Martin Fry
Encyclopedia
Martin Fry is lead singer of the band
, ABC
.
, Stockport
, alongside his younger brother Jamie (of Earl Brutus
).
and Stephen Singleton while interviewing them for a fanzine that he edited called Modern Drugs. White and Singleton, then fronting a rock band called Vice Versa, invited Fry to join their band to play keyboard. The group changed its name to ABC and changed its sound to a polished type of pop music called New Romantic
that at that time led them to be categorized with bands like Duran Duran
, Spandau Ballet
, and The Human League
.
Between 1982 and 1992, ABC recorded six studio albums (The Lexicon of Love
, Beauty Stab
, How to Be a...Zillionaire!
, Alphabet City
, Up
and Abracadabra
) and released a greatest hits compilation, Absolutely
. During this time, the band went through numerous personnel changes, with Martin Fry and Mark White being the only permanent members.
Following the Zillionaire album, ABC temporarily disappeared from the limelight while Fry was treated for Hodgkin's disease.
ABC split up in 1992, with White leaving the music business to pursue an interest in Reiki
therapy. Martin Fry continued to work with EMI
in the months thereafter but was axed from the label before his solo material was released.
Fry resurrected the ABC name in 1997 for the album Skyscraping
, a homage to several of his musical heroes, including David Bowie
, Roxy Music
and The Sex Pistols. The album was a collaboration with Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17
and Honeyroot
's Keith Lowndes.
The band has toured extensively and performed live at events such as the 2001 Night of the Proms
, where Fry was supported by a 72-piece orchestra and 50-piece choir.
In 2008, Fry released a new ABC album called Traffic
.
In April 2009, Fry and original drummer David Palmer performed the Lexicon Of Love album at the Royal Albert Hall
in London
. The band was accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Anne Dudley
of Art of Noise fame, who arranged and played keyboards on the original record, conducted the Royal Albert Hall
performance.
Fry and Palmer (as ABC) toured the U.S. as part of the 2009 'Regeneration Tour', which also featured Terri Nunn
of Berlin
, Wang Chung
, and the Cutting Crew
.
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, ABC
ABC (band)
ABC are an English band, that charted ten UK and five US Top 40 singles between 1981 and 1990. The band continues to tour and released a new album, Traffic, in 2008.-Formation:...
.
Biography
He grew up in BramhallBramhall
Bramhall is a suburb of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of about 25,500.Research by the University of Sheffield has placed Bramhall as the "least lonely" place in Britain. Bramhall is also regarded as an affluent area where most residents...
, Stockport
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
, alongside his younger brother Jamie (of Earl Brutus
Earl Brutus
Earl Brutus was a British indie rock band that emerged in the 1990s. It was formed in 1993 by Rob Marche, Jamie Fry, Nick Sanderson and Stuart Borman...
).
ABC
Martin Fry first met up with future bandmates Mark WhiteMark White (musician)
Mark White is an English musician, best known for being part of the pop band ABC, from 1980 to 1992. His last contribution to the band was their 1991 album, Abracadabara....
and Stephen Singleton while interviewing them for a fanzine that he edited called Modern Drugs. White and Singleton, then fronting a rock band called Vice Versa, invited Fry to join their band to play keyboard. The group changed its name to ABC and changed its sound to a polished type of pop music called New Romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
that at that time led them to be categorized with bands like Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
, and The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
.
Between 1982 and 1992, ABC recorded six studio albums (The Lexicon of Love
The Lexicon of Love
The Lexicon of Love is the critically acclaimed chart-topping debut album by British pop band ABC, released in 1982. It is a concept album in which the singer experiences heartache as he tries and fails to have a meaningful relationship....
, Beauty Stab
Beauty Stab
Beauty Stab is the second album by the British band ABC. Released in 1983, it was a departure from the stylized production of the band's first album, The Lexicon of Love, preferring a more guitar-oriented sound....
, How to Be a...Zillionaire!
How to Be a...Zillionaire!
How to Be a... Zillionaire! is an album by the band ABC. It was released in January 1985 . Four singles were released from this album, "Be Near Me" , " Millionaire" , and "Vanity Kills" , and the fourth was "Ocean Blue",...
, Alphabet City
Alphabet City (album)
Alphabet City is an album by the band ABC released in 1987.Following a hiatus while Fry was treated for Hodgkin's disease, ABC returned to the studio to record Alphabet City, which they thought might be their final album. Best known for "When Smokey Sings", a tribute to Smokey Robinson, the album...
