Lee Jay Thompson
Lee Jay Thompson (born 5 October 1957), nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and composer. In a career spanning 45 years, Thompson came to prominence in the late 1970s as a founder of, and saxophonist with, the English ska band Madness. Early years Prior to forming Madness, Thompson and future Madness keyboardist Mike Barson gained some notoriety as graffiti artists in the mid-1970s. After reading about the emerging New York graffiti scene, they spray-painted their nicknames ("Kix" and "Mr B") along with two friends' names "Cat" and "Columbo" around North London. They managed to spray their nicknames on George Melly's garage door, prompting Melly to write a newspaper article declaring: "If I ever catch that Mr B, Kix and Columbo, I'm going to kick their arses". Music career Thompson founded Madness with Mike Barson and Chris Foreman in 1976, and wrote the group's debut single, "The Prince". Among the other songs, he wrote or c ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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St Pancras, London
St Pancras () is a district in North London. It was originally a medieval Civil parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish and subsequently became a metropolitan borough. The metropolitan borough then merged with neighbouring boroughs and the area now forms around half of the modern London Borough of Camden. The area of the parish and borough extends nearly four miles in a north-south axis, between Islington in the east and Marylebone and Hampstead in the west. It take in the sub-districts of Camden Town, Kentish Town, Gospel Oak, Somers Town, London, Somers Town, King's Cross, London, King's Cross, Chalk Farm, Dartmouth Park, the core area of Fitzrovia and a part of Highgate. History St Pancras Old Church St Pancras Old Church lies on Pancras Road, Somers Town, London, Somers Town, behind St Pancras railway station. Until the 19th century it stood on a knoll on the eastern bank of the now buried River Fleet. The church, dedicated to the Roman martyr Pancras of Rome, Saint Pa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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House Of Fun
"House of Fun" is a song by English ska/pop group Madness, credited to Mike Barson and Lee Thompson. Retrieved on 28 June 2007. It was released as a one-off single on 14 May 1982 and reached number one in the UK Singles Chart, spending nine weeks in the charts. Retrieved on 27 June 2007. The song was re-released in 1992, reaching number 40. It is the band's only number one single in the UK and in 2015 the British public voted it as the nation's 8th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV. Recording The song was originally recorded under the title "Chemist Facade", without the "Welcome to the House of Fun" chorus. While the song was being recorded, head of Stiff Records Dave Robinson insisted that the song should have a chorus, so band member Mike Barson immediately wrote the "Welcome to the House of Fun" refrain on his piano. Retrieved on 22 August 2007. At this point, the song had already been recorded, and the management decided not to re-record the whole song. I ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sharon Shannon
Sharon Shannon (born 8 June 1968) is an Irish musician, best known for her work with the button accordion and for her fiddle technique. She also plays the tin whistle and Diatonic button accordion, melodeon. Her 1991 debut album, ''Sharon Shannon (album), Sharon Shannon,'' was the best-selling album of traditional Irish music ever released in Ireland. Beginning with Irish folk music, her work demonstrates a wide-ranging number of musical influences. She won the lifetime achievement award at the 2009 Meteor Awards. Early life Shannon was born in Ruan, County Clare. At eight years old, she began performing with Disirt Tola, a local band, with which she toured the United States at the age of fourteen. Shannon also worked as a competitive horse show, show jumper, but gave it up at the age of sixteen to focus on her music. She similarly abandoned studying at University College Cork. In the mid-1980s, Shannon studied the accordion with Karen Tweed and the fiddle with Frank Custy, and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dawn Penn
Dawn Penn (born 11 January 1952) is a Jamaican reggae singer. She first had a short career during the rocksteady era from 1967 to 1969, but she is most known for her single " You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)", which became a worldwide hit in 1994. Career Penn's early recordings were composed and written by her around 1966 using session musicians. In 1967, she recorded the rocksteady single "You Don't Love Me", produced by Coxsone Dodd at Studio One. She also recorded "Why Did You Lie?" at Studio One, "Broke My Heart" for Bunny Lee, "I Let You Go Boy" and covers of " To Sir with Love" and " Here Comes the Sun". Penn also recorded for singer and producer Prince Buster early in her career with songs like "Long Day, Short Night", "Blue Yes Blue" and "Here's the Key". By 1970, Penn had left the music industry and had moved to the Virgin Islands. However, she faced racism there, and in 1987, she returned to Jamaica and to music. In the summer of 1992, she was invited to appear on sta ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bitty McLean
