Nik Kershaw
Encyclopedia
Nik Kershaw is an English
singer-songwriter
. The one time jazz
-funk
guitarist
was a mid-1980s teen idol
. His 50 weeks on the UK Singles Chart
in 1984 beat all other soloists
. Kershaw appeared at Live Aid
, and penned hits
for Let Loose
, The Hollies
and a number 1 for Chesney Hawkes
, "The One and Only
".
, Suffolk
, and after leaving Northgate High School
in 1976 worked as a shop assistant and in the Department of Employment for several years, during which time he played guitar
and sang in a number of underground Ipswich bands
. However, when the last of these, Fusion, split up in 1982, he embarked on a full time career as a songwriter and performer. In 1983, he signed a recording contract
with MCA Records
, a deal which spawned his debut single
, "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
".
At the beginning of 1984, Kershaw released his breakthrough song
"Wouldn't It Be Good
", which reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart
, and was a big success in Europe
, particularly in Germany
, Italy
, Switzerland
, and in Scandinavia
, Australia
and New Zealand
. The music video
, featuring Kershaw as a chroma key
-suited alien
, received heavy rotation by MTV
, helping the song reach #46 in the United States
. He enjoyed three more Top 20 hits from his debut album Human Racing
, including the title track and a successful re-issue of "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". This track ultimately proved his biggest hit as a performer when it reached Number 2 in the UK.
Kershaw's second album was The Riddle
. The title track
proved to be another UK and international hit single
, and the album also spawned two more UK Top 10 hits, "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote", as it went platinum
. During this time, Kershaw toured extensively with his backing band The Krew, consisting of Keith Airey, Tim Moore, Mark Price
, Sheri Kershaw (his wife), and Dennis Smith.
In July 1985, Kershaw was among the performers at Live Aid, held at Wembley Stadium. His stardom began to wane soon afterwards and he enjoyed only one more UK Top 40 hit. He continued to record
and release records
, and collaborated with others. Also in 1985, Elton John
asked Kershaw to play guitar on John's hit "Nikita
".
A cover of "Wouldn't it be Good" by the Danny Hutton
Hitters appeared on the soundtrack
of the 1986
teen romantic
comedy-drama
Pretty in Pink
. Later the same year, his third album, Radio Musicola
, was released to critical acclaim but to little commercial success. It seemed that he had outgrown his original audience with increasingly mature releases; The Works
was released in 1989 to little success.
" appeared on the soundtrack
to the British film
Buddy's Song
, and in the American movie Doc Hollywood
. "The One and Only" proved to be a UK Number 1 for the star of Buddy's Song, Chesney Hawkes
. In 1993, The Hollies
had a minor hit with another of Kershaw's songs, "The Woman I Love". During the mid 1990s he also wrote and produced
material for the boy band
Let Loose
, with two of the tracks ("Seventeen" and "Everybody Say Everybody Do") achieving reasonable success.
1999 saw the release of 15 Minutes
. Kershaw revealed that he decided to record
the tracks himself, when he could not envisage them being recorded by other artists. The album spawned two singles, including "What Do You Think Of It So Far?", a song described as "an elegant and soaring ode to the transience of time, infused with both self-doubt and an acceptance of life that can only come with maturity".
, was released in 2001. Over the years, Kershaw has collaborated on albums with artists
such as Elton John
, Bonnie Tyler
, Tony Banks
, Les Rythmes Digitales
, Michael W. Smith
and Imogen Heap
.
In 2005, Kershaw released Then And Now
, a collection of earlier material with four new tracks. In 2006, he completed another solo album, You've Got to Laugh, available only through his website
or digitally through iTunes
. This album contained twelve tracks and was released on the musician's own label
, Shorthouse Records. Neither Then And Now nor You've Got To Laugh was promoted by a tour. The year also saw the digital
re-release of his 1980s back catalogue including Human Racing, The Riddle, Radio Musicola and The Works.
Kershaw performed at Fairports Cropredy Convention
on the 15 August 2009 and the Rewind Festival
on 23 August 2009, on Temple Island Meadows at Henley-on-Thames
. Kershaw also performed at The New Wolsey Theatre
, Ipswich
on 15 November 2009.
. He performed "The Riddle", "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls" and "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Other 1980s performers joined him and performed their own songs, including Andy Bell
, Carol Decker, Howard Jones
, Jimmy Somerville
, China Crisis
and Steve Strange
at The O2
in London.
