HIPPO

Hippo was a rock & roll band from Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands during the late 70s and early 80s. During their teenage years, Marc Cleiren and Johan Goossens used music to overcome their nerdiness and attrack the best looking women in the region.

As so often in the early years of a rock & roll band, Hippo rapidly went through a number of lineups. Marc and Johan were a constants and Willem (Rammel) van Ramshorst, Vivianne Cleiren, Suus Withagen, Leo Hermans, Nicole Cleiren, Don van Rooy and Ruud Bernaards were also members at one point or another. The name "Hippo" is most closely associated with the final incarnation of the band consisting of Marc, Johan, Vivianne, Nicole, Don en Ruud. "Hippo" became a popular local band but in the early 80's, military service and other real life interruptions made the band members drift apart.

Johan and Nicole eventually got married (yes, the drummer always gets the pretty girl) and they moved to the US. Johan started Mid-Life Crises (MLC) in 1999 and very soon Nicole joined the band. Johan and Nicole also played in Cujo Panic and today they play around with their Rock on 11 studio project.

Marc and Vivianne are also still active in music and Don became a succesfull photographer/entrepreneur.