Emerging from the breakup of the UK punk outfit the Leyton Buzzards, vocalist Geoffrey Deanne (b. 10 December 1954, London, England) and bassist David Jaymes (b. 28 November 1954, Woodford, Essex, England) entered the London club circuit alongside figures such as Steve Strange. Together with manager Brian O’Donoughue they established Business Art Productions, secured a WEA Records contract and issued the single ‘Tonight’, which failed to register. Late in 1980 the pair assembled a fresh configuration that retained Deanne and Jaymes while adding the latter’s brother Robbie (b. 3 October 1962; keyboards), guitarist Paul Gendler (b. 11 August 1960), drummer Andy Kyriacou (b. 19 April 1958; ex-Linx; Central Line) and trumpeter John Du Prez (b. 14 December 1946, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England). Club contacts introduced them to Latin-American salsa, which erupted in popularity during the summer of 1981. Capitalising on the moment, they cut ‘Everybody Salsa’, their debut UK Top 20 entry. Subsequent releases in the same style followed: ‘Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey’ (number 10), ‘Queen Of The Rapping Scene’ (number 37) and ‘Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White’ (number 15). Deanne then departed to issue solo singles and to pen material for the camp club act Divine. Former fireman Michael J. Mullins (b. 9 November 1956) stepped in as vocalist. The run of hits persisted into 1983 with ‘Best Years Of Our Lives’ (number 4), ‘High Life’ (number 8), ‘Don’t Stop That Crazy Rhythm’ (number 14) and ‘Walking In The Rain’ (number 7). A 1984 cover of Baltimora’s ‘Tarzan Boy’ achieved only modest results, after which the group dissolved. In 1988 David Jaymes issued a solo single, while Deanne turned to comedy scripting. John Du Prez relocated to Hollywood and scored films including Personal Services and A Fish Called Wanda.
