Avenues and Alleyways' reminiscences of Showaddywaddy make me think of other Fifties inspired party bands from the Seventies we all enjoyed, even though we probably would dare not admit it.
The Rubettes's Sugar Baby Love I remember, and still think is a great tune, but it was slightly before my record-buying time. The hit of theirs I did buy thought was their 1977 comeback single Baby I Know. It's mellower, but they were still wearing those caps (known as Rubettes caps at the time, but surely they have a proper name?). The big-lipped lead singer was irritating and probably called Alan.
And what about Racey? Even at 14 I could see the lead singer was a grade A tit, but I loved Lay Your Love On Me, and I still think it's a great song. It always reminds me of going to a neighbours' school Christmas disco at which there were many girls in skintight satin trousers. I asked my neighbour to ask this girl called Chantal if I could 'touch her satins', and to my surprise she agreed, though hesitantly and I wasn't to touch them for long. I'll never forget it. It's a difficult age. I nicked someone's mod badges from their parka on the way out.
And of course, Darts. My love for It's Raining is well-documented on these pages, and it's the third most-played song on my ipod. I love them, but they're such an odd mix of people. Can you imagine such a group appealing to kids today? Perhaps it was the deep voice thing, beloved by Showaddywaddy as well, and always injecting novelty into already noveltyish records. What's not to like?
