It should first be pointed out that the Keybaordist Dave Stewart of this duo is not the same Dave Stewart as the former co-lead of the Eurythmics-- this confusion probably still poses a disadvantage for this former progressive rock keyboardist, who played with Bill Bruford, National Health, and Hatfield and The North, before forming a duo with vocalist Barbara Gaskin. Despite the confusion, this duo managed to chart a number of singles in the UK during the eighties, including "I'm In Different World", along with creative Synth-Pop re-workings of classic Pop tunes like "The Locomotion", "It's My Party" and the Byrds' "Eight Miles High".

Their series of singles and albums were labeled as "Pop music for adults"-- but it probably confused fans of Stewart's Prog Rock/ Fusion heyday, not to mention the mix-up with the Eurythmics'. I agree with Allaboutjazz writer John Kelman, who noted that "while undeniably pop music, possessed a structural and harmonic depth that may not have been Prog but couldn't have come from someone who hadn't explored music far beyond the simpler confines of conventional pop music" (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=33287). A listen to their reworking of "Busy Doing Nothing" (from A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court) definitely bears this out, with its myriad of shifing chords, textures and tempos.

Despite their modest successes from 1981-1990, the duo never hit it big, but they've maintained a cult following-- and in 2009, they finally released a new CD (Green and Blue) and EP (Hour Moon)...

Here's a handful, from back in the day:








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[Edited 3/31/10 10:42am]

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So this was before Eurythmics?

Just kidding.

I listened to some of the clips and it was pretty good. Different. Certainly surprising that it was from the very early 80s. I was wondering why you didn't post their version of Locomotion. Then I found it and I think I understand. It's different, but kind of..odd (especially since I'm most familiar with the Kylie version).

VinnyM27 said:

I was gettin' around to it...tryin' to stretch the thread out,

Thanks!




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