IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Basingstoke, Hampshire UK
May 7th 2007.
Modern Romance in Basingstoke
1980’s pop legends “Modern Romance” appear live on stage at The Academy Basingstoke on Saturday 2nd June to bring their special brand of music to a new generation as well as to fans from across the decades.
When the band first exploded into the charts in the summer of 1981 with their infectious rhythms and tailored glamour, you could be forgiven for thinking they were an overnight success.
In fact, the roots of the group could be traced far back to the mid ‘70s when “The Leyton Buzzards” began life in 1976 as a college band consisting of long time friends Geoffrey Deane (vocals), David Jaymes (bass), Kevin Steptoe (drums) and Dave Monk (guitar). After building up a considerable following on the London pub circuit, the group signed a small record deal with an independent label, and in 1978, released their debut single, “19 & Mad”. Both the record, and success in a music competition backed by Radio One, attracted the attention of the majors and the band signed a deal with Chrysalis soon after. The result was a minor hit in 1979 with “Saturday Night Beneath The Plastic Palm Trees” and an album “From Jellied Eels To Record Deals”. Further singles for Chrysalis failed to capitalise on the initial flush of success, and in 1980 the band changed their name to The Buzzards, signing a new deal with Warner Brothers in the process.
A cover of the Andy Williams’ “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” proved a commercial failure and The Buzzards subsequently disbanded, but Geoffrey Deane and David Jaymes remained with Warner and began developing a new sound and a new brand that was to become Modern Romance.
The pair were accompanied on this new journey by a versatile collective of musicians; John Du Prez (trumpet), Robbie Jaymes (keyboards), Paul Gendler (guitar) and Andy Kyriacou, whose drums and percussion became the backbone of the Modern Romance sound.
Success for the new group didn’t come immediately, but it would have been hard for the public not to have seized upon the fusion of faux-disco and big band that was “Everybody Salsa”. Entering the charts at number 71, the song quickly took hold and within a month was sitting comfortably in the top 20, eventually peaking at a respectable number 12. Follow-up “Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey” went two better and landed in the top 10, remaining in the charts over the festive period and no doubt graced the turntable of many an office party.
January ‘82 witnessed the release of the wondrous “Queen Of The Rapping Scene (Nothing Goes The Way You Plan)”, which featured Bev Sage of the Techno Twins on guest vocal. A hugely memorable appearance on BBC Top Of The Pops helped the record become their third top 40 hit in less than six months.
Debut album, “Adventures In Clubland”, surprisingly failed to register on the UK charts, although it did perform extremely well across Europe and made Gold in Latin America with number one rankings in several countries. It also proved successful in the USA where “Can You Move” had become a significant dance chart hit.
Two more singles followed in quick succession. First up, the lush “By The Way (I’m Still In Love With You)”, which appeared on the 2006 Warner’s Platinum Compilation on a Modern Romance album for the first time. Follow-up “Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White” proved perfect for the UK summer market and sizzled its way up the charts, giving the group another top 20 hit.
In late 1982 Geoffrey Deane quit the group to pursue a solo career, leaving the way for Michael J. Mullins to be promoted from a supporting role on the sidelines to be the bands new lead singer. His arrival signalled a dramatic move towards a more pop oriented sound, clearly evident on the perennial hit, “Best Years Of Our Lives” (as featured more recently on the soundtrack of the movie “SHREK”). This upbeat anthem rocketed to number 4 in the charts over Christmas 1982, and was even supported by a special Yuletide remix.
The new look Modern Romance had a blistering year in 1983, racking up three more major hit singles. “High Life” and “Don’t Stop That Crazy Rhythm” both retained the party feel of their earlier hits, whilst “Walking In The Rain”, a beautiful ballad, showed the group in a new light previously unseen on earlier recordings. These tracks appeared on the chart album “Trick Of The Light”, alongside standouts “Lets Go”, “She’s So Fine” and “After All This Time”.
A career retrospective in late ‘83, aptly titled “Party Tonight”, gave the group another chart album and included their final single for Warner, “Good Friday”. This album also included a brilliant interpretation of the Motown classic “Just My Imagination”, which demonstrated the versatility of this great band.
During these years the band had massive hits around the world and undertook a number of sell-out tours including a massive concert in Tokyo.
In 1984 the group signed a new record deal with RCA and released their final album, “Burn It!” Subsequent singles, including the memorable “That’s What Friends Are For” made little impression on the UK charts and Modern Romance finally signed off in 1985 with a cover of the Baltimora hit “Tarzan Boy”. The beat wasn’t quite ready to quit however and drummer Andy Kyriacou resurrected the group in 2001.
A tour in 2007 is currently underway to coincide with a new album and kicks off with a show at The Academy Basingstoke (http://www.academyclubs.com/) on Saturday 2nd June. The band will perform as an acoustic set to reflect the relaxed and informal atmosphere of the venue.
The show brings together the very finest moments from the group’s career. Twenty five years after “Everybody Salsa” first sashayed its way into the charts, this is your chance to remember why that crazy rhythm still cannot be beat!
And if you belong to a newer generation, then see the people perform songs you hear on the dance floor today and appreciate that the music was created back in the 1980’s.
Full details are available on The Academy website (http://www.academyclubs.com/) or by telephoning John on 01256 327273.
ENDS
Note to Editors
There are three Academy's currently in the South - Basingstoke, Boscombe and Eastleigh. All operate 24 hours, 7 days a week, and offer extensive Snooker, Pool and Nine Ball. Uniquely to The Academy venues, they now show live premiership football on Saturday & Sunday afternoons. In addition to this, professional Darts are available as well as huge satellite screens with surround sound showing live sporting events. Discreet but loaded fruit machines offer maximum payouts and that all-important thrill! The Sport Bars with their light refreshing décor offer a variety of entertainment for all ages, definitely not to be missed! The Basingstoke venue also boasts a function room and superb Chinese Restaurant.
(http://www.academyclubs.com/).
Further details of Modern Romance can be found at http://www.modernromance.com/
Media enquiries and interview requests with Mr Kyriacou to:
Basingstoke, Hampshire UK
May 7th 2007.
Modern Romance in Basingstoke
1980’s pop legends “Modern Romance” appear live on stage at The Academy Basingstoke on Saturday 2nd June to bring their special brand of music to a new generation as well as to fans from across the decades.
When the band first exploded into the charts in the summer of 1981 with their infectious rhythms and tailored glamour, you could be forgiven for thinking they were an overnight success.
In fact, the roots of the group could be traced far back to the mid ‘70s when “The Leyton Buzzards” began life in 1976 as a college band consisting of long time friends Geoffrey Deane (vocals), David Jaymes (bass), Kevin Steptoe (drums) and Dave Monk (guitar). After building up a considerable following on the London pub circuit, the group signed a small record deal with an independent label, and in 1978, released their debut single, “19 & Mad”. Both the record, and success in a music competition backed by Radio One, attracted the attention of the majors and the band signed a deal with Chrysalis soon after. The result was a minor hit in 1979 with “Saturday Night Beneath The Plastic Palm Trees” and an album “From Jellied Eels To Record Deals”. Further singles for Chrysalis failed to capitalise on the initial flush of success, and in 1980 the band changed their name to The Buzzards, signing a new deal with Warner Brothers in the process.
A cover of the Andy Williams’ “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” proved a commercial failure and The Buzzards subsequently disbanded, but Geoffrey Deane and David Jaymes remained with Warner and began developing a new sound and a new brand that was to become Modern Romance.
The pair were accompanied on this new journey by a versatile collective of musicians; John Du Prez (trumpet), Robbie Jaymes (keyboards), Paul Gendler (guitar) and Andy Kyriacou, whose drums and percussion became the backbone of the Modern Romance sound.
Success for the new group didn’t come immediately, but it would have been hard for the public not to have seized upon the fusion of faux-disco and big band that was “Everybody Salsa”. Entering the charts at number 71, the song quickly took hold and within a month was sitting comfortably in the top 20, eventually peaking at a respectable number 12. Follow-up “Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey” went two better and landed in the top 10, remaining in the charts over the festive period and no doubt graced the turntable of many an office party.
January ‘82 witnessed the release of the wondrous “Queen Of The Rapping Scene (Nothing Goes The Way You Plan)”, which featured Bev Sage of the Techno Twins on guest vocal. A hugely memorable appearance on BBC Top Of The Pops helped the record become their third top 40 hit in less than six months.
