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Martin Fry / ABC
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The
band was formed after Martin Fry interviewed
Mark White (guitar) and Stephen
Singleton (saxophone) two members
of Sheffield-based electronic outfit Vice Versa, for his fanzine Modern Drugs.
Fry changed the name to ABC, and altered the musical direction toward a
more pop-orientated course.
The band was completed by the arrival of
bass player Mark Lickley and drummer David Palmer.
DEBUT
The
band's debut single Tears
Are Not Enough,
was released on their Neutron label.
The song made the
UK Top 20 in late 1981.
The following year cemented ABC's reputation, with
three UK Top 10 hits in a seven-month period: Poison
Arrow,
The
Look Of Love
and All
Of My Heart.
TREVOR HORN - LEXICON of LOVE
The
Trevor Horn-produced album, The
Lexicon Of Love,
remains a benchmark of 80s pop.
The album reached number 1 (US Top 30) and
stayed in the UK charts for a year.
The follow-up Beauty
Stab
was recorded as a trio following Palmer's defection to the Yellow Magic Orchestra.
1984
By
1984 only Fry and White remained from the original line-up.
They continued
as ABC, gaining the band some success in the USA with Be
Near Me
reaching the Top 10 in 1985 and (How
To Be A) Millionaire
peaking at number 20 the following January.
ILLNESS
Fry
became seriously ill in 1986 and was absent for over a year while he received
treatment for Hodgkin's disease.
COMEBACK
He teamed up with White
once more for 1987's memorable UK Top 20/US Top 5 hit When
Smokey Sings.
By the middle of the 90’s only Fry remained from the original line-up.
The
album Skyscraping
recreated the "classic" ABC sound.
Since the album's release Fry
has continued to lead ABC.
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ABC releases throughout the years.
ABC Albums
ABC Singles
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