Blue Zoo
| Company type | Group or band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Fate | Hiatus between mid-1980s and 2010; reunion in 2010 |
| Headquarters | London , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, Philippines (tour) |
Key people | Andy O (vocals), Tim Parry (guitar), David Woolfson (keyboards, saxophone), Mike Ansell (bass), Mickey Sparrow (drums) |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Blue Zoo is an English new wave group that was initially active between 1980 and 1985 and resumed activities from 2010 onward.
Career
Originally established in 1980 under the name Modern Jazz, the band issued two singles in 1981: "In My Sleep (I Shoot Sheep)" and "Ivory Towers."
The principal members comprised Andy O on vocals, Tim Parry handling guitar duties, David Woolfson playing keyboards and saxophone, Mike Ansell on bass, and Mickey Sparrow on drums. Matthew Flowers provided additional live keyboard support, while Pete Lancaster (trumpet) and Steve Pond (synthesizer) contributed sporadically. Tim Parry later transitioned into roles involving record production and artist management.
Blue Zoo achieved three entries on the UK Singles Chart: "I'm Your Man" reached number 55 in June 1982; their most successful track, "Cry Boy Cry," peaked at number 13 in October 1982 and remained in the UK top 40 for eight weeks; and "(I Just Can't) Forgive and Forget" attained number 60 in May 1983. Although "Love Moves in Strange Ways" did not chart, it was highlighted as single of the week by NME.
The band's 1983 album Two by Two (alternatively titled 2x2 or 2By2) was re-released with additional tracks by Cherry Red Records in November 2013.
After a hiatus of nearly three decades, Blue Zoo reunited for a live performance at the Ginglik venue in Shepherd's Bush Green on 22 July 2010, followed by a brief tour across the Philippines in February 2013.
Members
Lewis Boakes (tambourine)
Current lineup
- Andy O (vocals)
- Mike Ansell (bass)
- Mickey Sparrow (drums)
- Tom E Morrison (guitar)
Guest keyboardists frequently join the group during performances.
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Two by Two | |
| Somewhere in the World |
|
| In Love & in Life |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
IRE | ||
| "Love Moves in Strange Ways" | 1981 | — | — |
| "I'm Your Man" | 1982 | 55 | — |
| "Cry Boy Cry" | 13 | 25 | |
| "Loved One's an Angel" | 1983 | 76 | — |
| "(I Just Can't) Forgive and Forget" | 60 | — | |
| "Somewhere in the World There's a Cowboy Smiling" | 119 | — | |
| "Funganista" | 2016 | — | — |
| "—" indicates singles that did not enter the charts. | |||