Nicholas "Nik" Kershaw was born on 1 March 1958 in Bristol[8] and grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk. His father was a flautist and his mother was an opera singer.[9] He was educated at Northgate Grammar School for Boys where he played the guitar – he was self-taught on this instrument. He left school in the middle of his A-Levels and got a job at an unemployment benefit office.[10] He also sang in a number of underground Ipswich bands. However, when the last of these, Fusion, broke up in 1982, he embarked on a full-time solo career as a musician and songwriter.[8]
Career
1980s
Kershaw was unemployed for a year after leaving Fusion, but during this time he found manager Mickey Modern after placing an advertisement in the magazine Melody Maker. Modern secured a recording contract for Kershaw at MCA.[10] In September 1983, Kershaw released his first single "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached No. 47 on the UK Singles Chart.[11] It became a major hit in Scandinavia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
At the beginning of 1984, Kershaw released his breakthrough song "Wouldn't It Be Good",[8] which reached No. 4 in the UK, and was a big success in Europe, particularly in Ireland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Scandinavia, and also in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The music video, featuring Kershaw as a chroma key-suited alien, received heavy rotation from MTV, helping the song to reach No. 46 in the United States. He enjoyed three more top 20 hits from his debut solo studio album Human Racing, including the title track and a successful re-issue of "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".[8] This track ultimately proved his biggest hit as a performer when it reached No. 2 in the UK.[7]
Kershaw's second studio album was The Riddle. The title track, released in November 1984, proved to be his third international hit single, reaching No. 3 in the UK and Ireland, and No. 6 in New Zealand. The album also spawned two more UK top 10 hits, "Wide Boy" and "Don Quixote", as it went multi-platinum. During this time, Kershaw toured extensively with his backing band the Krew, consisting of Keith Airey, Tim Moore, Mark Price and Dennis Smith.[12]
In July 1985, Kershaw was among the performers at Live Aid, held at Wembley Stadium. He described the experience as "absolutely terrifying".[10] The concert turned out to be the peak of his career, as his stardom began to wane soon afterwards and he enjoyed only one more UK top 40 hit with "When a Heart Beats". He continued to record and release records and collaborated with others on a number of projects, including playing guitar on Elton John's hit single, "Nikita".[12]
A cover version of "Wouldn't it be Good" by the Danny Hutton Hitters appeared on the soundtrack of the 1986 teen romantic comedy drama film Pretty in Pink. Later that same year, Kershaw's third solo studio album, Radio Musicola, was released to critical acclaim but to little commercial success.[8]The Works was released in 1989, also to little success.[11] Two singles were released from the album, "One Step Ahead" and "Elisabeth's Eyes".
1990s
Kershaw's prowess as a songwriter served him well in 1991, when his song "The One and Only" appeared on the soundtrack to the British film Buddy's Song, and in the American movie Doc Hollywood. "The One and Only" proved to be a UK No. 1 hit for the star of Buddy's Song, Chesney Hawkes.
During 1991, he worked with Tony Banks, the keyboardist of Genesis, on Banks' third solo studio album Still. Kershaw co-wrote two songs with Banks, providing lead vocals on both. He also sang on the Banks composition "The Final Curtain".[13]
In 1993, the Hollies had a minor hit with another of Kershaw's songs, "The Woman I Love". During the mid-1990s he also wrote and produced material for the boy bandLet Loose, with two of the tracks ("Seventeen" and "Everybody Say Everybody Do") achieving reasonable success. Following this year, Kershaw appeared on Elton John's 1993 Duets studio album, where Kershaw not only wrote the song but produced, and played all the instruments on the track.
The year 1999 saw the release of his fifth studio album, 15 Minutes.[8] Kershaw decided to record the tracks himself, when he could not envisage them being recorded by other artists.[14] The album spawned two singles, "Somebody Loves You" and "What Do You Think of It So Far?", the latter a song described as "an elegant and soaring ode to the transience of time, infused with both self-doubt and an acceptance of life that can only come with maturity".[15]
2000–present
Kershaw performing in 2013
The follow-up studio album, To Be Frank, was released in 2001. Over the years, Kershaw has collaborated on albums with artists such as Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, Sia and Gary Barlow.[16]
In 2005, Kershaw released Then and Now, a collection of earlier material with four new tracks.[17] In 2006, he completed another solo studio album, You've Got to Laugh, available only through his website or digitally through iTunes. This album contained twelve tracks and was released on Kershaw's own label, Shorthouse Records.[11] Neither Then and Now nor You've Got to Laugh was promoted by a tour. The year also saw the digital re-release of his 1980s back catalogue including Human Racing, The Riddle, Radio Musicola and The Works.
On 13 May 2010, Kershaw appeared on stage and hosted "Our Friends Acoustic" in aid of Mencap.[19] He performed "The Riddle", "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Dancing Girls" and "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". Other 1980s performers joined him and performed their own songs, including Howard Jones, Andy Bell of Erasure, Carol Decker of T'Pau and Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat and the Communards at The O2 in London.
Kershaw wrote songs and performed for the soundtrack of the 2010 film, Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks. He wrote and sang the theme song, "If It Gets Much Better Than This". He also appeared as an extra in the penultimate scene, presenting a copy of the book to Hawks for signing in the book shop.[20]
Following the release of his eighth studio album in 2012 (Ei8ht, his first release to reach the UK Albums Chart since 1986), Kershaw undertook a small tour of the UK, with some European dates. As part of each show he played the entirety of his debut studio album, which had been re-mastered and re-released in March 2012.[21]
In 2012, Kershaw was featured as the lead vocalist on a new recording of "The Lamia", originally recorded by Genesis for their studio album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974), with Steve Hackett for the latter's Genesis Revisited II studio album.[22] He is also featured as a guest performer on the same song on Hackett's Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith CD and DVD, released November 2013.[23]
Kershaw performed a solo acoustic set at Fairport's Cropredy Convention in August 2013. He was on tour in the UK and Ireland in Autumn 2014.[24] He continues to perform at 1980s revival events and festivals each year. In the latter part of 2015 he performed a 31-date tour of the UK, on a double bill with Go West, supported by Carol Decker of T'Pau.[25]
On 11 November 2016, Kershaw performed in Reykjavík, Iceland, together with the pop rock band Todmobile.[26] He joined them after a short set of eight songs and played guitar on three Todmobile songs.[27]
In June 2020, Kershaw released an extended play (EP) of six new songs, These Little Things. Oxymoron is Kershaw's most recent full studio album, which was released in October 2020. It features 16 songs, which were recorded at Abbey Road Studios.[citation needed]
Personal life
Kershaw's first wife was Canadian Sheri Pogmore, herself a musician who featured on several of Kershaw's early studio albums.[28] The couple married in July 1983, had three children together, and divorced in 2003. Their second son was born with Down syndrome.[28] Kershaw remarried in 2009 and has also had a child with his second wife Sarah.[29]
1985: "Act of War" by Elton John – Kershaw on electric guitar
1991: Still by Tony Banks – Kershaw on lead vocals on "Red Day on Blue Street", "I Wanna Change the Score" and "The Final Curtain". "Red Day on Blue Street" and "I Wanna Change the Score" co-written by Banks and Kershaw.
1993: Duets by Elton John – "Old Friend" written by Kershaw. All instruments by Kershaw. Vocals by Kershaw and John.
1994: "Seventeen" (single) by Let Loose – co-writer and producer.
1996: "Walls of Sound" (single) from Strictly Inc. – B-side "Back to You" was co-written by Banks and Kershaw.
1998: Live the Life by Michael W. Smith – "Let Me Show You the Way" co-written by Kershaw, Smith and producer Stephen Lipson. Also featured Smith and Kershaw on guitar.
Anthony George Banks is an English musician primarily known as the keyboardist and founding member of the rock band Genesis. Banks is also a prolific solo artist, releasing six solo studio albums that range through progressive rock, pop, and classical music.
Paul Melvyn Carrack is an English singer, musician, songwriter and composer who has recorded as both a solo artist and as a member of several popular bands. The BBC dubbed Carrack "The Man with the Golden Voice", while Record Collector remarked: "If vocal talent equalled financial success, Paul Carrack would be a bigger name than legends such as Phil Collins or Elton John."
