St Etienne did a membership tour in early 1991 and we had been listening to all these dance hits like DJ H that includes Stefy’s I Like It and (I Wanna Give You) Devotion by Nomad. We thought: “Let’s go dwelling and write one thing that can work in a membership.” We made the tune as fundamental as potential, with a memorable hook.
Sarah Cracknell sang on the unique demo and Pete Wiggs and I pressed up the white label promo data ourselves and drove round London dropping them off in varied retailers: Metropolis Sounds at Holborn, Black Market Information in Soho and Zoom in Camden. We had been stupidly assured about it. We thought it’d be an enormous hit. That’s about the one time I’ve ever thought that a few document.
We’d simply pressed a second batch when the monitor was picked up by Arista, who wished to signal us, however we couldn’t as a result of we had been already on Heavenly and had been about to launch our first album as St Etienne, Foxbase Alpha.
We needed to re-record the tune and the vocals as a result of Sarah was beneath contract too, so she steered her buddy, Janey Lee Grace, might sing on it. We got here up with the alias Cola Boy, however when the tune took off we realised we’d need to do private appearances in golf equipment to put it on the market. So I acquired my mate Andrew Midgley, who I’d met once I was working in Virgin Information in Peterborough, to be Cola Boy. I keep in mind it was launched the identical time as Gypsy Lady (La Da Dee) by Crystal Waters. Mixmag tipped us each as the new singles of the week.
When Cola Boy went on Prime of the Pops, Pete and I simply assumed we’d have the ability to stroll in, however they wouldn’t allow us to into the studio. So we needed to watch it at dwelling. It was actually odd seeing one in every of my finest mates on TOTP. Me and Pete had been each big followers of the Brill Constructing pop period so to do one thing collectively, contain our pals and get on TOTP was actually thrilling. It was like our personal hit manufacturing facility – and much much less scary than having to see your self on TV.
Janey Lee Grace, singer
I began my profession as a backing singer for Wham! and Mari Wilson, however I used to be fired from being a “Wilsation” as a result of I wouldn’t minimize my hair quick and dye it vibrant yellow. At the moment I used to be attempting to do my very own stuff. I’d finished a canopy of Like to Love You Child with Paul Oakenfold, which acquired to the very backside of the dance chart.
After Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs of St Etienne known as, it took me two hours to get to the session and two hours to get again – and I used to be solely in there for 50 minutes! They only mentioned, “Are you able to sing, ‘7 Methods to Love’?” then, “Are you able to ad-lib?” after which, “You’re finished.” I used to be saying: “What in regards to the verse? And the refrain?” However that was it.
Andrew and I went straight into doing PAs within the golf equipment. I understand how fortunate I used to be that I acquired to go to all of the raves with out being the individual driving up and down the nation. I’d swan in to all these locations, together with Ministry of Sound and Heaven, solely have to remain for an hour after which I’d receives a commission. Take That supported us on our first few PAs. They had been pretty and requested us for our autographs.
After we did a photoshoot for Smash Hits, I instructed the stylist I preferred 60s stuff: feather boas and glamour. So she promised to search out me one thing fabulous. We acquired to the shoot and she or he’d introduced a worryingly small suitcase containing a mustard rollneck jumper and a below-the-knee tartan kilt. I ended up sporting the photographer’s biker jacket for the images and the hairdresser pinned up and backcombed my hair as a distraction. That 60s beehive grew to become my look.
After we did Prime of the Pops, I wanted a brand new outfit as a result of I solely had one and I’d already worn it on our first TV look on The Hitman and Her. My supervisor and I jumped in a cab to a classic store within the East Finish the place I discovered the right costume – besides it was too tight. I couldn’t actually transfer in it, which is why I’m standing so nonetheless and solely waving my arms on TV. I needed to bin my choreography – as a result of if I’d moved, everybody would have had an eyeful.
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