Mike & the Mechanics
Encyclopedia
Mike + The Mechanics are an English
rock
/pop
supergroup
formed in 1985 as a side project of Mike Rutherford
, one of the founding members of the band Genesis
. The band is known for their hit singles "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)
", "All I Need Is a Miracle
", "Word of Mouth
", "Over My Shoulder
", and "The Living Years
".
The initial line-up for the band was Rutherford, vocalists Paul Carrack
and Paul Young
, keyboardist Adrian Lee
and drummer Peter Van Hooke
. Carrack was generally assigned to ballads and more pop-oriented numbers, while Young sang the band's heavier work. Following Young's death Paul Carrack became the band's sole lead vocalist until the band drifted apart in 2004. The band reformed in 2010 with new vocalists Andrew Roachford
and Tim Howar
.
in 1980 and Acting Very Strange
in 1982. However, he found the process of recording a solo album excessively difficult, and the results artistically unsatisfying. He recalled, "I had a revelation, too, in this time period... that I'm not complete on my own. ...I'm much more creative and inspired when there are other people around me and I'm bouncing ideas off." However, he still felt that working only with Genesis would leave him unfulfilled, and to satisfy both his desire to create music outside the format of Genesis and his desire to collaborate with other musicians, he set about forming his own band.
Rutherford had already started a songwriting partnership with Scottish singer/writer/composer B. A. Robertson
, and for the band's self-titled debut album he enlisted the services of producer Christopher Neil
. Besides producing, Neil co-wrote most of the songs, selected the material for inclusion, and performed backing vocals. He would continue to play a key role in the band's albums for their first decade of existence.
Similarly to Steely Dan
, in the studio Mike + the Mechanics were not a tight-knit band but a vehicle for the songwriting of Rutherford, Robertson, and Neil, and session keyboardists, drummers, guitarists, and even lead vocalists often performed on the songs in place of the official band members. Indeed, the lineup of Mike + the Mechanics only came together over the course of recording their first album; Paul Young, who was recommended for the group by Neil and his manager, said that by the time he joined, all the backing tracks for the album had been recorded.
Rutherford was more than satisfied with the resulting album and decided to continue the band indefinitely, rather than leaving it as a one-off project. When the album was released in 1985, his decision was further bolstered by its immense commercial success. While Rutherford's solo albums had been moderately successful, he had never managed a Top 40 hit; Mike + the Mechanics scored three of them, including two Top 10s in the USA, "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)
" and "All I Need is a Miracle
". "Silent Running" was featured in the movie On Dangerous Ground, released in North American cinemas in 1986 as Choke Canyon
.
At this point Carrack began to take a much larger role in the band, joining their stable of songwriters and adding keyboards to his repertoire. The group's third album, Word of Mouth
, followed in 1991 and scored another trio of hits, with the lead single
becoming one of their most popular songs yet. Despite long hiatuses due to Rutherford's work with Genesis, there seemed no end to the band's success.
Their fourth album, Beggar on a Beach of Gold
, did not appear until 1995. When it did, however, it was met with resounding critical acclaim and yielded both the hit title track and the smash single "Over My Shoulder
".
Another blow struck the following year: On July 15, 2000, Paul Young died from a heart attack. The band regrouped in 2004 as "Mike + The Mechanics featuring Paul Carrack", with Van Hooke returning to the fold, not as an official member, but as co-producer and occasional drummer. As implied by the new name, Carrack played a larger role than ever, performing all the band's lead vocals and keyboards and co-writing all the songs. They released the album Rewired
, which became their first album to lack a hit.
Shortly after, Carrack became too involved with solo work to devote time to the group. In 2007, interviewed during the Genesis Turn It On Again Tour, Rutherford stated that Mike + The Mechanics had "run its course."
, an R&B kind of singer. It's a little different, but the soul seems to be there."
A new album, The Road, and the 'Hit the Road Tour 2011' were announced in November 2010. The album was released in April 2011 featured both Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar
on vocals, Luke Juby on Keyboards, Gary Wallis on drums, and Anthony Drennan on guitar and bass. The tour included performances across the UK, Germany, and various other European cities.
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...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/pop
Pop music
Pop 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...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
formed in 1985 as a side project of Mike Rutherford
Mike Rutherford
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
, one of the founding members of the band Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
. The band is known for their hit singles "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)
Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)
"Silent Running " is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson, it was the first track from their 1985 self-titled debut album...
", "All I Need Is a Miracle
All I Need Is a Miracle
"All I Need Is a Miracle" is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by guitarist Mike Rutherford and producer Christopher Neil, it was first included on their 1985 self-titled debut album, and later released as a single, where it reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in...
