- Nik Kershaw
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Nik Kershaw Birth name Nicholas David Kershaw Born 1 March 1958
Bristol, EnglandOrigin Ipswich, Suffolk, England Genres Synthpop, Pop rock, New Wave Occupations Musician, vocalist, songwriter, record producer Instruments Vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass drums Years active 1983–present Labels MCA, Koch, Shorthouse Website www.nikkershaw.co.uk Nik Kershaw (born Nicholas David Kershaw, 1 March 1958)[1] is an English singer-songwriter. The one time jazz-funk guitarist was a mid-1980s teen idol.[2] His 50 weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1984 beat all other soloists.[2] Kershaw appeared at Live Aid, and penned hits for Let Loose, The Hollies and a number 1 for Chesney Hawkes, "The One and Only".[2]
Contents
Career
1980s
Although born in Bristol, Kershaw grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk, and after leaving Northgate High School in 1976 worked as a shop assistant and in the Department of Employment for several years, during which time he played guitar and sang in a number of underground Ipswich bands. However, when the last of these, Fusion, split up in 1982, he embarked on a full time career as a songwriter and performer.[1] In 1983, he signed a recording contract with MCA Records, a deal which spawned his debut single, "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".[1]
At the beginning of 1984, Kershaw released his breakthrough song "Wouldn't It Be Good",[1] which reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart, and was a big success in Europe, particularly in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and in Scandinavia and Australia. The music video, featuring Kershaw as a chroma key-suited alien, received heavy rotation by MTV, helping the song reach #46 in the United States. He enjoyed three more Top 20 hits from his debut album Human Racing, including the title track and a successful re-issue of "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".[1] This track ultimately proved his biggest hit as a performer when it reached Number 2 in the UK.[2]
Kershaw's second album was The Riddle. The title track proved to be another UK and international hit single, and the album also spawned two more UK Top 10 hits, "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote", as it went platinum. During this time, Kershaw toured extensively with his backing band The Krew, consisting of Keith Airey, Tim Moore, Mark Price, Sheri Kershaw (his wife), and Dennis Smith.[3]
In July 1985, Kershaw was among the performers at Live Aid, held at Wembley Stadium. His stardom began to wane soon afterwards and he enjoyed only one more UK Top 40 hit. He continued to record and release records, and collaborated with others. Also in 1985, Elton John asked Kershaw to play guitar on John's hit "Nikita".[3]
A cover of "Wouldn't it be Good" by the Danny Hutton Hitters appeared on the soundtrack of the 1986 teen romantic comedy-drama Pretty in Pink. Later the same year, his third album, Radio Musicola, was released to critical acclaim but to little commercial success.[1] It seemed that he had outgrown his original audience with increasingly mature releases; The Works was released in 1989 to little success.
1990s
His prowess as a songwriter served him well in 1991, when his song "The One and Only" appeared on the soundtrack to the British film Buddy's Song, and in the American movie Doc Hollywood. "The One and Only" proved to be a UK Number 1 for the star of Buddy's Song, Chesney Hawkes. In 1993, The Hollies had a minor hit with another of Kershaw's songs, "The Woman I Love". During the mid 1990s he also wrote and produced material for the boy band Let Loose, with two of the tracks ("Seventeen" and "Everybody Say Everybody Do") achieving reasonable success.
1999 saw the release of 15 Minutes.[1] Kershaw revealed that he decided to record the tracks himself, when he could not envisage them being recorded by other artists.[4] The album spawned two singles, including "What Do You Think Of It So Far?", a song described as "an elegant and soaring ode to the transience of time, infused with both self-doubt and an acceptance of life that can only come with maturity".[5]
2000s
The follow-up album, To Be Frank, was released in 2001. Over the years, Kershaw has collaborated on albums with artists such as Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, Tony Banks, Les Rythmes Digitales, Michael W. Smith and Imogen Heap.
In 2005, Kershaw released Then And Now, a collection of earlier material with four new tracks. In 2006, he completed another solo album, You've Got to Laugh, available only through his website or digitally through iTunes. This album contained twelve tracks and was released on the musician's own label, Shorthouse Records. Neither Then And Now nor You've Got To Laugh was promoted by a tour. The year also saw the digital re-release of his 1980s back catalogue including Human Racing, The Riddle, Radio Musicola and The Works.
Kershaw performed at Fairports Cropredy Convention on the 15 August 2009 and the Rewind Festival on 23 August 2009, on Temple Island Meadows at Henley-on-Thames.[6] Kershaw also performed at The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich on 15 November 2009.
