Bananarama will be playing a show at The Astor Theatre on Friday February 19th 2016. Keren and Sara will be supported by another much loved ’80s band Wang Chung.

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The band, who were originally a trio, formed in London in 1979. Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward were childhood friends, they met third member Siobhan Fahey while they were all studying to be fashion journalists.

The trio used to do impromptu gigs with punk bands. In 1981 they were living above a rehearsal room used by Steve Jones and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols. The punk rockers helped them get their first record made – ‘Aie a Mwana’, a disco tune sung in Swahili. It became an underground hit and lead to their first record deal with London records.

The band first recorded some tunes with ex Specials singer Terry Hall and his new band Funboy Three. Bananarama sang backing vocals on Funboy Three’s ‘T’ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It)’ and they returned the favour on Bananarama’s song ‘Really Saying Something’.

Bananarama teamed up with producers Jolley and Swain for their first three albums producing a run of hits including ‘Shy Boy’, ‘Robert DeNiro’s Waiting’, ‘Cruel Summer’, ‘Do Not Disturb’ and ‘A Trick of the Night’

On their third record the band worked with producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman on two tracks; ‘More Than Physical’ and ‘Venus’. Their cover of Shocking Blue’s ‘Venus’ was a massive hit around the world.

For their fourth album the band worked exclusively with Stock, Aitken and Waterman creating the mega-selling ‘Wow!’ record. The hits kept coming with ‘Love in the First Degree’, ‘I Can’t Help It’, ‘Nathan Jones’, ‘I Heard a Rumour’ and ‘I Want You Back’.

Around this time founding member Siobhan Fahey decided to leave the band. The singer had recently married Eurythmics member Dave Stewart and formed a new band Shakespear’s Sister.

Fahey was replaced in the band by Jacqui O’Sullivan and the band re-recorded several of the songs on ‘Wow’ to feature O’Sullivan’s vocals. They also had a hit with a charity single, a cover of The Beatles ‘Help’, which saw them teaming up with Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Katy Burke.

At the end of 1988 the band recorded a new tune ‘Love, Truth and Honesty’, which featured on their first ‘Greatest Hits Compilation’.

For their fifth album ‘Pop Life’ the band only recorded a few tracks with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, preferring to work with producer Youth. This album featured the singles ‘Only Your Love’, ‘Preacher Man’, ‘Tripping on Your Love’ and a cover of the Doobie Brothers’ ‘Long Train Runnin”. The album was still popular, but the music world was changing as grunge and techno emerged.

By the time the band’s next album ‘Please Yourself’ came around in 1993, Jacqui O’Sullivan had left, and the trio became a duo. Returning to producers Stock and Waterman – who had now made a plethora of hits for Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Mel and Kim, Rick Astley and whole stable of artists – the band returned to their euro-beat sound.

‘Please Yourself’ featured the ABBAesque tune ‘Movin’ On’ ad the catchy ‘Last Thing on Your Mind’ – which would become a hit for STEPS a few years later. They also recorded an updated version of the ’70s disco tune ‘More, More, More’. Despite being a brilliant album – the songs didn’t chart as high as their previous hits and the band broke up with their record company.

Bananarama have never stopped recording though, in 1995 they released the album ‘Ultaviolet / I Found Love’ which featured the single ‘Every Shade of Blue’. In 2001 they released an album in France titled ‘Exotica’ which saw them re-record many of their earlier hits.

In 2005 they released the album ‘Drama’ which saw them back in the UK charts. The new album spawned the hits ‘Move in My Direction’ and Look at the Floor (Hypnotic Tango)’.

In 2009 the band returned with ‘Viva’ which featured the songs ‘Love Don’t Live Here Anymore’ and ‘Love Comes’. The band also indulged their love of covers taking on Fox’s sexy 70’s tune ‘Single Bed’, iiO’s ‘Rapture’ and ‘The Runner’, which was originally recorded by The Three Degrees.

The bands most recent output has been the EP ‘Now or Never’ which contained their take on the Maroon 5 tune ‘Moves Like Jagger’.

One things for sure, when Sara and Keren take to the stage at The Astor they’ll have a lot of songs to choose from!
Find out more at The Astor Theatre website.

Graeme Watson