Michael J. Mullins (born Michael John Mullins on 9 November 1953) is an English lead vocalist, backing singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of

salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...

band

Modern Romance Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philoso ...

(1982–85). Modern Romance achieved eight

top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "conte ...

singles and two hit albums. After the band called it quits in 1985, Mullins continued working within the music industry, most notably as a backing singer for

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...

. He can be seen singing with

live on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most o ...

'' and on the

Christmas number one single In the United Kingdom, Christmas number ones are singles that top the UK Singles Chart in the week in which Christmas Day falls. The singles have often been novelty songs, charity songs or songs with a Christmas theme. Historically, the vo ...

Mistletoe and Wine "Mistletoe and Wine" is a Christmas song made famous as a chart-topping single by Cliff Richard in 1988. The song was written by Jeremy Paul, Leslie Stewart and Keith Strachan for a musical called ''Scraps'', which was an adaptation of Hans C ...

" (1988).Lee-Williams, Matt: Modern Romance, Biography, Internet Movie Database ccessed27 April 2011. Mullins has since performed with

Alan Parsons Alan Parsons (born 20 December 1948) is an English audio engineer, songwriter, musician and record producer. Parsons was involved with the production of several notable albums, including the Beatles' ''Abbey Road'' (1969) and '' Let It Be'' ...

as part of

The Alan Parsons Project The Alan Parsons Project was a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of producer, audio engineer, musician and composer Alan Parsons and singer, songwriter and pianist Eric Woolfson. They were accompanie ...

.Bluebear's Music Vault: World Liberty Concert: Alan Parsons and Friends, Sat 3 January 2009 ccessed 14 April 2012/ref>

Early music (1981–82)

Mullins began his music career as a backing vocalist and musician for

. He is thanked for providing the vocals and guitar of their debut album, '' Adventures in Clubland'' (1981). During this time he also appeared with the band on episodes of ''

'', and provided further vocals on their single "By the Way (I'm Still in Love with You)" (1982). The lead singer for Modern Romance was, at the time,

Geoff Deane Modern Romance is a British pop music band that found popularity in the early 1980s. Formed in 1980 by previous members of an earlier band, the Leyton Buzzards, the band achieved a string of UK chart hits before the original band broke up in ...

, who had formed the band with David Jaymes, two remnants of punk rock band The Leighton Buzzards. Modern Romance had reached No. 1 in

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

with ''Adventures in Clubland'' – which also earned them a

Gold Disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

there – and had scored four UK hits, Mullins often lending his vocals and talents as a musician to their live TV appearances and studio work. However, in 1982, Deane would leave the band to pursue a solo career.

Modern Romance (1982–85)

Following the departure of

in late 1982, the Jaymes/Deane era came to an end, and Mullins took over as lead vocalist for Modern Romance. Their first single – in what would become known as the Jaymes/Mullins era – climbed the UK charts, reaching the top five. "

Best Years of our Lives ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Russe ...

" – which peaked at No. 4 in the UK – would be the band's highest-charting single. They quickly followed with the similar-sounding single " High Life", which climbed to the No. 8 position. Modern Romance were holding their own with bands such as

Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...

and

Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet () were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids, playing "European D ...

, and myriad TV and magazine appearances followed. They were regulars on ''

'' and made an appearance at the

Royal Variety Performance The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...

. Modern Romance subsequently released their second studio album, titled '' Trick of the Light'' (1983). It reached No. 53 on the

UK Album Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

, and one significant change was the re-recording of the single "

Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" or "Cerezo Rosa" or "Ciliegi Rosa" or "Gummy Mambo", is the English version of "Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs", a popular song with music by Louiguy written in 1950. French lyrics to the song by J ...

" ew Version(the new recording of this version was included on both ''Trick of the Light'' and ''

Party Tonight ''Party Tonight'' is the third album by English band Modern Romance. It was a compilation album released in 1983 on LP and Cassette tape by Ronco. A Japanese reissue on LP was released, titled Juanita, but is long out of print.Modern Romance, ...