", "Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth (Mike + The Mechanics song)
"Word of Mouth" is the title of a song by Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in March 1991 as the lead single from their album Word of Mouth. It was the most successful single from that album peaking at No.13 on UK singles chart. It also peaked at No.78 in the United States, their last single to...
", "Over My Shoulder
Over My Shoulder (Mike + The Mechanics song)
"Over My Shoulder" is a song by Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in February 1995 as the first single from their album Beggar on a Beach of Gold...
", and "The Living Years
The Living Years (song)
"The Living Years" was written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson, and recorded by Rutherford's English rock band Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in January 1989 as the second single from their album, Living Years. The song was a top ten chart hit around the world. It peaked at number one...
".
The initial line-up for the band was Rutherford, vocalists Paul Carrack
Paul Carrack
Paul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
and Paul Young
Paul Young (Sad Café)
Paul Young was an English singer and percussionist who worked with several successful bands. He initially came to prominence as the lead singer of chart band Sad Café, and later enjoyed further chart success sharing lead vocal duties with Paul Carrack in Mike + The Mechanics.-Career:Young was born...
, keyboardist Adrian Lee
Adrian Lee
Adrian Lee is an English musician, known especially for his brass instrumentation work with several well-known acts of the 1980s.-Career:...
and drummer Peter Van Hooke
Peter Van Hooke
Peter Van Hooke was drummer in the English band Mike + The Mechanics as well as having drummed for Cliff Richard, Van Morrison's band, Headstone, and Ezio. During the 1980s he successfully co-produced many of Tanita Tikaram's hits.Van Hooke grew up in Stanmore, Middlesex and attended Mill Hill...
. Carrack was generally assigned to ballads and more pop-oriented numbers, while Young sang the band's heavier work. Following Young's death Paul Carrack became the band's sole lead vocalist until the band drifted apart in 2004. The band reformed in 2010 with new vocalists Andrew Roachford
Andrew Roachford
Andrew Roachford is a British singer-songwriter.Andrew Roachford was the main force behind the band Roachford, who scored their first success in 1989 with the hits "Cuddly Toy" and "Family Man". Formed in 1987 the line-up was Andrew Roachford , Chris Taylor , Hawi Gondwe and Derrick Taylor...
and Tim Howar
Tim Howar
Tim Howar is a Canadian actor, singer and dancer, known as a London-based rock vocalist with Mike + the Mechanics.-Career:...
.
Formation and commercial breakthrough
During hiatuses from Genesis, Mike Rutherford had been pursuing a solo career, releasing Smallcreep's DaySmallcreep's Day (album)
Smallcreep's Day is the first solo album by Genesis bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford. The title suite is based on the dark, surrealist novel of the same name by Peter Currell Brown. It was released in 1980...
in 1980 and Acting Very Strange
Acting Very Strange
- B Sides and non-album tracks :* "Calypso" from the single "Hideaway"* "Acting Very Strange" , "Couldn't Get Arrested" from the single "Acting Very Strange"- Personnel :* Mike Rutherford - lead and backing vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards...
in 1982. However, he found the process of recording a solo album excessively difficult, and the results artistically unsatisfying. He recalled, "I had a revelation, too, in this time period... that I'm not complete on my own. ...I'm much more creative and inspired when there are other people around me and I'm bouncing ideas off." However, he still felt that working only with Genesis would leave him unfulfilled, and to satisfy both his desire to create music outside the format of Genesis and his desire to collaborate with other musicians, he set about forming his own band.
Rutherford had already started a songwriting partnership with Scottish singer/writer/composer B. A. Robertson
B. A. Robertson
B. A. Robertson is a Scottish musician, actor, composer and songwriter.-Career:...
, and for the band's self-titled debut album he enlisted the services of producer Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil is a British record producer, songwriter, singer and actor.He has worked with Celine Dion, a-ha, Dollar, Paul Nicholas, Kim Criswell, Morten Harket, Mike + The Mechanics, Johnny Logan, Marillion, The Moody Blues, The Other Ones, Paul Carrack, Rod Stewart, Gerry Rafferty, Cher,...
. Besides producing, Neil co-wrote most of the songs, selected the material for inclusion, and performed backing vocals. He would continue to play a key role in the band's albums for their first decade of existence.
Similarly to Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
, in the studio Mike + the Mechanics were not a tight-knit band but a vehicle for the songwriting of Rutherford, Robertson, and Neil, and session keyboardists, drummers, guitarists, and even lead vocalists often performed on the songs in place of the official band members. Indeed, the lineup of Mike + the Mechanics only came together over the course of recording their first album; Paul Young, who was recommended for the group by Neil and his manager, said that by the time he joined, all the backing tracks for the album had been recorded.
