The Style Selektors single which is a cover of the Curtis Mayfield classic “Move On Up” is raising funds for The Teenage Cancer Trust and features some very special guests. We hope to release it in May / June on download via iTunes / Amazon for 79p so spread the word – here’s a little run down for you of the line up so far and boy / girl there’s some musical heritage in this line up and we are so honoured
Dave Wakeling had 3 Top 10 hits with 2Tone legends The Beat namely “Mirror In The Bathroom”, “Hands Off She’s Mine” and “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” all 3 are tracks in The Style Selektors current set. When The Beat called it a day, Dave went onto form General Public with Ranking Roger, Mickey Micky Billingham and Andy Growcott from Dexys and Dexys Midnight Runners, Mick Jones from The Clash and Horace Panter from The Specials, whilst Andy Steele and David Cox formed Fine Young Cannibals. Dave now plays with The English Beat extensively across the USA, Australis and New Zealand, and they are touring the UK this spring so catch them while you can. Dave said yes straight away when I asked him to appear on the single despite having a truly hectic schedule, and having rehearsed and played with Dave live in the past I know his motto is to give 110% at all times – and it shows at all times
Jennie Matthias otherwise known as Jennie Belle Star its going to be recorded by us- The lovely Jennie was vocalist for 80s superstars The Belle Stars who were formed by ex members of legendary band The Bodysnatchers. The Belle Stars played with The Beat and Madness, and had massive hits with “Sign Of The Times”, “The Clapping Song” and “Iko Iko” which also hit No 14 in the USA Billboard and was included in the Dustin Hoffman / Tom Cruise film Rain Man and is listed as one of Hoffmans favourite songs. Jennie also dueted with Paul Weller on The Jams smash hit “Bitterest Pill”. Jennie writes, tours and and records extensively across the EU and is a tireless charity worker who has re-arranged her bookings and her unpaid work for the homeless to fit in with our recording slots in London for which we say a huge massive THANKS JENNIE …. xxx
Aziz Ibrahim – Aziz is primarily known for playing guitar in Simply Red, and he also played guitar on 2 Paul Weller albums Illumination and 22 Dreams. Aziz is the vocalist on Wellers’ song God on 22 Dreams and he has also written songs with Paul Weller. He is also known for playing guitar for The Stone Roses at their last ever gig at Reading and wrote songs with Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown such as My Star, Corpses In Their Mouths, Longsight M13 and numerous songs on Unfinished Monkey Business, Golden Greats, Solarized and The Greatest. He has also played in The Players with Mick Talbot and Steven White of The Style Council. Having the Aziz on board this project is an absolute honour for us as musicians and we cannot thank him enough.
Jo Gent – Jo was keyboard player with 90s Manchester band The Mock Turtles who had a huge hit with “Can You Dig It”. They released a few more singles before going their separate ways. Also in the band was Martin Coogan, brother of actor Steve Coogan. Jo is now music teacher at St Winifred’s School who also feature on our single. Jo co-ordinated the choir during the recording sessions. St Winifreds gained legendary status in 1980 when their single “Grandma” hit the Number 1 spot in the UK Charts. They also provided backing vocals on another Number 1 “Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs” as well as for The Housemartins on their smash album “The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death”. 75 children from St Winifreds feature on our single and ironically several of the mums of the children on our single sang on those 2 Number 1s and The Housemartins album, and a few of them can also be heard on our single (we stuck them up the back)
We are also in talks with some great people to star in our video, from smash films Quadrophenia and There’s A Girl In My Soup as well as cult UK series Coronation Street so watch this space. Sadly Paul Weller who we were hoping would sing a verse on the single has sent a message in the last few days to say he is totally snowed under with work and family commitments and is unable to join us this time. He wished us luck with the project and sent his best to the Hartlepool March Of The Mods Committee and everyone going to the event in March x
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