After 34 years apart, Fairground Attraction have reunited for new concerts and a new single. Founded near the end of the New Romantic movement in the mid-1980s, the London-based band was one of the most popular bands of the time, along with groups like Culture Club and Duran Duran.
However, despite their success with their first number-one single, "Perfect," in 1988 and winning two BRIT awards, the band split up in 1990, allegedly due to fame-induced pressures.
Now, in an attempt to recreate some of the magic they once had, singer Eddi Reader, bass player Simon Edwards, guitarist Mark Nevin, and drummer Ray Dodds have all returned to try and rekindle those memories.
According to Nevin, they lost touch initially but reconnected in 2023 and came up with the idea of a comeback. He told The Sun, "I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be back together. We had all given up hope that it would ever happen. It is spooky, as though we were ghosts, we have come back to life, but something happens between us when we play together."
Upon its release, Fairground Attractions' The First of a Million Kisses ranked second in the charts and was certified platinum. The group's sound, which blends elements of folk, jazz, country, and cajun styles, found an incredibly loyal audience in Japan, where they toured in 1989.
Nevertheless, tensions developed in the group soon after lead singer Reader, 64, gave birth to her first child. Although Reader and Nevin disagree on what caused their disbanding, according to The Sun, Nevin's decision to abandon a recording session for their second studio album triggered the breakup.
The second album they released under the name Ay Fond Kiss was a collection of tracks made up of B-sides and live recordings, which ended up being rushed out shortly after the debut album.
Reader announced on her Facebook page in December 2023 that Fairground Attraction would reconvene for a Japanese tour in 2024. Subsequently, the band announced the release of new music and a UK tour on its Facebook page.
In addition to her success as a solo singer, Scottish native Reader is also known for her musical interpretations of the poems of Scottish national hero Robert Burns. She also enjoyed a stint as an actress, performing in shows such as Cheatin Heart on BBC television and for the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1990s.
A collaboration between Nevin and Brian Kennedy resulted in the release of the Sweetmouth album in 1991, based on material intended for the original second album. In the future, he would team up with Morrissey, co-writing most of the songs on the Kill Uncle album and working with Kirsty MacColl a second time before embarking on a solo career. Reader and Nevin would go on to occasionally collaborate over the years. Fairground Attraction's new single, "What's Wrong with the World," is out now, and tickets are available for their upcoming tour.
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