, Essex
and West Cork, Ireland.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. The one time jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
was a mid-1980s teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
. His 50 weeks on 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 ...
in 1984 beat all other soloists
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
. Kershaw appeared at Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
, and penned hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
for Let Loose
Let Loose
Let Loose are a British pop/rock trio, featuring Richie Wermerling on lead vocals and keyboards, Rob Jeffrey on guitars and backing vocals, and Lee J Murray on drums, percussion and backing vocals.The band initially scored minor success...
, The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
and a number 1 for Chesney Hawkes
Chesney Hawkes
Chesney Lee Hawkes , is an English pop singer, songwriter, and occasional actor. He is best known for his 1991 single "The One and Only", which topped the charts in the UK and reached the Top 10 in the U.S.-Life and career:...
, "The One and Only
The One and Only (song)
"The One and Only" is a popular song written by Nik Kershaw and recorded by the British singer Chesney Hawkes. Produced by Kershaw and Alan Shacklock, Hawkes's recording was featured in the film 1991 Buddy's Song which starred Hawkes as the eponymous Buddy and Roger Daltrey as his father...
".
1980s
Although born in Bristol, Kershaw grew up in IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, and after leaving Northgate High School
Northgate High School (Ipswich)
Northgate High School is a high school situated in Ipswich, Suffolk. It is a co-educational comprehensive school, for ages 11–16, and 16-18 in the Sixth Form Department...
in 1976 worked as a shop assistant and in the Department of Employment for several years, during which time he played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and sang in a number of underground Ipswich bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
. However, when the last of these, Fusion, split up in 1982, he embarked on a full time career as a songwriter and performer. In 1983, he signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, a deal which spawned his debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
The song was released by Jonas Ekfeldt as Robin Cook under the name "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down" and later formed part of the album Land of Sunshine in 1997. The song charted in Sweden for 19 weeks in 1996 peaking at no. 3 and in Finland for 2 week peaking at no...
".
At the beginning of 1984, Kershaw released his breakthrough song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Wouldn't It Be Good
Wouldn't It Be Good
"Wouldn't It Be Good" is a song written and recorded by singer Nik Kershaw for his 1984 studio album Human Racing. The song has been covered by numerous artists since, including Placebo, Danny Hutton Hitters, Cascada, and Soulwax.-Song information:...
", which reached Number 4 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 ...
, and was a big success in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, particularly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, featuring Kershaw as a chroma key
Chroma key
Chroma key compositing is a technique for compositing two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production...
-suited alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
, received heavy rotation by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, helping the song reach #46 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He enjoyed three more Top 20 hits from his debut album Human Racing
Human Racing
Human Racing is Nik Kershaw's first album. It was released in 1984 by MCA Records. The title track was a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at #19....
, including the title track and a successful re-issue of "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". This track ultimately proved his biggest hit as a performer when it reached Number 2 in the UK.
Kershaw's second album was The Riddle
The Riddle (album)
The Riddle is Nik Kershaw's second album. It was released in 1984 by MCA Records.-LP, Cassette, CD:#"Don Quixote" – 4:55#"Know How" – 4:52#"You Might" – 3:17#"Wild Horses" – 3:59#"Easy" – 4:13#"The Riddle" – 3:52#"City of Angels" – 3:56...
. The title track
The Riddle (Nik Kershaw song)
"The Riddle" was a hit single for Nik Kershaw in 1984/1985. It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.-Lyrics:The "riddling" lyrics caused much puzzlement and speculation among listeners as to their meaning, which was further fuelled by record company MCA's decision to run a competition to...
proved to be another UK and international hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, and the album also spawned two more UK Top 10 hits, "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote", as it went platinum
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,...
. During this time, Kershaw toured extensively with his backing band The Krew, consisting of Keith Airey, Tim Moore, Mark Price
Mark Price (musician)
Mark Gerard Price is an English drummer, who is known for being the first full time drummer for All About Eve and being the percussionist of Del Amitri between 1997 and 2002...
, Sheri Kershaw (his wife), and Dennis Smith.
In July 1985, Kershaw was among the performers at Live Aid, held at Wembley Stadium. His stardom began to wane soon afterwards and he enjoyed only one more UK Top 40 hit. He continued to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
and release records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, and collaborated with others. Also in 1985, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
asked Kershaw to play guitar on John's hit "Nikita
Nikita (song)
"Nikita" is a song by English singer Elton John about the Cold War from his 1985 album Ice on Fire. Released in late 1985, the song achieved success in many countries, becoming a top ten hit in almost all of them.-Song synopsis:...
".
A cover of "Wouldn't it be Good" by the Danny Hutton
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton , is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band, Three Dog Night. Hutton was the head of Hanna Barbera Records from 1965-1966...
