, Ben Cramer and Saskia & Serge. In 1975 they stopped as a duo, after thirty years.

Influence

They are best known for the Eurovision story of Katinka. Compilations of their records also appeared later, such as Feest met de Spelbrekers.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 197328 x Spelbrekers
• 1978Feest met de Spelbrekers
• 1997Feest met De Spelbrekers
• 2008Feest met de Spelbrekers
• ?Parijs bij nacht