Fine Young Cannibals
Fine Young Cannibals (FYC) were a British pop rock band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1984 by ex-Beat bassist David Steele and guitarist Andy Cox[5] with singer Roland Gift (formerly of the Akrylykz). Their self-titled 1985 debut album contained "Johnny Come Home" and a cover of "Suspicious Minds", two songs that were top 40 hits in the UK, Canada, Australia, and many European countries. Their 1989 album, The Raw & the Cooked, topped the UK, US, Australian, and Canadian album charts, and contained their two Billboard Hot 100 number ones: "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing".[6]
Fine Young Cannibals | |
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![]() Fine Young Cannibals, 1990 | |
Background information | |
Also known as | Two Men, a Drum Machine and a Trumpet |
Origin | Birmingham, England |
Genres | |
Years active | 1984–1992, 1996 |
Labels | London, I.R.S. |
Spinoff of | |
Past members | Andy Cox Roland Gift David Steele |
In 1990, the band won two Brit Awards: Best British Group, and Best British Album (for The Raw & the Cooked).[7]
History
The group was formed in 1984 after the dissolution of The Beat, with whom Cox and Steele previously played.[5] Their name came from the 1960 film All the Fine Young Cannibals starring Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.[8] The duo of Steele and Cox spent eight months listening to over 500 cassettes of potential singers before picking Gift. They had difficulty obtaining a record contract, but when a video of their song "Johnny Come Home" appeared on British TV show The Tube, recording contract offers flowed in immediately.[9] The band's eponymous debut album was released in 1985, spawning two UK hit singles, "Johnny Come Home" and a cover of Mark James' "Suspicious Minds" featuring additional vocals by Jimmy Somerville.[6] The two songs also became hits internationally, charting in the top 40 in Europe, Canada, and Australia although they failed to make a significant impact on the US charts.
Fine Young Cannibals appeared as the house band in a nightclub in the 1987 comedy film Tin Men and also contributed songs to the film's soundtrack, including "Good Thing".[10]
In the gap between their first and second albums, Steele and Cox released the instrumental house single "Tired of Getting Pushed Around" in 1987 as "Two Men, a Drum Machine and a Trumpet", which reached No. 18 in the UK Singles Chart[11] and was popular on the U.S. dance chart. During this time, Gift appeared in the movie Sammy and Rosie Get Laid.
The band continued their international success with the singles "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing", from the 1989 album The Raw & the Cooked. Both songs reached #1 in the United States.[12] "She Drives Me Crazy" also topped the Australian chart for three non-consecutive weeks and peaked at #5 in the UK, while "Good Thing" peaked at #7 in both countries.[13] The Raw & the Cooked included three songs the band had recorded for Tin Men (including "Good Thing"), and their cover of the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" recorded for the film Something Wild.[6]
In 1990, the band contributed a version of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" to the AIDS research benefit album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Red Hot Organization.
Fine Young Cannibals disbanded in 1992, although they briefly returned to the studio in 1996 to record a new single, "The Flame", for the greatest hits compilation The Finest.[6]
Band members
- Andy Cox – guitars, keyboards
- Roland Gift – vocals
- David Steele – bass, keyboards, drum machine
- Session and touring members
- Martin Parry – drums, percussion
- Graeme Hamilton – trumpet, piano
Awards and nominations
Year | Awards | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | MTV Video Music Awards | "She Drives Me Crazy" | Video of the Year | Nominated | [14] |
Best Group Video | Nominated | ||||
Breakthrough Video | Nominated | ||||
Viewer's Choice | Nominated | ||||
1990 | Brit Awards | Themselves | British Group | Won | [15] |
The Raw & the Cooked | British Album of the Year | Won | |||
Grammy Awards | "She Drives Me Crazy" | Record of the Year | Nominated | [16] | |
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated | ||||
The Raw & the Cooked | Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
Juno Awards | International Album of the Year | Nominated | [17] | ||
"She Drives Me Crazy" | International Single of the Year | Nominated | |||
Ivor Novello Awards | Best Contemporary Song | Nominated | [18] | ||
International Hit of the Year | Won | ||||
Pollstar Concert Industry Awards | Tour | Best Debut Tour | Nominated | [19] | |
D&AD Awards | "Don't Look Back" | Individual Video - Graphite Pencil | Won | [20] | |
ASCAP Pop Music Awards | "Good Thing" | Most Performed Songs | Won | [21] | |
"She Drives Me Crazy" | Won | ||||
1991 | Won | [22] |
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [23][13] |
AUS [24] |
AUT [25] |
CAN [26] |
GER [27] |
NL [28] |
NZ [29] |
SWE [30] |
SWI [31] |
US [32] | |||||||||||
1985 | Fine Young Cannibals
|
11 | 2 | — | 21 | 42 | 21 | 11 | — | 17 | 49 | |||||||||
1989 | The Raw & the Cooked
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Compilation albums
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [23] |
AUS [24] |
AUT [25] |
BEL (Fl) [37] |
GER [27] |
NZ [29] | |||||
1996 | The Finest
|
10 | 56 | 22 | 39 | 47 | 21 |
| ||
2006 | The Platinum Collection
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
2009 | She Drives Me Crazy
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | |||
2012 | The Collection | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Remix albums
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
UK [23] |
AUS [24] |
GER [27] | ||
1990 | The Raw & the Remix
|
61 | 114 | 38 |
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [23] |
AUS [24] |
BEL (Fl) [37] |
CAN [38] |
GER [27] |
IRE [39] |
NL [28] |
NZ [29] |
US [40] |
US Dance [41] | ||||
1985 | "Johnny Come Home" | 8 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 76 | 9 | Fine Young Cannibals | |
"Blue" | 41 | 13 | 34 | — | — | — | — | 45 | — | ||||