Hitters appeared on the soundtrack
Pretty in Pink (soundtrack)
The Pretty in Pink soundtrack album was released in 1986 for the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink, a now classic coming-of-age film about teenage love and social cliques in a 1980s American high school....
of the 1986
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
teen romantic
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
Pretty in Pink
Pretty in Pink
Pretty in Pink is a 1986 American teen romantic comedy-drama film about teenage love and social cliques in 1980s American high schools. It is one of a group of John Hughes films starring Molly Ringwald, and is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack" film...
. Later the same year, his third album, Radio Musicola
Radio Musicola
Radio Musicola is Nik Kershaw's third album. It was released in 1986 by MCA Records.The album deals with subjects of integrity - media skepticism , privacy, insecurity and mass produced run-of-the-mill pop Radio Musicola is Nik Kershaw's third album. It was released in 1986 by MCA Records.The album...
, was released to critical acclaim but to little commercial success. It seemed that he had outgrown his original audience with increasingly mature releases; The Works
The Works (Nik Kershaw album)
The Works is Nik Kershaw's fourth album. It is the last one he created for MCA Records, in 1989. It introduces slight jazz influences in some tracks....
was released in 1989 to little success.
1990s
His prowess as a songwriter served him well in 1991, when his song "The One and OnlyThe One and Only (song)
"The One and Only" is a popular song written by Nik Kershaw and recorded by the British singer Chesney Hawkes. Produced by Kershaw and Alan Shacklock, Hawkes's recording was featured in the film 1991 Buddy's Song which starred Hawkes as the eponymous Buddy and Roger Daltrey as his father...
" appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the British film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Buddy's Song
Buddy's Song (film)
Buddy's Song is a 1991 film starring Chesney Hawkes, Roger Daltrey, Sharon Duce and Michael Elphick, based on the novel of the same name by Nigel Hinton....
, and in the American movie Doc Hollywood
Doc Hollywood
Doc Hollywood is a 1991 American romantic comedy film based on the book, What? Dead...Again?, by Neil B. Shulman, M.D. The film stars Michael J. Fox, Julie Warner, Woody Harrelson and Bridget Fonda. It was directed by Michael Caton-Jones. The filming took place in Micanopy, Florida.-Plot:Dr....
. "The One and Only" proved to be a UK Number 1 for the star of Buddy's Song, Chesney Hawkes
Chesney Hawkes
Chesney Lee Hawkes , is an English pop singer, songwriter, and occasional actor. He is best known for his 1991 single "The One and Only", which topped the charts in the UK and reached the Top 10 in the U.S.-Life and career:...
. In 1993, The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
had a minor hit with another of Kershaw's songs, "The Woman I Love". During the mid 1990s he also wrote and produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
material for the boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
Let Loose
Let Loose
Let Loose are a British pop/rock trio, featuring Richie Wermerling on lead vocals and keyboards, Rob Jeffrey on guitars and backing vocals, and Lee J Murray on drums, percussion and backing vocals.The band initially scored minor success...
, with two of the tracks ("Seventeen" and "Everybody Say Everybody Do") achieving reasonable success.
1999 saw the release of 15 Minutes
15 Minutes (Nik Kershaw album)
15 minutes is a 1999 album released by UK singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw.In a 2008 interview, Kershaw spoke of two tracks from the album after being asked for his proudest song. "There’s a song on the album, '15 Minutes', called 'Billy'. That would be my finest lyric...
. Kershaw revealed that he decided to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
the tracks himself, when he could not envisage them being recorded by other artists. The album spawned two singles, including "What Do You Think Of It So Far?", a song described as "an elegant and soaring ode to the transience of time, infused with both self-doubt and an acceptance of life that can only come with maturity".
2000s
The follow-up album, To Be FrankTo Be Frank
To Be Frank is the sixth studio album by Nik Kershaw, released in 2001.-Track listing:#"Wounded" – 4:21#"Get Up" – 4:11#"Die Laughing" – 4:39#"Jane Doe" – 4:22#"How Sad" – 4:16#"Take Me to the Church" – 4:54#"Hello World" – 4:20#"Already" – 5:13...
, was released in 2001. Over the years, Kershaw has collaborated on albums with artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
such as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
, Tony Banks
Tony Banks (musician)
This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
, Les Rythmes Digitales
Stuart Price
Stuart Price is a three time Grammy-winning British electronic musician, songwriter, and record producer whose remixing and production skills are in demand by artists including New Order, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Take That, Missy Elliott, Scissor Sisters, The Killers, Pet Shop Boys, Brandon...
, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
and Imogen Heap
Imogen Heap
Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...
.
