Fools Dance

Fools Dance were an English rock band active from 1983 to 1987, chiefly noted for their connection to The Cure.[1]

Fools Dance
One of four album covers for Fools Dance. From left to right: Pete Gardner, Ron Howe, Gary Biddles, Simon Gallup, Stuart Curran.
One of four album covers for Fools Dance. From left to right: Pete Gardner, Ron Howe, Gary Biddles, Simon Gallup, Stuart Curran.
Background information
OriginHorley, Surrey, England
GenresPunk rock, gothic rock, new wave
Years active1983–1987
LabelsTop Hole
Contorsion
Lambs to the Slaughter - Prism
Past membersStuart Curran
Simon Gallup
Paul Thompson
Matthieu Hartley
Ian Huller
Gary Biddles
J.J. Burnel
Pete Gardner
Ron Howe
Campbell MacKellar
Mark Wilson

History

Fools Dance was formed in Horley, Surrey in 1983 under the name 'The Cry' and consisted of Ian Fuller on vocals, Stuart Curran on guitar, Simon Gallup on bass guitar, Tot on drums, and Matthieu Hartley on keyboards.[1][2][3] Shortly after playing their first and only gig as The Cry at the Covent Garden Rock Garden on 19 April 1983, Ian and Tot left.[1][2][4] Over the next few months, the band recruited vocalist Gary Biddles and went through a succession of drummers, using drum machines when they had none.[1][5] Eventually, the group changed their name to 'Fools Can Dance' but shortly after found themselves reduced to a trio once again following the departure of Matthieu Hartley.[5][6] After performing just one gig under the moniker 'Fools Can Dance', they shortened it to simply 'Fools Dance' and recruited saxophonist Ron Howe and drummer Pete Gardner.[1][5][7]

Despite Gallup's prior involvement with The Cure, Fools Dance ultimately had more of a following in the Low Countries than they did in their native UK, making it difficult to find the time to record a full-length album.[5][8] Although the group began recording some songs at RMS Studios in London, Gallup ultimately left the group to rejoin The Cure, a move that ultimately hindered any of these tracks from seeing the light of day until after Fools Dance had disbanded due to Gallup's departure.[5] Eventually, by the end of 1985, Fools Dance's self-titled debut EP was released on the independent Dutch label Top Hole Records four months after The Cure's sixth studio album The Head on the Door, which featured a guest appearance by Ron Howe on the song "A Night Like This".[8] Top Hole Records licensed the rights for Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Universe Records and in France to well known label Contorsion.

In 1987, Gary Biddles briefly reformed Fools Dance under a new lineup that included guitarist Campbell McKellar, The Stranglers bassist Jean-Jacques Burnel, and Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson, who had previously been in the group when they first formed as The Cry. They recorded one song and single, "They'll Never Know", but this would be the final release by Fools Dance. Biddles went on to form the band Presence with Lol Tolhurst and Michael Dempsey.[9]

Line-up

Discography
Cover of "They'll Never Know
YearTypeFormatTitleTracks
198512" EPUniverse Productions – Turn 19, Sound & Vision – Turn 19Fools Dance"Sa'Ha" / "The Don Diddy Song" / "The Priest Hole" / "Happy Families Waiting (At The Skylab Landing Bay)" / "I'm So Many (Talk Talk)"
198612" EPTop Hole Records – TH 22Fools Dance"The Priest Hole" / "Happy Families Waiting (At The Skylab Landing Bay)" / "I'm So Many (Talk Talk)" / "Sa'Ha" / "The Don Diddy Song"
198612" EPContorsion – CNT.011Fools Dance"The Priest Hole" / "Happy Families Waiting (At The Skylab Landing Bay)" / "I'm So Many (Talk Talk)" / "Sa'Ha" / "The Don Diddy Song"
198712" EPLambs To The Slaughter Records – LTS 18Fools Dance"The Priest Hole" / "Happy Families Waiting (At The Skylab Landing Bay)" / "I'm So Many (Talk Talk)" / "Sa'Ha" / "The Don Diddy Song"
19877" SingleLambs To The Slaughter Records – LTS 22"They'll Never Know""They'll Never Know" / "Empty Hours"
198712" SingleLambs To The Slaughter Records – LTS 22 (T)"They'll Never Know""They'll Never Know" / "The Collector" / "Empty Hours" / "The Ring"

Unreleased songs
  • "Old Door"
  • "Wonderful Weekend"
  • "Sin"
  • "Turn Me Back to Animal"
  • "Spinning Around"
  • "The Burn"
  • "Remembrance Day"
  • "Where Do You Sleep"
  • "Snakeskin World"
  • "Bowdiddly Song"
  • "Turning Back"
  • "Tapestry"
  • "Canaries Out"

References
  1. "Fools Dance Biography". Picturesofyou.us. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  2. "Gary Biddles, of Cure spin-offs Fools Dance and Presence, dies". slicingupeyeballs.com. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2021. I was the original drummer with Cry and that's me drumming at the Rock Garden with Matthieu, Simon and guitarist Stuart Curran, but on this occasion Gary had not yet joined the band and the Singer was Ian Fuller, Gary joined about 2 or 3 months later when the newly named Fools Dance became a 3 piece with just Gary, Simon and Stuart. I later teamed up with Gary on the single They'll never know. He will be sadly missed. Kindest regards, Tot (Paul Thompson)
  3. "The Cry". Picturesofyou.us. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  4. "THE CRY 1983". Picturesofyou.us. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  5. "Ron Howe Reminisces at The King's Head, Horley". carmenrosa.com. 3 November 2003. Archived from the original on 25 August 2004. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. "Fools Can Dance Promo". Picturesofyou.us. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  7. "Fools Can Dance First Gig". Picturesofyou.us. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  8. "Interview with Gary Biddles: Cure Roadie and Fools Dance/Presence Frontman". 26 April 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  9. ""Interview with Robert Smith" 5 August 2007". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
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