Pepsi & Shirlie

Last updated

Pepsi & Shirlie
Pepsi and Shirlie at the Liverpool Echo Arena 25 June 2011.jpg
Shirlie (left) and Pepsi (right) performing at the Echo Arena, Liverpool on 25 June 2011
Background information
OriginLondon, England, United Kingdom
Genres
Years active
  • 1985–1991
  • 2000
  • 2011
Labels Polydor
Past members

Pepsi & Shirlie were an English pop duo group formed in London in 1985 by two backing singers for Wham! They released two albums, All Right Now in 1987 and Change in 1991, and their debut single "Heartache" reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. [1]

Contents

Career

The act comprised Helen "Pepsi" DeMacque (born 10 December 1958, Paddington, London) and Shirlie Holliman (born 18 April 1962, Watford, Hertfordshire), who had been Wham! backing vocalists. Holliman's original singing partner, Dee C. Lee, had earlier left the group to join the Style Council and later married its lead vocalist Paul Weller. [2]

Although DeMacque had ambitions to be a solo performer after Wham!, Holliman convinced her that it would be best to proceed as a duo. [3]

In 1987, they released their debut single "Heartache", which was produced by Phil Fearon and Tambi Fernando and reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. "Heartache" also peaked at number two on the American dance charts. [4] Although featuring a credit for super producers Stock Aitken Waterman on many pressings of the single, "Heartache" was never worked on by the trio – with all additional production work and remixing done by Pete Hammond on behalf of Pete Waterman. [3]

The follow-up single, "Goodbye Stranger", produced by Fernando and Hammond, reached number 9. [1] Subsequent singles and their debut album All Right Now, released later in the year, were commercially unsuccessful. During this era, the act's tours included a concert performed in Amman, Jordan.

In 1991, they returned with the album Change and its lead single "Someday", a song produced by George Michael. Holliman recalled Michael writing the song from scratch during the recording session, after accepting her request to help out with their comeback. [3] Neither the album nor the single attracted much attention, not even charting in the UK. [1]

DeMacque worked with Michael again in 1995, when the two pseudonymously released a cover of the Dead or Alive classic "You Spin Me Round" under the name Infamy. [3]

Pepsi & Shirlie returned in 2000 to record their backing vocals on Geri Halliwell's UK number one hit "Bag It Up". The duo also re-united for the "Here & Now 10th Anniversary tour" starting on 24 June 2011. [5]

Their memoir It's All in Black and White was published by Welbeck in September 2021. [6]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected details and chart positions
TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
UK
[1]
AUS
[7]
All Right Now 6999
Change
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Polydor
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released
TitleYearPeak chart positions Certifications
UK
[1] [8]
AUS
[7]
US Dance
[9]
US
[9]
IRE
SWI
NOR
GER
NLD
ATR
BEL
FRA
NZ
"Heartache"198724927832682172319
"Goodbye Stranger"926553128839
"Can't Give Me Love"58218923
"All Right Now"506566
"Hightime"198879
"What's Going On Inside Your Head?"1989
"Someday"19917880200
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Related Research Articles

Desiree Heslop, best known as Princess, is a British singer who found chart success in the mid-1980s. In the early 1980s, she worked with the group Osibisa. She is best known for her hit single "Say I'm Your Number One" which made the UK Top Ten in 1985.

Stock Aitken Waterman are an English songwriting and record production trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman. The trio had great success from the mid-1980s through to the early-1990s. SAW is considered one of the most successful songwriting and producing partnerships of all time, scoring more than 100 UK top-40 hits, selling over 500 million records and earning an estimated £60 million in royalties.

Mel and Kim were an English pop duo, consisting of sisters Melanie and Kim Appleby. Originally managed by Alan Whitehead, they achieved success between 1986 and 1988, before Melanie died of cancer in January 1990 at the age of 23.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wham!</span> English pop duo

Wham! were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981 consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They were one of the most successful pop acts during the 1980s, selling more than 30 million certified records worldwide from 1982 to 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Club Tropicana</span> 1983 single by Wham!

"Club Tropicana" is a single by English pop duo Wham!, released on 22 July 1983 on Innervision Records. It was written by members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turn It into Love</span> 1988 single by Kylie Minogue

"Turn It into Love" is a single released by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was taken from her debut studio album Kylie (1988). The single was released in December 1988 in Japan only. The B-side was a new song "Made in Heaven", which also served as the B-side to both "Je ne sais pas pourquoi" and "It's No Secret" in other international territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Guns (Go for It)</span> 1982 single by Wham!

"Young Guns (Go for It)" (also listed as "Young Guns (Go for It!)" on some releases) is a song by English pop duo Wham! first released as a single in the UK by Innervision Records on 17 September 1982. It was written and co-produced by George Michael, of the duo. The song was Wham!'s first hit, achieved with help from the BBC music programme Top of the Pops, which invited Wham! on to the show as a last-minute replacement for another act which had pulled out. The producer of Top of the Pops Michael Hurll, had seen them on another programme, Saturday Superstore.

