Broken English (band)
Encyclopedia
Broken English was a British
band
formed in 1987 by Steve Elson (singer and guitarist), who at the time performed in a Rolling Stones tribute band
. He wrote a song called "Comin' On Strong", which had a Stones sound to it. A friend heard the song and thought it was too good to be a one-off novelty song
and encouraged Elson to put together a band and record more material. The first single did reasonably well, however the two follow-up singles did not fare so well as this is highlighted and detailed in the sleeve notes
of their only album.
' brother wrote a track for the band, which was included on the b-Side
of "Love on the Side". When word got around this had happened, and as Bruno Brookes was a DJ
at Radio 1
at the time, the recording disappeared from the playlist.
Track Listing
1. "Show a Little Mercy"
2. "Straight Lace Girls"
3. "Don't Change"
4. "Emotional Suicide"
5. "You Take Me Away"
6. "Comin' On Strong"
7. "Casanova"
8. "Ball 'n' Chain"
9. "Love on the Side"
10. "Woman of Stone"
11. "Do You Really Want Me Back"
Bonus Tracks
12. "Comin' On Strong (2)"
13. "Fire Me Up"
14. "Rough Cut Diamonds"
15. "Running Out"
programme The Roxy
, which was set up as opposition to BBC Television
's Top of the Pops
.
Do You Really Want Me Back shows the band playing in a studio and is filmed in black and white. The video consists of a woman de icing a window allowing her to observe the band performing. At the end of the video the band appears in the style of the Take on Me
video by A-ha
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
formed in 1987 by Steve Elson (singer and guitarist), who at the time performed in a Rolling Stones tribute band
Tribute band
A tribute act is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act - sometimes one which has disbanded, ceased touring or is deceased. Probably the largest class of tributes acts are Elvis impersonators, individual performers who mimic the songs and style...
. He wrote a song called "Comin' On Strong", which had a Stones sound to it. A friend heard the song and thought it was too good to be a one-off novelty song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
and encouraged Elson to put together a band and record more material. The first single did reasonably well, however the two follow-up singles did not fare so well as this is highlighted and detailed in the sleeve notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
of their only album.
Rolling Stones references
Broken English made several nods to the Stones, including:- The name of the band referenced the title of an album recorded by Marianne FaithfullMarianne FaithfullMarianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
. - The band's record labelRecord labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
was the same as the Stones had once used.
Band members
- Steve Elson - guitarist and singer - now lead singer with The Counterfeit Stones
- Jamie MosesJamie MosesJamie Moses is an Anglo-American rock guitarist who joined, in mid-1990s, the Tex-Mex band Los Pacaminos, led by Paul Young and, between 2005 and 2008, was rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for Queen + Paul Rodgers....
- guitarist - has performed with Queen + Paul RodgersQueen + Paul RodgersQueen + Paul Rodgers was a supergroup collaboration between Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen and Paul Rodgers...
, Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
and Paul YoungPaul Young (singer and guitarist)Paul Antony Young is an English pop musician. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & The Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, his following solo success as a solo recording artist turned him into a 1980s teenage pop idol... - Alan Coates - guitarist - performs with The HolliesThe HolliesThe Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
- Paul Fenton - drums - used to perform with T.Rex
- Zak StarkeyZak StarkeyZak Starkey is an English rock drummer. He is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and Starr's first wife Maureen Starkey Tigrett. He is also well known for his unofficial membership in the English rock band The Who, with whom he has performed and recorded since 1996. He is also the third...
- drums - used to perform with OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher... - Geoff Cooper - drums - used to perform with The Counterfeit Stones
The second single
According to the sleeve notes included with the album The Rough and the Smooth, it was suggested that Bruno BrookesBruno Brookes
Bruno Brookes is a British radio presenter who became prominent in the 1980s.-Early life and career:...
' brother wrote a track for the band, which was included on the b-Side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of "Love on the Side". When word got around this had happened, and as Bruno Brookes was a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
at the time, the recording disappeared from the playlist.
Singles
| Song Title | B-side A-side and B-side A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or... |
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 ... |
CD | Picture disc Picture disc Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:... |
12" | 7" | Information | Music Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Comin' On Strong" | "Suffer in Silence" | |
YES | YES | YES | YES | Originally released as a white label White label White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production... to add to the mystery. |
YES |
| "Love on the Side" | "Deep in my Heart" | |
YES | YES | YES | |||
| "Do You Really Want Me Back" Waterfront Mix |
"Do You Really Want Me Back" 7" Version & "Running Out" |
|
YES | YES | YES |
Albums
Broken English recorded one album which was not released until 2007, nearly 20 years after it was first recorded. It's called Platinum. The sleeve notes of the album give a detailed history of the band and reasons for them slipping into obscurity.- The Rough with the Smooth (2007)
Track Listing
1. "Show a Little Mercy"
2. "Straight Lace Girls"
3. "Don't Change"
4. "Emotional Suicide"
5. "You Take Me Away"
6. "Comin' On Strong"
7. "Casanova"
8. "Ball 'n' Chain"
9. "Love on the Side"
10. "Woman of Stone"
11. "Do You Really Want Me Back"
Bonus Tracks
12. "Comin' On Strong (2)"
13. "Fire Me Up"
14. "Rough Cut Diamonds"
15. "Running Out"
Television appearances
Broken English were one of the opening acts on the ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
programme The Roxy
The Roxy (TV series)
The Roxy was a British television music programme that was broadcast on ITV in the late 1980s. It was produced by Tyne Tees Television following the demise a few months earlier of its more successful music show The Tube....
, which was set up as opposition to BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
's Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
.
Music videos
Comin on Strong features a full length music video of the band in their Ghostbusters look, playing the song in a run down work yard. Due to the visible steam of their breath, the video gives the impression that the band is in the cold outdoors.Do You Really Want Me Back shows the band playing in a studio and is filmed in black and white. The video consists of a woman de icing a window allowing her to observe the band performing. At the end of the video the band appears in the style of the Take on Me
Take on Me
"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
video by A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
.