Modern Romance (band)

Modern Romance
Origin	England
Genres	Pop, Salsa music, Dance music, R&B, Mambo, Electronic music, Afro-Cuban music, Blues music, Soul music, Disco music
Years active	1980–1985 2001–
Labels	WEA, RCA, Ronco, Wounded Bird Records
Website	Official website
Members
Andy Kyriacou Peter J. Pinto Kevin Sutherland Chris Webb Matt Earnshaw Martin Shaw Nicola Poustie
Past members
Geoff Deane David Jaymes Robbie Jaymes Paul Gendler John Du Prez Michael J. Mullins

Modern Romance were a British pop music band that found popularity in the early 1980s. Formed in 1980 by previous members of an earlier punk rock band, The Leyton Buzzards, the band enjoyed a string of UK chart hits before they broke up in 1985. They are probably best known for their hit single, Best Years of Our Lives, which made the UK Top 10 and later featured in the movie Shrek (2001) and its subsequent soundtrack.^[1][2][3]

Modern Romance (1983)
Andy Kyriacou, John Du Prez, Robbie Jaymes
Paul Gendler, Michael J. Mullins, David Jaymes

Band members

Original line-up

• Geoff Deane - Vocalist - (born 10 December 1954, London).^[4]
• David Jaymes - Bassist - (born 28 November 1954, London)^[4]
• Robbie Jaymes - Keyboards - (born 3 October 1961)^[4]
• Paul Gendler - Guitarist - (born 11 August 1960)
• Tony Gainsborough - Drummer - (unknown birth details)
• John Du Prez - Trumpet (featured from "Everybody Salsa" onwards) - (born Trevor Jones, 14 December 1946, Sheffield)

Later band members

• Michael J. Mullins - Vocalist (after departure of Deane) - (born 9 November 1953^[4]) (although he is thanked on the sleeve of debut album Adventures in Clubland)
• Andy Kyriacou - Drums (after departure of Gainsborough)/Vocalist when the band reformed- (born Andrew Kyriacou, 18 April 1958, London)^[4]
• Peter J. Pinto - Guitarist - (born 16 October 1969)
• Nicola Poustie - Backing Singer
• Matt Earnshaw - Drums
• Kevin Sutherland - Keyboards
• Martin Shaw - Trumpet
• Gabriel Nuzzolli - Percussion

Biography

Geoffrey Deane and David Jaymes formed Modern Romance in 1980, having previously been the mainstays of the punk parody band the Leyton Buzzards. Following hot on the heels of their début UK chart success Everybody Salsa in 1981, Modern Romance reached the Top Ten of the UK Singles Chart with Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey - an eponymous chorus chanting salsa linked lyrics. After this, they scored a #2 hit on the Billboard Dance chart with the single "Can You Dance", backed with a 'clubland mix' of the same track and another song, called Bring On the Funkateers.^[5] After covering the 1955 hit Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White, Deane departed the band to pursue solo projects.

Michael J. Mullins took the mantle of lead vocalist. Their next release saw the band reach their highest UK position with Best Years of Our Lives in late 1982. Further hits followed in 1983: High Life, Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm, and Walking in the Rain all made the UK top 20, the latter being their final hit and an uncharacteristic ballad for them. The band released a compilation album ready for Christmas titled Party Tonight (1983) - their second album to chart in the UK - and a single, Good Friday, that barely made a dent in the UK top 100.

John Du Prez would leave the band following the release of Good Friday and after a change of image - from bright coloured suits and wedge hairstyles to long hair and leather jackets - Modern Romance released a final album, Burn It! (1985). The album was received poorly and the band called it quits after releasing the stand-alone single Tarzan Boy (1985) - a cover of the Baltimora hit - and an anthology mix of their biggest selling songs titled Best Mix of Our Lives (1985).

In 2001 Andy Kyriacou reformed the band, joining the burgeoning British 1980s in music revival scene. Despite the new line-up featuring no original band members, Kyriacou had first appeared on the Modern Romance single, Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey, and remained their drummer throughout both the Jaymes/Deane era and Jaymes/Mullins era. In 2002, the new line-up released the album Back on Track, which consisted mostly of re-recorded Modern Romance hits. Back on Track was also released as Moves 2 Fast, with a slightly different track listing.

Former lead vocalist, Geoff Deane, reappeared in 1983 as 'Geoff Deane & The Valley Girls' to release the Navy Lark single, then again for the solo What About Romance, and write You Think You're A Man for Divine. Deane later became a writer and producer, scripting for television programs such as Birds of a Feather, Babes in the Wood, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Chef!, Last Man Standing, and A Many-Splintered Thing. In 2005 he wrote the film Kinky Boots starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, and a year later It's a Boy Girl Thing for Elton John's Rocket Pictures.^[6]

David Jaymes, apart from having significant success as a songwriter and musician, has since moved into the management and consultancy side of the business. He has contributed as songwriter to the movie Shrek (2001) and as Music Supervisor on the film Fascination (2004) starring Jacqueline Bisset and James Naughton.^[7] He has worked with John Du Prez composing music for advertisements and feature films. Jaymes has managed artists such as Sinéad O'Connor, Justin Adams, Miles Hunt aka The Wonder Stuff, Republica, and Drum Club. He has also worked as consultant for the likes of Harry Nilsson, Jimmy Webb, George Fenton, and Chuck Mangione. He recently worked with a host of musicians on the Haiti Earthquake disaster single, cover version of I Put a Spell on You (2010), including Shane MacGowan, Nick Cave, Chrissy Hynde, and Johnny Depp.^[1]