Delroy Easton "Bitty" McLean (born 8 August 1972) is a British reggae, lovers' rock and ragga singer. He is best known for his three UK Top 10 hits in 1993 and 1994, including his debut offering " It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)". Career The youngest of six children to Easton and Leonie (née Reynolds), Delroy McLean was nicknamed "Bitty" due to his small stature.France.unitedreggae.com As a teenager he performed with local , and after studying sound engineering at college, he was employed by [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known for its coverage of rock music and political reporting by Hunter S. Thompson. In the 1990s, the magazine broadened and shifted its focus to a younger readership interested in youth-oriented television shows, film actors, and popular music. It has since returned to its traditional mix of content, including music, entertainment, and politics. The first magazine was released in 1967 and featured John Lennon on the cover, and was then published every two weeks. It is known for provocative photography and its cover photos, featuring musicians, politicians, athletes, and actors. In addition to its print version in the United States, it publishes content through Rollingstone.com and numerous international editions. The magazine experienced a rapid ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the group stage in Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament, women's football, began on 25 July at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, followed by the opening ceremony on 27 July. There were 10,518 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) who participated in the 2012 Olympics. Following a bid headed by former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe and the then-Mayor of London, London mayor Ken Livingstone, London was selected as the host city at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore on 6 July 2005, defeating bids from Moscow, New York City, Madrid, and Paris. London became the first city to host the modern Olympics three times, having previously hosted the Summer Games in 1908 Summer Olympics, 190 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Belle Stars
The Belle Stars were a British pop/rock band. Formed in 1980, they are best known for their 1983 hit single " Sign of the Times" as well as their cover of "Iko Iko" originally released in 1982 and featured on the soundtrack to the film ''Rain Man'' in 1988. Career After the two-tone band The Bodysnatchers broke up in 1980, guitarists Stella Barker and Sarah-Jane Owen, saxophonist Miranda Joyce, keyboardist Penny Leyton, and drummer Judy Parsons formed a new band, recruiting bass player Lesley Shone and lead vocalist Jennie Matthias (also known as Jennie Bellestar). Their first performance was on Christmas Day 1980, before they had chosen a name. Black Sabbath keyboardist and noted heavy rock-progressive rock session musician, Gerald Woodroffe was also recruited. Within a short time, the group became well-known around London, notably appearing on the front cover of '' Sounds'' magazine early in 1981. Shortly thereafter, they were signed by Stiff Records, then highly succe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chas Smash
Cathal Joseph "Carl" Smyth (born 14 January 1959), also known as Chas Smash, is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the secondary vocalist, trumpet player and dancer for the English band Madness from their inception in the late 1970s until 2014. In addition to trumpet, Smyth plays the bass guitar (having initially joined Madness as a bassist), acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments. He performs lead vocals on some Madness tracks, such as "Michael Caine", " Wings of a Dove", "One Step Beyond" and "Madness (Is All in the Mind)". Initially an occasional songwriter, he became a more frequent contributor and was credited as co-writer on the band's international hit " Our House". Early years Cathal Joseph Smyth was born on 14 January 1959, in Middlesex Hospital, Fitzrovia, London, England, and grew up in Marylebone. As a child he went by the name of Carl. His parents were Irish immigrants. His father worked in the oil business and moved the fam ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Suggs (singer)
Graham McPherson (born 13 January 1961), known primarily by his stage name Suggs, is a British singer-songwriter, musician, radio personality and actor. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the ska band Madness, which released fifteen singles that entered the top 10 charts in the United Kingdom during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, including " My Girl", "Baggy Trousers", "Embarrassment", " It Must Be Love", "House of Fun", " Driving in My Car", " Our House", " Wings of a Dove" and " Lovestruck". Suggs began his solo career in 1995, while still a member of Madness. Since then, he has released two studio albums and two compilation albums. His solo hits include "I'm Only Sleeping", "Camden Town", "Cecilia" and " Blue Day". Suggs has also been an actor, with roles in films, theatre and television. He is married and is the father of two children. Early life Graham McPherson was born on 13 January 1961 in Hastings to a Scottish father, William Rutherford McP ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Madness (band)
Madness are an English ska and pop music, pop band from Camden Town, north west London, who formed in 1976. One of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s Two-tone (music genre), two-tone ska revival, they continue to perform with six of the seven members of their original line-up.Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Retrieved on 19 June 2007. Madness's most successful period was from 1980 to 1986, when the band's songs spent a total of 214 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, holding the record along with English reggae group UB40 for most weeks spent by a group in the UK singles chart during the 1980s. Madness have had 16 singles reach the UK top ten, including "One Step Beyond (song), One Step Beyond", "Baggy Trousers" and "It Must Be Love (Labi Siffre song)#Madness version, It Must Be Love", one UK number-one single "House of Fun" and two number ones in Ireland, "House of Fun" and "Wings of a Dove (Madness song), Wings of a Dove". "Our House (Madness song), Our House" was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic music, electronic, art rock, disco, and particularly the Krautrock of bands like Kraftwerk. It arose as a distinct genre in Japan and the United Kingdom in the post-punk era as part of the New wave music, new wave movement of the late 1970s. Electronic musical synthesizers that could be used practically in a recording studio became available in the mid-1960s, and the mid-1970s saw the rise of electronic art musicians. After the breakthrough of Gary Numan in the UK Singles Chart in 1979, large numbers of artists began to enjoy success with a synthesizer-based sound in the early 1980s. In Japan, Yellow Magic Orchestra introduced the TR-808 rhythm machine to popular music, and the band ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |