Shock is a music/mime/dance/pop group that was notable in the early 1980s for supporting English pop groups such as
Gary NumanGary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of commercial electronic music and has been described as the "King of synthpop." Numan is widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars"...
,
Adam and the AntsAdam and the Ants were a British rock band band during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were one of the bands at the time that marked the transition from the 70s punk rock era to the New Wave/post-punk era....
,
Depeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic band who formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Famous Names, led by
Steve FairnieSteve Fairnie was a British musician, painter, sculptor, actor, board game designer and chicken hypnotist, best known as the frontman of the post-punk band Writz, and as one half - with his wife Bev Sage - of the 1980s pop outfit Techno Twins .-Career:Born in Fraserburgh and raised in Bristol,...
.
In 1979, mime artists Tim Dry and
Barbie Wilde{BLPunsourced|date=August 2009}Barbie Wilde is a Canadian actress and writer, best known for appearing as the Female Cenobite in Hellbound: Hellraiser II - the second of eight Hellraiser films based on Clive Barker's novella, The Hellbound Heart...
united with dancers Robert Pereno, LA Richards and Karen Sparks to produce Shock. In April 1980, they recruited another mime, Sean Crawford. The line-up changed again with the departure of Karen and the introduction of
Carole CaplinCarole Caplin was the style adviser to Cherie Blair. She was controversial because of her relationship with the convicted conman Peter Foster.-Early life:Caplin was brought up by her mother, Sylvia, of Jewish descent...
.
Based in London, England, Shock performed in clubs like
The HaçiendaFac 51 Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England. It became most famous during the "Madchester" years of the late 1980s and early 1990s, during the 1990s it was labelled the most famous club in the world by Newsweek magazine...
, The Warehouse (Leeds) and The Blitz Club (home of the
Blitz KidsThe Blitz Kids were a short- lived group of then-unknown people who frequented the Blitz nightclub in Covent Garden, London in the very early 1980s. Among their number were Steve Strange, Boy George and his friend Marilyn, Perri Lister, Princess Julia, Philip Sallon, Carl Teper and Martin Degville...
) and The Venue (London).
Shock is a music/mime/dance/pop group that was notable in the early 1980s for supporting English pop groups such as
Gary NumanGary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of commercial electronic music and has been described as the "King of synthpop." Numan is widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars"...
,
Adam and the AntsAdam and the Ants were a British rock band band during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were one of the bands at the time that marked the transition from the 70s punk rock era to the New Wave/post-punk era....
,
Depeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic band who formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Famous Names, led by
Steve FairnieSteve Fairnie was a British musician, painter, sculptor, actor, board game designer and chicken hypnotist, best known as the frontman of the post-punk band Writz, and as one half - with his wife Bev Sage - of the 1980s pop outfit Techno Twins .-Career:Born in Fraserburgh and raised in Bristol,...
.
In 1979, mime artists Tim Dry and
Barbie Wilde{BLPunsourced|date=August 2009}Barbie Wilde is a Canadian actress and writer, best known for appearing as the Female Cenobite in Hellbound: Hellraiser II - the second of eight Hellraiser films based on Clive Barker's novella, The Hellbound Heart...
united with dancers Robert Pereno, LA Richards and Karen Sparks to produce Shock. In April 1980, they recruited another mime, Sean Crawford. The line-up changed again with the departure of Karen and the introduction of
Carole CaplinCarole Caplin was the style adviser to Cherie Blair. She was controversial because of her relationship with the convicted conman Peter Foster.-Early life:Caplin was brought up by her mother, Sylvia, of Jewish descent...
.
Based in London, England, Shock performed in clubs like
The HaçiendaFac 51 Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England. It became most famous during the "Madchester" years of the late 1980s and early 1990s, during the 1990s it was labelled the most famous club in the world by Newsweek magazine...
, The Warehouse (Leeds) and The Blitz Club (home of the
Blitz KidsThe Blitz Kids were a short- lived group of then-unknown people who frequented the Blitz nightclub in Covent Garden, London in the very early 1980s. Among their number were Steve Strange, Boy George and his friend Marilyn, Perri Lister, Princess Julia, Philip Sallon, Carl Teper and Martin Degville...