2010s
On 13 May 2010 Kershaw appeared on stage and hosted 'Our Friends Acoustic' in aid of Mencap. He performed "The Riddle", "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls" and "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Other 1980s performers joined him and performed their own songs, including Andy Bell, Carol Decker, Howard Jones, Jimmy Somerville, China Crisis and Steve Strange at The O2 in London.
Personal life
In June 1983 Kershaw married Sheri and they have three children. Nik and Sheri Kershaw separated in November 2003.[7] Nik married Sarah, his girlfriend of four years, in June 2009 and is stepfather to Renee. On June 10, 2010, Kershaw revealed his wife had given birth to a son by posting the message "Theodore Douglas Kershaw, born 9/6/2010 at 9:01am. Mum and baby doing just fine." on his official Twitter.[8] They now divide their time between their homes near Little Dunmow, Essex and West Cork, Ireland.
Discography
Nik Kershaw discography Releases ↙Studio albums 8 ↙Live albums 1 ↙Compilation albums 6 ↙Singles 27 The discography of Nik Kershaw consists of eight studio albums[2][9], one live album, six compilation albums, one extended play and 27 hit singles[2][9].
Studio albums
Year Album details Peak chart positions Certification UK
[10]US AUS GER SWI NOR SWE FIN NL 1984 Human Racing - Released: 7 April 1984
- Label: MCA
- Length: 39:39
5 70 35 8 12 7 38 8 13 - UK: 3x Platinum
The Riddle - Released: 1 August 1984
- Label: MCA
- Length: 42:32
8 113 39 12 23 5 11 11 17 - UK: 2x Platinum
- US: Gold
1986 Radio Musicola - Released: 6 December 1986
- Label: MCA
- Length: 44:20
47 — 92 — — — — — — - UK: Platinum
1989 The Works - Released: 22 May 1989
- Label: MCA
- Length: 49:18
— — — — — — — — — - UK: Gold
1999 15 Minutes 194 — — — — — — — — 2001 To Be Frank - Released: 23 April 2001
- Label: Koch
- Length: 49:57
— — — — — — — — — 2006 You've Got to Laugh - Released: 26 October 2006
- Label: Shorthouse
- Length: 51:44
— — — — — — — — — 2010 No Frills - Released: 8 April 2010
- Label: Koch
- Length: 51:37
— — — — — — — — — Live albums
Year Album Details Certification 1987 BBC Transcription Service - Live in Concert
Released: 12 May 1987
Label: Promo
Length: 60:01UK: Gold Compilation albums
Year Album Details Peak chart positions Certification UK SWE FIN DEN 1991 The Collection - Released: 9 August 1991
- Label: MCA
— — — — - UK: 3x Platinum
1993 The Best of Nik Kershaw - Released: 7 June 1993
- Label: MCA
— 23 — — 1995 Anthology - Released: 22 December 1995
- Label: MCA
— — — — 1998 Greatest Hits - Released: 17 May 1998
- Label: Rhino
— — 12 9 2000 The Essential - Released; 11 July 2000
- Label: Eagle
— — — — 2005 Then and Now
Released: 12 February 2005
Label: UMTV182 — — — Remix Albums
- 98 Remixes (1998)
Singles
Year Single Peak chart poistions Album UK US SWE NL CAN AUS IRE GER SWI NOR FRA AST ITA SA FIN JAP 1983 "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" 47 - 10 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - Human Racing 1984 "Wouldn't It Be Good" 4 46 - 24 9 5 2 2 3 6 35 12 14 14 - - "Dancing Girls" 13 - - - - - 14 21 - - - - - - - - "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me Re-Issue" 2 - - - 5 17 4 12 6 8 - - - - - - Non-Album Single "Human Racing" 19 - - - - - 17 - - - - - - - - - Human Racing "The Riddle" 3 - 5 19 - 6 3 8 15 5 18 - 10 9 12 - The Riddle 1985 "Wide Boy" 9 - - 47 - 7 5 25 - - - - - - - - "Don Quixote" 10 - - - - 83 9 39 - - - - - - - - "When a Heart Beats" 27 92 - - - - 14 55 - - - - - - - - Radio Musicola 1986 "Nobody Knows" 44 - - - - 73 20 - - - - - - - - 2 "Radio Musicola" 43 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1987 "James Cagney" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Non-Album Single 1989 "One Step Ahead" 55 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Works "Elizabeth's Eyes" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1991 "Wouldn't It Be Good Re-Issue" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 Minutes "I Wanna Change The Score"
Duet with Tony Banks- - - - - - - 55 - - - - - - - - 1993 "Old Friend"
Duet with Elton John- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1998 "Wouldn't It Be Good Re-Issue" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - '98 Remixes EP 1999 "Somebody Loves You" 70 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 Minutes "Sometimes"
Duet with Stuart Price56 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To Be Frank "What Do You Think Of It So Far" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2001 "Wounded" 100 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Die Laughing" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2005 "What It Is" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - You've Got To Laugh "The Riddle Re-Issue" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - No Frills 2011 "Wouldn't It Be Good Re-Issue"
Duet with The Angry Kids- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Non-Album Single Collaborations
- 1985 Nikita by Elton John - Kershaw on electric guitar.
