The Sinceros
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 in London, England |
| Defunct | 1981 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Sinceros were a London-origin new wave and power pop ensemble that produced two albums under Epic Records: The Sound of Sunbathing (1979) and Pet Rock (1981). Both records received international distribution and achieved moderate commercial recognition.
Career
Initially, singer, guitarist, and chief songwriter Mark Kjeldsen, drummer Bobby Irwin, and bassist Ron François collaborated in the London R&B group The Strutters.
The band's repertoire largely highlighted Kjeldsen's compositions. He performed lead vocals on most tracks, while François contributed three songs to their sophomore album.
Prior to their contract with Epic Records, Irwin and François participated in sessions for Lene Lovich's album Stateless. Keyboardist Don Snow joined the lineup during the 1978 "Be Stiff" Tour, completing the group's formation.
Their first album, The Sound of Sunbathing, produced by Joe Wissert at Wessex Studios in London, received considerable airplay, especially the single "Take Me to Your Leader". The band embarked on extensive tours; however, ambitions for growth were hindered by disputes involving management and label funding. Members maintained session careers—Irwin and Snow notably collaborated with Van Morrison.
An initial second album entitled 2nd Debut, produced by Paul Riley, was shelved by Epic Records and subsequently reworked into Pet Rock with producer Gus Dudgeon.
Recordings from FM radio broadcasts exist, including a significant 1979 performance in New York City aired by WNEW-FM, alongside artists such as Bruce Woolley and Paul Collins' Beat. The Sinceros also played at Hurrah club in New York; Kjeldsen is pictured wearing the club’s emblem on the cover of Pet Rock.
The band dissolved in 1981. Following this, Kjeldsen joined the Danny Adler Band; a live recording from Switzerland in 1982 was released in 1983. He later pursued a career as a social worker in London before passing away from AIDS in 1992.
Snow succeeded Paul Carrack in Squeeze in 1982 and continued session work with musicians including Tina Turner and Van Morrison. From the early 1990s onward, he has performed under the name Jonn Savannah.
François became a member of The Teardrop Explodes, issued a solo single on Epic in 1982, then relocated to Australia where he worked with artists like James Reyne, Wendy Matthews, and The Eurogliders.
Irwin resumed collaborations with Nick Lowe before moving to San Antonio, Texas in 1985. After returning to the UK in 1992, he continued working with Lowe, Van Morrison, and others until his death in 2015.
Reissues
The Sound of Sunbathing, The Sinceros' debut album, was re-released on CD by Cherry Red Records on 18 May 2009 (catalogue CDM RED 396), featuring three bonus tracks: "Are You Ready?", "Up There," and a live rendition of "Walls, Floors and Ceilings." The track "Take Me to Your Leader" had previously been included on various compilations such as New Wave Hits of the 70's & 80's. Their second album Pet Rock was reissued in 2010 by Wounded Bird / Sony (catalogue WOU 7349) with extra bonus material. Alongside the original eleven vinyl tracks, this CD contains songs from the unreleased follow-up 2nd Debut, including alternate takes and versions, plus four additional bonus tracks: "Torture Myself," "Beady Eyes," "Television Vision," and an extended cut of "Take Me to Your Leader."
Albums
- 1979 – The Sound of Sunbathing
- 1980 – 2nd Debut
- 1981 – Pet Rock
Singles
| Year | Title | AUS | NL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Take Me to Your Leader" | 70 | – |
| 1979 | "Worlds Apart" | 81 | 39 |
| 1980 | "Are You Ready" | – | – |
| 1980 | "Disappearing" | – | – |
| 1981 | "Memory Lane" | – | – |
| 1981 | "Socially" | – | – |
Concerts in 1978
August
- 11 – Rochester Castle, Stoke Newington, London
- 13 – Golden Lion, Fulham, London
- 18 – Town Hall, High Wycombe (supporting The Rezillos)
September
- 01 – Metro Club, Plymouth
- 12 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
- 23 – Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London (supporting The News)
October
- 01 – The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London (Anti-Nazi Rally)
November
- 23 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
- 30 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
December
- 01 – Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London
- 07 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
- 13 – Chelsea Art College, London
Concerts in 1979
January
- 02 – The Nashville Rooms, West Kensington, London
- 22 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
- 26 – Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London
February
- 21 – Nelson's, Wimbledon F.C., London
- 28 – Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London