Rutherford was more than satisfied with the resulting album and decided to continue the band indefinitely, rather than leaving it as a one-off project. When the album was released in 1985, his decision was further bolstered by its immense commercial success. While Rutherford's solo albums had been moderately successful, he had never managed a Top 40 hit; Mike + the Mechanics scored three of them, including two Top 10s in the USA, "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)
Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)
"Silent Running " is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson, it was the first track from their 1985 self-titled debut album...
" and "All I Need is a Miracle
All I Need Is a Miracle
"All I Need Is a Miracle" is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by guitarist Mike Rutherford and producer Christopher Neil, it was first included on their 1985 self-titled debut album, and later released as a single, where it reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in...
". "Silent Running" was featured in the movie On Dangerous Ground, released in North American cinemas in 1986 as Choke Canyon
Choke Canyon
Choke Canyon is a 1986 movie starring Stephen Collins as a "cowboy scientist" trying to develop an alternative energy source. It was filmed mostly in the vicinity of Moab, Utah.-Plot:Dr...
.
Glory years
The song "The Living Years" (US No.1 single) featured on the band's second album Living Years. The lyrics were written by Robertson and centered on the unresolved dissension between Robertson and his father. The song was sung by Carrack, who had lost his own father when he was only eleven years old. The album also featured the song "Nobody's Perfect," which was sung by Young and which had received considerable airtime as the music to a successful television advertising campaign for Tennent's bitter.At this point Carrack began to take a much larger role in the band, joining their stable of songwriters and adding keyboards to his repertoire. The group's third album, Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth (Mike + The Mechanics album)
Word of Mouth is the third album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 1991.There was some overlap with the marketing of the album and the making of Genesis's We Can't Dance, with Mike Rutherford being committed to both...
, followed in 1991 and scored another trio of hits, with the lead single
Word of Mouth (Mike + The Mechanics song)
"Word of Mouth" is the title of a song by Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in March 1991 as the lead single from their album Word of Mouth. It was the most successful single from that album peaking at No.13 on UK singles chart. It also peaked at No.78 in the United States, their last single to...
becoming one of their most popular songs yet. Despite long hiatuses due to Rutherford's work with Genesis, there seemed no end to the band's success.
Their fourth album, Beggar on a Beach of Gold
Beggar on a Beach of Gold
Beggar On a Beach of Gold is the fourth album by Mike + the Mechanics, released on 6 March 1995. This album contained three UK hits, the No.12 hit "Over My Shoulder", the No.33 hit "A Better on a Beach of Gold", and the No.51 hit "Another Cup of Coffee". All three songs charted in Germany as well,,...
, did not appear until 1995. When it did, however, it was met with resounding critical acclaim and yielded both the hit title track and the smash single "Over My Shoulder
Over My Shoulder (Mike + The Mechanics song)
"Over My Shoulder" is a song by Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in February 1995 as the first single from their album Beggar on a Beach of Gold...
".
Dissolution
In 1995, the band began to fall apart: Adrian Lee and Peter Van Hooke left, and Christopher Neil's long tenure as songwriter/producer for the group ended. However, Rutherford opted to continue Mike + the Mechanics as a singer/songwriter trio. The group's fifth studio album was released in 1999, Mike & The Mechanics. It is generally known as M6, the "Hits" album being their fifth release. As the band no longer had a distribution deal with an American record label, M6 was available to the American market as an import only. Moreover, its only hit, "Now That You've Gone", barely cracked the UK Top 40.Another blow struck the following year: On July 15, 2000, Paul Young died from a heart attack. The band regrouped in 2004 as "Mike + The Mechanics featuring Paul Carrack", with Van Hooke returning to the fold, not as an official member, but as co-producer and occasional drummer. As implied by the new name, Carrack played a larger role than ever, performing all the band's lead vocals and keyboards and co-writing all the songs. They released the album Rewired
Rewired
Rewired is the sixth studio album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 2004. This was the first album released by the band following the death of co-lead singer Paul Young. Partially because of this, the album was credited to "Mike + The Mechanics" + "Paul Carrack".The album was released in the UK...
, which became their first album to lack a hit.
Shortly after, Carrack became too involved with solo work to devote time to the group. In 2007, interviewed during the Genesis Turn It On Again Tour, Rutherford stated that Mike + The Mechanics had "run its course."
