Fanfare Records
Encyclopedia
Fanfare Records was a British
record label
that was founded by Iain Burton (manager of Arlene Phillips
and co-founder of Hot Gossip
). The label also gave Simon Cowell
his first break in the music industry. Burton and Cowell worked together at Fanfare Records for eight years. The label was most successful during the mid 1980s to early 1990s. The label's biggest success came with Sinitta.
in 1985. This was after the departure of Sarah Brightman
, and the new incarnation of the band which included Sinitta, prior to her recording solo with Fanfare. The next release was "I Believe in Dreams" by Jackie Rawe, an artist previously part of the band Shakatak
. The song did not reach the UK Singles Chart
.
Sinitta's first solo release for Fanfare was "Cruising", but it also failed to chart. However, in 1986, Sinitta's hit "So Macho" became a success for the label, with the single spending twenty eight weeks in the UK Singles Chart, and finally peaking at #2. It went on to become the year's tenth biggest selling single. The follow-up was less successful, and "Feels Like the First Time" flopped at #45. The following year, however, Sinitta teamed up with Stock Aitken Waterman
who wrote and produced her hits "Toy Boy" (#4), "G.T.O" (#15), "Cross My Broken Heart" (#6) and "I Don't Believe in Miracles" (#22). In December 1987, Fanfare Records issued its first album
, Sinitta's debut Sinitta!, which gained a BPI
Gold award, and peaked at #34 in the UK Albums Chart
.
Other releases on the label included a brief Gloria Gaynor
revival with her recording of "Be Soft With Me Tonight", remixed by Stock Aitken Waterman which did not chart, the group Mystic issued "Ritmo De La Roche", whilst Rondò Veneziano failed to chart with "Venice In Peril".
Popular Dutch girl-group the Dolly Dots
also released one single through Fanfare Records, the Stock Aitken Waterman produced "What A Night". Although a sizeable hit in their homeland (peaking at #18), the song failed to chart in the UK
.
Fanfare Records signed the pop-duo Yell!
(Paul Varney and Daniel James) in 1989. The group was created by pop manager Jeff Chegwin and scored a #10 hit with their cover version
of Dan Hartman
's "Instant Replay
", although controversy surrounding Daniel James' real age and name which, as it turned out, was Colin Heywood) saw the follow-up single "One Thing Leads To Another" failing to chart.
Sinitta's hits gradually dried up for the label, with her last Top 10 hit "Right Back Where We Started From" reaching #4 in June 1989. The follow ups were less successful, although her cover of Robert Knight
's "Love on a Mountain Top" made a respectable #20. Sinitta's second album Wicked! reached #52.
Fanfare Records licensed from PWL Records two compilation releases, The Hit Factory Volume 2
and The Hit Factory Volume 3. Both volumes sold well with Volume 2 achieving a BPI
Platinum disc
, and Volume 3 going gold
after reaching #3 in the UK Compilation Albums Chart. Fanfare released another compilation in association with Just Seventeen
magazine in 1989, called Just Seventeen Heartbeats which made #3.
The label folded in 1992 when its parent company got into financial difficulties. Most of the Fanfare back catalogue was sold to BMG
, where Cowell also followed eventually forming his own label, S Records.
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...
record label
Record label
In 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,...
that was founded by Iain Burton (manager of Arlene Phillips
Arlene Phillips
Arlene Phillips OBE is an English choreographer, theatre director, talent scout, TV presenter, TV judge and former dancer, who has worked in many fields of entertainment...
and co-founder of Hot Gossip
Hot Gossip
-Formation:Arlene Phillips came to London to learn and teach developing American Jazz dance routines. Employed as a dance teacher, she taught at locations including the Pineapple Dance Studios and the Italia Conti Stage School. In 1974, Phillips started forming the core of a troupe; Italia Conti...
). The label also gave Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
his first break in the music industry. Burton and Cowell worked together at Fanfare Records for eight years. The label was most successful during the mid 1980s to early 1990s. The label's biggest success came with Sinitta.
History
In 1985, the company launched, and the first release was "Don't Beat Around The Bush" by Hot GossipHot Gossip
-Formation:Arlene Phillips came to London to learn and teach developing American Jazz dance routines. Employed as a dance teacher, she taught at locations including the Pineapple Dance Studios and the Italia Conti Stage School. In 1974, Phillips started forming the core of a troupe; Italia Conti...
in 1985. This was after the departure of Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
, and the new incarnation of the band which included Sinitta, prior to her recording solo with Fanfare. The next release was "I Believe in Dreams" by Jackie Rawe, an artist previously part of the band Shakatak
Shakatak
Shakatak are an English jazz-funk band, founded in 1980.-Career:Shakatak scored a number of chart entries, including two Top Ten hits in the UK Singles Chart, "Night Birds" and "Down on the Street" plus a further 12 entries in the Guinness book of British Hit Singles...