"Suspicious Minds" | 8 | 6 | 22 | 21 | 37 | 9 | 21 | 14 | — | 23 | |||
1986 | "Funny How Love Is" | 58 | 97 | — | — | — | 27 | — | — | — | — | ||
1987 | "Ever Fallen in Love" | 9 | 20 | 28 | — | 19 | 10 | 34 | 23 | — | 11 | Something Wild (soundtrack) | |
1988 | "She Drives Me Crazy" | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
|
The Raw & the Cooked |
1989 | "Good Thing" | 7 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 20 | ||
"Don't Look Back" | 34 | 38 | 38 | 10 | 29 | 10 | — | 23 | 11 | — | |||
"I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" | 20 | 109 | — | 35 | 33 | 8 | 29 | — | 54 | 8 | |||
1990 | "I'm Not Satisfied" | 46 | 145 | — | 83 | 66 | 19 | — | — | 90 | — | ||
"It's OK (It's Alright)" | — | 169 | — | — | 44 | — | — | — | — | ||||
1996 | "The Flame" | 17 | 85 | 65 | — | 65 | — | — | 36 | — | — | The Finest | |
1997 | "She Drives Me Crazy 1997" | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
See also
References
- "Fine Young Cannibals". Discogs.
- Nimmervoll, Ed (n.d.). "Fine Young Cannibals: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- Mahon, Maureen (2004). Right to Rock: The Black Rock Coalition and the Cultural Politics of Race. Duke University Press. p. 212. ISBN 9780822333173.
- Himes, Geoffrey (13 January 1988). "U.S. Soul, Reborn in Britain". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- Chris Heim (8 September 1989). "Fine Young Cannibals and Cherry are success stories". Chicago Tribune (NORTH SPORTS FINAL, CN ed.). p. 6.
- Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 343–344. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
- "Brits.co.uk". Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- Jessica Berens (April 1986). "Fine Young Cannibals – They're England's latest sultans of soul. Soon they'll be bringing it on home to America, where at least a band can get a decent meal". Spin Magazine. p. 73. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- O'Callaghan, Mary Anne (6 March 1989). "Cannibals has single cooking". Kentucky New Era. p. 7B. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- Gerard, Chris (11 February 2014). "Classic album revisited: Fine Young Cannibals "The Raw and The Cooked"". Metro Weekly.
- "Official Charts > Two Men, a Drum Machine & a Trumpet". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "Fine Young Cannibals > Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 200. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "Rock On The Net: 1989 MTV Video Music Awards". Rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- "History". Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- "Fine Young Cannibals". Grammy.com. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- "Past Nominees + Winners". Junoawards.ca. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- "Archive | The Ivors | The Ivors Academy | Champions of Music Creators". Ivorsacademy.com. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- "Pollstar Awards Archive – 1989". 9 March 2017. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/1990/pop-promo-videos/28934/fine-young-cannibals-dont-look-back/
- "Cash Box" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 23 June 1990. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- "Billboard" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 25 May 1991. p. 113. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- "Official Charts > Fine Young Cannibals". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- Peak chart positions in Australia:
- Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to 12 June 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 111. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Music Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.
- Top 50 (ARIA) peaks from 13 June 1988: "australian-charts.com > Fine Young Cannibals in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 103.
- "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" (ARIA) peak: Scott, Gavin. "This Week In 1990: February 4, 1990". Chart Beats: A Journey Through Pop. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- "I'm Not Satisfied" and "It's OK (It's Alright)" (ARIA) peaks: "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- All ARIA-era chart peaks to 18 August 2018: "Response from ARIA re: Fine Young Cannibals ARIA chart history, received 18 August 2018". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2 February 2019. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.
- "austriancharts.at > Fine Young Cannibals in der Österreich Hitparade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Suchen nach "Fine Young Cannibals"" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 November 2019. N.B. Select the Album tab to display albums chart peaks.
- "dutchcharts.nl > Fine Young Cannibals in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "charts.nz > Fine Young Cannibals in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- "swedishcharts.com > Fine Young Cannibals in Swedish Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "hitparade.ch > Suche nach: Fine Young Cannibals (Alben)" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Fine Young Cannibals Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "British certifications – Fine Young Cannibals". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 June 2023. Type Fine Young Cannibals in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Gold & Platinum". Cria.ca. Archived from the original on 1 May 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- "Response from ARIA re: Fine Young Cannibals ARIA chart history, received 18 August 2018". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- "Ultratop > Fine Young Cannibals in Ultratop Vlaanderen" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- "The Irish Singles Charts – All there is to know > Search results for Fine Young Cannibals (from irishcharts.ie)". Fireball Media, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Fine Young Cannibals Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Fine Young Cannibals Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
External links
![](../I/Commons-logo.svg.png.webp)
- Fine Young Cannibals discography at Discogs