Big Fun (group)
| Company type | Boy band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Defunct | 1994 |
Key people | Phil Creswick, Mark Gillespie, Jason John |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Big Fun was a British boy band that operated between 1988 and 1994, consisting of members Phil Creswick, Mark Gillespie, and Jason John. Their album's production was primarily handled by Stock Aitken Waterman, alongside input from other producers affiliated with PWL.
Career
Prior to the establishment of Big Fun, Creswick and John were involved with Ian Levine's boy band called Seventh Avenue. Early lineups also featured Keith Davies, who hailed from Manchester.
Their only album, A Pocketful of Dreams (1990), secured a position within the UK Albums Chart top 10. Notable singles included a rendition of The Jacksons’ hit "Blame It on the Boogie", as well as "Can't Shake the Feeling" and "Handful of Promises". Initially, "I Feel the Earth Move" was intended to be their debut single but was ultimately replaced by "Blame It on the Boogie".
Although they attained a top 10 album and two singles that reached the top 10, Jive Records terminated their contract in 1990. According to Creswick, the group saw minimal financial benefit from their achievements, with most earnings going to the record label and production team.
The final single released under the name 'Big Fun II' was "Stomp!" in 1994, following John’s exit from the band. While it did not achieve the commercial impact of previous releases, it did chart on US dance charts.
All members identified as gay and were reportedly advised by producer Pete Waterman to keep their sexual orientation confidential to safeguard their professional prospects. After disbandment, Creswick pursued a career as a painter and decorator but encountered legal troubles related to drug offenses. John shifted back to modeling and music management before passing away in Brazil in 2019.
Members
Line-up
- Phil Creswick (born 12 October 1965) – backing vocals
- Mark Gillespie (born 16 November 1966) – lead vocalist
- Jason John (born 18 March 1967; died January 2019) – backing vocals
- Keith Davies
Albums
- 1990 – A Pocketful of Dreams – UK Albums Chart No. 7, Germany No. 39
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | BEL (Fla) | FRA | GER | IRE | NED | NZ | SPN | US Dance | |||
| 1989 | "Living for Your Love" | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | single only |
| "Blame It on the Boogie" | 4 | 37 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 7 | 31 | 32 | 5 | — | A Pocketful of Dreams | |
| "Can't Shake the Feeling" | 8 | 97 | 38 | 47 | 41 | 7 | – | – | 6 | — | ||
| 1990 | "Handful of Promises" | 21 | 110 | 42 | – | – | 6 | – | – | 9 | — | |
| "You've Got a Friend" (with Sonia) | 14 | 157 | – | – | – | 12 | — | — | — | — | single only | |
| "Hey There Lonely Girl" | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | A Pocketful of Dreams | |
| 1994 | "Stomp!" (as 'Big Fun II') | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 12 | single only |
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart or were not released. | ||||||||||||
Video
- 1990 – The Video Hits: A Pocketful of Dreams