In 2005, Kershaw released Then And Now
Then and Now (Nik Kershaw album)
Then & Now: The Very Best of Nik Kershaw, released in 2005, combines Nik Kershaw hits, collaborations and a few new tracks.-CD track listing:# Wouldn't It Be Good# Dancing Girls# I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me# Human Racing# The Riddle# Wide Boy...
, a collection of earlier material with four new tracks. In 2006, he completed another solo album, You've Got to Laugh, available only through his website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
or digitally through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. This album contained twelve tracks and was released on the musician's own label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Shorthouse Records. Neither Then And Now nor You've Got To Laugh was promoted by a tour. The year also saw the digital
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
re-release of his 1980s back catalogue including Human Racing, The Riddle, Radio Musicola and The Works.
Kershaw performed at Fairports Cropredy Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
on the 15 August 2009 and the Rewind Festival
Rewind Festival
The Rewind Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in , Remenham, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. It was first held in August 2009....
on 23 August 2009, on Temple Island Meadows at Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
. Kershaw also performed at The New Wolsey Theatre
New Wolsey Theatre
A 400-seat theatre in the heart of Ipswich, Suffolk's county town, The was established in 2000, building on the foundations of the regional repertory company that had opened the theatre in the late 1970s....
, Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
on 15 November 2009.
2010s
On 13 May 2010 Kershaw appeared on stage and hosted 'Our Friends Acoustic' in aid of MencapMencap
The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the UK that works with people with a learning disability.-Profile:Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers...
. He performed "The Riddle", "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls" and "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Other 1980s performers joined him and performed their own songs, including Andy Bell
Andy Bell (singer)
Andrew Ivan "Andy" Bell is the lead singer of the English synthpop duo Erasure. He also has a solo career, with the albums Non-Stop and Electric Blue.-Early life:Andy Bell originates from the Dogsthorpe area in Peterborough...
, Carol Decker, Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
, Jimmy Somerville
Jimmy Somerville
James William Somerville is a Scottish pop singer and songwriter. He had considerable success in the 1980s with the pop groups Bronski Beat and The Communards, and has also had a successful solo career. He is known in particular for his falsetto singing voice...
, China Crisis
China Crisis
China Crisis is an English pop/rock band. They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby, near Liverpool, Merseyside with a core of vocalist/keyboardist Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon...
and Steve Strange
Steve Strange
Steve Strange , is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
at The O2
The O2 (London)
The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
in London.
Personal life
In June 1983 Kershaw married Sheri and they have three children. Nik and Sheri Kershaw separated in November 2003. Nik married Sarah, his girlfriend of four years, in June 2009 and is stepfather to Renee. On June 10, 2010, Kershaw revealed his wife had given birth to a son by posting the message "Theodore Douglas Kershaw, born 9/6/2010 at 9:01am. Mum and baby doing just fine." on his official Twitter. They now divide their time between their homes near Little DunmowLittle Dunmow
Little Dunmow is a village situated in rural Essex, England, in the vale of the River Chelmer about east-southeast of the town of Great Dunmow. It can be reached from the Dunmow South exit of the A120 by following the road towards Braintree for 3.2 km before turning right for the village...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and West Cork, Ireland.
Discography
- For further information, see Nik Kershaw discographyNik Kershaw discographyThe discography of Nik Kershaw consists of eight studio albums, one live album, six compilation albums, one extended play and 27 hit singles.- Studio albums :- Live albums :- Compilation albums :- Singles :...
- To see a list of Nik Kershaw's studio albums, see below.
