Typically Tropical
Typically Tropical are a British band, best known for their number one hit record Barbados.[1]
The band was actually a duo comprising Geraint Wyn Hughes and Jeffrey Calvert,[2] who had met through Hughes's band, Quasar. They wrote and recorded songs at Morgan Studios, where Calvert worked with his father, when no one else was around.[1] Calvert had been on holiday to Barbados and based the song on his experiences.[1] It was recorded with various session musicians including guitarist Chris Spedding, drummer Clem Cattini and Vic Flick.[1]
Although the song, featuring mock vocals by Captain Tobias Wilcox (Hughess' alter ego) of Coconut Airways,[1] was far from being genuine reggae it was originally intended to be released on Trojan, but the little known record label Gull Records came up with a better offer (reportedly £1,500). Barbados was ready for release in November 1974, but the label thought it best to wait until the next summer before releasing it.
Barbados entered the UK Singles Chart on 5 July 1975, and five weeks later was at Number 1 for one week.[2] In total "Barbados" spent eleven weeks in the UK chart.[2]
Typically Tropical released one album titled Barbados Sky in 1975[3] with the follow-up singles "Rocket Now" and "Ghost Story". They failed to chart, and as a recording act the duo went their separate ways, billed forever as one-hit wonders.[1] Hughes (often billed and known as Max West),[2] currently composes production library music. Calvert subsequently became a pilot.
Hughes and Calvert meanwhile continued to work in the studio together, writing Sarah Brightman's I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper in 1978, and later producing Judas Priest's album, Sad Wings of Destiny.[1][4]
Barbados was later successfully covered by the Vengaboys in 1999 as We're Going to Ibiza.[1]
[edit] See also
- One-hit wonders in the UK
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- Number 1 Singles in Ireland 1975
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Biography by Amy Hanson". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p193563/biography. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
- ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 572. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p193563
- ^ Thepodule.com
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "Give a Little Love" by Bay City Rollers |
UK number one single 3 August 1975 |
Succeeded by "I Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" by The Stylistics |
