Bucks Fizz (band)

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Bucks Fizz
Also known as Buck5 Fizz
Origin United Kingdom
Genre(s) Pop, Dance, Dreampop, pop-rock
Instrument(s) singing
Years active 1981 - Present
Label(s) RCA, Polydor

Bucks Fizz is a British pop group, formed in 1981 to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest that year. They won with "Making Your Mind Up" and went on to have a successful pop career.

Contents

[edit] Career

On 11th March 1981 four unknowns, Bobby G (or Gee, actually Gubby), Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston otherwise known as Bucks Fizz won the hearts of the UK when they beat 7 other artists in 'A Song for Europe'. They followered the classic and successful 'two male — two female' Eurovision line-up established by ABBA. Already experienced singers, they were gathered together by producer/writing combo Nichola Martin and Andy Hill especially for this performance. Cheryl Baker had formerly been a member of the group Co-Co, who came 11th at the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest with the UK entry "The Bad Old Days”. Bucks Fizz then went on to represent the UK at that year's Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, Ireland. Bucks Fizz performed "Making Your Mind Up", featuring the world famous skirt-ripping dance routine and won the Eurovision Song Contest by 4 points! Bucks Fizz became one of the most popular bands of the 1980's with a string of hit singles and albums. "Making Your Mind Up" was a Number One Hit for the group in nine different countries.


This was promptly followed by a further two Top 20 hits in the UK, "Piece Of The Action" and "One Of Those Nights" and also an eponymously-titled album. After winning Eurovision, the group built on their success with other awards and accolades. In November 1981, they won the Best Song Award at the Yamaha Song Contest in Tokyo with the song "Another Night". Their popularity was spreading beyond Europe!


Their next single released in November 1981, "The Land Of Make Believe" reached number one, as did "My Camera Never Lies". They toured extensively in 1981 and 1982. Bucks Fizz performed "My Camera Never Lies" at the 1982 A Song For Europe and Terry Wogan interviewed them. Unfortunately, they were not at hand in Harrogate to perform or present the trophy to the 1982 Eurovision winner Nicole. Further success followed in May with the group's 2nd studio album 'Are You Ready' which went Gold immediately. Proving that they could sing and show diversity a ballad was released 'Now Those Days Are Gone' which reached number eight in the UK charts. Success continued with the release of the singles 'If You Can't Stand The Heat', 'Run For Your Life' and 'When We Were Young'. Bucks Fizz's 3rd studio album 'Hand Cut' was released in 1983 with intricate harmonies, booming choruses and perfect pop. Finally the year was topped off with the release of their Greatest Hits album which went gold and featured new songs 'London Town' and 'Rules of the Game'.


1984 was to be an eventful year. Bucks Fizz toured the UK again on a 7-week sell out tour. The group had yet another hit with their version of The Romantics song 'Talking In Your Sleep'. This was closely followed by the critically acclaimed forth studio album, 'I Hear Talk'. The title track was also a hit as a single in the UK and a club hit in the USA. This also prompted some extra live sell out shows at the end of the year in which fate was to deal the group a devastating blow. After the Newcastle gig Bucks Fizz were involved in a horrific coach crash which resulted in the serious injury of Mike Nolan. Fortunately Mike did make a remarkable recovery and the Bucks Fizz story was allowed to continue for many more years. As Mike recovered Bucks Fizz received yet another blow as Jay Aston decided to depart the group in June of 1985.


After auditions at The Prince of Wales Theatre in London Shelley Preston replaced Jay and continued promoting the next single 'You and Your Heart So Blue' Another single followed 'Magical' and then came the massive single 'New Beginning'. At this point Bucks Fizz moved record labels to Polydor to release the album “Writing On The Wall”. As well as “New Beginning” it also contained the minor hit records “Love The One You’re With” and “Keep Each Other Warm”.


In 1988 one final single was released, 'Heart of Stone'. It later became a worldwide hit for Cher. But that was not the end of Bucks Fizz.


New Years Eve 1989, after nearly 5 years, Shelley announced that she was leaving the band and Cheryl, Bobby and Mike continued as a three piece until 1993 when Cheryl left to start a family and concentrate on her TV presenting career. Cheryl was replaced by two newcomers, Heidi Manton (who would later go on to marry Bobby) and Amanda Swarzc. This line-up would continue until 1996 when Mike and Amanda both left and ex-Dollar star David Van Day joined with Karen Logan. Karen left six months later to be replaced by Louise Hart. David also left in 1997 after a very public falling out with Bobby and Heidi to be replaced by Graham Crisp.


Graham and Louise left Bucks Fizz in December 2002 and were replaced by Nikki Winter and Wayne Chinnery. Bucks Fizz have always continued with Bobby always at the helm. Nikki left soon after to be replaced by Tammy Choat, Later Wayne left and he was replaced by Paul Fordham. So today Bucks Fizz are Bobby G, Heide Manton, Tammy Choat and Paul Fordham.