) and The Venue (London). With costumes from Kahn and Bell (designers for
Duran DuranDuran Duran are an English rock band from Birmingham, United Kingdom. They were one of the most successful of the 1980s bands and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States. Since the 1980s they have placed 14 in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and 21 in the...
), miming to music by
Fad GadgetFad Gadget is the stage name of Francis John Tovey . An influential British avant-garde electronic musician and vocalist, he was an exponent of both New Wave and early industrial music.-Biography:...
,
LandscapeLandscape are a British band, best known for their 1981 hits, "Einstein A Go-Go" and "Norman Bates". Formed in 1974, they toured constantly during the mid to late 1970s, playing rock, punk and jazz venues and releasing two instrumental EPs on their own Event Horizon label...
,
Kate BushKate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of England's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years. Bush was signed by EMI at the age of 16 after being recommended by...
and
Wilson PickettWilson Pickett was an American R&B/rock and roll and soul singer and songwriter known for his raw, raspy, passionate vocal delivery....
, they found themselves in the vanguard of the
New RomanticNew Romanticism was a youth fashion movement that peaked in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s. Originally centered around part of the Synthpop music scene, it has seen several revivals since then, and continues to influence popular culture...
cult of the early '80's, alongside
Boy GeorgeBoy George is an English singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Duran Duran,
Steve StrangeSteve Strange is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
and
Spandau BalletSpandau Ballet is a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles and four Top Ten albums in...
.
Their first record 'Angel Face' on
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1983 and a partner from 1983 to 1986.-The RCA family of labels:RCA is the name of three different co-owned record...
-- with production by
Rusty EganRusty Egan was the drummer for the British new wave band, The Rich Kids. They were founded by former Sex Pistol, Glen Matlock, bass guitarist and backing vocals, occasional lead vocals; with Steve New guitarist and backing vocals, occasional lead vocals; and fronted by Midge Ure guitarist, lead...
(
VisageVisage are a English pop band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s.-New Wave years :...
) and
Richard James BurgessRichard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
(
LandscapeLandscape are a British band, best known for their 1981 hits, "Einstein A Go-Go" and "Norman Bates". Formed in 1974, they toured constantly during the mid to late 1970s, playing rock, punk and jazz venues and releasing two instrumental EPs on their own Event Horizon label...
) -- was a dance floor hit, as was the second 'Dynamo Beat'. In 1981, Shock co-starred with
UltravoxUltravox are a British New Wave rock band that rose to prominence in the late 1970s/early 1980s. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements...
at the 'People's Palace Valentine's Ball' at the Rainbow Theatre. LA, Barbie and Carole appeared in the video for
LandscapeLandscape are a British band, best known for their 1981 hits, "Einstein A Go-Go" and "Norman Bates". Formed in 1974, they toured constantly during the mid to late 1970s, playing rock, punk and jazz venues and releasing two instrumental EPs on their own Event Horizon label...
's 'Einstein a Go-Go'. Sean and Barbie starred in the video for Ultravox's 'Passing Strangers'.
Shock went on to perform at the
The Ritz-History:The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. Formerly a ballroom known as Webster Hall, The Ritz still retained some of its previous incarnation's Art Deco style. As a venue, it focused...
rock club in Manhattan and extensively toured Europe and the Far East. Their biggest live concerts were in April 1981 with Gary Numan at
Wembley ArenaWembley Arena is an indoor arena in Wembley, London, UK. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium. It was built for the 1934 Empire Games by Sir Arthur Elvin, and originally housed a swimming pool, as reflected by its former name, the Empire Pool. The pool itself was last used for the 1948 Summer...
.
Shock eventually broke up and reformed as a foursome with Barbie, Tim, Sean and Carole and released the single, 'Dynamo Beat', on
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1983 and a partner from 1983 to 1986.-The RCA family of labels:RCA is the name of three different co-owned record...
. However, soon Tim and Sean as
Tik and TokRobotic mime and music duo Tik and Tok began performing together with SHOCK: a rock/mime/burlesque/music troupe in the early 1980s with Barbie Wilde, Robert Pereno, LA Richards and Carole Caplin....
broke away to form their own double act. Barbie went back to acting and TV presenting. Carole went on to become a lifestyle advisor to
Cherie BlairCherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is an English barrister. She is married to the former British Prime Minister and current Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, Tony Blair.-Early life:...
.
External links