Debut album, “Adventures In Clubland”, surprisingly failed to register on the UK charts, although it did perform extremely well across Europe and made Gold in Latin America with number one rankings in several countries. It also proved successful in the USA where “Can You Move” had become a significant dance chart hit.
Two more singles followed in quick succession. First up, the lush “By The Way (I’m Still In Love With You)”, which appeared on the 2006 Warner’s Platinum Compilation on a Modern Romance album for the first time. Follow-up “Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White” proved perfect for the UK summer market and sizzled its way up the charts, giving the group another top 20 hit.
In late 1982 Geoffrey Deane quit the group to pursue a solo career, leaving the way for Michael J. Mullins to be promoted from a supporting role on the sidelines to be the bands new lead singer. His arrival signalled a dramatic move towards a more pop oriented sound, clearly evident on the perennial hit, “Best Years Of Our Lives” (as featured more recently on the soundtrack of the movie “SHREK”). This upbeat anthem rocketed to number 4 in the charts over Christmas 1982, and was even supported by a special Yuletide remix.
The new look Modern Romance had a blistering year in 1983, racking up three more major hit singles. “High Life” and “Don’t Stop That Crazy Rhythm” both retained the party feel of their earlier hits, whilst “Walking In The Rain”, a beautiful ballad, showed the group in a new light previously unseen on earlier recordings. These tracks appeared on the chart album “Trick Of The Light”, alongside standouts “Lets Go”, “She’s So Fine” and “After All This Time”.
A career retrospective in late ‘83, aptly titled “Party Tonight”, gave the group another chart album and included their final single for Warner, “Good Friday”. This album also included a brilliant interpretation of the Motown classic “Just My Imagination”, which demonstrated the versatility of this great band.
During these years the band had massive hits around the world and undertook a number of sell-out tours including a massive concert in Tokyo.
In 1984 the group signed a new record deal with RCA and released their final album, “Burn It!” Subsequent singles, including the memorable “That’s What Friends Are For” made little impression on the UK charts and Modern Romance finally signed off in 1985 with a cover of the Baltimora hit “Tarzan Boy”. The beat wasn’t quite ready to quit however and drummer Andy Kyriacou resurrected the group in 2001.
A tour in 2007 is currently underway to coincide with a new album and kicks off with a show at The Academy Basingstoke (http://www.academyclubs.com/) on Saturday 2nd June. The band will perform as an acoustic set to reflect the relaxed and informal atmosphere of the venue.
The show brings together the very finest moments from the group’s career. Twenty five years after “Everybody Salsa” first sashayed its way into the charts, this is your chance to remember why that crazy rhythm still cannot be beat!
And if you belong to a newer generation, then see the people perform songs you hear on the dance floor today and appreciate that the music was created back in the 1980’s.
Full details are available on The Academy website (http://www.academyclubs.com/) or by telephoning John on 01256 327273.
ENDS
Note to Editors
There are three Academy's currently in the South - Basingstoke, Boscombe and Eastleigh. All operate 24 hours, 7 days a week, and offer extensive Snooker, Pool and Nine Ball. Uniquely to The Academy venues, they now show live premiership football on Saturday & Sunday afternoons. In addition to this, professional Darts are available as well as huge satellite screens with surround sound showing live sporting events. Discreet but loaded fruit machines offer maximum payouts and that all-important thrill! The Sport Bars with their light refreshing décor offer a variety of entertainment for all ages, definitely not to be missed! The Basingstoke venue also boasts a function room and superb Chinese Restaurant.
(http://www.academyclubs.com/).
Further details of Modern Romance can be found at http://www.modernromance.com/
Media enquiries and interview requests with Mr Kyriacou to:
John Hicks M.IDM
Headline Promotions, Press & PR
Mobile: 07771 575 654
Fax: 0707 520 9717
john@headlinepromotions.co.uk
http://www.headlinepromotions.blogspot.com/
Headline Promotions, Press & PR
Mobile: 07771 575 654
Fax: 0707 520 9717
john@headlinepromotions.co.uk
http://www.headlinepromotions.blogspot.com/
PHOTO: Andy Kyriacou (left) with John Hicks on Andy's recent visit to The Academy Basingstoke
