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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZABCUK pop/rock group formed '81; original lineup: Martin Fry (vocals; b 9 March '58, Manchester), Mark White (guitar, b 1 April '61, Sheffield), Stephen Singleton (sax; b 17 April '59, Sheffield), Mark Lickley, bass; and David Robinson, drums. Fry got Eng. Lit. degree from Sheffield U, founded fanzine Modern Drugs, interviewed White and Singleton, both from local band Vice Versa. They invited him to join as vocalist, but he persuaded them to change band's name and direction (more poppish). Lickley and Robinson were recruited; they were signed by Phonogram UK and given their own Neutron label. First single 'Tears Are Not Enough' reached UK top 20 late '81; Fry asked Trevor Horn to produce 'Poison Arrow' which made top ten, as did the next two. Lickley and Robinson left; drummer David Palmer (b 29 May '61, Chesterfield) joined; debut LP The Lexicon Of Love was no. 1 UK for four weeks '82 helped by impressive if overblown tour. Some felt that Horn had over-produced it and that it should have been more like the first single. Beauty Stab '83 was self-prod. with Roxy Music backing musicians; muscular funk but no hit singles. By '84 songwriters Fry and White were the only remaining original members: How To Be A Zillionaire '85 was cartoon pop, an attempt at futurism with little of the Lexicon sheen, perhaps their most interesting album. Fry developed Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer, and recovered; Alphabet City '87 was more realistic, less dreamy than Lexicon but with good pop songs (or dreary soul pastiches, according to taste) incl. 'When Smokey Sings', 'King Without A Crown'. Up '89 (with seven tracks) was frigidly thumping 'dance' music, for those of us who don't know where the beat is; Absolutely was a hits compilation, and they switched to Parlophone for Abracadabra '91, which didn't set any new fires. They were seen as under-achievers, never resolving the central contradiction of pop between fantasy and reality; Fry rested, started a family, worked with old friend Glenn Gregory (founder member of Heaven 17) and came back with Skyscraping '97, more relaxed and less self-important. |