The Jetset
| Company type | Pop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Paul Bevoir, Melvyn J Taub |
Key people | Paul Bevoir, Melvyn J Taub, Paul Bultitude, Angus Nanan, Paul Bonin |
| Products | Music albums, EPs |
The Jetset was an English pop group from the 1980s associated with the British mod revival movement.
Career
Established in 1979 by teenage companions Paul Bevoir and Melvyn J Taub, the group honed their sound under the guidance of former Advertising and Secret Affair drummer Paul Bultitude. Following early demo sessions with Bultitude, Bevoir and Taub formed a band for promotional activities, recruiting keyboardist Angus Nanan and bassist Paul Bonin.
They developed their performance skills by opening for Secret Affair during 1981–82. Concurrently, Bevoir and Taub provided backing vocals for Mari Wilson's Wilsations; Bevoir soon departed to concentrate on his own projects, while Taub achieved chart recognition before rejoining Bevoir in The Jetset.
In 1983, Bultitude signed the band to his Dance Network label, leading to the release of their initial EP, The Best of the Jetset. The group adopted a marketing approach as flamboyant as that of their idols The Monkees, incorporating striking imagery such as photos "from their forthcoming TV series" and the Monkees-inspired 'Jetsetmobile'—a customized Ford Capri. Bevoir wrote four tracks including "The Jetset Theme," which was promoted as an 'original soundtrack recording'. The EP's launch was accompanied by various merchandise like posters, badges, stickers, key rings, and bubblegum cards that heightened fan engagement. Mod fanzines further amplified interest, and a Jetset comic strip featured in Shadows & Reflections, along with a Christmas flexi-disc issued in December 1983.
Their debut full album, There Goes the Neighborhood, was released in 1985 to favorable reviews across the UK. This was succeeded by Go Bananas, which incorporated commercials for Jetset products interspersed between songs. Subsequently, Bevoir ceased touring to dedicate himself to songwriting and collaborated with Bultitude on the elaborately arranged Vaudeville Park. The band's final album, Five, came out shortly before their contentious breakup in 1988.
Legacy
The Jetset's catalogue has seen numerous reissues. In 2010, Cherry Red Records issued Swings & Roundabouts: The Very Best of the Jetset.
In 2009, Twist Records released Do You Wanna Be in the Show: A Pop Tribute to The Jetset, featuring 17 performers covering compositions by Bevoir, including acts such as The Risk, The Spring Collection, The Shambles, and The Cola Jet Set.
Albums
- There Goes the Neighbourhood (1985)
- Go Bananas (1986)
- April, May, June and the Jetset (1986)
- Vaudeville Park (1987)
- Five (1988)