, Up
Up (ABC album)
Up is ABC's fifth and final PolyGram studio album, released in 1989. This time experimenting with house music, ABC scored a minor UK hit with the single "One Better World", an ode to love, peace and tolerance...
and Abracadabra
Abracadabra (ABC album)
Abracadabra is a 1991 studio album by ABC.ABC moved to the EMI label, where they recorded the LP Abracadabra, a tightly produced fusion of early 1990s techno sounds and 1970s dance grooves which was met with muted critical approval and appreciation from the band's fan base.The first single, "Love...
) and released a greatest hits compilation, Absolutely
Absolutely (ABC album)
Absolutely is a comprehensive greatest hits package released in 1990 by the band ABC. This covered all the eras up until 1990, and had all their singles together. A video package featuring their promos was also released. One new song called "The Look of Love ", was also released to promote it, but...
. During this time, the band went through numerous personnel changes, with Martin Fry and Mark White being the only permanent members.
Following the Zillionaire album, ABC temporarily disappeared from the limelight while Fry was treated for Hodgkin's disease.
ABC split up in 1992, with White leaving the music business to pursue an interest in Reiki
Reiki
is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui. The teaching was continued and adapted by various teachers. It uses a technique commonly called palm healing as a form of complementary and alternative medicine and is sometimes classified as oriental medicine by some...
therapy. Martin Fry continued to work with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in the months thereafter but was axed from the label before his solo material was released.
Fry resurrected the ABC name in 1997 for the album Skyscraping
Skyscraping
Skyscraping is an album by music group ABC.The album was released in 1997, as a homage to lead singer Martin Fry's several musical heroes, including David Bowie, Roxy Music and The Sex Pistols....
, a homage to several of his musical heroes, including David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
and The Sex Pistols. The album was a collaboration with Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 are an English synthpop band originating from Sheffield in the early 1980s. The trio comprises Martyn Ware , Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory...
and Honeyroot
Honeyroot
Honeyroot is an ambient dance collaboration between Glenn Gregory and Keith Lowndes, signed to the Just Music independent record label.-Career:The project had its origins in the 1997 album, Skyscraping, by ABC...
's Keith Lowndes.
The band has toured extensively and performed live at events such as the 2001 Night of the Proms
Night of the Proms
Night of the Proms is a series of concerts held yearly in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland. Regularly there are also shows in France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg...
, where Fry was supported by a 72-piece orchestra and 50-piece choir.
In 2008, Fry released a new ABC album called Traffic
Traffic (ABC album)
Traffic is the first new album of original material released by English band ABC in eleven years. The album's songs were written by lead singer Martin Fry while he toured the United States in 2006...
.
In April 2009, Fry and original drummer David Palmer performed the Lexicon Of Love album at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The band was accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Anne Dudley
Anne Dudley
Anne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
of Art of Noise fame, who arranged and played keyboards on the original record, conducted the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
performance.
Fry and Palmer (as ABC) toured the U.S. as part of the 2009 'Regeneration Tour', which also featured Terri Nunn
Terri Nunn
Terri Kathleen Nunn , is an American singer and actress. She is best known as the lead vocalist of the New Wave band Berlin.-Biography:...
of Berlin
Berlin (band)
Berlin is an American New Wave/Synthpop band. The group was formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by John Crawford . The band contained Crawford, Terri Nunn , David Diamond , Ric Olsen , Matt Reid and Rod Learned . Learned left during the first EU tour and was replaced by Rob Brill...
, Wang Chung
Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy...
, and the Cutting Crew
Cutting Crew
The Cutting Crew is a pop rock band formed in England in 1985, best known for their #1 hit, " Died in Your Arms".-Career:Vocalist Nick Van Eede founded the group along with Canadian guitarist Kevin MacMichael in 1985, and the two made demos that led to a recording contract, before bassist Colin...
.
Other work
- In 1989, Fry recorded a song called "Mythical Girl" with Arthur BakerArthur Baker (musician)Arthur Baker is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Planet Patrol, and the British group New Order.-Early career:...
for Baker's album Merge, a project that included songs with various artists, including Love Is the Message featuring Al GreenAl GreenAlbert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
. - Together with Mark White, Fry co-wrote and produced a couple of songs of Paul RutherfordPaul RutherfordPaul Rutherford is the former backing vocalist, dancer and occasional keyboardist with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood , one of the group's two openly gay singers....
's 1989 album Oh World. - In 1997, Fry contributed to David ArnoldDavid ArnoldDavid Arnold is an English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films, the 1994 film Stargate, the 1996 film Independence Day, and the television series Little Britain.-Film and television career:...
's Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project, an album made up of re-recordings of James Bond movie themes featuring vocals by contemporary artists. The song Fry performed was the theme of ThunderballThunderball (film)Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham... - Fry performed on one track of the 2001 'Re-members only' album by Sylk 130, the musical collective masterminded by DJ King BrittKing BrittKing Britt is an American DJ and record producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.King Britt is his actual legal name.- 1987: Tower Records Years :...
