Sad Café (band)

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Sad Café
Origin Manchester, England
Genres Rock, soft rock[1]
Years active 1976–1990, 1998, 2000, 2012–present
Labels RCA, A&M
Members Ian Wilson
Ashley Mulford
Dave Irving
Des Tong
Sue Quin
Simon Waggott
Steve Whalley
Past members Paul Young
Vic Emerson
John Stimpson
Tony Cresswell
Lenni
Michael Byron-Hehir
Steve Piggot
Jeff Seopardi
Paul Burgess
Phil Lanzon
Alistair Gordon

Sad Café are an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1976, who achieved their peak of popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known for the UK Top 40 singles "Every Day Hurts", "Strange Little Girl", "My Oh My" and "I'm in Love Again", the first of which was their biggest hit, reaching number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1979.[2] The band also had two US Billboard Hot 100 hits with "Run Home Girl" and "La-Di-Da". Frontman Paul Young went on to achieve greater chart success as the co-lead singer (with Paul Carrack) of Mike + The Mechanics.

History[edit]

The group formed as a result of the unification of rock bands Mandalaband and Gyro. Its founder members were Paul Young (vocals), Ian Wilson (guitar), Vic Emerson (keyboards), Ashley Mulford (lead guitar), John Stimpson (bass) and Tony Cresswell (drums). Over the course of the band's history only Young and Wilson were constant members, with other musicians amongst the band's ranks over the years including: Dave Irving (drums), Lenni "Sax" Zakson (saxophone), Des Tong (bass), Michael Byron-Hehir (lead guitar), Steve Piggot (keys), Jeff Seopardi (drums), Paul Burgess (drums), Phil Lanzon (keyboards) and Alistair Gordon (keyboards). Harvey Lisberg, who also managed 10cc, arranged for Eric Stewart to produce their third album, Façades, which included the top 3 single, "Every Day Hurts".[3]

The band initially dissolved in 1990, but briefly reformed in 1998, and again in 2000. The 2000 concert was a tribute to the band's former vocalist Paul Young, who had died, aged 53, on 15 July 2000. In 2012, the band was reformed by Wilson, who due to Young's death is now the band's only continuous member, along with other former members Mulford, Irving, and Tong, and new members Sue Quin (vocals, keyboards), Simon Waggott (keyboards) and Steve Whalley (guitars, vocals).[4] The band conducted a UK tour in November 2012, the band's first full live tour in 25 years.[5][6]

Personnel[edit]

Members[edit]

Lineups[edit]

1976–1978 1978–1979 1979–1980 1980–1981
  • Tony Cresswell – drums
  • Vic Emerson – keyboards
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
  • John Stimpson – bass
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Vic Emerson – keyboards
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
  • John Stimpson – bass
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Dave Irving – drums, vocals
  • Vic Emerson – keyboards
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
  • John Stimpson – bass
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Dave Irving – drums, vocals
  • Lenni – saxophone
  • Vic Emerson – keyboards
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Dave Irving – drums, vocals
  • Lenni – saxophone
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
1981–1984 1984–1986 1986 1986–1989
  • Vic Emerson – keyboards
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Dave Irving – drums, vocals
  • Lenni – saxophone
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars
  • Ian Wilson – guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Steve Piggot – keyboards
  • Jeff Seopardi – drums
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Paul Burgess – drums
  • Phil Lanzon – keyboards
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
Guest musicians
  • Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Paul Burgess – drums
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
1989–1990 1990–1998 1998 1998–2000
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Paul Burgess – drums
  • Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars
  • Alistair Gordon – keyboards, vocals

Disbanded
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Paul Young – lead vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars
  • Alistair Gordon – keyboards, vocals
  • Lenni – saxophone
Guest musicians
  • Roy Martin – drums

Disbanded
2000 2000–2012 2012–present
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Lenni – saxophone
  • Vic Emerson – keyboards
  • Dave Irving – drums, vocals
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals

Disbanded
  • Ian Wilson – rhythm guitars, vocals
  • Des Tong – bass, vocals
  • Dave Irving – drums, vocals
  • Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals
  • Sue Quin – vocals, keyboards
  • Simon Waggott – keyboards
  • Steve Whalley – guitars, vocals

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

  • Fanx Ta-ra (1977, # 56 UK)
  • Misplaced Ideals (1978, # 50 UK)
  • Misplaced Ideals (1979, US version of the two first LPs, # 94 US)
  • Façades (1979, # 8 UK, # 146 US)
  • Sad Café (1980, # 46 UK, # 160 US)
  • Olé (1981, # 72 UK)
  • Politics of Existing (1985)
  • Whatever It Takes (1989)
Live
  • Live In Concert (1981, # 37 UK)
Compilation
  • The Best Of Sad Café (2001)

Singles[edit]

  • 1977: "Black Rose" / "Babylon" (feat. Neil Thompson) (UK)
  • 1977: "Hungry Eyes" / "Bell Ends" (UK)
  • 1977: "(I Believe) Love Will Survive" / "Shellshock" (UK)
  • 1978: "Run Home Girl" / "Black Rose" (US, #71)
  • 1978: "Feel Like Dying" / "Run Home Girl" (US)
  • 1979: "Every Day Hurts" / "Wish This Night Would Never End" (UK, #3)
  • 1979: "Emptiness" / "Cottage Love" (US)
  • 1980: "Strange Little Girl" / "Time Is So Hard To Find" (UK, #32)
  • 1980: "No Favours No Way" (Stereo) / "No Favours No Way" (Mono) (US)
  • 1980: "My Oh My" / "Cottage Love" (UK, #14)
  • 1980: "Nothing Left Toulouse" / "On with the Show" (UK, #62)
  • 1980: "La-Di-Da" / "Love Today" (UK, #41)
  • 1980: "I'm in Love Again" / "Restless" (UK, #40)
  • 1981: "Black Rose" / "(I Believe) Love Will Survive" / "Emptiness" / "Hungry Eyes" (LIVE) (UK)
  • 1981: "Misunderstanding" / "Rat Race" (UK)
  • 1981: "La-Di-Da" (US, #78)
  • 1982: "Follow You Anywhere" / "#Nine" (UK)
  • 1983: "Keep Us Together" / "Hold On" / "(I Believe) Love Will Survive" / "My Oh My" (UK, #76)
  • 1984: "(Why Do You Love Me Like You Do) Heart" / "It's So Easy" (UK)
  • 1985: "Refugees" / "China Seize" (UK)
  • 1986: "Only Love" / "China Seize" (UK)
  • 1986: "Heart" / "Keep Us Together" (US)
  • 1989: "Take Me (Heart And Soul)" / "Universe" (UK)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Artist Biography by Greg Prato (15 July 2000). "Sad Café | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 February 2014. 
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 478. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  3. ^ Laing, Dave (19 July 2000). "Obituary: Paul Young – Singer who made Manchester rock". The Guardian. London. 
  4. ^ "Sad Cafe: Biography". sadcafe.co.uk. 
  5. ^ "Sad Cafe: Tour dates". sadcafe.co.uk. 
  6. ^ Manning, Craig (11 October 2012). "Sad Cafe set for return to Wirral for Guitar Festival". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 14 December 2015. 

External links[edit]

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