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Agent's Aren't Aeroplanes were a pop duo who released one single, "The Upstroke", in the UK in 1984.
"The Upstroke" was co-written by Mike Stock and Matt Aitken who, alongside Pete Waterman formed the powerhouse production team known as Stock Aitken Waterman. The other writer of the track was Pete Ware.
Writing and release
edit1984 is where the Stock Aitken Waterman story began, and it began with Agent's Aren't Aeroplanes!
Mike Stock and Matt Aitken had a plan to launch a female version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood. They and keyboard player Pete Ware wrote the song, "The Upstroke", and in early January recorded it with the two girl singers who would front the project, sisters Julie and Diana Seabrook.
“They were entirely manufactured by us out of thin air, although they did subsequently exist because we needed someone to front the record. The first page of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carre has a quote at the bottom ‘What time will the agent from Russia get into London, we need to pick him up and talk to him. Well agents aren't aeroplanes you know.’ I was just reading it and thought yeah! At that time, I think there was a penchant for silly names like Frankie Goes To Hollywood which caught the ear but really had no meaning or relevance” – Mike Stock[1] [2]
After a demo recording was completed Mike and Matt set out to find a label who would support their project and release the track. After several unsuccessful meetings in London, Mike and Matt met with Pete Waterman at his offices in Camden. Mike Stock had already had a brief encounter with Pete Waterman when his song "One Nine For A Lady Breaker", was produced by Pete Collins who was managed by Pete Waterman. During a meeting on January 15th, 1984, Mike and Matt explained their idea to Pete who was instantly in-tune with their concept.
" OK, so you're the band, you make the record and the girls front it. I understand what you're getting at. I like it. Let's go in the studio and do it!" – Pete Waterman [2]
So, on February 14th Mike, Matt and Pete went to the old Marquee Studio in Wardour Street and recorded the track that became the very first Stock Aitken Waterman record. Barry Evangeli, a Greek Cypriot who ran a label called Proto Records with his partner Nick East, agreed to put the record out.
“For the first time in my life I was let loose in a real recording studio. We discovered all sorts of effects and noises and things, and we went to town and lost the plot really and it became something entirely different to our original demo.” – Mike Stock[1]
“We had various conversations, and it was clearly obvious that we had a lot of common ground and that was how we started working with Peter”. – Matt Aitken[3]
"The Upstroke" only made number 93 in the charts however faired significantly better on the club scene. It debuted at #22 on the Hi NRG chart on 31/03/84 and stayed on that chart for over 3 months, peaking at #9. The gay club and Hi NRG scene was quickly gaining a reputation for where the hottest new records were being discovered – a trend that would mark a lot of SAW’s future success.
John Peel mentioned playing The Upstroke track back in 1984.
"I was the first person to play one of their records on the radio. So, whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, it’s up to you to decide." – John Peel
Track information
editTitle: The Upstroke
Artist: Agent's Aren't Aeroplanes
Writer: Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, Pete Ware
Producer: Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, Pete Waterman, Pete Ware
Mixer: Phil Harding
Engineer: Phil Harding
Location: Marquee Studios
Date: 26/05/1984[4]
Chart: 93 [4]
Versions available (timing) mixer
edit7" (3.05) Phil Harding
12" (6.25) Phil Harding
Naughty Mix (10.09) Ian Levine
Formats
edit7" Single (RCA/PROTO AGE 1)[5]
The Upstroke (7")
Shadow Man *
12" Single (PROTO/RCA AGENT 1)[6]
The Upstroke (12")
Shadow Man *
The Upstroke (Naughty Mix)
* Written by Diana Seebrook/Julie Seebrook
* Produced by Stock Aitken Waterman/Ware
References
edit- ^ a b Smith, Paul (1994). "Interview Mike Stock 1994".
- ^ a b Stock, Mike (2004). The Hit Factory: The Stock Aitken Waterman Story. New Holland Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-1843307297.
- ^ Smith, Paul (1996). "Matt Aitken Interview 1996".
- ^ a b "Official Charts Company".
- ^ "Discogs".
- ^ "Discogs".
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