. - In 2005, Fry embarked on an extensive UK tour with Tony HadleyTony HadleyTony Hadley is an English pop singer-songwriter, occasional stage actor and radio presenter who gained celebrity as the lead vocalist for the 1980s band Spandau Ballet.-Early life:...
, former lead singer of popular 1980s PopPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Spandau BalletSpandau BalletSpandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
. Highlights of the tour were released on CD and DVD compilations, both titled Tony Hadley vs. Martin Fry. The DVD is available in Europe, but has yet to be released in NTSCNTSCNTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
format. - Fry, Tony Hadley and Richard Drummie of Go WestGo West (band)Go West is an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist and drummer Peter Cox ; and guitarist and vocalist Richard Drummie...
fame, together with manager John Glover, went on a trek to The Lost World in VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in February 2006. The trek was a fundraiser for Action Medical Research who have funded the research into the polio vaccinePolio vaccineTwo polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
, hip replacementHip replacementHip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
surgery, Ultrasound scanning, the use of folic acid during pregnancy and other research. The 2006 campaign 'Touching Tiny Lives' aimed to further research into ways of preventing premature birthPremature birthIn humans preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging...
and the problems suffered by babies that are born prematurely. Fry, Hadley, Drummie and Glover aim to raise GBP 100,000 in sponsorship with this charity. - Fry appeared in the BBC TelevisionBBC TelevisionBBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
program Just the Two of Us in February 2006. This was a reality TV competition in the style of Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, but this time with contestants (one celebrity being a famous singer, the other celeb being a novice) judged upon their singing skills as part of a duet. He was teamed with TV presenter Gaby RoslinGaby RoslinGaby Roslin is an English television presenter and actress. She rose to fame while co-presenting The Big Breakfast on Channel 4 between 1992 and 1996, and also presented the BBC's Children in Need charity appeal from 1994 to 2004....
and they were eliminated in the first show after battling the team of Nicky CampbellNicky CampbellNicholas Andrew Argyll "Nicky" Campbell is a Scottish radio and television presenter and journalist. He is known for his time presenting on programmes such as the consumer affairs programme Watchdog...
and Beverley KnightBeverley KnightBeverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
. - Fry was featured extensively in the 2006 VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
mini-series 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's. When asked, Fry revealed that he hoped ABC's 1982 single "The Look of LoveThe Look of Love (ABC song)"The Look of Love" is a song recorded by ABC in 1981, included on their debut album, The Lexicon of Love.- History :Released as a single and as a 12" remix, it went to number one on the Billboard Dance/Disco chart as well as the Canadian pop singles chart...
" would land a coveted slot in the Top 10. Despite his plea, the song was ranked #43. - Fry worked on several songs for the 2007 movie Music and LyricsMusic and LyricsMusic and Lyrics is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It focuses on the relationship that evolves between a former pop music idol and an aspiring writer as they struggle to compose a song for the reigning pop diva.-Plot:Alex Fletcher enjoyed...
starring Hugh GrantHugh GrantHugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
and Drew BarrymoreDrew BarrymoreDrew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
. Fry also served as Grant's vocal coach for the movie. http://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002912988 - Fry has a track called "New Man" on the Sonic Hub Eye of the Storm debut album. The song features a section of "CarsCars (song)Fear Factory, an American industrial metal band, recorded a version of "Cars" and released it as the second single from their third studio album, Obsolete. The song was only included as a bonus track on the limited edition digipak re-release of Obsolete and would be instrumental in breaking Fear...
" by Gary NumanGary NumanGary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
. - Fry toured the U.S. in the summer of 2008 with the Regeneration Tour 2008, a show that also featured the Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
as the headliners, Belinda CarlisleBelinda CarlisleBelinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
, A Flock of SeagullsA Flock of SeagullsA Flock of Seagulls are an English New Wave band originally formed by brothers Michael "Mike" Score and Alister "Ali" James Score , with Frank Maudsley , Michael Kuby , H.J...
, and Naked EyesNaked EyesNaked Eyes is a British New Wave band that rose to prominence in the early 1980s. Originally a duo, the band is known largely for its singles: a cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David standard " Always Something There to Remind Me" , as well as the band's subsequent hits "Promises, Promises", "When...
. - Fry appeared in Most Annoying Pop Songs Ever on BBC ThreeBBC ThreeBBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
in a two part series, counting down on classic pop hits that 'stormed the charts and secured their place in our hearts ... as the most annoying pop songs'. - Fry was the third Magic Mystery Voice to be identified in a competition ending on 17 Nov 2010.
External links
- www.abcmartinfry.com - Official website of Martin Fry and ABC
- ABC Myspace - Official MySpace page of Martin Fry and ABC