'') with Mullins lending the song his softer vocals. The album itself has since made it into the

Taschen Taschen is a luxury art book publisher founded in 1980 by Benedikt Taschen in Cologne, Germany. As of January 2017, Taschen is co-managed by Benedikt and his eldest daughter, Marlene Taschen. History The company began as Taschen Comic ...

book ''1000 Record Covers'', which showcases the most interesting and original vinyl cover art from the 1960s to the 1990s (Mullins and David Jaymes grace the front cover of the album). The third single to be taken from ''Trick of the Light'' – "

Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" is a Top 20 single from UK band Modern Romance. It was released in 1983 as a 7-inch single, 7-inch picture disc, and 12-inch single by WEA. German and Spanish versions were also released. Formats 7-inch single *" ...

" (1983) – made the Top 20, eventually rising to No. 14. The final single – a ballad titled " Walking in the Rain" (1983) – settled at No. 7. Mullins toured with Modern Romance extensively, across Europe and the Far East; they picked up silver and gold discs along the way, released the album ''Juanita'' (1983) in Japan, and reached the No. 1 spot in

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

with "Walking in the Rain" (1983). Despite Modern Romance being an established name in pop music, it seemed David Jaymes and Mullins would remain generally at the forefront, their faces appearing on the majority of the record and magazine covers.

Vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from viny ...

Picture disc Picture discs are gramophone record, gramophone (phonograph) records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl. Collectors traditionally reserve the term picture disc for records with graphics ...

s of the singles "High Life" (1983) and "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" (1983) indeed featured the faces and signatures of both Jaymes and Mullins (one on each side), as did the posters included with these singles. The pair also appeared in an article for the ''

Tucker's Luck ''Tucker's Luck'' is a British television series made by the BBC between 1983 and 1985. The series is a spin-off from the school drama ''Grange Hill'' and capitalised on the popularity of one of the series' original characters – Peter "Tucker ...

'' TV annual titled ''Best 1980s Artifact''; Mullins (and Jaymes) appeared alongside

Nick Heyward Nicholas Heyward (born 20 May 1961) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He came to international attention in the early 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter for Haircut One Hundred. He and the band parted ways after their first al ...

Haircut One Hundred Haircut One Hundred (also Haircut 100) were a British new wave group formed in 1980 in Beckenham, London by Nick Heyward, Les Nemes and Graham Jones. In 1981 and 1982, the band scored four UK top 10 hit singles: " Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets ...

Boy George George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singe ...

Culture Club Culture Club are an English pop band formed in London in 1981. The band comprises Boy George (lead vocals), Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), Mikey Craig (bass guitar) and formerly included Jon Moss (drums and percussion). Emerging in the New R ...

Simon Le Bon Simon John Charles Le Bon (born 27 October 1958) is a British singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the new wave band Duran Duran and its offshoot Arcadia. Le Bon has received three Ivor Novello Awards from the British ...

, and

Steve Norman Steven Antony Norman (born 25 March 1960) is an English musician who plays tenor saxophone, guitar, percussion and other instruments, for the English band Spandau Ballet. Biography Early years Steve Norman was born in Stepney, east London, and w ...

.Lee-Williams, Matt: Jaymes, David, Biography, Internet Movie Database ccessed27 April 2011. By now, Mullins was prominent enough in the industry to make personal appearances on shows like

Mike Read Michael David Kenneth Read (born 1 March 1947) is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter. Read has been a broadcaster since 1976, best known for having been a DJ with BBC Radio 1, and television host for musi ...

's '' Pop Quiz'', whilst the band as a whole enjoyed live performances on TV shows hosted by

Kenny Everett Kenny Everett (born Maurice James Christopher Cole; 25 December 1944 – 4 April 1995) was an English comedian, radio disc jockey and television presenter. After spells on pirate radio and Radio Luxembourg in the mid-1960s, he was one of the fi ...

Russell Harty Frederic Russell Harty (5 September 1934 – 8 June 1988) was an English television presenter of arts programmes and chat shows. Early life Harty was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, the son of greengrocer Fred Harty, who ran a fruit-and-veg ...

and

The Krankies The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo who enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and making pop records. Since this period, they have also regularly appeared in pan ...

