About The Photos
Hometown
Evesham, Worcestershire, England
Genre
Pop
Best remembered for the U.K. Top 60 hit "Irene" and an eponymous Top Five album, the Photos evolved out of the short-lived and ill-fated punk band Satan's Rats. Guitarist Steve Eagles, bassist Dave Sparrow, and drummer Olly Harrison remained together when the band broke up in 1978 and, casting around for a new vocalist, were initially hoping to link with Jayne Casey from the recently sundered Big in Japan. However, she had already launched her own new band, Pink Military, and the trio returned home to Evesham, near Birmingham, and began scouring the local club scene. There they met the ultra-photogenic Wendy Wu and, following a series of very well-received live shows, signed with CBS in August 1979.
With Wu being touted as the next Debbie Harry, the band was launched with the single "I'm So Attractive" in late 1979. It sold well and, with the band having shifted over to the sister Epic label, hopes were high for the follow-up, "Irene." In fact, its chart peak of number 56 was scarcely remarkable. But the band's debut album followed in June and stormed to number four, which should have established the Photos among the era's most popular bands. Instead, they lurched into almost instant obscurity. Three singles were released over the next year, "Life in a Day," "Now You Tell Me That We're Through," and "We'll Win," while the band's second album, Crystal Tips and Mighty Mouse, never even saw the light of day. By the time Wu quit, to be replaced by new vocalist Ché Zuro in late 1981, few people even remembered the band. The Photos broke up in 1983. ~ Dave Thompson
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