Brilliant were a British pop/rock group active in the 1980s. Although not commercially successful and mauled by the critics, they remain notable because of the personnel involved – Martin Glover a.k.a. Youth of Killing Joke and subsequently a top producer/remixer; Jimmy Cauty, later to find fame and fortune as one half of The KLF; and Ben Watkins a.k.a. Juno Reactor. Equally notable was their management, their record company A&R manager, and songwriting and production team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Many Broken Hearts</span> 1989 single by Jason Donovan

"Too Many Broken Hearts" is a song by Australian singer and actor Jason Donovan, released on 20 February 1989 as the third single from his debut album, Ten Good Reasons (1989), and 1991's Greatest Hits album and again on a later collection in 2006. The song reached number-one in the United Kingdom and Ireland in March 1989. The song additionally peaked within the top 10 in Australia, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. British magazine Classic Pop ranked "Too Many Broken Hearts" number 19 in their list of "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs" in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You'll Never Stop Me Loving You</span> 1989 single by Sonia

"You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" is the debut single of English pop singer Sonia. Written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, the song was included on Sonia's debut album, Everybody Knows (1990). The single became Sonia's only number-one single on the UK Singles Chart and reached number 10 on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart.

<i>Music from the Edge of Heaven</i> 1986 studio album by Wham!

Music from the Edge of Heaven is the third and final studio album by English pop duo Wham! It was released on June 27, 1986 by Columbia Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Wanna Get Hurt</span> 1989 single by Donna Summer

"I Don't Wanna Get Hurt" is a song by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was the second single from Another Place and Time and, like other tracks from the album, was produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. The song was remixed from the album version and released on May 8, 1989, by Warner Bros. Records, in several European countries. It was a top ten hit in UK and the second most-successful single from the album, behind "This Time I Know It's for Real".

<i>All Right Now</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Pepsi & Shirlie

All Right Now is the 1987 debut album by vocalists Pepsi & Shirlie. The album gave two top 10 hits in the UK for the duo: "Heartache" (#2) and "Goodbye Stranger" (#9). The other three singles fared less well, hitting below the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. Pepsi & Shirlie produced two of the tracks themselves: "What's Going On Inside Your Head?" and "Crime of Passion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirlie Holliman</span> English singer

Shirlie Kemp is an English singer, who found fame in the 1980s with Wham! and as part of the duo Pepsi & Shirlie.

<i>F.L.M.</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Mel and Kim

F.L.M. is the only studio album by British pop duo Mel and Kim, released on 13 April 1987 by Supreme Records. The album peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also reached the top five in Australia, Finland and Switzerland, the 10 in Norway and the top 20 in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Three successful singles are included on the album: "Showing Out", "Respectable" and "F.L.M.".

Yell! were a British pop duo who had a hit single in 1990 with a cover of "Instant Replay".

<i>Pete Waterman Presents the Hit Factory</i> 2012 compilation album by Various Artists

Pete Waterman Presents The Hit Factory is a compilation album released in July 2012 collecting 39 hits produced by Pete Waterman. Included are a vast number of tracks that were written and produced by Waterman along with Mike Stock and Matt Aitken during their most successful period working as Stock Aitken Waterman, becoming among the most successful music producers of all-time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen DeMacque</span> Musical artist

Helen "Pepsi" DeMacque-Crockett is a British pop singer, best known as a backing singer for Wham! and a member of the Pepsi & Shirlie duo in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brit Awards 2017</span> Award ceremony

Brit Awards 2017 was held on 22 February 2017 and was the 37th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony were held at The O2 Arena in London. Emma Willis hosted The Brits Are Coming, the launch show to reveal this year's nominees which was broadcast live for the first time, on 14 January 2017. Robbie Williams was given the Brits Icon Award the previous November during a special concert held in his honour at Troxy in London. Architect Dame Zaha Hadid designed the Brit Award statuette that was to be given to the winners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartache (song)</span> 1987 single by Pepsi & Shirlie

"Heartache" is a song by English pop music duo Pepsi & Shirlie, written by Tambi Fernando, Iris Fernando, and Wayne Brown and produced by Tambi and Phil Fearon. It was released on 5 January 1987 as the lead single from the duo's debut album, All Right Now, which was released that October. Backed with the B-side "Surrender", the single became a chart hit worldwide, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart, entering the top 10 in seven other countries, and reaching number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's music video was directed by Andy Earl.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "PEPSI & SHIRLIE - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  2. Jury, Louise (22 October 2011). "How we met: Pepsi and Shirlie" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 18: Heartache on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 201.
  5. "Here and Now: The very best of the 80s". Here-and-now.info. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  6. Hackett, Tamsin (21 April 2021). "Welbeck to publish memoir from pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie". The Bookseller . Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  7. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 232. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 423. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  9. 1 2 "Pepsi & Shirlie Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  10. "Pepsi & Shirlie - Heartache". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2022.