Stephen Richard Hackett is an English guitarist who gained prominence as the lead guitarist of the progressive rock band Genesis from 1971 to 1977. Hackett contributed to six Genesis studio albums, three live albums, seven singles and one EP before he left to pursue a solo career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010.
GTR were a British supergroup rock band founded in 1985 by former Yes and Asia guitarist Steve Howe and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. Though the band's leaders were known as progressive rock musicians, GTR appealed to AOR radio stations. The band lasted for two years and one album. Hackett subsequently criticized the project, though not necessarily the other musicians involved in it.
The Works is the fourth studio album by the English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nik Kershaw. It was released in 1989 and was the last album he created for MCA Records. Kershaw chose the album's title as he felt the album represented "the collected works of Nik Kershaw". He did not release any new solo material until 15 Minutes, 10 years later.
Human Racing is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 27 February 1984 by MCA Records. Several songs like "Drum Talk" were based around improvisation; other songs, like "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", had a political message.
Radio Musicola is the third studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 24 October 1986 by MCA Records, just under two years after Kershaw's previous studio album, The Riddle (1984). It was the first studio album to be produced by Kershaw. It features guest backing vocalists, including Icehouse's Iva Davies, and Night's Stevie Lange, and Miriam Stockley.
The Riddle is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 19 November 1984 by MCA Records.
The Essential is a compilation album by English singer Nik Kershaw, released in 2000. It features singles and album tracks from his first four studio albums: Human Racing (1984), The Riddle (1984), Radio Musicola (1986), and The Works (1989).
Todmobile is an Icelandic pop/rock band, active since 1988.
Please Don't Touch! is the second studio album by English guitarist and songwriter Steve Hackett. It was released in April 1978 on Charisma Records, and it is his first album released after leaving the progressive rock band Genesis in 1977. Hackett had released Voyage of the Acolyte (1975) during his time in Genesis. For his next solo release he recorded in the United States and hired various guest artists, including singers Randy Crawford, Richie Havens, and Steve Walsh, drummers Phil Ehart and Chester Thompson, bassist Tom Fowler, with Van der Graaf Generator violinist Graham Smith.
Rage is the second album by British pop group T'Pau, released in 1988. It reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and gave the group three hit singles—"Secret Garden", "Road to Our Dream" and "Only the Lonely". It was not issued in the U.S.
The Best of Nik Kershaw (1993) is an album by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It contains selected 12 inch mixes, B-sides, album tracks and his hits. It is released under the Music Club International label.
"Wouldn't It Be Good" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 20 January 1984 as the second single from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). The release was Kershaw's second single, with the non-album track "Monkey Business" as its B-side; it was a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album. The music video was directed by Storm Thorgerson.
"Nobody Knows" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was released as the lead single from his third studio album Radio Musicola (1986). The release was Kershaw's tenth single, and features the non-album track, "One of Our Fruit Machines Is Missing", as its B-side.
"When a Heart Beats" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released as the lead single from his third studio album, Radio Musicola (1986)—although the song does not appear on the LP version of the album, only on the cassette and CD editions. Kershaw's eighth single overall, it features the track "Wild Horses"—which was originally included on his previous studio album, The Riddle (1984)—as its B-side.
"Somebody Loves You" is a song from English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, which was released in 1999 as the lead single from his fifth studio album 15 Minutes. The song was written and produced by Kershaw. "Somebody Loves You" reached No. 70 in the UK Singles Chart.
Radio Musicola is a song by English pop singer Nik Kershaw. It was released as the third single from his third studio album of the same name.
Sheri Kershaw is a Canadian singer-songwriter. From 1983 to 2003 she was married to Nik Kershaw. She toured extensively with him and sang backing vocals on his early albums, achieving a No. 3 singles hit with his song "The Riddle".
Ei8ht is the eighth studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on his independent label Shorthouse Records in 2012. The album reached No. 91 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 12 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.
↑ Rush: Song by Song. Fonthill Media. 6 July 2019 – via Google Books. - "Collins' work with British new-wave electronic artist Nik Kershaw showed his extensive knowledge of production techniques on modern electronic music and it would be this that would characterise the new Rush album with its tightly energetic shimmering production."
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