Second incarnation
Over several months of 2009 and 2010, Mike Rutherford formed a new band. Since there was no hope of the original group ever reforming, he opted to again use the Mike + the Mechanics name. In a December 2009 interview, Rutherford stated that "I'm actually doing a new Mike and the Mechanics album. I kind of thought I had put it to bed, but I still enjoy songwriting. Working with a few new co-writers and a couple of new faces for the band. Paul Carrack is doing some solo stuff, so we have a guy called Andrew RoachfordAndrew Roachford
Andrew Roachford is a British singer-songwriter.Andrew Roachford was the main force behind the band Roachford, who scored their first success in 1989 with the hits "Cuddly Toy" and "Family Man". Formed in 1987 the line-up was Andrew Roachford , Chris Taylor , Hawi Gondwe and Derrick Taylor...
, an R&B kind of singer. It's a little different, but the soul seems to be there."
A new album, The Road, and the 'Hit the Road Tour 2011' were announced in November 2010. The album was released in April 2011 featured both Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar
Tim Howar
Tim Howar is a Canadian actor, singer and dancer, known as a London-based rock vocalist with Mike + the Mechanics.-Career:...
on vocals, Luke Juby on Keyboards, Gary Wallis on drums, and Anthony Drennan on guitar and bass. The tour included performances across the UK, Germany, and various other European cities.
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
CAN Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
GER | AUS |
|||
| Mike + The Mechanics |
|
78 | 26 | 10 | 9 | — | |
| Living Years |
Atlantic Records Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz... / WEA Warner Music Group Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies... |
2 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 10 | |
| Word of Mouth Word of Mouth (Mike + The Mechanics album) Word of Mouth is the third album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 1991.There was some overlap with the marketing of the album and the making of Genesis's We Can't Dance, with Mike Rutherford being committed to both... |
Atlantic Records Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz... / Virgin Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
11 | 107 | 24 | — | — | |
| Beggar on a Beach of Gold Beggar on a Beach of Gold Beggar On a Beach of Gold is the fourth album by Mike + the Mechanics, released on 6 March 1995. This album contained three UK hits, the No.12 hit "Over My Shoulder", the No.33 hit "A Better on a Beach of Gold", and the No.51 hit "Another Cup of Coffee". All three songs charted in Germany as well,,... |
Atlantic Records Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz... / Virgin Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
9 | — | — | 21 | — | |
| Mike & The Mechanics |
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
14 | — | — | 9 | — | |
| Rewired Rewired Rewired is the sixth studio album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 2004. This was the first album released by the band following the death of co-lead singer Paul Young. Partially because of this, the album was credited to "Mike + The Mechanics" + "Paul Carrack".The album was released in the UK... |
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
61 | — | — | 39 | — | |
| The Road The Road (Mike + The Mechanics album) The Road is the seventh studio album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 2011. This was the first album released by the band following the departure of Paul Carrack.... |
|
42 | — | — | — | — | |
Compilation albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
GER | |||
| Hits Hits (Mike + The Mechanics album) Hits is a compilation album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 1996 except in the USA and Canada, where it was released in 2005.-Track listing:#"All I Need Is a Miracle '96" ... |
|
3 | 6 | |
| Favourites/The Very Best Of Favourites/The Very Best Of Favourites/The Very Best Of is the second compilation album by Mike + The Mechanics. It was produced for the Swedish market, and includes a remixed version of a 1995 b-side song, "You Never Change".-Track listing:#"All I Need Is a Miracle '96"... |
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... / EMI EMI Records EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide... |
— | — | |
| Rewired Rewired Rewired is the sixth studio album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 2004. This was the first album released by the band following the death of co-lead singer Paul Young. Partially because of this, the album was credited to "Mike + The Mechanics" + "Paul Carrack".The album was released in the UK... + Hits Hits (Mike + The Mechanics album) Hits is a compilation album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 1996 except in the USA and Canada, where it was released in 2005.-Track listing:#"All I Need Is a Miracle '96" ... – The Latest + The Greatest |
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
42 | — | |
Singles
| Year | Song | UK 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 ... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
GER | AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
NZ | NL Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) "Silent Running " is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson, it was the first track from their 1985 self-titled debut album... " |
21 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 23 | — | 39 | Mike + The Mechanics |
| 1986 | "All I Need is a Miracle All I Need Is a Miracle "All I Need Is a Miracle" is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by guitarist Mike Rutherford and producer Christopher Neil, it was first included on their 1985 self-titled debut album, and later released as a single, where it reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in... " |
