Fashion (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 in Birmingham, England |
| Defunct | 1984; brief comeback in 2009 |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Fashion (presented as Fashiøn) was a new wave ensemble from England, primarily active between 1978 and 1984, with a short-lived comeback in 2009. Initially emerging from a post-punk background, they transitioned into a new wave and synth-pop sound, achieving three singles that reached the lower tiers of the UK charts during 1982–1984.
History
Throughout 1978 to 1984, Fashion experienced numerous personnel shifts. John Mulligan (bass and synthesizer) and Dik Davis (drums) were the consistent members, while the lead vocalist role changed with each of their three studio albums.
Post-punk era: Fàshiön Music
Originating in Birmingham, England, in 1978 under the name Fàshiön Music, the group consisted of John Mulligan (bass and synthesizer), Dik Davis (drums), and Al James—also known as Luke Sky or simply Luke—on vocals and guitar. That same year, they established their own label, Fàshiön Music, to differentiate the band's name from their record imprint.
Their initial two singles, "Steady Eddie Steady" and "Citinite," were independently released in the UK during 1978 and 1979. Subsequently, they signed with I.R.S. Records, which issued "The Innocent" in the United States in 1979.
Their musical style blended punk, post-punk, and indie elements, with Mulligan’s synthesizer work hinting at their future synth-pop direction. Under I.R.S., they launched their debut album Product Perfect in 1979, credited equally to all three members.
Between 1978 and 1980, Fashion performed alongside acts such as Toyah Willcox, UB40, Hazel O'Connor, and Billy Idol. Up-and-coming bands like Duran Duran served as their opening acts; they also toured with U2 and The Police, and supported The B-52's on their inaugural UK tour.
After parting ways with I.R.S., they released the single "Silver Blades" on their own label in March 1980. Later that year, they contributed "Let Go" to EMI's Birmingham bands compilation Bouncing in the Red.
Following a June 1980 London performance supporting U2, Luke James departed and moved to the United States. The band lineup then included Tony Dial (vocals and guitar) and Ian Moore (bass), alongside Mulligan and Davis. This formation recorded sessions for BRMB radio and supported The Human League live but soon dissolved after Dial and Moore left.
New Romantic phase: Fashiøn
By late 1981, Fashion had signed with Arista Records and featured De Harriss (vocals, guitar), Martin Recchi (bass), John Mulligan (synthesizers), and Dik Davis (drums). November 1981 saw the release of "Move On," which did not chart but preceded their 1982 album Fabrique, produced by Zeus B. Held. The album included singles "Streetplayer (Mechanik)" and "Love Shadow," which achieved modest UK chart success. Frontman Harriss (born David Harris) was the primary songwriter, with two tracks co-written by Held. Fabrique was later reissued under the titles The Height of Fashion in 1990 and again in 2001.
Harriss exited before a scheduled world tour, resulting in the band being dropped by Arista. He was succeeded by vocalist Troy Tate and guitarist Al Darby. Tate performed live tracks such as "Love Is" and "What You Gonna Do Next" but did not record in studio; he soon left, leaving Darby as lead vocalist. This lineup secured a deal with Epic Records.
In 1984, Fashion released Twilight of Idols, featuring Darby as lead singer and principal songwriter for most songs. Mulligan remained on keyboards, Recchi—now Marlon Recchi—on bass, with Dik Davis on drums. Zeus B. Held returned as producer. The single "Eye Talk" made a minor appearance on the UK Singles Chart. Following live performances supporting this album, the band disbanded.
Subsequently, Mulligan collaborated with Nick Beggs from Kajagoogoo.
After departing Fashion, De Harriss reverted to using Dave Harris professionally and recorded an album alongside Richard Wright of Pink Floyd as part of Zee in 1984. From 1990 to 2000 he worked as a songwriter and producer at Warner Chapell Music in New York City, before returning to the UK where he continues his career as David Harris based in Lincoln.
Reformation
Three decades following the debut single by Fashion, original frontman and guitarist Luke Sky, now residing in California, reinstated the band's name for the 2009 release Stairway to Nowhere. On this album, Sky handled vocals along with the majority of the instrumentation, while Vuk Pavlovic from Nature's Pocket contributed drums on three tracks. This revival was brief and the band soon became inactive once more.
Members
- Dik Daviss – percussion, drums, vocals (1978–1984; deceased 1993)
- John Mulligan – synthesizer, vocals (1978–1984), bass guitar (1978–1980)
- Luke Sky – vocals, guitar (1978–1980, 2009), synthesizer, bass, drums (2009)
- Tony Dial – vocals, guitar (1980–1981)
- Ian Moore – bass guitar (1980–1981)
- De Harriss – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards (1981–1982)
- Martin Recchi – bass guitar, vocals (1981–1984)
- Al Darby – guitar (1982–1984; deceased 2023), vocals (1983–1984)
- Troy Tate – vocals (1982–1983)
Line-ups
| 1978–1980 | 1980–1981 | 1981–1982 | 1982–1983 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 1983–1984 | 1984–2009 | 2009 | |
|
Disbanded |
|
Studio albums
| Title | Album information | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| UK | ||
| Product Perfect (credited as Fàshiön Music) |
|
— |
| Fabrique | 10 | |
| Twilight of Idols |
|
69 |
| Stairway to Nowhere |
|
— |
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | ||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| The Height of Fashion |
|
| Hits |
|
| MMXIX |
|
| Fabrique de luxe |
|
| Fàshiön Music |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart rankings | Associated album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Indie | |||
| "Steady Eddie Steady" | 1978 | — | — | Template:N/A |
| "Citinite" | 1979 | — | — | Product Perfect |
| "The Innocent" (exclusive to US market) | — | — | ||
| "Silver Blades" | 1980 | — | 29 | Template:N/A |
| "Move On" | 1981 | — | — | Fabrique |
| "Streetplayer (Mechanik)" | 1982 | 46 | — | |
| "Something in Your Picture" | — | — | ||
| "Love Shadow" | 51 | — | ||
| "You Only Left Your Picture" (US-exclusive release) | — | — | ||
| "Eye Talk" | 1984 | 69 | — | Twilight of Idols |
| "Dreaming" | 101 | — | ||
| "You in the Night" | 94 | — | ||
| "Sodium Pentathol Negative" | 2022 | — | — | Template:N/A |
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart or were not released in the specified region. | ||||
External links
- Stairway To Nowhere – fàshiön Official Fàshiön website
- Official Fàshiön MySpace page managed by vocalist and guitarist Luke Sky Showcasing Fàshiön Music era and recent works
- Comprehensive Fashion discography
- Information on Fashion
- Fan site dedicated to Fashion