This year, after an absence of 35 years, all four original members of 80s band Fairground Attraction are reuniting for a 14-date UK tour and a brand new studio album, with the first single, What’s Wrong With The World out today.
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The band’s debut, Perfect, went to Number One not only in the UK but in countries all around the world and, in 1988, it won Best Single at The Brit Awards. It has gone on to be regarded as a genuine pop classic.
Like Perfect, What’s Wrong With The World? was written by the band’s guitarist Mark Nevin and sung by their brilliant vocalist, Eddi Reader. In a similar upbeat country-pop vein as their huge hit, they finally answer the question on everyone’s lips: “What’s wrong with the world?”
There is no other band like Fairground Attraction – their use of the guitarrón (a large, Mexican acoustic bass), played by Simon Edwards, gives the bottom end of their records a warmth and character that combines with drummer Roy Dodds, Nevin and Reader to create a charming acoustic antidote to all that is modern and digital. When they arrived on the scene all those years ago, their unique sound was described by many as a “breath of fresh air” and it is even truer today than it was then.
The band’s meteoric rise to the top of the charts was as surprising as it was welcome, not least for the members themselves, who struggled with having their lives turned upside down and, unfortunately, the whole thing was over too soon, leaving a legacy of just four singles and one double-platinum album, The First of a Million Kisses.
Since then, Eddi has enjoyed a long and successful solo career, while Mark, as well as making seven solo albums, has collaborated with various artists, including Morrissey and Kirsty MacColl; He even had one of his songs recorded by David Bowie.
During the past three decades, a lot of water has passed under a lot of bridges and when the estranged members of Fairground Attraction finally re-opened communication last year, they realised there was a lot more that united them than divided them. Soon afterwards, in an impromptu moment, Eddi joined Mark on stage at one of his solo shows to sing the Fairground Attraction favourite ‘Allelujia’ and suddenly – finally – the door was open for more.
Fans will also have the chance to see the band live this autumn, with their first UK tour since they split in 1990. They will play dates across the UK and Ireland, including the York Barbican on Tuesday 1st October 2024.