Immaculate Fools
Encyclopedia
Immaculate Fools were a pop
group formed in 1984, who had their biggest success in 1985 with the single "Immaculate Fools", and continued until 1997, releasing six studio albums before splitting up.
, England
by two sets of brothers: Kevin Weatherill (vocals, guitar) and Paul Weatherill (bass, vocals), and Andy Ross (guitar) and Peter Ross (drums). The band's single "Immaculate Fools" reached #51 in the UK Singles Chart
in January 1985. The debut album, Hearts of Fortune, reached #65 in the UK Albums Chart
the same year. The band toured Europe extensively, building a strong following in Spain
, where they made several television appearances. The band's second album, Dumb Poet, was well-received by critics (including a five-star review in Sounds
magazine), although it did not repeat the first album's commercial success. The album did, however, give the band a second charting single with "Tragic Comedy". The band underwent a major line-up change when the Ross brothers left, with Barry Wickens, Paul Skidmore and Ian Devlin joining for the Another Man's World album. The band set up a recording studio in a farmhouse (Woodhouse) on the Welsh borders near Ludlow. They continued to be popular until they split up in 1997. On the band's final two albums, Woodhouse and Kiss and Punch, the Weatherill brothers were joined by Wickens, Brian Betts (guitar), and Nick Thomas (drums).
Kevin Weatherill the lead vocalist and main writer of the band continues to record and tour, both in the UK and Europe, under the name Dirty Ray. In 2010 he worked with Miles Hunt
of the Wonderstuff and violinist Erica Nockalls to produce the album Big World for a Little Man. Andy Ross went on to work with Basia, Howard Jones
, Miguel Bosé
, and Tori Amos
.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group formed in 1984, who had their biggest success in 1985 with the single "Immaculate Fools", and continued until 1997, releasing six studio albums before splitting up.
History
The band was formed in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by two sets of brothers: Kevin Weatherill (vocals, guitar) and Paul Weatherill (bass, vocals), and Andy Ross (guitar) and Peter Ross (drums). The band's single "Immaculate Fools" reached #51 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in January 1985. The debut album, Hearts of Fortune, reached #65 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
the same year. The band toured Europe extensively, building a strong following in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where they made several television appearances. The band's second album, Dumb Poet, was well-received by critics (including a five-star review in Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
magazine), although it did not repeat the first album's commercial success. The album did, however, give the band a second charting single with "Tragic Comedy". The band underwent a major line-up change when the Ross brothers left, with Barry Wickens, Paul Skidmore and Ian Devlin joining for the Another Man's World album. The band set up a recording studio in a farmhouse (Woodhouse) on the Welsh borders near Ludlow. They continued to be popular until they split up in 1997. On the band's final two albums, Woodhouse and Kiss and Punch, the Weatherill brothers were joined by Wickens, Brian Betts (guitar), and Nick Thomas (drums).
Kevin Weatherill the lead vocalist and main writer of the band continues to record and tour, both in the UK and Europe, under the name Dirty Ray. In 2010 he worked with Miles Hunt
Miles Hunt
Miles Hunt is the singer / guitarist and songwriter for the Stourbridge, England-based Alternative Rock band The Wonder Stuff.- Early life :His father was a union official for the TGWU...
of the Wonderstuff and violinist Erica Nockalls to produce the album Big World for a Little Man. Andy Ross went on to work with Basia, Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
, Miguel Bosé
Miguel Bosé
Miguel Dominguín Bosé is a Latin Grammy-winning Spanish/Italian musician and actor.-Early life:Bosé was born in San Fernando Hospital in Panama City, Panama, the son of the famous Italian actress Lucia Bosé and the legendary bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguín. He is also a cousin of Carmen...
, and Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
.
Albums
- Hearts of Fortune (1985) PolygramPolyGramPolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
(UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#65) - Dumb Poet (1987) A&MA&M RecordsA&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
- Another Man's World (1990) CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
/EpicEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... - The Toy Shop (1992) Continuum
- Woodhouse (1995) Cooking VinylCooking VinylCooking Vinyl is a UK-based independent record company, founded in 1986. Its original orientation was toward contemporary folk music—notably Billy Bragg, and Michelle Shocked's Texas Campfire Tapes, recorded on a Sony Walkman, one of its first releases...
- Kiss and Punch (1996) Cooking Vinyl
Compilation albums
- The Best of Immaculate Fools (1998)
- No Gods No Masters (1998) Recall
Singles
- "Nothing Means Nothing" (1984) A&M
- "Immaculate Fools" (1984) A&M (UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#51) - "Save It" (1985) A&M
- "Tragic Comedy" (1987) A&M (UK #76)
- "Wish You Were Here" (1987) A&M
- "Falling Apart Together" (1990) Epic
- "Sad" (1990) CBS
- "Prince" (1990) CBS/Epic
- "Heaven Down Here" (1992) Continuum
- "Stand Down" (1992) Continuum
- "Kiss and Punch" (1996) Cooking Vinyl
External links
- Dirty Ray
- Immaculate Fools at IMDB