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Big Fun (group)

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This article is about the real-life band started in 1988. For the fictional band in the 1988 film Heathers, see Heathers.
Big Fun
OriginLondon, England
GenresPop
Years active1988 – 1994
LabelsJive
Past membersMark Gillespie
Phil Creswick
Jason John

Big Fun were an English boy band who were active between 1988 and 1994. The band consisted of Phil Creswick, Mark Gillespie and Jason John (a.k.a. Jason Herbert). They were produced by Stock Aitken Waterman.

Career

Before they were Big Fun, Creswick and John were in another regroup of Ian Levine's boy band Seventh Avenue with Mark Long. The other member of the group at that time was Steve Crawley who provided lead vocals for the group recording and singing live whilst performing in nightclubs all over the UK. Other original Big Fun members included Keith Davies from Stretford in Manchester. Davies then went on to star in Coronation Street before taking on an ambitious tour that covered nine countries.[clarification needed]

Their only album, A Pocketful of Dreams (released in 1990), reached the Top 10 in the UK Albums Chart;[1] and contained the hit singles "Blame It on the Boogie" (previously a hit for The Jacksons' in 1978), "Can't Shake the Feeling", and "Handful of Promises". "I Feel the Earth Move" was intended to be their first single (and promo copies were circulated) but it was decided their first single should be Blame It on the Boogie, Their final single "Stomp!" was issued in 1994, under the name 'Big Fun II' as Jason John had left the band, and although this failed to obtain the commercial heights of their earlier work, it reached the dance chart in the United States.[2]

All three members of the band are gay, but were told by Pete Waterman they could not come out as it would ruin their career.[3] After disbanding, Creswick became a painter and decorator, and John returned to being a model booker and music manager.

Members

Personnel

  • Phil Creswick (born 12 October 1965) backing vocals
  • Mark Gillespie (born 14 December 1966) lead vocalist
  • Jason John (born 18 March 1967) backing vocals
  • Keith Davies (born 30 July 1969)

Discography

Singles

Year Single Peak positions Album
UK
[4] 		IRE FRA SPN NED BEL
(FLA) 		GER AUS
[5] 		NZ US Dance
[6]
1989 "Living for Your Love" — — — — — — — — — — single only
"I Feel the Earth Move" — — — — — — — — — — A Pocketful Of Dreams
"Blame It on the Boogie" 4 7 17 5 31 14 15 37 32 —
"Can't Shake the Feeling" 8 7 47 6 — 38 41 97 — —
1990 "Handful of Promises" 21 6 — 9 — 42 — 110 — —
"You've Got a Friend" (with Sonia) 14 12 — — — — — 157 — — single only
"Hey There Lonely Girl" 62 — — — — — — — — — A Pocketful Of Dreams
1994 "Stomp!" (as 'Big Fun II') — — — — — — — — — 12 single only
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Albums

Video

  • 1990 - "A Pocketful Of Dreams – The Video Hits"

References

  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 57. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ "Sounds of 1989: Teen pop". BBC News. 2009-08-20. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  3. ^ "Stock Aitken Waterman & PWL | The Hit Factory Forum v 2.5 - Phil Creswick (Big Fun) interview". Hitfactoryforum.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  4. ^ "Official Charts Company: Big Fun". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  5. ^ Australian chart peaks:
  6. ^ "Big Fun - US Dance Club Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
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