53 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 8 | 31 | — | |
| "Taken In Taken In "Taken In" is a pop rock song performed by Mike + The Mechanics. Written by guitarist Mike Rutherford and producer Christopher Neil, it was the third single released in June 1986 from their 1985 self-titled debut album, and the third to become a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100... " |
— | 32 | 39 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988 | "Nobody's Perfect" | 80 | 63 | — | — | 29 | — | — | The Living Years |
| 1989 | "The Living Years The Living Years (song) "The Living Years" was written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson, and recorded by Rutherford's English rock band Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in January 1989 as the second single from their album, Living Years. The song was a top ten chart hit around the world. It peaked at number one... " |
2 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 11 | 20 | |
| "Seeing is Believing" | — | 62 | 46 | — | 91 | — | — | ||
| "Nobody Knows" | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991 | "Word of Mouth Word of Mouth (Mike + The Mechanics song) "Word of Mouth" is the title of a song by Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in March 1991 as the lead single from their album Word of Mouth. It was the most successful single from that album peaking at No.13 on UK singles chart. It also peaked at No.78 in the United States, their last single to... " |
13 | 78 | 36 | 27 | 33 | — | 13 | Word of Mouth |
| "A Time and Place" | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Everybody Gets a Second Chance" | 56 | — | 21 | 51 | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "Over My Shoulder Over My Shoulder (Mike + The Mechanics song) "Over My Shoulder" is a song by Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in February 1995 as the first single from their album Beggar on a Beach of Gold... " |
12 | — | 22 | 44 | — | — | — | Beggar on a Beach of Gold |
| "A Beggar on a Beach of Gold" | 33 | — | — | 64 | — | — | — | ||
| "Mea Culpa" | — | — | 45 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Another Cup of Coffee" | 51 | — | 53 | 61 | — | — | — | ||
| 1996 | "All I Need is a Miracle '96" | 27 | — | — | 81 | — | — | — | Hits |
| "Silent Running '96" | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999 | "Now That You've Gone" | 35 | — | — | 64 | — | — | — | M6 |
| "Whenever I Stop" | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011 | "Reach Out (Touch The Sun)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Road |
| "Try To Save Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Promotional singles
| Year | Song | CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Revolution" | 82 | Rude Awakening Soundtrack |
Other appearances
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "The Living Years The Living Years (song) "The Living Years" was written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson, and recorded by Rutherford's English rock band Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in January 1989 as the second single from their album, Living Years. The song was a top ten chart hit around the world. It peaked at number one... " (live version) |
Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume III |
First incarnation (1985-2004)
- Mike RutherfordMike RutherfordMichael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
– guitar, bass, songwriter - Paul CarrackPaul CarrackPaul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
– vocals, keyboards, songwriter - Paul YoungPaul Young (Sad Café)Paul Young was an English singer and percussionist who worked with several successful bands. He initially came to prominence as the lead singer of chart band Sad Café, and later enjoyed further chart success sharing lead vocal duties with Paul Carrack in Mike + The Mechanics.-Career:Young was born...
– vocals (1985–2000) - Peter Van HookePeter Van HookePeter Van Hooke was drummer in the English band Mike + The Mechanics as well as having drummed for Cliff Richard, Van Morrison's band, Headstone, and Ezio. During the 1980s he successfully co-produced many of Tanita Tikaram's hits.Van Hooke grew up in Stanmore, Middlesex and attended Mill Hill...
– drums (1985–1995) - Adrian LeeAdrian LeeAdrian Lee is an English musician, known especially for his brass instrumentation work with several well-known acts of the 1980s.-Career:...
– keyboards (1985–1995) - Gary WallisGary WallisGary Wallis is a drummer/percussionist trained at the London Symphony School of Music. He is known for having a massive percussion kit featuring many electronic drums and percussion. He is best known as the secondary percussionist for Pink Floyd in the post-Waters era for live performances...
– drums (1995–2000)
Second incarnation (2010-present)
- Mike Rutherford – guitar, bass, songwriter
- Andrew RoachfordAndrew RoachfordAndrew Roachford is a British singer-songwriter.Andrew Roachford was the main force behind the band Roachford, who scored their first success in 1989 with the hits "Cuddly Toy" and "Family Man". Formed in 1987 the line-up was Andrew Roachford , Chris Taylor , Hawi Gondwe and Derrick Taylor...
– vocals, keyboards, songwriter - Tim HowarTim HowarTim Howar is a Canadian actor, singer and dancer, known as a London-based rock vocalist with Mike + the Mechanics.-Career:...
– vocals - Anthony DrennanAnthony DrennanAnthony Drennan is an Irish guitarist noted for his involvement with Genesis, Mike + the Mechanics and The Corrs whom he has played with throughout most of his career. He was born in Luton, England, but moved back to Ireland at a young age. He has also played with Clannad, Paul Brady, Moving...
– guitar - Gary Wallis – drums
- Luke Juby – keyboards, backing vocals