. The song did not reach 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 ...
.
Sinitta's first solo release for Fanfare was "Cruising", but it also failed to chart. However, in 1986, Sinitta's hit "So Macho" became a success for the label, with the single spending twenty eight weeks in the UK Singles Chart, and finally peaking at #2. It went on to become the year's tenth biggest selling single. The follow-up was less successful, and "Feels Like the First Time" flopped at #45. The following year, however, Sinitta teamed up with Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s...
who wrote and produced her hits "Toy Boy" (#4), "G.T.O" (#15), "Cross My Broken Heart" (#6) and "I Don't Believe in Miracles" (#22). In December 1987, Fanfare Records issued its first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Sinitta's debut Sinitta!, which gained a BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
Gold award, and peaked at #34 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...
.
Other releases on the label included a brief Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
revival with her recording of "Be Soft With Me Tonight", remixed by Stock Aitken Waterman which did not chart, the group Mystic issued "Ritmo De La Roche", whilst Rondò Veneziano failed to chart with "Venice In Peril".
Popular Dutch girl-group the Dolly Dots
Dolly Dots
Dolly Dots were a popular Dutch girl band in the 1980s. With their style of upbeat dance/pop, they scored many hits throughout Europe. The sextet consisted of Angela Groothuizen, Angéla Kramers, Anita Heilker, Esther Oosterbeek, Patty Zomer and Ria Brieffies....
also released one single through Fanfare Records, the Stock Aitken Waterman produced "What A Night". Although a sizeable hit in their homeland (peaking at #18), the song failed to chart in the UK
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...
.
Fanfare Records signed the pop-duo Yell!
Yell!
Yell! was a British pop duo, consisting of Paul Varney and Daniel James , who were produced by Nigel Wright and Stock, Aitken and Waterman...
(Paul Varney and Daniel James) in 1989. The group was created by pop manager Jeff Chegwin and scored a #10 hit with their cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Dan Hartman
Dan Hartman
Daniel Earl "Dan" Hartman was an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for such songs as: "Free Ride", "I Can Dream About You", "Instant Replay", "Love Sensation", and "Relight My Fire", all of which had world-wide success.-Career:Born in Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg,...
's "Instant Replay
Instant Replay
Instant replay is the process of replaying previously occurred events through the use of video technology.Instant replay may also refer to:*Instant replay in American football*Instant Replay , 1969...
", although controversy surrounding Daniel James' real age and name which, as it turned out, was Colin Heywood) saw the follow-up single "One Thing Leads To Another" failing to chart.
Sinitta's hits gradually dried up for the label, with her last Top 10 hit "Right Back Where We Started From" reaching #4 in June 1989. The follow ups were less successful, although her cover of Robert Knight
Robert Knight
Daniel Robert Knight is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since June 2005, representing the remote electorate of Daly. He is the current Minister for Local Government and Minister for Central Australia since 2008...
's "Love on a Mountain Top" made a respectable #20. Sinitta's second album Wicked! reached #52.
Fanfare Records licensed from PWL Records two compilation releases, The Hit Factory Volume 2
The Hit Factory Volume 2
The Hit Factory Volume 2 is a compilation album released in November 1988 by Fanfare Records and PWL Records. It was an album featuring hits produced by British production trio Stock Aitken Waterman who were at their peak at the time of the albums release. The first compilation The Hit Factory: The...
and The Hit Factory Volume 3. Both volumes sold well with Volume 2 achieving a BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
Platinum disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
, and Volume 3 going gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
after reaching #3 in the UK Compilation Albums Chart. Fanfare released another compilation in association with Just Seventeen
Just Seventeen
Just Seventeen, often referred to as J-17, was a weekly magazine aimed at teenage girls, published by Emap from October 1983 to April 2004. It quickly became the market leading teen magazine until the launch of Sugar in 1994, after which sales began to fall...
magazine in 1989, called Just Seventeen Heartbeats which made #3.
The label folded in 1992 when its parent company got into financial difficulties. Most of the Fanfare back catalogue was sold to BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
, where Cowell also followed eventually forming his own label, S Records.