The Belle Stars
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2010) |
The Belle Stars | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London |
| Genres | Pop rock, new wave |
| Years active | 1980–1986 |
| Labels | Stiff Records |
| Past members | Jennie Matthias Sarah-Jane Owen Stella Barker Lesley Shone Judy Parsons Miranda Joyce Penny Leyton Clare Hirst |
The Belle Stars were an
Career
After the all-female two-tone band The Bodysnatchers broke up in 1980, guitarists Stella Barker and Sarah-Jane Owen, saxophonist Miranda Joyce, keyboardist Penny Leyton, and drummer Judy Parsons decided to form a new band, recruiting bass player Lesley Shone and lead vocalist Jennie Matthias (also known as Jennie Bellestar). Their first performance was on Christmas Day 1980, before they had chosen a name. Black Sabbath keyboard player, Gerald Woodroffe was also recruited.
Within a short time, the group became well-known around London, notably appearing on the front cover of Sounds magazine early in 1981. Shortly thereafter, they were signed by Stiff Records, then highly successful through its star act, Madness.
The band's debut single, "Hiawatha", was released in the late spring of 1981; it was produced by Madness producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. The band promoted the single by playing support slots at gigs by ska acts The Beat and Madness. However, the single failed to chart, despite continuing media attention. In May 1981, the band opened for The Clash on tour dates in Brussels, Lille, and Paris.[1]
The same production team were responsible for "Slick Trick", the second single. It too failed to chart. Keyboard player Penny Leyton left the band late in the year, to be replaced on saxophone and keyboards by Clare Hirst.
When the third single, the radio-friendly "Another Latin Love Song" again failed to break into the chart, the band tried cover versions instead, with some success. "
In January 1983, the Belle Stars released what would be their signature single, "
"Sign of the Times" was followed a month later by the band's eponymous debut album, which reached number 15 on the
However, "Sign of the Times" proved to be the peak of the band's success. Each follow-up single was less successful than its predecessor: "Sweet Memory" reached number 22 in the chart in April 1983; "Indian Summer" number 52 in August; whilst "The Entertainer" did not chart. It took another year before the band had a minor hit, "80's Romance", which made number 71 in August 1984 before it dropped out after a week.[4] Despite this, the band continued to tour throughout Europe. However, the lack of success took its toll, and Matthias left the band, followed by others, until the band was down to Owen, Joyce, and Shone. Owen became the 'de facto' lead vocalist, though all three members often sang in unison, in the style of Bananarama.
Stiff Records was ailing by 1984, and it merged with
However, in March 1989, the Belle Stars finally had a big US chart hit, when "
Leyton went on to join the all-girl ska band The Deltones in 1984; they released an album on Unicorn Records in 1989.
Matthias guested on the 1973 (2007) and Decadent (2008) albums by
In September 2019, four previously unreleased Belle Stars songs from the Anne Dudley sessions for the second album, and a live concert from 1983, were included in a comprehensive box set, Turn Back the Clock from
Personnel
- Jennie Matthias: lead vocals (1981–1984)
- Sarah Jane Owen: lead guitar, vocals
- Stella Barker: rhythm guitar, percussion, vocals (1981–1984)
- Lesley Shone: bass, vocals
- Judy Parsons: drums, percussion (1981–1984)
- Miranda Joyce: alto saxophone, percussion, vocals
- Penny Leyton: keyboards, piano (1981–1982)
- Gerald Woodroffe
- Clare Hirst: tenor saxophone, keyboards, piano, vocals (1982–1984) Fabian Figueroa Diaz
Discography
Albums
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [7] |
AUS [8] |
CAN [9] |
NL
[10] |
NOR [11] |
NZ [12] |
SWE [13] |
US [14] | |||
| 1983 | The Belle Stars |
|
15 | 76 | 96 | 25 | 15 | 27 | 28 | 191 |
| 1994 | The Very Best |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | Belle-Issima! Sweet Memories... |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 80's Romance: The Complete Belle Stars |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | Turn Back the Clock |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released | ||||||||||
Singles and EPs
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK
[7] |
AUS [8] |
CAN [15] |
GER [16][17] |
IRE [18] |
NL [19] |
NZ [20] |
SA [21] |
US [22] |
US Dance [22] | ||
| 1981 | "Hiawatha" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Slick Trick" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Another Latin Love Song (EP) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "Iko Iko" | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "The Clapping Song" | 11 | 4 | — | 64 | 19 | — | 32 | 2 | — | — | |
| "Mockingbird" | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Sign of the Times" | 3 | 45 | — | — | 2 | 6 | 21 | — | 75 | 43 | |
| 1983 | "Sweet Memory" | 22 | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Indian Summer" | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "The Entertainer" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1984 | "80's Romance" | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986 | "World Domination" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| 1989 | "Iko Iko" (re-release) | 98 | 7 | 42 | 30 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 7 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or has not yet been released | |||||||||||
References
- ^ "The Clash's Concert History". Concert Archives. 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-8230-7632-6.
- ^ "1983's Biggest Canadian Hits, Both English and French". Musiccanada.woredpress.com. 23 March 2011.
- ^ ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 32.
- ^ "Jen's announcement".
- ^ a b "BELLE STARS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (B)". www.rock.co.za. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ a b "The Belle Stars Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- Webb Joey (2004). Belle Issima! Sweet Memories. Edsel
- Belle Stars (1983–1986). BS Bandits – official Belle Stars fanzines
- Michaels Randolph, (2005). Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited. iUniverse Publishing. ISBN 0-595-37007-1
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
