B-Movie (band)
Encyclopedia
B-Movie were a futurist band from Mansfield
, Nottinghamshire
, England
, active in the first half of the 1980s. They were signed to the Some Bizzare record label, and had a track "Moles" featured on the original Some Bizzare Album
.
imprint Deram
and had their biggest UK
commercial success when their single "Remembrance Day", which reached #61 in the UK Singles Chart
. The follow-up single, "Marilyn Dreams", failed to chart.
In 1982, they released "Nowhere Girl", which made the Top 10 in many European countries and reached #68 in the United Kingdom, but there was no follow-up and no sign of an album. The popular webcomic
Nowhere Girl
was named after this single.
Keyboard
player Rick Holliday left in 1983 to form Six Sed Red with Soft Cell
associate Cindy Ecstasy. Paul Statham switched from guitar to keyboards and was briefly replaced by Stuart McLean (Charming Snakes) for an Israel Tour. Their biggest success was having their song "Dream Baby" covered by Bananarama
on their eponymous 1984 LP. The rest of the band re-surfaced in 1984 (with Adi Hardy on guitar) with the single "A Letter From Afar" produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez but this failed to chart.
Towards the end of 1985, they finally released an album with Sire Records
called Forever Running containing re-recorded versions of the two hits, but both it and the single "Switch On Switch Off" were flops despite a tour to promote them.
The band broke up soon after. Frontman Steve Hovington formed a band called One in the late 1980s with Seven Webster and drummer Bob Thompson, releasing an album and two singles on Chrysalis
.
Drummer
Graham Boffey meanwhile joined Slaughterhouse 5 releasing two singles "Pathetic Girlfriend" and "Things She Did", and an album, Wide Open on IRS. After this venture, Boffey and Davy Lawrence formed Enormous.
Guitarist Paul Statham collaborated with ex-Bauhaus
singer Peter Murphy
, as part of Murphy's solo backing band 'The Hundred Men', probably making him the most successful member in the aftermath of B-Movie's demise. He co-wrote and performed on Murphy's solo albums Love Hysteria
, (1988) and Deep
(1990). Statham has also co-written several songs, including "Nail Through My Heart", on the Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr
album.
After a long hiatus, in March 2006, B-Movie performed at The Metro nightclub
in London.
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, active in the first half of the 1980s. They were signed to the Some Bizzare record label, and had a track "Moles" featured on the original Some Bizzare Album
Some Bizzare Album
Some Bizzare Album was the first album by Some Bizzare Records. It was released in 1981 as a sampler of the label's musical ethos. The acts were not actually signed exclusively to the label at the time.-Information:...
.
Background
In 1981, they signed to PhonogramPhonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
imprint Deram
Deram Records
Deram Records was a subsidiary record label established in 1966 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. At this time U.K. Decca was a completely different company than the Decca label in the United States, which was then owned by MCA Inc. Deram recordings were also distributed in the U.S. through...
and had their biggest UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
commercial success when their single "Remembrance Day", which reached #61 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The follow-up single, "Marilyn Dreams", failed to chart.
In 1982, they released "Nowhere Girl", which made the Top 10 in many European countries and reached #68 in the United Kingdom, but there was no follow-up and no sign of an album. The popular webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
Nowhere Girl
Nowhere Girl
Nowhere Girl is an adult fiction webcomic by Justine Shaw, named after a song written by British futurist band B-Movie in 1982. The comic was originally planned to be in five parts, but only two of them have been completed thus far; plans to complete the comic have been shelved by the author,...
was named after this single.
Keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player Rick Holliday left in 1983 to form Six Sed Red with Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
associate Cindy Ecstasy. Paul Statham switched from guitar to keyboards and was briefly replaced by Stuart McLean (Charming Snakes) for an Israel Tour. Their biggest success was having their song "Dream Baby" covered by Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
on their eponymous 1984 LP. The rest of the band re-surfaced in 1984 (with Adi Hardy on guitar) with the single "A Letter From Afar" produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez but this failed to chart.
Towards the end of 1985, they finally released an album with Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
called Forever Running containing re-recorded versions of the two hits, but both it and the single "Switch On Switch Off" were flops despite a tour to promote them.
The band broke up soon after. Frontman Steve Hovington formed a band called One in the late 1980s with Seven Webster and drummer Bob Thompson, releasing an album and two singles on Chrysalis
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
.
Drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Graham Boffey meanwhile joined Slaughterhouse 5 releasing two singles "Pathetic Girlfriend" and "Things She Did", and an album, Wide Open on IRS. After this venture, Boffey and Davy Lawrence formed Enormous.
Guitarist Paul Statham collaborated with ex-Bauhaus
Bauhaus (band)
Bauhaus was an English rock band formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy , Daniel Ash , Kevin Haskins and David J . The band was originally Bauhaus 1919 before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation...
singer Peter Murphy
Peter Murphy (musician)
Peter John Murphy is an English rock vocalist. He was the vocalist of the rock group Bauhaus, and later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria...
, as part of Murphy's solo backing band 'The Hundred Men', probably making him the most successful member in the aftermath of B-Movie's demise. He co-wrote and performed on Murphy's solo albums Love Hysteria
Love Hysteria
Love Hysteria is the second album by the British solo artist Peter Murphy, formerly of the gothic rock band Bauhaus. It was released in 1988....
, (1988) and Deep
Deep (album)
Deep is the third album by the British solo artist Peter Murphy. It was released in 1989 along with his biggest single, "Cuts You Up".-Track listing:All tracks composed by Peter Murphy and Paul Statham; except where indicated...
(1990). Statham has also co-written several songs, including "Nail Through My Heart", on the Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr
Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr
Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr is Simple Minds front-man Jim Kerr's first solo album released on 17 May 2010. The album entered the UK charts at #94 on 29 May 2010 and UK Independent Chart at #8...
album.
After a long hiatus, in March 2006, B-Movie performed at The Metro nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in London.
Discography
- Some Bizzare AlbumSome Bizzare AlbumSome Bizzare Album was the first album by Some Bizzare Records. It was released in 1981 as a sampler of the label's musical ethos. The acts were not actually signed exclusively to the label at the time.-Information:...
(1981) - Nightmares In Wax (1982)
- Forever Running (1985; Sire RecordsSire RecordsSire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
) - The Dead Good Tapes (1988; Wax)
- Remembrance Days (compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
) (1995; Griffin) - The BBC Sessions 1981-84 (2001; Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
) - The Platinum Collection (compilation) (2006; Warner Platinum RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
)