Bananarama was formed in London in 1981 by Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward, friends since childhood, and Siobhan Fahey (read the bio), who Sara met while studying journalism at the London College of Fashion.
Keren and Sara lived above the rehearsal room in Denmark Street which was used by former Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook, who persuaded the girls to get a band together. The trio recorded a demo of “Aie A Mwana”, a cover of a swahili song by Black Blood, produced by Cook. The tape was heard at Demon Records who offered the girls their first deal. The single was at first an underground club hit which was given a second chance when Bananarama signed with London Records.
Terry Hall, ex Specials, already liked the African influences in Bananarama’s “Aie A Mwana” when he discovered the look of the yet unknown trio in the pages of The Face.
Hall’s new band The Fun Boy Three and Bananarama recorded together “It Ain’t What You Do”. The single was released in February 1982 and ended at number 4 in the UK charts. Bananarama’s career was truly on track.
The next single, a cover of The Velvelettes Motown tune “Really Saying Something”, went top five too. The single was followed by several more hits (”Shy Boy”, “Na Na Hey Hey”) and then the band’s first album “Deep Sea Skiving” in 1983.
True international success came in 1984 with the band’s second album “Bananarama” produced by Swain and Jolley (Imagination, Alison Moyet). The self title opus featured most noticeably “Cruel Summer” and “Robert de Niro’s Waiting”’.
In 1986, after hearing Dead Or Alive’s hit “You Spin Me Round”, the girls decided to collaborate with producers Stock Aitken and Waterman on their cover of “Venus”, originally by the Shocking Blue, for their third album “True Confessions”. The track went to number 1 in many countries including the US. Bananarama consequently chose to have their fourth album “Wow!” entirely produced by Stock Aitken and Waterman.
“Wow!” contained a string of hit singles such as “I Heard A Rumour” and “Love In The First Degree”. Throughout their collaboration with SAW, the girls were keen on pushing their own artistic views and they managed to keep their identity, which often lead to serious arguments between the producers and the band.
A few month before the release of the Bananarama’s “Greatest Hits” package and their entry into the Guinness Book of Records as the Most Successful All-Girl Group Ever, Siobhan Fahey, who wanted to take new artistic directions, left the group to form Shakespear’s Sister in 1988. She was replaced by their friend Jacquie O’Sullivan and in March 89 the band eventually kicked off the long awaited World Tour which sold out in all venues.
In 1991, Bananarama released “Pop Life” produced by their long time friend Youth (ex Killing Joke). The critics gave them their best reviews ever. The sound of the album was definitely more pop-rock than the songs co-written with Stock Aitken and Waterman and features the hit singles “Preacher Man” and the cover of “Long Train Running” with Alma De Noche (formed by ex members of the Gypsie Kings).
At the end of the year, upon a common agreement, Jacquie left the band, having not truly managed to find her place.
Sara and Keren have since continued as a duo, releasing in 1993 “Please Yourself” (produced by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman). This album marked the end of the band’s contract with London Records.
In the mid 90s’, dancefloor addicts Sara and Keren decided to put out a Euro-dance album and in 1995 released “Ultra Violet” (also titled “I Found Love” in Asia). Taken from this seventh album, the singles “Every Shade of Blue” and “Take Me To Your Heart” both entered the US dance chart.
Following a one-off reunion recording of Abba’s “Waterloo” with Siobhan in April 1998, the twosome returned in 2001 with their eighth studio album “Exotica”.
In February 2002, Bananarama celebrated their 20th Anniversary in front of a crowd of 3.000 in London, joined on-stage by Siobhan, a memorable event for fans who travelled from around the globe.
In 2005, Bananarama were back in the charts with their ninth album “Drama”. Packed with disco house tracks produced by Murlyn Music (Madonna, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez…), the album included the dance chart hits “Move In My Direction” and “Look On The Floor” which went to #2 in the US Bilboard dance charts.
Having never left the music scene, Bananarama had always refused to do 80s “come back” shows. But in 2008, happy to sing with a live band, the girls have decided to accept a part in the Here and Now Tour.
Sara and Keren are currently working on a new album which will be a disco hit cover album. As they like to work at their own pace, the project will see the light of day when they are ready. On the side of their musical activities, Sara and Keren are also developing a mysterious TV project.
It’s tempting to say that Bananarama rewrote the pop rulebook. The truth is that they never even read it in the first place - for over twenty five years their name has been synonymous with bright, sophisticated and authentically brilliant pop music which translated into sales of more than 40 million records.
It’s not what they’ve done, it’s the way that they’ve done it.
Bananarama, the Girls of Pop!
www.bananarama.co.uk
|
GOLDEN POP is one of the far most outstanding music productions in the coming years for worldwide DVD distribution as well as for All-TV and Web applications. With 4-6 live events per year it will be presenting TOPSTARS of the 70s, 80s and 90s and of today, GOLDEN POP is an innovative cross media concept. The concerts are produced with the utmost high-end technology. TOPSTARS and a professional team behind the scene will give GOLDEN POP a glance to be remembered. GOLDEN POP hits the duality of TOPSTARS and branding. In 2008 and 2009, the first six concerts are to be produced at the Maison Folie in Lille. GOLDEN POP guarantees top quality for the stars and the audience. At the same time GOLDEN POP will provide a platform to the stars to write their own GOLDEN POP History. GOLDEN POP will have total media integration and will be promoted on multi platforms. GOLDEN POP will present stars who had world successes and played a big role in the history of pop. Those stars can rely on a huge fan community worldwide. The line-up will consist of those successful stars and current top acts whose live-performance are a highlights as well. The objective of the GOLDEN POP team is to start with a 1 start-off in April 2008 and follow with 5 more concerts within the following 12 months. 2008 is planned to be the start-off in communicating GOLDEN POP to the industry. 