March
- 10 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
May
- 01 – The Venue, Victoria, London (supporting Johnny Winter)
- 02 – Nelson's, Wimbledon F.C., London
- 03 – West Surrey College of Art
- 04 – The Venue, Victoria, London (supporting Johnny Winter)
- 05 – Portsmouth Polytechnic
- 06 – The Venue, Victoria, London (supporting Johnny Winter)
- 11 – Brunel University, Uxbridge (supporting Rachel Sweet)
- 12 – Essex University, Colchester (supporting Rachel Sweet)
- 14 – The Marquee, Soho, London
- 17 – Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London
- 21 – The Nashville Rooms, West Kensington, London
June
- 04 – The Marquee, Soho, London
- 15 – Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham
- 16 – Froebel College, Twickenham
- 18 – The Marquee, Soho, London (recorded by Stiff Mobile Studio)
- 22 – Weymouth, Dorset
- 25 – Loughborough University, Nottingham
- 28 – University of Warwick
- 29 – Radlett Wall Hall College (supporting Chairmen of the Board)
July
- 02 – The Marquee, Soho, London
- 07 – Jacksdale Grey Topper, Nottingham
- 12 – The Fan Club, Leeds
- 13 – The Limit Club, Sheffield
- 14 – Norbreck Hotel, Blackpool
- 15 – Stagecoach, Dumfries
- 16 – Tiffany's, Edinburgh
- 19 – The Nashville Rooms, West Kensington, London
- 20 – The Sand Piper, Nottingham
- 21 – Boogie House, Norwich
- 26 – The Nashville Rooms, West Kensington, London
- 27 – AJ's, Lincoln
- 28 – The Venue, Victoria, London
August
- 03 – JB's Dudley
- 04-05 – Hope & Anchor, Islington, London
- 25 – The Music Machine, London
September
- 01 – Lees Cliff Hall, Folkestone
- 27-28 – Liverpool Polytechnic and Southbank Polytechnic, London
October
- 01 – Queen Mary College, London
- 03-06 – Reading University; King's College; UMIST Manchester
- 10-11 – Swansea University; Dorset Institute of Higher Education Town Hall Bournemouth
- 12-13 – Paradiso Club Amsterdam; Exit Club Rotterdam (broadcast by VPRO Radio)
- 18 – Nashville Rooms West Kensington
- 25-28 (US) Cornell University New York; Buffalo University; Penny Arcade Rochester NY; Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts
November
- (US tour)* Stage West Hartford CT; Hurrah NYC; Jabberwocky Club Syracuse NY; Sir Morgan's Cove Worcester MA (live WAAF Radio); Emerald City Cherry Hill NJ (supporting The A's); University of Massachusetts Amherst (with The Motels); Toad's New Haven CT; Lupo's Providence RI; My Father's Place Long Island NY (live WLIR Radio); Fast Lane Asbury Park NJ; Bayou Club Washington DC; Stars Rats Keller University of Connecticut; Rat Boston MA (with Live Wire); My Father's Place Long Island NY
- (Late November)* Mother's Chicago IL
December
- (US tour continues)* Mother's Chicago IL; Stone Toad Milwaukee WI (supported by Youthinesia); Long Horn Minneapolis MN; Beginnings Schaumburg IL (supporting Pez Band); Agora Cleveland OH (with The Sports and 20/20); Bogart's Cincinnati OH (supporting The Sports); Landmark Theatre Syracuse NY (supporting Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes); Palladium New York City (with Bruce Woolley and Paul Collins' Beat and 20/20) broadcast by WNEW-FM
Concerts: 1980
January
- 18 – Goldsmiths College, London
- 19 – Midem Festival, Cannes (alongside The Inmates and Marquis de Sade)
March
- 16 – Pavillon Baltard, Nogent-sur-Marne, France (featuring Squeeze and Valerie Lagrange)
May
- 22 – The Venue, Victoria, London (opening act: Jules and the Polar Bears)
June
- 10 – Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London
- 11 – Middlesex & Herts Country Club, Harrow, London
- 12 – Southbank Polytechnic, London
- 13 – The Half Moon, Herne Hill, London
- 14 – The Bridge House, Canning Town, London
- 21 – Winsum Festival, Groningen, Netherlands
July
- 26 – The Bridge House, Canning Town, London
- 27 – The Half Moon, Herne Hill, London
- 28 – The Marquee, Soho, London
- 29 – The Greyhound, London
- 30 – Middlesex & Herts Country Club, Harrow, London
August
- 17 – The Venue, Victoria, London
- 18 – Zero 6 Club, Southend-on-Sea
Concerts: 1980 – The Sinceros (Hall & Oates Tour)
September
- 11 – Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol
- 12 – Southampton Gaumont, Southampton
- 14 – Coventry New Theatre, Coventry
- 15 – The Apollo, Manchester
- 16 – Southport Theatre, Southport
- 17 – Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh
- 19 – Oxford New Theatre, Oxford
- 20 – Brighton Dome, Brighton
- 21 – Fairfield Halls, Croydon
- 22–23 – Hammersmith Odeon, Hammersmith, London
- 24 – Birmingham Odeon, Birmingham
Radio shows: 1979
June
- 01 – BBC Radio One session recorded at Maida Vale Studios, London
- 20 – Radio One in Concert broadcast from Paris Theatre Studios, London
Radio shows: 1981
July
- 15 – Radio One In Concert performance in London
TV shows: 1980
- Runaround - Southern Television
Bibliography
- Colin Larkin, The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness Publishing, 1995