. By Christmas 1983 they were ready to release the album ''

'', a compilation containing all the band's hits from both the Jaymes/Deane era and the Jaymes/Mullins era, as well as a handful of

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song relea ...

s and

B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

s. ''Party Tonight'' (1983) – produced by

Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of many ...

and released in the UK on the Ronco label – reached No 45 in the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

. Mullins' vocals could also be heard – along with the rest of the band – across the radio waves, as jingles for the

Radio 1 Radio 1 or Radio One most commonly refers to: *BBC Radio 1, a music radio station from the BBC **BBC Radio 1Xtra, a digital radio station broadcasting black music *CBC Radio One, a talk radio station operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ...

evening show were adapted from various Modern Romance hits. The single "

Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Ho ...

" / "Good Feelings" e-mixwas released simultaneously and reached the UK No. 96 position. Both ''Party Tonight'' and ''Good Friday'' shared the same cover art, a photo still captured from the band's 1983 ITV advert for ''Party Tonight''. It was around this time that band member

John Du Prez John Du Prez (born Trevor Jones; 14 December 1946) is a British musician, conductor and composer. He was a member of the 1980s salsa-driven pop band Modern Romance and has since written several film scores including '' Oxford Blues'' (1984), ...

went his own way and, taking stock of the poor success of the single ''Good Friday'', Modern Romance decided it was time for a change in both image and music style. The mid-1980s, however, were not as kind to the band. Modern Romance began with a new look, Mullins and the band now sporting long hair and leather jackets. The first single released alongside the band's new image was a cover version of the song "

Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group The Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Released on the Gordy ( Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group' ...

" (1984): the single failed to chart, as did their third studio album, ''

Burn It! ''Burn It!'' is the third studio album by English band Modern Romance. It was released in 1985 on LP and Cassette tape by RCA and has not since been reissued. Although the record sleeve states the LP was released in 1985, the label on the actu ...

'' (1984), and its subsequent singles: "

" (1984), "

That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionne ...

" (1984) and " Move On" (1984). The album was produced by

and featured additional percussion by

Luis Jardim Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archa ...

. They released a cover version of "

Tarzan Boy "Tarzan Boy" is the debut single by Italian-based act Baltimora. The song was written by Maurizio Bassi and Naimy Hackett, and released in 1985 as the lead single from Baltimora's debut album '' Living in the Background''. The song was re-rec ...

" and finally the anthology single, "

Best Mix of Our Lives "Best Mix of Our Lives" is a song by English band Modern Romance (band), Modern Romance. It was released in 1985 as a 7-inch single, 7-inch and 12-inch single by Warner Music Group, WEA. The track is a mix of their biggest hits, and was the last s ...

" (1985), which contained the hit singles "Everybody Salsa", "Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey", "High Life", "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm", and "Best Years of Our Lives". "Best Mix of Our Lives" reached No. 81 on the UK chart.

Post-Modern Romance (1985–present)

Since leaving Modern Romance in 1985, Mullins has worked with

Samantha Fox Samantha Karen Fox (born 15 April 1966) is an English pop singer and former glamour model from East London. She rose to public attention aged 16, when her mother entered her photographs in an amateur modelling contest run by '' The Sunday Peop ...

Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...

Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998. (born February 26, 1953), known professio ...

Donny Osmond Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host, and former teen idol. He first gained fame performing with four of his elder brothers as the Osmonds, earning several top ten hits and gol ...

, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison,

Christopher Cross Christopher Cross (born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. He won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles "Sailing" (1980), and "Arthur's ...

James Ingram James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career i ...

Bonnie Tyler Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh people, Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album ''The World Start ...

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer * Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in ...

and

The Celtic Tenors The Celtic Tenors began life as the Three Irish Tenors on RTÉ's ''Theatre Nights'' in October 1995. The group at that time consisted of James Nelson, Niall Morris, and Paul Hennessey. In 1998, Matthew “The Gill” Gilsenan from Kells, Co. Me ...

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stu ...

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

, Mike Moran,

Ronan Browne Ronan Browne is an Irish musician and composer who plays the Irish pipes. He plays and sings with the band Cran, and also played in a 40-year duet with Peter O'Loughlin. He was the original piper with both ''Riverdance'' and the Afro Celt So ...

Gavyn Wright Gavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London Session Orchestra and Penguin Cafe Orchestra. He is best known for his orchestral arrangements on pop productions (including Elton John, Simply Red, Bush, Mecano, Oa ...

, Patrick Kernan, Keith Murrell, Chris Thompson, and

Peter Howarth Peter Howarth (born 3 May 1960 in Blackpool, Lancashire, England) is an English musician, who is the lead singer of the English band The Hollies. He also has a career as solo artist and used to be a backing singer. In 2014 he released the CD a ...

The Hollies The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the ban ...

among others. He performed a duet with Joni Mitchell – "Good Friends" – on ''

Wogan ''Wogan'' is a British television talk show which was broadcast on BBC1 from 1982 until 1992, presented by Terry Wogan. It was usually broadcast live from the BBC Television Theatre in Shepherd's Bush, London, until 1991. It was then broadcas ...

'' (1985) and in 1986 penned the song "It's Only Love" which was used as a b-side for the singles "

My Boy Lollipop "My Boy Lollipop" (originally "My Girl Lollypop") is a song written in the mid-1950s by Robert Spencer of the doo-wop group The Cadillacs, and usually credited to Spencer, Morris Levy, and Johnny Roberts. It was first recorded in 1956 by American s ...

" (Lulu) and " Hold on Tight" (Fox). He further penned the b-sides for Fox's singles " Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)" and "

Touch Me (I Want Your Body) "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" is a song by English singer Samantha Fox from her debut studio album, '' Touch Me'' (1986). A successful topless model, Fox had been invited to attend an open audition for Jive Records, as the label was seeking ...

"; the songs were titled "Drop Me A Line" and "Never Fall in Love Again" respectively. Mullins provided backing vocals for

on his No. 1 hit "

" (1988); he also appeared on the live recording, which aired on ''Top of the Pops'' that same year (December). He has since provided backing vocals for Richard on a number of projects, including the tracks "The Best of Me" and "Joanna" on the album '' Stronger''; and in television appearances and live concerts including ''

Des O'Connor Tonight ''Des O'Connor Tonight'' is a British light entertainment variety show hosted by Des O'Connor. It was originally broadcast on BBC Two from 1977 until 1982, when it moved to ITV (TV network), ITV from 1 November 1983 until 3 September 1999. 6 fu ...

'',

Knebworth Festival The Knebworth Festival is a recurring open-air rock and pop concert held on the grounds of the Knebworth House in Knebworth, England. The festival first occurred in July 1974 when The Allman Brothers Band, The Doobie Brothers and other artists ...

(1990), and the Live and Kicking tour at

The Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no governm ...

(2004).Richard, Cliff, Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 Along with Joe Brown,

Vicki Brown Vicki Brown (23 August 1940 – 16 June 1991) was an English pop, rock and contemporary classical singer. She was a member of both The Vernons Girls and The Breakaways and was the first wife of fellow singer and musician Joe Brown and mother of ...

, Steve Gould,

Jeff Lynne Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970. As a songwriter, he has cont ...

, Keith Murrell, and

Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his distin ...

, Mullins provided backing vocals for George Harrison on the album '' Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989'' (1989).

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

provided drums.Harrison, George, Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 Michael J. Mullins,

and Keith Murrell provided backing vocals for

Cliff Richard and the Shadows Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British Citizenship, British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over ...

on the tracks "On The Beach" and "

Do You Want to Dance "Do You Want to Dance" is a song written by American singer Bobby Freeman and recorded by him in 1958. It reached number No. 5 on the United States ''Billboard'' Top 100 Sides pop chart and No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart. Cliff Richard ...

". The songs are featured on the compilation LP ''Knebworth: The Album'' (1990).Knebworth, The Album, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 In 1993, Mullins,

Lance Ellington Lance Ellington (born 22 June 1957) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. Ellington, the only son of the band leader Ray Ellington, specialises in swing and big ballads. He has worked with many artists including Sting, George Michael, Glo ...

Mae McKenna Jamie Woon (born 29 March 1983) is a British singer, songwriter, and record producer signed to PMR Records. He gained widespread acclaim in 2010 for his single " Night Air", which was co-produced by Burial, following his previous independent re ...

, Mike Stock and

Miriam Stockley Miriam Arlene Stockley (born 15 April 1962) is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music of her home country. Her distinctive ''vocalise'' style gained international acclaim when ...

provided backing vocals on the Erik song "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea".Erik (2) Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 He also – along with Lance Ellington, Mae McKenna, Mike Stock and Miriam Stockley – provided backing vocals on the

Sybil (singer) Sybil Lynch, known simply as Sybil,(14 May 1992Celebrating with Sybil Up-And-Coming Pop Singer's a Familiar Face to Local Folks '' News & Record (Greensboro)'', Retrieved October 28, 2010 is an American R&B and pop singer–songwriter. Sybil ga ...

single "Stronger Together". The same year – with Lance Ellington, Mae McKenna and Miriam Stockley – Mullins provided backing vocals for

Suzette Charles Suzette Charles (born Suzette DeGaetano, March 2, 1963) is an American singer, entertainer, and actress. She was Miss New Jersey in 1983, and served as Miss America 1984 for seven weeks after Vanessa L. Williams resigned from the position that ...

on her debut single ''Free To Love Again''.Charles, Suzette Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 1995 saw Mullins and Chris Thompson headlining the

World Liberty Concert The World Liberty Concert was a concert that took place on 8 May 1995 next to the John Frost Bridge in Arnhem in the Netherlands. The concert was held in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of Europe and is the largest memorial conc ...

as part of

. and in 1996 – with

Carl Wayne Carl Wayne (born Colin David Tooley; 18 August 1943 – 31 August 2004) was an English singer and actor. He is best remembered as the lead singer of The Move in the 1960s. Early days Wayne was born in Winson Green, Birmingham, and grew up in ...

and

Tim Whitnall Timothy Charles Whitnall (born 27 June 1961) is an English actor, playwright and screenwriter. He is known for playing Angelo in the long-running CITV series ''Mike and Angelo'' and narrating the BBC children's TV programme ''Teletubbies'' fro ...

– provided backing vocals on the album ''Passing Open Windows – A Symphonic Tribute to

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

'' by David Palmer.Palmer, David 2, Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 In 1998, Mullins provided backing vocals for

track "When Children Rule the World" on the '' Whistle Down the Wind'' (1996) and compilation album (1998).Discogs, Songs from Whistle Down the Wind ccessed16 August 2013 and backing vocals for

Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 193 ...

– track, "Cold" – on the ''Whistle Down the Wind'' (1996) and compilation album (1998). In 2000, Mullins provided male-choir backing vocals on the

tracks "Your Disco Needs You" and "Loveboat". Other backing vocals on the tracks were provided by

and

Tracy Ackerman Tracy Ackerman is a British singer and songwriter. She works with several other British songwriters including Andy Watkins and Paul Wilson of Absolute and Mark Taylor. Ackerman has written for artists including Geri Halliwell, Cher, Boyzone, Tina ...

. The songs are from the album ''

Light Years A light-year, alternatively spelled light year, is a large unit of length used to express astronomical distances and is equivalent to about 9.46 trillion kilometers (), or 5.88 trillion miles ().One trillion here is taken to be 1012 ...

''. In 2002 Mullins, Ellington, McKenna and Stockley provided backing vocals on the single "The World Is Mine" and album tracks "Day After Day" and "Nirvana Blue" by Belgian band

Hooverphonic Hooverphonic is a Belgian band that formed in October 1995. Though originally categorized as a trip hop group, they quickly expanded their sound to the point where they could no longer be described as a singular genre, but rather encompass altern ...

. All three tracks are from the

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. So ...

Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane ''Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane'' is the fourth album by the Belgian band Hooverphonic. It is a concept album, telling the story of fictional singer Jackie Cane. The singles released from this album are "The World Is Mine", "Sometimes" and "On ...

''. The album reached No. 1 in Belgium.Hooverphonic, Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 In 2003, Mullins provided vocals on two songs for

: "

Mull of Kintyre The Mull of Kintyre is the southwesternmost tip of the Kintyre Peninsula (formerly ''Cantyre'') in southwest Scotland. From here, the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland is visible on a calm and clear day, and a historic lighthouse, the second ...

" and "

(Something Inside) So Strong "(Something Inside) So Strong" is a song written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Labi Siffre. Released as a single in 1987, it was one of the biggest successes of his career, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart. The song was ...

". The album, ''So Strong'', also featured guest musicians Browne, Howarth, Kernan, Moran, Murrell, and Wright. Most recently, he has been part of a project with

and Keith Murrell called 'MHM'. He penned "Last Goodbye" with Howarth (2012); they wrote, recorded, and produced the song together, both providing vocals.

Discography

Albums (Modern Romance)

*'' Adventures in Clubland'' (1981) (Backing vocals, Guitar, Thanked on Sleeve)

No. 1 ertified Gold*'' Trick of the Light'' (1983) ompilationUK No. 45 *''

'' (1983) UK No. 53 *''Juanita''

apan Apan is a city and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 346.9 km². Overview As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 39,247. It was an important site in the ...

ompilation(1983) *''

'' (1985) *''Modern Romance: The Platinum Collection'' ompilation(2006)

Singles (Modern Romance)

*"By the Way (I'm Still in Love With You)" (backing vocals) (1982) *"

Best Years of Our Lives ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Russe ...

" (1982) UK No. 4 *" High Life" (1983) UK No. 8 *"

" (1983) UK No. 14 *" Walking in the Rain" (1983) UK No. 7 Thailand No. 1 *"

" / "Good Feelings" e-mix(1983) UK No. 96 *"

" (1984) *"

" (1984) *" Move On" (1984) *"

" (1984) *"

Tarzan Boy (1985) "Tarzan Boy" is the debut single by Italian-based act Baltimora. The song was written by Maurizio Bassi and Naimy Hackett, and released in 1985 as the lead single from Baltimora's debut album '' Living in the Background''. The song was re-re ...

" (1985) *"

" (1985) UK No. 81

Notes

The compilation album, ''Modern Romance: The Platinum Collection'' was released on CD in 2006, and contains a wide variety of the band's songs from the Jaymes/Mullins era. '' Adventures in Clubland'' has also been released on CD. '' Trick of the Light'' can be found on CD import from Japan, and his highly sought after by

audiophiles An audiophile is a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction. An audiophile seeks to reproduce the sound of a piece of recorded music or a live musical performance, typically inside closed headphones, In-ear monitors, open ...

. Each album – up until ''Burn It!'' – is available on

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from viny ...

and cassette tape, although long out-of-print.

Songwriting credits (Modern Romance)

*" Walking in the Rain" / "Walking in the Rain" (Blues) – Single (1983) UK No. 7 Thailand No. 1 *"

" – Single (1983) UK No. 96 *"After All This Time" – Album Track – '' Trick of the Light'' (1983) *"Leave Me on My Own" – Album Track – '' Trick of the Light'' (1983) *"

" – Single (1984) *" Move On" – Single (1984) *"

" – Single (1984) *"That's Entertainment" – Album Track – ''

'' (1984) *"I'll Always Remember You" – Album Track – ''

'' (1984) *"Keep A Candle Burning" – Album Track – ''

'' (1984) *"Take Another Look" – Album Track – ''

'' (1984) *"Wasting Away" – Album Track – ''

'' (1984) *"

" eprise– Album Track – ''

'' (1984).

Other credits (post-Modern Romance)

*''Straight to the Heart'' for Straight Eight (Harmony Vocals), Album (1981). *"It's Only Love" for

: the b-side to "

", songwriter (1986) *"It's Only Love" for

: the b-side to " Hold on Tight", songwriter (1986)Fox, Samantha, Discography, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 *"Drop Me A Line" for Samantha Fox: the b-side to the 12" Single " Do Ya Do Ya", songwriter (1986) *"Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" for Samantha Fox: the b-side to " Touch Me", songwriter (1986) *"Joanna" and "The Best of Me",

, '' Stronger'', (Backing Vocals) (1989) * George Harrison album '' Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989'' (Backing Vocals) (1989) *

tracks "

" and ''On The Beach'', album ''Knebworth: The Album'' (1990) (Backing Vocals) *

, "Free to Love Again" (1993) (Backing Vocals) *

Sybil Sibyls were oracular women believed to possess prophetic powers in ancient Greece. Sybil or Sibyl may also refer to: Films * ''Sybil'' (1921 film) * ''Sybil'' (1976 film), a film starring Sally Field * ''Sybil'' (2007 film), a remake of the 19 ...

, "Stronger Together" (1993) (Backing Vocals) *"The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", Erik (1993) (Backing Vocals) *''Keep Passing the Open Windows – A Symphonic Tribute to Queen'', David Palmer (Backing Vocals) (1996) *"When Children Rule the World",

, album ''Songs from Whistle Down the Wind'' (Backing Vocals) (1998)Songs from Whistle Down the Wind, Discogs ccessed16 August 2013 *"Cold",

, album ''Songs from Whistle Down the Wind'' (Backing Vocals) (1998) *

, tracks "Loveboat" and "Your Disco Needs You", album ''

'' (2000) (Choir Backing Vocals) *

, singles "Day After Day", "Nirvana Blue" and "The World Is Mine", album ''Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane'' (Backing Vocals) (2002) *"

" with

(Vocals), Album ''So Strong'' (2003) *"

" with

(Vocals), Album ''So Strong'' (2003) *"Last Goodbye" Duet with

, songwriter, vocals, guitar (2012)

Films

*'' Beyond the Sea'' – Backing Vocals (2004) *''

Planet 51 ''Planet 51'' is a 2009 computer-animated science fiction comedy film directed by Jorge Blanco and co-directed by Javier Abad and Marcos Martínez, from a script by Joe Stillman, based on an original idea by Javier Abad, Jorge Blanco, Marcos ...

'' – performer on "Mr. Sandman", "Greased Lightnin", and "Gonna Be a Star" (2009)

Television

Self

*''The Keith Harris Show'' episode #1.4 with Modern Romance (1982) *''

Klub'' episode #1.0 with Modern Romance (1982) *''

'' Decemberwith Modern Romance ''Best Years ...'' (1982) *''

Klub'' episode #1.1 with Modern Romance (1983) *''

Klub'' episode #1.4 with Modern Romance (1983) *''

Crackerjack Cracker Jack is a snack consisting of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts. Cracker Jack or Crackerjack may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Cracker Jack (''Street Fighter''), a character exclusive in ''Street ...

'' nknown episodeswith Modern Romance (1983) *''

The Kenny Everett Television Show ''The Kenny Everett Television Show'' is a comedy sketch show broadcast on BBC1 from 1981 to 1988. It was presented by its main performer Kenny Everett, who wrote the material with Barry Cryer and Ray Cameron. Later in 1986 they were joined by ...

'' nknown episodeswith Modern Romance and

Cleo Rocos Cleo Rocos (born 24 July 1962, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a UK-based comedy actress, producer, presenter and businesswoman who starred alongside Kenny Everett on '' The Kenny Everett Television Show''. Early life Rocos was born in Brazil. Her ...

(1983) *'' Rod and Emu's Saturday Special'' episode #1.2 with Modern Romance (1983) *''Christmas Supersonic TV Special'' with Modern Romance performing ''Good Friday'' (1983) *''

'' nknown episodes(1982–83) *'' Pop Quiz'' 25 September – Team David Gilmour, Maggie ( Swans Way), Mullins (1984)

Music videos

*"Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" with Modern Romance (1983) *"Walking in the Rain" with Modern Romance (1983) *"Burn It" with Modern Romance (1984) *"Mistletoe and Wine" with Cliff Richard – Live on ''Top of the Pops'' (1988)

Live appearances

with

acking vocals30 June 1990 s Mick Mullinsref name="CR SD">Cliff Richard Song Database ccessed27 April, 20.11. *''Live and Kicking Tour'' with

acking vocalsApril/May 2004 s Mick Mullinsref name="CR SD"/> *''World Liberty Concert'' with

January 2009 s Mick Mullinsref name="ReferenceA"/>

Magazine and newspaper appearances

*''

Look-in ''Look-in'' was a children's magazine centred on ITV's television programmes in the United Kingdom, and subtitled "The Junior ''TVTimes''". It ran from 9 January 1971 to 12 March 1994.Jackie Jackie or Jacky may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters named Jackie or Jacky ** Jackie, current ring name of female professional wrestler Jacqueline Moore ** Jackie Lee (I ...

'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 19 February #996 (1983) *''Look-in'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 12 March, #11 (1983) *''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...

'' (Music Newspaper) with Modern Romance: 12 March (1983) *''Look-in'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 19 March, #12 (1983) *''

Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand ...

'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 12 May (1983) *''Jackie'' (Magazine) with David Jaymes: 14 May, #1010 *''Jackie'' (Magazine) with David Jaymes: 23 July #1020 (1983) *''Oh Boy'' & ''Photo-Love'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 6 August, #339 (1983) *''Smash Hits'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 9 September (1983) *''Jackie'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 15 October, #1032 (1983) *''

Number One Number One most commonly refers to: * 1 (number) Number One, No. 1, or #1 may also refer to: Music Albums * ''Number 1'' (Big Bang album), and the title song * ''No. 1'' (BoA album), and the title song * ''No.1'' (EP), by CLC * ''n.1' ...

'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 12 November (1983) *''Patches'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 19 November, #246 (1983) *''Look-in'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 24 December, #11 (1983) *''Look-in'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 12 May, #20 (1984) *''Number One'' (Magazine) with Modern Romance: 12 May, (1984) † Mullins artwork sketched by

Mike Noble Mike Noble (17 September 1930 – 15 November 2018) was a British comic artist and illustrator, best known for drawing strips like ''Fireball XL5'' for ''TV Century 21''. Biography Noble's father was a stockbroker's clerk who had artistic talent ...

Videos featuring Mullins

*"Best Years of Our Lives" – ''Top of the Pops'' (1982) *"Best Years of Our Lives" – ''Top of the Pops'' (1982) *"Best Years of Our Lives" – ''Top of the Pops 2'' (1982) *"Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" – ''Top of the Pops'' – Mullins on guitar (1982) *"Walking in the Rain" – ''Top of the Pops'' (1983) *"Walking in the Rain" – ''Top of the Pops'' (1983) *"Walking in the Rain" – Official video (1983) *"Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" – Official video (1983) *"Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" – ''Top of the Pops'' (1983) *"High Life" – nknown venue– 'Trick of the Light' suits (1983) *"High Life" – ''Top of the Pops'' (1983) *"Good Friday" – ''Christmas Supersonic'' (1983) *"Tarzan Boy" – Special 12" Dance Mix (1985) *Cliff Richard – "Mistletoe & Wine" – Top of the Pops – Mullins as backing vocalist (1988) *"Last Goodbye" – Duet with

(2012) *The Alan Parsons Project – ''Sirius/Eye in the Sky'' – as Mick Mullins ead vocals*The Alan Parsons Project – ''Old and Wise'' – as Mick Mullins ead vocalist*Cliff Richard – "Carrie" / " Devil Woman" – Mullins as backing vocalist *Cliff Richard – Various performances with Cliff Richard on ''Des O'Connor Tonight'' – Mullins as backing vocalist

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mullins, Michael J. 1953 births Living people English male singers English pop singers English male songwriters