Sad news: Theo Coumans (76) passed away

We are so grieved to hear about the passing of Theo Coumans (Obbicht (Limburg, Netherlands) 8 May 1949 – Alicante (Valencia, Spain) 16 June 2025), 
the first drummer of ‘Pussycat’ (1975 – 1978). 
It’s unbelievable! He will be sadly missed! 
May his soul be at eternal peace! My sincere condolences to his family.

This is what is daughter Wendy wrote on Facebook:

The last drum has beaten 🥁

Never your voice again
Never your smile again
Never a hug in your strong arms again 😢

Dear daddy, how I will miss you 💫
Thank you for everything!! 
I love you ❤️

and of course, this is how we all knew Theo, behind the drums….

Coumans was part of Pussycat in the band’s most successful years, between 1975 and 1978. Because Pussycat had two musicians named Theo. To distinguish, we talked about Thei Bas and Thei Drum. As a drummer, he was the silent force behind the group’s worldwide success. Pussycat became world famous with the mega hit “Mississippi”, which in 1975 grew into a number 1 hit in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, South Africa, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, among others. The song sold millions of copies and even ranked 1 on the British chart — unique for a Dutch band.
Pussycat appears three times in the renowned BBC program Top of The Pops. The successor Smile also scores well at home and abroad. Numerous TV appearances follow. In March 1978, the band toured South Africa.

In that same period, Pussycat also scored great hits with songs such as “Georgie”, “Smile”, and “My Broken Souvenirs” – all timeless soft pop classics with melancholic lyrics, characteristic singing together of the sisters Toni, Betty and Marianne Veldpaus, and the solid accompaniment of their backing band, in which Theo Coumans played an important role.

Theo Coumans, Pussycat’s first drummer, died on Monday at the age of 76 in Alicante (Spain). Theo joined the band Sweet Reaction in 1974 with guitarist John Theunissen and bassist Theo Wetzels (all three former members of the metal band Scum). In addition to these three newcomers, Sweet Reaction at that time consisted of Loulou Willé and the three sisters Betty, Marianne and Tonny Veldpaus. The company recorded songs on cassette tapes, which were then sent to various record companies. Tim Griek offered Sweet Reaction to record demos at the EMI Studio. EMI saw potential in the song ‘Mississippi’ and Sweet Reaction got a contract for two singles (‘Mississippi’ and ‘Georgie’). Eddy Hilberts became the producer and on his initiative the group name was changed to Pussycat. Theo Coumans used the drumsticks at Pussycat until 1978. He was succeeded by Hans Lutjens (1978-1980) and Frans Meijer (1981-1982). With Pussycat he made the albums ‘First Of All’ (1976) and ‘Souvenirs’ (1977) and was in the charts with the singles ‘Mississippi’, ‘Georgie’, ‘Smile’, ‘My Broken Souvenirs’, ‘I’ll Be Your Woman’ and ‘If You Ever Come To Amsterdam’. Theo Coumans rest in peace!

Farewell Pussycat

In May 1978, Coumans left the band. That is not without a fight. He hires a lawyer to claim his royalties and gauges from the upcoming live performances until December 1 of that year. This is described in the book De Mississippi Stroomt Door Limburg by Pussycat guitarist and vocals Lou Willé. Hans Lutjens, one of the band’s first drummers, eventually succeeds him.

With the death of Theo Coumans, the Netherlands again loses a musician who was part of one of the greatest pop success stories in the history of national music. His contribution to the sound of Pussycat will always live on in the records that have been left to us.

There’s always a smile
to remember that you were here.