Shock (troupe)
Encyclopedia
Shock is a music/mime/dance/pop group that was notable in the early 1980s for supporting English pop groups such as Gary Numan
, Adam and the Ants
, Depeche Mode
and Famous Names, led by Steve Fairnie
.
In 1979, mime artists Tim Dry
and Barbie Wilde
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 Caplin
.
Based in London, England, Shock performed in clubs like The Haçienda
, The Warehouse (Leeds) and The Blitz Club (home of the Blitz Kids
) and The Venue (London). With costumes from Kahn and Bell (designers for Duran Duran
), miming to music by Fad Gadget
, Landscape
, Kate Bush
and Wilson Pickett
, they found themselves in the vanguard of the New Romantic
cult of the early '80's, alongside Boy George
, Duran Duran, Steve Strange
and Spandau Ballet
.
Their first record 'Angel Face' on RCA Records
-- with production by Rusty Egan
(Visage
) and Richard James Burgess
(Landscape
) -- was a dance floor hit, as was the second 'Dynamo Beat'. In 1981, Shock co-starred with Ultravox
at the 'People's Palace Valentine's Ball' at the Rainbow Theatre. LA, Barbie and Carole appeared in the video for Landscape
'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
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 Arena
.
Shock eventually broke up and reformed as a foursome with Barbie, Tim, Sean and Carole and released the single, 'Dynamo Beat', on RCA Records
. However, soon Tim and Sean as Tik and Tok
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 Blair
.
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
, Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Famous Names, led by Steve Fairnie
Steve Fairnie
Steve 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
Tim Dry
Tim Dry is a mime artist, writer, songwriter and actor, best known for appearing in ‘Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi’ and for being half of a duo, Tik and Tok, that popularized robotic mime in the UK in the 1980s.-Early years:...
and Barbie Wilde
Barbie Wilde
Barbie Wilde is a Canadian actress and writer, perhaps 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 Caplin
Carole Caplin
Carole Caplin was the style adviser to Cherie Blair and a fitness adviser to Tony Blair, when he was the British Prime Minister...
.
Based in London, England, Shock performed in clubs like The Haçienda
The Haçienda
Fac 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 Kids
Blitz Kids
The Blitz Kids were a group of young people who frequented the Blitz nightclub in Covent Garden, London in the very early 1980s, and are credited with launching the New Romantic cultural movement...
) and The Venue (London). With costumes from Kahn and Bell (designers for Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
), miming to music by Fad Gadget
Fad Gadget
Fad Gadget is the stage name of Francis John Tovey , a British avant-garde electronic musician and vocalist. He was a proponent of both New Wave and early Industrial music....
, Landscape
Landscape (band)
Landscape is a British band, best known for the 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 Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
and Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
, they found themselves in the vanguard of the New Romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
cult of the early '80's, alongside Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British 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 Strange
Steve Strange
Steve Strange , is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
and 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...
.
Their first record 'Angel Face' on RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA 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 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
-- with production by Rusty Egan
Rusty Egan
Rusty 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...
(Visage
Visage
Visage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :...
) and Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess
Richard 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:...
(Landscape
Landscape (band)
Landscape is a British band, best known for the 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 Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/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 Landscape
Landscape (band)
Landscape is a British band, best known for the 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
Ritz (rock club)
-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 Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
.
Shock eventually broke up and reformed as a foursome with Barbie, Tim, Sean and Carole and released the single, 'Dynamo Beat', on RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA 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 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. However, soon Tim and Sean as Tik and Tok
Tik and Tok
Tik and Tok are the robotic mime and music duo of Tim Dry and Sean Crawford. They began performing together with SHOCK: a rock/mime/burlesque/music troupe in the early 1980s with Barbie Wilde, Robert Pereno, L.A. 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 Blair
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
.