- 1991 Still by Tony Banks - Kershaw on lead vocals on "Red Day on Blue Street", "I Wanna Change the Score" and "The Final Curtain". "Red Day on Blue Street" and "I Wanna Change the Score" co-written by Banks and Kershaw.
- 1993 Duets by Elton John - "Old Friend" written by Kershaw. All instruments by Kershaw. Vocals by Kershaw and John.
- 1996 "Walls of Sound" (single) from Strictly Inc - B-side "Back to You" was co-written by Banks and Kershaw.
- 1998 Live the Life by Michael W. Smith - "Let Me Show You The Way" co-written by Kershaw, Smith and producer Stephen Lipson. Also features Smith and Kershaw on guitar.
- 1999 Darkdancer by Les Rythmes Digitales - "Sometimes" co-written by Jacques Lu Cont and Kershaw. Lead vocals by Kershaw.
- 1999 This Is Your Time by Michael W. Smith - "Hey You It's Me" - co-written by Kershaw and Smith. Backing vocals by Kershaw.
- 1999 The Riddle by Gigi D'Agostino - dance music version.
- 2001 "Island" by Orinoko - co-written by Kershaw.
- 2010 "Come Out and Play" by Kim Wilde - duet with Kim on the track "Love Conquers All".
See also
- List of New Wave bands and artists
- List of singer-songwriters
- List of synthpop artists
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4668. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 299. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b NME.com biography - accessed March 2009
- ^ Archived copy of Dark Glasses article
- ^ Record Mart & Buyer, Issue 12, July 1999, p71
- ^ BBC.co.uk/berkshire - accessed March 2009
- ^ Sunday Mirror article - 2003
- ^ http://www.nikkershaw.net/blogcast/happy-2010
- ^ a b "Chart Log UK". zobbel.de. http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_K.HTM. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
- ^ / "UK Charts > Paul Young". Official Charts Company. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/paul%20young /. Retrieved 16-08-2010.
External links
- Official Nik Kershaw website
- Italian based fansite
- Nikography - Nik Kershaw discography & collectors fansite
- Nik Kershaw at Allmusic
- Nik Kershaw at the Internet Movie Database
Human Racing · The Riddle · Radio Musicola · The Works · 15 Minutes · To Be Frank · You've Got to Laugh · No FrillsCompilations The Collection · Wouldn't It Be Good · The Best of Nik Kershaw · Greatest Hits · Anthology · The Essential · Then And NowLive albums BBC Transcription Service - Live in Concert [promo] · 12" CollectionSingles "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" · "Wouldn't It Be Good" · "Dancing Girls" · "I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" (re-issue) · "Human Racing" · "The Riddle" · "Wide Boy" · "Don Quixote" · "When a Heart Beats" · "Nobody Knows" · "Radio Musicola" · "James Cagney" · "One Step Ahead" · "Elisabeth's Eyes" · "Wouldn't It Be Good" (re-issue) · "I Wanna Change the Score" (with Tony Banks) · "Old Friends" [promo] (with Elton John) · "Wouldn't It Be Good ('98 Remix)" · "'98 Remixes (Wouldn't It Be Good & I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me) EP" [Denmark] · "Somebody Loves You" · "Sometimes" (with Les Rythmes Digitales) · "What Do You Think Of It So Far?" · "Wounded" · "Die Laughing" [promo] · "What It Is" [promo] · "The Riddle '05" [promo]Record labels Related articles Categories:- 1958 births
- Living people
- People from Bristol
- English male singers
- English New Wave musicians
- English singer-songwriters
- English songwriters
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