BIOGRAPHY:

VANDENBERG was a Dutch hard rock band named after guitarist Ad "Adje" van den Berg. In 1981, Adrian van den Berg worked with vocalist Jos Veldhuizen, bass guitarist Griff "Studly" McGrath and drummer Bico De Gooijer in a band called TEASER. This line-up did not last long, and Van den Berg then hired Bert Heerink (vocals), Dick Kemper (bass guitar), and Jos Zoomer (drums). With this line-up, TEASER recorded a demo, that came to the notice of the pop-journalist Kees Baars. Baars offered to manage the group, and contracted the band at Atlantic Records in the U.S. Their first album 'Vandenberg" was recorded at the former Led Zeppelin's guitarist Jimmy Page's studio, Sol Studios and in 1983 their first single "Burning Heart" reached No. 39 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. VANDENBERG toured the U.S. as the opening act for OZZY OSBOURNE and KISS, and toured independently in Japan in 1984. "Different Worlds" from their second album "Heading For A Storm" also did fairly well, but did not equal the success of "Burning Heart". The band's third album "Alibi" was recorded in the Netherlands, produced by Jaap Eggermont, manager of the GOLDEN EARRING. The album failed to enter the charts and not long after, lead singer Bert Heerink left the band. Demos with the new lead singer, Peter Struyk (a.k.a. Peter Stuyk, Peter Strikes, Peter Strykes and Peter William Strykes), were not well received by Atlantic. Around that time, Van den Berg (who often uses an Anglicized version of his Dutch name Adrian Vandenberg) played as a guest soloist on a Whitesnake album, and in 1987 WHITESNAKE vocalist David Coverdale asked him to join the band permanently. With the band VANDENBERG amounting to nothing, he accepted the invitation. The other members also started or joined other projects: Zoomer and Struyk joined AVALON; Kemper started a new band, NO EXQZE and Bert Heerink joined PICTURE for their "Marathon" album. In 2004, there was a reunion of VANDENBERG and they released a double CD "The Definitive Vandenberg", a compilation of the band's best songs with a newly recorded version of "Burning Heart". In January, 2005 the band released a DVD with footage of a 1984 Tokyo concert. In July 2012, it was reported that Heerink, Kemper and Zoomer were trying to take over control over the name "Van Den Berg" from the band's guitarist, which resulted into a court case. They didn't win and tried a second time, which also resulted into nothing.
(Text edited by: Toine van Poorten)

Update 2020: It was only a matter of time, before Adrian Vandenberg decided to grab his guitar from the closet and got back on stage with a brand new band, called Vandenberg's Moonkings. This band debuts in February 2014 in Adrian's hometown Enschede, where they play a glorious show and present their self-titled hard rocking album, which is released worldwide by Mascot Records. After that, "MK II" sees the light of day in 2017 and the final album "Rugged And Unplugged" was released in 2018. Foregoing and after, the band also play many live shows and festivals in Europe and a few Japanese gigs. At the end of 2019, Vandenberg announces the end of Moonkings and in January 2020, he proudly presents his new baby, Vandenberg 2.0. The debut album will be released in May 2020 and features bassist Rudy Sarzo (WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT, DIO) and drummer Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE, FOREIGNER, BILLY IDOL) as guest musicians. In Vandenberg's live band, Randy van Elsen on bass and Koen Herfst on drums will do the honors.

MEMBERS:
Bert Heerink - vocals (THRESHOLD, PICTURE, UNDERCOVER, KAYAK, solo, MY BRAINBOX with Jan Akkerman, ROYAL FLUSH)
Adrian Vandenberg - guitar, keyboards (MOTHER OF PEARL, JAAP DEKKER, TEASER, MANIC EDEN, WHITESNAKE, VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS, VANDENBERG 2.0)
Dick Kemper - bass (THRESHOLD, SQUAD, TURBO, NO EXQZE, UNDERCOVER)
Jos Zoomer - drums (AVALON, PERFECT STRANGERS, SOYLENT GREEN, BISS, SHIVER, THE FLOW)
Peter Struijk (a.k.a. Peter Strykes) - vocals (AVALON, FIRST AVENUE, HORIZON, ROBBY VALENTINE, L.A. THE VOICES)
Ronnie Romero - vocals (LORDS OF BLACK, RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW, THE FERRYMEN, WALTER GIARDINO TEMPLE, CORELEONI, VANDENBERG 2.0)
Randy van der Elsen - bass (TANK, VANDENBERG 2.0)
Koen Herfst - drums (VANDENBERG 2.0)

DISCOGRAPHY:
*Vandenberg (LP 1982)
*Burning Heart (Single 1982)
*Heading For A Storm (LP 1983)
*Different Worlds (Single 1983)
*Friday Night (Single 1983)
*Alibi (LP 1985)
*How Long (Single 1985)
*Once In A Lifetime (Single 1985)
*Live in Japan (VHS video 1985)
*Best Of Vandenberg (LP & CD 1988)
*Different Worlds: The Definitive Vandenberg (CD 2004)
*Live in Japan (DVD 2005)
*Vandenberg (CD; Rock Candy 2011) *Heading For A Storm (CD, incl. 3 bonus tracks; Rock Candy 2013)
*Alibi (CD; Rock Candy 2014)
*2020 (LP & CD 2020; under VANDENBERG 2.0 - not released yet)

MEMORABILIA: