We’re really saying something - Bananarama talk ahead of gig at Arena Birmingham
It’s been quite a year for Bananarama. Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward and Siobhan Fahey have been sweeping all before them – after Siobhan rejoined the band for a massive tour.
The singer had left Bananarama in 1988 to form Shakespears Sister, with whom she played until 1996. She then appeared in films and recorded music alone, as well as appearing with Dexys Midnight Runners, before agreeing to rejoin Bananarama in February this year for a major tour.
And the band’s shows have been well received by fans who have relived their youth to such hits as It Ain’t What You Do. . ., Really Saying Something, Shy Boy, Cruel Summer, Robert De Niro’s Waiting. . ., and Love in the First Degree as well as the US number one Venus and other hits like Cruel Summer and I Heard A Rumour.
Bananarama had been formed by Sara, Siobhan and Keren in 1981. When Siobhan quit, Jacquie O’Sullivan joined and they enjoyed more hits with songs like I Want You Back and Help. Jacquie later left and Sara and Keren enjoyed success as a duo with Movin’ On and More, More, More.
The band’s achievements speak for themselves. They have enjoyed two Band Aid appearances, an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful female band worldwide with the most charting singles, all of which were international hits, four hitting the US Billboard Top 10 including a number one with Venus. To date they have had 32 Top 40 UK hits, released 10 albums and sold 30 million records.
The band formed when teenagers and childhood friends Sara and Keren met Siobhan. Sara and Siobhan were studying journalism at the London University of Arts (London College of Fashion) and Keren was working at the BBC.
About to be thrown out of the YWCA for ‘keeping late hours’ Sara and Keren bumped into ex-Sex Pistol Paul Cook in the club Taboo. He offered them a place to stay above the Sex Pistols old rehearsal room. He ended up producing their first single Aie A Mwana. One early radio play from legendary DJ John Peel was all it took to catch the attention of ex-Specials singer Terry Hall, who tracked the girls down and asked them to perform on The Fun Boy Three single It Ain’t What You Do.
They went on to support everyone from Iggy Pop to Paul Weller (Paul went on to pen a track for the bands first album) appearing on numerous TV shows while still being so skint they were using the baths at the local swimming pool for £1 a throw.
For the next 10 years the girls were everywhere and so were their hits. They became internationally hot property when hits Cruel Summer hit the US Billboard Top 10, with their video filmed in NYC.
Identifying the right producers/collaborators at the right point in their career was always their strong point from Jolley and Swain who produced their debut album Deep Sea Skiving and follow up Bananarama to Stock/Aitken/Waterman who produced the platinum-selling WOW!, to Youth with Pop Life.
In 2005 they were picking out Swedish hitmakers Murlyn to produce the album Drama (singles Move In My Direction and Look On The Floor Top 20 UK, US Billboard dance number two) and in 2009 they found a perfect foil in Ian Masterson (Pet shop Boys, Girls Aloud, Kylie) who produced the album VIVA.
Bananarama like the Go Go’s and the Bangles were not a manufactured band but three friends who came from the London Club scene with a Punk attitude and were always in control of their own destiny.
In 2012 Bananarama have appeared in the hit ITV comedy Benidorm, they embarked to the US for the Pinktober tour at Hard Rock Cafes and released a brand new four tracks digital EP called Now Or Never. In February 2016, the girls embarked upon a successful Australian Tour, followed by a sold out Japan tour in October.
And now, for the first time ever, the original Bananarama line up are back together for a string of live shows in 2017. It will be fans’ only chance to see Sara, Keren and Siobhan live across the UK.
Keren was in a relationship with former WHAM! star Andrew Ridgeley for 25 years, but they parted ways last year. Speaking about the break-up, she said things didn’t always work out but they’d remained close friends and Andrew would be attending quite a few dates on the tour.
The biggest girl group of the 1980s were sworn enemies for many years but they reconvened for a barbecue at Siobhan’s home in Bethnal Green. They rekindled their love and friendship and a few months later, Keren picked up the phone and told Siobhan she should go on tour with them. They had never actually done a tour, the three of them, together. Siobhan agreed and the rest is history.
l See them perform at Arena Birmingham on Thursday, November 23.