In 2003 Jemini scored the embarrassing Nil Points at Eurovision and after a re-think the BBC decided to makeover A Song For Europe and make it a bigger event…a new title was called for and it became…Making Your Mind Up!!!


2004 was to see new songs unearthed as the vaults were opened at BMG and the Bucks Fizz back catalogue was released on CD. Then in December, the original group, but with Shelley, instead of Jay reformed one more time after 15 years to be part of 'The Here and Now Tour' of the UK. Due to commitments with his Official Bucks Fizz, Bobby could not make all of the dates played. However, it was like old times. Inspired by the gigs Cheryl, Mike and Shelley decided to do more shows together as they had so much fun. They featured in The Congratulations Show…the 50th Anniversary of Eurovision in Copenhagen and also did other Eurovision related gigs with Daz Sampson, the UK Eurovision entrant in 2006.


In 2005 BBC viewers were invited to vote on the most memorable Eurovision moments ever. Bucks Fizz won with the ripping skirt routine! They also released a double CD collection of all their hits on one CD for the very first time. The Ultimate Anthology was released in 2005. The album was commissioned and catalogued with the band's title in the wording. It brought together hits from BMG and Polydor.


In there 25th Anniversary year the vaults were further opened and new songs and 'Lost Masters' were released. This album was originally titled "Comforts Place" but later changed. Proving that Bucks Fizz could still pull out a great song after 25 years a brand new song “Every Dream Has Broken” was unearthed and years later became a big fan favorite. The release also uncovered new versions of “You And You’re Heart So Blue”, “She Cries”, “Oh Suzanne” , extended versions of songs, solo material and some updated versions of classics including “Now Those Days Are Gone” and “My Camera Never Lies”.


All 5 members of Bucks Fizz: Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston, Shelley Preston, Bobby G and Mike Nolan got together on 24 November 2006 to film a video for Comic Relief with the British comedian Peter Kay. It was for a new version of The Proclaimers '500 Miles'. It is claimed that Cheryl, Mike, Bobby, Jay & Shelley spent time chatting about old times and new. Comic Relief was on March 16th 2007 and the song became a number one smash. This meeting sparked speculation about the possibility of the ultimate BUCKS FIZZ show with all 5 members on stage together, however, nothing has happened since. This was the first time in Bucks Fizz history that all the original 1980's members have been together. BUCK5 FIZZ!


It was also announced that the original line-up of members might possibly be performing together as a support act for Britain's Making Your Mind Up Eurovision selection show on Saturday 17th March 2007, held at The Maidstone Studios in Kent. However, on the day the group did not perform, although four members of the group were in the audience, and Fearne Cotton conducted a short interview with Cheryl Baker. Bobby G and his Bucks Fizz were performing that evening in Ireland.


In May 2007 Cheryl, Shelley and Mike decided to rename themselves as The Original Bucks Fizz and appeared on VHI to present Eurovision related programming, Jay Aston appeared on The National Lottery TV show on Eurovision night to press the all important button as they promoted The Very Best of Bucks Fizz a new Greatest Hits Collection and DVD of their hits. Bucks Fizz scored their first UK Top 40 Album for 24 years.


A second volume of Lost Masters is being currently being compiled hopefully to be released in 2008 including 1980s remix verions of “Run For Your Life”, Golden Days” and “The Land Of Make Believe”.

[edit] Band name dispute

Shortly after David Van Day left Bucks Fizz, he teamed up with Mike Nolan and two new female recruits to form a new version of Bucks Fizz. Confusion was averted when Nolan agreed to call his band "Bucks Fizz starring Mike Nolan"; their website said the new band was an amalgamation of Bucks Fizz and Dollar (using the slogan "Bucks Fizz plus Dollar equals Lots of Cents"). This version of the band released two singles including a Rick Astley cover and several compilations which featured new vocal versions of old hits. Particularly noted was a dance remix of "Making Your Mind Up" released in 1998.

Sometime thereafter, Nolan left his version of Bucks Fizz but Van Day continued to tour under the moniker Bucks Fizz. As Heidi Manton, now owner of the name Bucks Fizz, still continued to play with Bobby G in the official version of Bucks Fizz, much confusion was caused and Bobby G brought a case in the High Court against Van Day. In 2001, a judge refused to grant a court injuction against Van Day as he been operating in Bucks Fizz for five years at the time. [1]

The feud and legal battle between Bobby G and David Van Day as to who owned the name Bucks Fizz was the subject of a BBC television documentary, Trouble at the Top [2]. The case was settled out of court in 2002 when David Van Day agreed to call his version of the band David Van Day's Bucks Fizz Show. [3]

[edit] References in popular culture

  • Bucks Fizz was often mentioned and joked about in the long running BBC TV series, As Time Goes By.
  • Bucks Fizz have had several mentions in the UK soap Coronation Street in recent times.
  • Bucks Fizz have been referred to in the Catherine Tate comedy show on BBC TV.
  • Bucks Fizz's skirt ripping routine was recreated by Kathy Burke and co in the UK comedy show 'Gimme Gimme Gimme'
  • Bucks Fizz's "Making Your Mind Up" was recreated by UK comedy duo Syd Little & Eddie Large in the early 80s
  • Making Your Mind Up is a television event in which viewers vote for which song should be United Kingdom's next Eurovision entry.
  • In the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, the Scooch member David Ducasse was holding a champagne bottle named "Bucks Fizz".