Studio Albums
| Release date | Album title |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Human Racing Human Racing Human Racing is Nik Kershaw's first album. It was released in 1984 by MCA Records. The title track was a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at #19.... |
| 1984 | The Riddle The Riddle (album) The Riddle is Nik Kershaw's second album. It was released in 1984 by MCA Records.-LP, Cassette, CD:#"Don Quixote" – 4:55#"Know How" – 4:52#"You Might" – 3:17#"Wild Horses" – 3:59#"Easy" – 4:13#"The Riddle" – 3:52#"City of Angels" – 3:56... |
| 1986 | Radio Musicola Radio Musicola Radio Musicola is Nik Kershaw's third album. It was released in 1986 by MCA Records.The album deals with subjects of integrity - media skepticism , privacy, insecurity and mass produced run-of-the-mill pop Radio Musicola is Nik Kershaw's third album. It was released in 1986 by MCA Records.The album... |
| 1989 | The Works The Works (Nik Kershaw album) The Works is Nik Kershaw's fourth album. It is the last one he created for MCA Records, in 1989. It introduces slight jazz influences in some tracks.... |
| 1999 | 15 Minutes 15 Minutes (Nik Kershaw album) 15 minutes is a 1999 album released by UK singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw.In a 2008 interview, Kershaw spoke of two tracks from the album after being asked for his proudest song. "There’s a song on the album, '15 Minutes', called 'Billy'. That would be my finest lyric... |
| 2001 | To Be Frank To Be Frank To Be Frank is the sixth studio album by Nik Kershaw, released in 2001.-Track listing:#"Wounded" – 4:21#"Get Up" – 4:11#"Die Laughing" – 4:39#"Jane Doe" – 4:22#"How Sad" – 4:16#"Take Me to the Church" – 4:54#"Hello World" – 4:20#"Already" – 5:13... |
| 2006 | You've Got to Laugh |
| 2010 | No Frills No frills No-frills or no frills is a term used to describe any service or product for which the non-essential features have been removed to keep the price low. The use of the term "frills" refers to a style of fabric decoration... |
Collaborations
- 1985 NikitaNikita (song)"Nikita" is a song by English singer Elton John about the Cold War from his 1985 album Ice on Fire. Released in late 1985, the song achieved success in many countries, becoming a top ten hit in almost all of them.-Song synopsis:...
by Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
– Kershaw on electric guitar. - 1991 StillStill (Tony Banks album)Still is the fourth studio album released by Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks in 1991 on Virgin Records in the UK and Giant Records in the US. The album was originally going to be named after the track "Still It Takes Me By Surprise", but was later shorted to Still...
by Tony BanksTony Banks (musician)This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
– Kershaw on lead vocals on "Red Day on Blue Street", "I Wanna Change the Score" and "The Final Curtain". "Red Day on Blue Street" and "I Wanna Change the Score" co-written by Banks and Kershaw. - 1993 DuetsDuets (Elton John album)Duets is the twenty-fourth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1993. Duets was released on a single CD and also as a double vinyl LP in the UK, with a slightly different running order. It was initially a Christmas project of Elton John's, but that soon grew into an...
by Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
– "Old Friend" written by Kershaw. All instruments by Kershaw. Vocals by Kershaw and John. - 1996 "Walls of Sound" (single) from Strictly IncStrictly IncStrictly Inc is the self-titled project album, released by Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks, and Wang Chung lead vocalist Jack Hues, in 1995 on Virgin Records. Tony Banks wanted the album release—as the title suggested—with no reference to the band members; but the record company went against his...
– B-sideA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
"Back to You" was co-written by Banks and Kershaw. - 1998 Live the LifeLive The LifeLive the Life is an album by Michael W. Smith. One notable song on this album was "In My Arms Again," which Michael W. Smith wrote for the film Titanic. There were 26 songs written and completed for the album, whose release date was pushed back twice as Smith wasn't fully satisfied with the...
by Michael W. SmithMichael W. SmithMichael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
– "Let Me Show You The Way" co-written by Kershaw, Smith and producer Stephen Lipson. Also features Smith and Kershaw on guitar. - 1999 DarkdancerDarkdancerDarkdancer is the second studio album released by Les Rythmes Digitales. It was first released in May 1999 but received little critical acclaim, albeit more than the band's first release, Libération...
by Les Rythmes Digitales – "Sometimes" co-written by Jacques Lu ContStuart PriceStuart Price is a three time Grammy-winning British electronic musician, songwriter, and record producer whose remixing and production skills are in demand by artists including New Order, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Take That, Missy Elliott, Scissor Sisters, The Killers, Pet Shop Boys, Brandon...
and Kershaw. Lead vocals by Kershaw. - 1999 This Is Your Time by Michael W. Smith – "Hey You It's Me" – co-written by Kershaw and Smith. Backing vocals by Kershaw.
- 1999 The Riddle by Gigi D'AgostinoGigi D'AgostinoLuigino Celestino Di Agostino , better known by his stage name Gigi D'Agostino, is an Italian DJ, remixer and record producer...
– dance musicDance musicDance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
version. - 2001 "Island" by Orinoko – co-written by Kershaw.
- 2010 "Come Out and PlayCome Out and Play (Kim Wilde album)Come Out and Play is the eleventh studio album by British singer Kim Wilde. It was released on 27 August 2010 in Europe and is her first album with Sony Music Germany on the label Columbia SevenOne Music. The track "Lights Down Low" was released as the album's lead-single, reaching Number 34 in...
" by Kim WildeKim WildeKim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
– duet with Kim on the track "Love Conquers All".
See also
- List of New Wave bands and artists
- List of singer-songwriters
- List of synthpop artists
- List of performers on Top of the Pops