Jolley & Swain
Encyclopedia
Steve Jolley and Tony Swain (20 January 1952) were a successful pop
musician
, songwriting
and record production
duo in the United Kingdom
in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era.
The pair originally met in 1975 when Swain was working as a television
cameraman on The Muppet Show
. They formed the band Chaser in 1975 with Richard Palmer (rhythm guitar and percussion), Nick Adams (lead guitar), Ray Bailey (bass) and Brian Grant (drums). Chaser released the single
"Red Rum" (1975), written by Jolley, Palmer and Swain, on Polydor
as a tribute to the famous racehorse
. Swain left to pursue a career as a songwriter/record producer while Jolley released a single and an album with The English Boys in 1980. Their first known collaborative work was released by the late Irish singer Joe Dolan
on his 1980 album
Turn Out The Lights, which featured four Jolley/Swain compositions. In 1981 they reunited to produce the debut single
"Body Talk" for Imagination
. They produced four albums for the group
and eight hit single
s including "Just an Illusion" which peaked at number two in the UK Singles Chart
. At the same time they produced albums and singles for Bananarama
, including "Cruel Summer
".
They subsequently produced the True
album for Spandau Ballet
, the title track reaching Number one
in the UK chart in 1983, and its follow-up Parade
. They also produced the Alf
album for Alison Moyet
on which the pair shared songwriting and musician credits for many of the tracks, and were nominated for a BRIT Award
for the song, "Love Resurrection". Most of their recordings and productions were done at Red Bus Studios in London.
In 1985 they released their own (instrumental) album, Backtrackin, from which "Soul Street" was released as single.
They subsequently worked with Diana Ross
, Tom Robinson
, Errol Brown
and Wang Chung
, as well as Louise Goffin
(daughter of Carole King
and Gerry Goffin
). After splitting up Swain went on to produce Kim Wilde
's million-selling Close album. Jolley set up a record label
under his surname.
On 12 October 2001, Jolley was jailed
for sexually assaulting
a 12 year old boy. He was arrested again in 2003 by detectives investigating allegations of child sexual abuse against TV presenter
and actor
, Matthew Kelly
.
Swain is now head A&R
Consultant for Universal Records
International.
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...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, songwriting
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record production
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
duo in the United Kingdom
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...
in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era.
The pair originally met in 1975 when Swain was working as a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
cameraman on The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
. They formed the band Chaser in 1975 with Richard Palmer (rhythm guitar and percussion), Nick Adams (lead guitar), Ray Bailey (bass) and Brian Grant (drums). Chaser released the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Red Rum" (1975), written by Jolley, Palmer and Swain, on Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
as a tribute to the famous racehorse
Red Rum
Red Rum was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years...
. Swain left to pursue a career as a songwriter/record producer while Jolley released a single and an album with The English Boys in 1980. Their first known collaborative work was released by the late Irish singer Joe Dolan
Joe Dolan
Joseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan was an Irish entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs...
on his 1980 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...
Turn Out The Lights, which featured four Jolley/Swain compositions. In 1981 they reunited to produce the debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Body Talk" for Imagination
Imagination (band)
Imagination were a three piece British soul and funk band, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had chart hits in 28 countries, earning four platinum discs, nine gold discs and more than a dozen silver discs around the world between 1981 and 1983....
. They produced four albums for the group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
and eight hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s including "Just an Illusion" which peaked at number two 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 ...
. At the same time they produced albums and singles for Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
, including "Cruel Summer
Cruel Summer
"Cruel Summer" is a pop song originally written and performed by Bananarama that was a top ten hit in Britain in 1983. Singer Sara Dallin said the song "played on the darker side : it looked at the oppressive heat, the misery of wanting to be with someone as the summer ticked by...
".
They subsequently produced the True
True (Spandau Ballet album)
-2003 re-release:"True" was re-released in 2003 as a 20th anniversary edition. It was re-released as a single CD with the original eight tracks along with the music video for "Gold" and some Home Video Footage of the band...
album for Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, 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...
, the title track reaching Number one
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in the UK chart in 1983, and its follow-up Parade
Parade (Spandau Ballet album)
-Chart placings:AlbumSinglesBillboard...
. They also produced the Alf
Alf (album)
Alf is the debut solo studio album of British singer/songwriter Alison Moyet, her first since leaving 80s electro-pop duo Yazoo...
album for Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,...
on which the pair shared songwriting and musician credits for many of the tracks, and were nominated for a BRIT Award
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for the song, "Love Resurrection". Most of their recordings and productions were done at Red Bus Studios in London.
In 1985 they released their own (instrumental) album, Backtrackin, from which "Soul Street" was released as single.
They subsequently worked with Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
, Errol Brown
Errol Brown
Errol Brown MBE is a singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman of Hot Chocolate. He has British citizenship by marriage to Ginette and they live in The Bahamas...
and Wang Chung
Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy...
, as well as Louise Goffin
Louise Goffin
Louise Lynn Goffin is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Signed by record executive Lenny Waronker to Dreamworks in 1999, Louise released her critically acclaimed CD Sometimes a Circle on Dreamworks in 2002...
(daughter of Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
and Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
). After splitting up Swain went on to produce Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
's million-selling Close album. Jolley set up a 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,...
under his surname.
On 12 October 2001, Jolley was jailed
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for sexually assaulting
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
a 12 year old boy. He was arrested again in 2003 by detectives investigating allegations of child sexual abuse against TV presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly is an English television presenter and Olivier-award winning actor. Having been trained as a theatre actor, he first came to public prominence as a television presenter of ITV light entertainment shows such as You Bet! and Stars in Their Eyes...
.
Swain is now head A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
Consultant for Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
International.
External links
- Pop producer jailed over sex assault from BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
- Record producer's smash hit career from BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
.