Modern Romance in their latest guise continue to play the 1980s festival circuit, and appeared as the opening act at the 2010 Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames, which also included Boy George, Rick Astley, Level 42, T'Pau, Kajagoogoo and Heaven 17. The band is currently in the middle of recording a new album of brand new material, which is due to be finished at the end of 2010, with a tour planned for 2011.^[8]

Discography

Albums

• Adventures in Clubland (1981) Venezuela #1 [Certified Gold]
• Modern Romance (1982) [Germany]
• Trick of the Light (1983) - UK #53
• Party Tonight (1983) - UK #45 [Compilation]
• Juanita (1983) Japan
• Burn It! (1985)
• Back on Track (2002)
• Moves 2 Fast (2002)
• Modern Romance: The Platinum Collection' (2006) [Compilation]

^[9]

Singles (Jaymes / Deane era)

• "Modern Romance" b/w "I Believe in Me" (1980)
• "Tonight" b/w "Fever" (1981)
• "Everybody Salsa" b/w "Salsa Rappsody" (1981) UK #12
• "Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey" b/w "Moose on the Loose" (1981) UK #10
• "Can You Move" b/w "Queen of the Rapping Scene" (1981) US Dance Chart #2
• "Queen of the Rapping Scene (Nothing Ever Goes the Way You Plan)" b/w "Can You Move" [American Mix] (1981) UK#37
• "By the Way... (I'm Still in Love with You)" b/w "By the Way" (Trumpet Voluntary) (1982)
• "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" b/w "Who is John Du Prez?" (1982) UK #15

† "By The Way.." was the first credit on a single for their future lead singer Michael J. Mullins
† "Cherry Pink..." was a showcase for trumpet player John Du Prez, and was the last involvement of Geoff Deane

Singles (Jaymes / Mullins era)

• "Best Years of Our Lives b/w We've Got Them Running (The Counting Song) (1982) - UK #4
• "Band of Gold" b/w "The Man Who Sold The World" (By Midge Ure) (1982) (From the "Party Party" Soundtrack)
• "High Life" b/w "You Just Can't Kill the Beat" (1983) - UK #8
• "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" b/w "I Can't Help Myself" (1983) - UK #14
• "Walking in the Rain" b/w "Walking in the Rain (Blues)" (1983) - UK #7, Thailand #1
• "Good Friday" b/w "Good Feelings" [re-mix] (1983) - UK #96
• "Juanita" b/w "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" [New Version] [Japan] (1983)
• "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" b/w "Stranger Days" (1984)
• "Burn It!" b/w "Burn It!" [Instrumental] (1984)
• "Move On" b/w "That's Entertainment" (1984)
• "That's What Friends Are For" b/w "(Blame My) Jealousy" (1984)
• "Tarzan Boy" b/w "Sail Away" (1985)
• "Best Mix of Our Lives" b/w "Best Year of Our Lives" [remix] (1985) UK #81

^[9]

Related Singles

• Tri Tra Trullala c/w Best Years of Our Lives - Joachim Witt/Modern Romance (1982)
• Everybody Salsa b/w Can You Move '88 - David Jaymes (1988)

Formats

• Adventures in Clubland Vinyl, Cassette, CD
• Trick of the Light Vinyl, Cassette, CD Import
• Party Tonight Vinyl, Cassette
• Juanita Vinyl Import
• Burn It! Vinyl, Cassette
• Modern Romance: The Platinum Collection Vinyl, CD

• Modern Romance 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Tonight 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Everybody Salsa 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Queen of the Rapping Scene/Nothing Ever Goes the Way You Plan 7 inch Vinyl
• By the Way (I'm Still in Love with You) 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Best Years of Our Lives 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• High Life 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl, Picture Disc, 12 inch Vinyl Poster Bag
• Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl, Picture Disc, 12 inch Vinyl Poster Bag
• Walking in the Rain 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Good Friday 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) 7 inch Vinyl
• Burn It! 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Move On 7 inch Vinyl
• That's What Friends Are For 7 inch Vinyl
• Tarzan Boy 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl
• Best Mix of Our Lives 7 inch Vinyl, 12 inch Vinyl

See also

• Michael J. Mullins
• Trick of the Light (album)
• Best Years of Our Lives (1982 song)
• Best Mix of Our Lives
• High Life (1983 song)
• Walking in the Rain (1983 song)
• Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm
• Good Friday (1983 song)
• Modern Romance - IMDB - Internet Movie Database - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2167905/J
• David Jaymes - IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659850/
• Paul Gendler - IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312678/
• Modern Romance (band) - Discogs Website - http://www.discogs.com/artist/Modern+Romance
• Modern Romance (band) - Chart Stats Website - http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=3491

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Lee-Williams, Matt: Jaymes, David, Biography, Internet Movie Database [accessed] April 29, 2011.
2. ^ Modern Romance, Discography, Discogs [accessed] April 29, 2011.
3. ^ Jaymes, David, Soundtrack, Shrek, 2001, Internet Movie Database [accessed] April 29, 2011.
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} Schiffers.fm - wie is er jarig?
5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 180. 
6. ^ Geoff Deane at the Internet Movie Database
7. ^ "David Jaymes". IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659850. Retrieved 5 June 2011. 
8. ^ News section of MR website
9. ^ ^{a b} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 373. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links

• Official home page for reformed band
• BBC - Top of the Pops' artist info
• BBC News - Memories of Top of the Pops
• Modern Romance at TrouserPress.com