[edit] Band members chronology

There have been 15 members of the group since its formation in 1981. [4] Bucks Fizz operated as a trio between 1990 and 1993.

  • Jay Aston 1981 - 1985
  • Cheryl Baker 1981 - 1993 / rejoined 2004 - present
  • Bobby G 1981 - present
  • Mike Nolan 1981 - 1996 / rejoined 2004 - present
  • Shelley Preston 1985 - 1990 / rejoined 2004 - present
  • Heidi Manton 1993 - present
  • Amanda Szwarc 1993 - 1996
  • David Van Day 1996 - 1997
  • Karen Logan 1996
  • Graham Crisp 1997 - 2002
  • Wayne Chinnery 2003 - 2007
  • Louise Hart 1996 - 2002
  • Nikki Winters 2003
  • Tammy Choat 2003 - present
  • Paul Fordham [5]2007 - present

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

  • "Making Your Mind Up" (1981) (#1 UK) (#5 Germany) (#6 Australia)
  • "Piece of the Action" (1981) (#12 UK) (#35 Germany) (#26 Australia)
  • "One of Those Nights" (1981) (#20 UK)
  • "The Land Of Make Believe" (1981) (#1 UK) (#3 Germany) (#7 A) (#14 Australia)
  • "My Camera Never Lies" (1982) (#1 UK) (#31 Germany) (#63 Australia)
  • "Now Those Days Are Gone" (1982) (#8 UK)
  • "Are You Ready" (1982) — only in West Germany
  • "Easy Love" (1982 — Not UK)
  • "If You Can't Stand The Heat" (1982) (#10 UK) (#75 Germany)
  • "Run for Your Life" (1983) (#14 UK)
  • "When We Were Young" (1983) (#10 UK) (#52 Germany) (#14 NL) (#8 Lux) (#20 A)
  • "London Town" (1983) (#34 UK) (#64 Germany)
  • "Rules of the Game" (1983) (#57 UK)
  • "Talking In Your Sleep" (1984) (#15 UK) (#14 Lux)
  • "Golden Days" (1984) (#42 UK)
  • "I Hear Talk" (1984) (#34 UK) (#25 Lux)
  • "You And Your Heart So Blue" (1985) (#43 UK) (#40 Lux)
  • "Magical" (1985) (#57 UK)
  • "New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)" (1986) (#8 UK) (#32 NL) (#5 Lux)
  • "Love The One You're With" (1986) (#47 UK)
  • "Keep Each Other Warm" (1986) (#45 UK)
  • "Heart of Stone" (1988) (#50 UK)
  • "You Love, Love" (1989)
  • "The Land of Make Believe" (1991)

[edit] Albums

[edit] External links

www.bucksfizz.co.uk

[edit] References

  1. ^ Court refuses to issue injuction
  2. ^ Trouble at the Top documentary BFI database
  3. ^ Bucks Fizz name dispute settled BBC.co.uk
  4. ^ Band chronology
  5. ^ Bucks Fizz's newest member
Preceded by
Johnny Logan 		Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest
1981 		Succeeded by
Nicole
Preceded by
Prima Donna 		UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
1981 		Succeeded by
Bardo
v • d • e
Eurovision winners
1950sLys Assia • Corry Brokken • André Claveau • Teddy Scholten
1960sJacqueline Boyer • Jean-Claude Pascal • Isabelle Aubret • Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann • Gigliola Cinquetti • France Gall • Udo Jürgens • Sandie Shaw • Massiel • Frida Boccara • Lenny Kuhr • Lulu • Salomé
1970sDana • Séverine • Vicky Leandros • Anne-Marie David • ABBA • Teach-In • Brotherhood of Man • Marie Myriam • Izhar Cohen & Alphabeta • Gali Atari & Milk and Honey
1980sJohnny Logan • Bucks Fizz • Nicole • Corinne Hermès • Herreys • Bobbysocks • Sandra Kim • Johnny Logan • Celine Dion • Riva
1990sToto Cutugno • Carola • Linda Martin • Niamh Kavanagh • Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan • Secret Garden • Eimear Quinn • Katrina and the Waves • Dana International • Charlotte Nilsson
2000sOlsen Brothers • Tanel Padar, Dave Benton & 2XL • Marie N • Sertab Erener • Ruslana • Elena Paparizou • Lordi • Marija Šerifović
de:Bucks Fizz

es:Bucks Fizz fr:Bucks Fizz it:Bucks Fizz nl:Bucks Fizz ro:Bucks Fizz fi:Bucks Fizz sv:Bucks Fizz

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