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Breakfast Club (band)

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Breakfast Club
Background information
OriginNew York City, New York, United States
Genres
Years active1979 (1979)–1990 (1990)
Labels
Past members
Various
  • Dan Gilroy
  • Ed Gilroy
  • Gary Burke
  • Stephen Bray
  • Paul Kauk
  • Hannah Watkins
  • Megan Watkins
  • Alex Potts
  • Austin Phillips
  • Randy Jackson
  • Madonna
  • E. Doctor Smith
  • Angie Smit

The Breakfast Club was an American group. Their biggest hit single was "Right on Track", which peaked at number seven on the US "Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was remixed for a commercial release in a 12" version for dance and club play by John "Jellybean" Benitez and became a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Magazine Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Band history

The group was formed in New York in 1979 and went through several line-ups, including one in which pop star Madonna was the drummer. In the early 1980s, the band included Madonna, Angie Smit on bass, and the Gilroy brothers, Dan and Ed, both on guitar (Dan sang lead vocals as well).[1] Dan Gilroy was also briefly Madonna's boyfriend, and he eventually allowed her to sing some lead vocals. Madonna ultimately left to form a new band, Emmy and the Emmys.[2]

In the mid 1980s, the band consisted of the Gilroys (with Dan now concentrating exclusively on vocals, while Ed provided all guitars), Gary Burke (bass), Paul Kauk (keyboards), and Stephen Bray (drums). Both Bray and Burke had previously been Madonna's bandmates in Emmy and the Emmys.[3]

The group signed with ZE Records and released its eponymous album in 1987 on MCA Records, which spawned the U.S. Top Ten hit "Right On Track". Later, Randy Jackson (bass) and E. Doctor Smith (The Drummstick, percussion) joined the band.[4]

A second album was recorded but never released. Its last single was a cover version of The Beatles' song "Drive My Car", from the 1988 film License to Drive.[5] Shortly afterwards the band broke up. Bray later co-wrote several big hits with Madonna. They were nominated in the category of Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in 1988, losing out to Jody Watley.[6] A majority of their music videos, including "Right on Track," were filmed by Jeff Stein, director of The Who documentary, The Kids Are Alright.

Dan Gilroy later went on to star in Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme as Gordon Goose and in Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle as Pete the Postman.

On April 5th, 2016, Breakfast Club released a new EP titled Percolate, which featured songs from the group's unreleased second album. It is the group's first release of new material in almost three decades.[7]

Discography

Studio albums
  • 1987 - Breakfast Club
EPs
  • 2016 - Percolate
Singles

References

  1. ^ Spin issue
  2. ^ Name and Madonna
  3. ^ Allmusic Biography
  4. ^ Stereo Review - Volume 52 - Page 90
  5. ^ Driver's License By Meredith Castile
  6. ^ http://www.grammy.com/news/grammy-rewind-30th-annual-grammy-awards
  7. ^ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/percolate-ep/id1102897781
  8. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 77. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.