Romeo's Daughter

Formed initially around Craig Joiner handling guitar and vocals together with Tony Mitman on keyboards and Paul King on drums, the group prompted manager Olga Lange to conclude that a female lead singer was required because such voices remained scarce. In 1985 an advertisement appeared in Melody Maker, and after auditioning seventy-five candidates Leigh Matty received the position. By 1987 Jive Records had signed the band, whose roster now comprised Matty, Joiner, and Mitman plus Ed Poole on bass and Andy Wells on drums. Robert John “Mutt” Lange, former spouse of Olga Lange and the producer behind Def Leppard and AC/DC, encountered the track “Stay with Me Tonight” and consented to helm six songs on the debut album while John Parr, known for “St. Elmo’s Fire,” oversaw the remaining material. National radio in the United Kingdom proved resistant, yet airplay arrived readily across Europe, America, and Japan. The first single drawn from the self-titled album, “Cry Myself to Sleep,” registered on U.S. charts though it failed to register in Britain. Steady support slots alongside FM helped cultivate a devoted audience, which eventually drew notice from Radio 1’s Rock Show through live concert broadcasts and an exclusive session. “Heaven in the Back Seat” found placement on the soundtrack for Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. Anticipation built for a follow-up album, yet progress hinged on Mutt Lange’s schedule while he produced a Bryan Adams record. During the interim, American acts covered several tracks from the debut, most prominently “Wild Child,” which Heart included on Brigade. Three years elapsed without new recordings, after which the band severed ties with both Jive and its management. A 1991 deal with Music for Nations led to the 1992 release of Delectable, produced by the band itself in tandem with Steve Brown. By then the industry climate had shifted, prompting the decision against a third album and the group’s dissolution.