The Flying Pickets

During a 1982 stage production, the politically charged theater collective 7:84 incorporated a cappella vocals and soon discovered that the singing itself had eclipsed their original dramatic ambitions. The ensemble therefore adopted the name the Flying Pickets and launched a new career performing unaccompanied sets across London’s pub and club circuit. Because no comparable acts existed then, the group chose to document its sound through a concert recording, releasing Live at the Albany Empire in 1983. Strong sales prompted Virgin Records to offer a contract that same year. The ensuing single “Only You” topped the U.K. chart and quickly spread across Europe. Although subsequent studio albums never matched that commercial peak, the members remained satisfied and persisted with their work. In 1989 they received a commission to create an original musical for the Theatre Royal Stratford in London; the resulting piece, centered on everyday working life in England, enjoyed a successful four-week engagement. The Flying Pickets also began supplying music for BBC television programs while continuing to issue recordings. Throughout the 1990s they maintained a steady schedule of album releases and extensive touring. By 2001 the lineup was still intact and preparing its first collection of new material since 1998.