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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 ZBIG DADDYUS '50s pop group emerging early '80s. Lineup: David Starns, Mark Kaniger, Tom Lee, vocals, guitars; Bob Wayne, keyboards, vocals; Gary Hoffman, drums. Otherwise secretive publicity made them out as the last great unsigned '50s group, entertaining troops in SE Asia, kidnapped by Laotian guerrillas who treated them well, having heard that rock'n'roll was a Communist plot. Debut LP Big Daddy '83 (year of their rescue) incl. contemporary hits in style of '50s: Barry Manilow's 'I Write The Songs' sounded like Danny and the Juniors; Paul McCartney's 'Ebony And Ivory' like Little Richard, Eagles' 'Hotel California' like Del Shannon. Top 20 in UK '85 with cheeky reworking of Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing In The Dark' in the style of Pat Boone; they threatened to record Michael Jackson's 'Beat It' in Gene Vincent's style. Wayne said that rumours that they started in oldies bands no further east than LA were spread by big record labels, jealous of the little Rhino label, and by the CIA, embarrassed that their rescue took 24 years. Further albums were Meanwhile Back In The States '85, Cutting Their Own Grooves '91, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band '92. |