Tight Fit
| Company type | Pop ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Ken Gold (producer) |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, Europe |
Key people | Steve Grant, Denise Gyngell, Julie Harris, Ken Gold (producer), Tim Friese-Greene (producer) |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Number of employees | 3 (current members) |
| Website | www |
Tight Fit is a British pop ensemble recognized for a string of hits in the early 1980s, most notably their 1982 rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which secured the number one position on the UK charts for three consecutive weeks.
History
The inception of Tight Fit dates back to 1981 when producer Ken Gold assembled a medley titled "Back to the 60s," inspired by the medley craze initiated by Starsound's Stars on 45. Released under the Tight Fit name, this track climbed to No.4 on the UK Singles Chart. Although actor-singers Lowri-Ann Richards and Robert Pereno appeared as the group's public faces on television, the actual recording featured session vocalists. Their subsequent medley, "Back to the 60s Part 2," reached No.33.
In early 1982, Tim Friese-Greene took charge of producing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," utilizing session musicians and featuring Roy Ward, formerly of the 1970s band City Boy, as lead vocalist. The song rapidly gained popularity, leading to the assembly of a new performing lineup consisting of Steve Grant, Denise Gyngell, and Julie Harris. This formation propelled the single to the top of UK charts for three weeks, significantly raising Tight Fit’s profile.
Following this success, Friese-Greene produced their next release, "Fantasy Island," a cover originally performed by Dutch group The Millionaires and stylistically reminiscent of ABBA. This single peaked at No.5 in May 1982. Plans for an album and touring followed; however, their third release, "Secret Heart," stalled at No.41. Soon after the album's launch, both Gyngell and Harris departed due to dissatisfaction with contractual terms and royalty issues. They were succeeded by Vicky Pemberton and Carol Stevens. The revamped group released "I'm Undecided," which failed to enter the charts, marking a downturn in Tight Fit’s commercial momentum.
In 1983, under the billing "Steve Grant with Tight Fit," they issued a cover of Stephen Stills’ "Love the One You're With," which did not achieve chart success. The group disbanded shortly thereafter.
After Tight Fit
Post-departure from Tight Fit, members Grant, Harris, and Gyngell each embarked on solo endeavors. In 1983, Harris launched two singles: "123" (distinct from "One Two Three" featured on the Tight Fit album) under the name Julie and the Jems, and "Escargot a la Bongo" as Chopper Harris. The latter act won its heat on The Freddie Starr Showcase and finished second in the final with "The Dolphin Dive." Meanwhile, Gyngell formed He She Him alongside her brothers, releasing a single titled "Try a Little Tenderness." Grant pursued solo singles including "Conviction" (with Earlene Bentley) and "Run for Cover," later joining male trio Splash! in 1986.
Following an encounter at PWL Studios, Splash! secured a contract for two singles with Elton John's Rocket Records, releasing "Qu'est-ce que c'est," produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. Their follow-up single, "European Boy," featured contributions from Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek of Bronski Beat. Additionally, Grant and Harris participated in the 1985 charity single "Doctor in Distress" by Who Cares.
Grant’s foundation in musical theatre led him back to stage performances during the 1980s with shows such as On the Town and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Throughout the 1990s, he appeared in productions like Kiss Me, Kate and Miss Saigon at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, maintaining involvement until its closure in 1999. Since then, he has divided his time between London and southern Spain. A mistaken report of his death is believed to have stemmed from confusion with Jimmy McShane of Baltimora, who passed away in 1995.
Reformation
In 2008, Denise Gyngell and Julie Harris revived Tight Fit as a live touring ensemble, performing at various nightclubs across the UK. Beginning in 2010, they participated in the "Back to the Eighties" tour, showcasing popular hits from the 1980s alongside their own repertoire. Steve Grant reappeared for several performances before officially rejoining the group in 2010. That same year, the band produced a refreshed version of "Fantasy Island" as a promotional single and made a guest appearance on Sky TV's Pineapple Dance Studios.
On 2 June 2015, Tight Fit released Together through Almighty Records, marking their first full-length album in over three decades. In 2021, they signed with Energise Records and issued the single "Fallout," produced by Matt Pop, offering a preview of an upcoming album planned for release in 2022.
According to the band’s official website, the trademark for Tight Fit related to music and publishing rights is jointly owned by Grant, Gyngell, and Harris.
Members
- Current members
- Steve Grant (born 26 February 1960) (1982–1983, 2009–present)
- Denise Gyngell (born 30 August 1961) (1982, 2008–present)
- Julie Harris (born 15 August 1958) (1982, 2008–present)
- Former members
- Lowri-Ann Richards (1981)
- Robert Pereno (1981)
- Richard Scarfe (1981)
- Martin Page (1981)
- Brian Fairweather (1981)
- Vicky Pemberton (1982–1983)
- Carol Stevens (1982–1983)
- Alex Naylor (2008–2009)
Albums
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||
| 1981 | Back to the 60's |
|
38 |
| 1982 | Tight Fit |
|
87 |
| 1994 | Greatest Hits |
|
— |
| 1995 | The Best of Tight Fit |
|
— |
| 2016 | Together |
|
— |
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | |||
Singles
| Year | Single | AUS | AUT | CAN | BE (FLA) | GER | IRE | NL | NZ | SUI | SWE | UK | US | US Dance | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "Back to the 60's" | — | 48 | — | 50 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 89 | 63 | | ||||||||||||||
| "Back to the 60's Part 2" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | — | — | | |||||||||||||||
| 1982 | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | 8 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 1 | — | — |
| ||||||||||||||
| "Fantasy Island" | — | — | — | 23 | 3 | — | 33 | — | — | 5 | — | — |
| |||||||||||||||
| "Secret Heart" | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | 41 | — | — | | |||||||||||||||
| "I'm Undecided" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | |||||||||||||||
| 1983 | "Love the One You're With" | — | — | — | — | — | — |— |— |— |- |- | | ||||||||||||||
| 2010 | "Fantasy Island" (Almighty Remixes) (promo) |
|- |2021 |"Fallout" | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|}