The “Golden Hits Of The 70s”
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TEE SET
MA BELLE AMIE
(Hans Van Eijck, Peter Tetteroo)
Colossus 107
No. 5 March 14, 1970
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The Tee Set hailed from Delft, a tiny town in the Netherlands best known for its blue-and-white earth en
ware. When American pop producer Jerry Ross met these Dutch darlings, the Tee Set consisted of Pete
Tetteroo (vocals), Dill Bennink (guitar, flute, banjo), Joop Blom (drums), Franklin Madjid (bass), Heavy”
Hans Van Eijck (keyboards), and a bonafide British guitarist Ray Fenwick. Due to work permit
irregularities, Ray was soon absent from the group; only to appear later as a member of the Spencer
Davis Group. Weeks earlier, Ross had stumbled onto Holland’s SHOCKING BLUE, and in anticipation
of a “Dutch Invasion,” he signed up the Tee Set, a unit he had detected in a discotheque in Zurich, the
George Baker Selection, and a host of other Dutch acts. While Shocking Blue, the Tee Set, and the
George Baker Selection did score some stateside success, other notable Dutch acts–such as the Mob and
Kannibal Komix–never dented a chart. By the end of 1970, the Dutch Invasion was essentially a
yesterday event.
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The Tee Set had first assembled in 1966; their debut disk, “Early in the Morning,” was a homeland chart-
maker. Many of their singles sold well in Denmark, Luxembourg, and other European rock regions.
“Heavy” Hans, who had studied piano and composition at the Royal Conservatory, wrote tunes that were
covered by the Spencer Davis Group and Germany’s legendary Rattles. Lead singer Tetteroo recorded
solo material concurrently with the group’s platters; “Red Red Wine” was a winner in Holland. A
handful of U.S. follow-ups to “Ma Belle Amie” appeared, including the minor charting “If You Do Believe
in Love” (#81, 1970) and the tasty “She Likes Weeds”–the last song the Tee Set ever recorded.