The Europeans (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Europeans were a British new wave ensemble formed in 1981, active until 1985. Throughout their career, they produced three albums, none of which attained notable chart rankings. In 1989, former keyboardist and co-lead singer Steve Hogarth became the lead vocalist for Marillion. This group should not be confused with the Bristol-based Europeans, who performed between 1977 and 1979.
History
Originally known as Motion Pictures, a Scottish band consisting of Harper, Woore, and Dugmore moved to London in 1980 and added keyboardist Steve Hogarth, who had recently relocated from Doncaster. Early in 1981, they adopted the name The Europeans. Their first recorded appearance was as backing musicians on John Otway's album All Balls and No Willy (1982). That same year, they signed with A&M Records and issued three singles—"The Animal Song," "A.E.I.O.U.," and "Recognition"—preceding their debut album Vocabulary. Ferg Harper performed the majority of lead vocals, while Hogarth took the lead on "Kingdom Come." Guest backing vocals were contributed by Kiki Dee and Toni Childs. Following these releases, they put out the single "American People" during an extensive touring period.
Their sophomore release, Live, came out in February 1984 and reached number 100 on the UK Albums Chart. Later that year, Hogarth's composition "Listen" was released as a single.
To support their third studio effort, Recurring Dreams (October 1984), a promotional single titled "Acid Rain" was distributed free of charge. Hogarth provided lead vocals on five of the eight tracks featured. Unfortunately, promotional efforts were hindered when A&M's Managing Director left immediately after the album's launch. Subsequently, in 1985, Hogarth and Woore departed to create How We Live, securing a contract with CBS.
In August 2005, Recurring Dreams was reissued on CD by Marillion's Racket Records label, including expanded liner notes that were not part of the original vinyl release.
Line-up
- Colin Woore – guitars
- Ferg Harper – bass guitar, lead vocals
- Geoff Dugmore – drums
- Steve Hogarth – keyboards, programming, lead vocals
Studio albums
- Vocabulary (1983)
- Recurring Dreams (1984)
Live albums
- Live (1984) – UK Albums Chart position: No. 100
Singles
- "The Animal Song" (1982) – AUS chart peak: #96
- "AEIOU" (1983)
- "Recognition" (1983)
- "American People" (1983)
- "Typical" (live) (1984)
- "Listen" (1984)
EPs
- Recognition (1983)
Compilation appearances
- The Snoopies Album (1981) – various artists compilation
Bibliography
Anne-Aurore Inquimbert, Marillion. L'ère Hogarth, Camion Blanc (France), 2014, 222 pages.
External links
- The Rainbow Room - Europeans and How We Live Pages. http://www.theeuropeans.co.uk (accessed 8 September 2013)