The Kane Gang are an English pop trio formed in Seaham in 1982.[3] The group comprised Martin Brammer, Paul Woods and Dave Brewis.[4] They scored several UK and US hits in the 1980s.[5] Named alluding to the movie Citizen Kane, the trio recorded for the record label Kitchenware, which was also home to Prefab Sprout. The group announced a comeback on 14 August 2024.[6]
The Kane Gang | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Seaham, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1982–1991 |
| Labels | |
| Past members |
|
History
editVocalists Martin Brammer[7] (born 13 May 1957,[8] Seaham, County Durham) and Paul Woods, with multi-instrumentalist Dave Brewis, formed the trio in 1982, after meeting while in small local bands, and signed to a small record label, which led to a deal with London Records in 1984.[3]
Their debut album, The Bad and Lowdown World of the Kane Gang (released in the US as Lowdown), was released the following year.[3] It spawned two UK hit singles: "Closest Thing to Heaven" (No. 12) and a cover of the Staples Singers' "Respect Yourself"[9] (No. 21). The latter was also a hit in Australia, reaching No. 19. The album was produced by Pete Wingfield, and featured P. P. Arnold and Sam Brown as backing vocalists.[3][10]
The band's next album, Miracle, was released in 1987 and spawned two US hit singles: "Motortown" (No. 36 US / No. 45 UK) and another cover – this time of Dennis Edwards' "Don't Look Any Further"[9] (No. 64 US / No. 52 UK). The latter hit No. 1 on the US Dance Charts.[11]
Woods left the band in 1991 to attempt a solo career.[3] Woods and Brewis also worked on an album which was never released.
It was announced that the Kane Gang would reunite for a gig at Sunderland's The Fire Station music venue on 2 November 2024.[12]
Other works
editThe Kane Gang performed the music for the "Ooh Gary Davies... On Your Radio" jingle for BBC Radio 1.[13] As was the fashion around that time, bands would adapt songs to provide the radio station with a jingle, and embed the hook of the track in the public's consciousness. The Gary Davies jingle was based on their track "Smalltown Creed"[13] (from the LP The Bad and Lowdown World of the Kane Gang). The same track was used as the basis for the theme tune of long-running Children's BBC television programme Byker Grove, which launched the careers of Ant & Dec (as PJ & Duncan) and Donna Air.[14]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [15] |
AUS [16] |
US [11] | ||
| The Bad and Lowdown World of the Kane Gang |
|
21 | 65 | — |
| Miracle |
|
41 | 82 | 115 |
Compilation albums
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| The Miracle of the Kane Gang |
Singles
edit| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 [11] |
US Adult [11] |
US Dance [11] |
AUS [16] |
UK [15] | ||
| 1983 | "Brother Brother" | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984 | "Smalltown Creed" | — | — | — | — | 60 |
| "Closest Thing to Heaven" | — | — | — | 57 | 12 | |
| "Respect Yourself" | — | — | — | 19 | 21 | |
| 1985 | "Gun Law" | — | — | — | — | 53 |
| 1987 | "Motortown" | 36 | 12 | — | 87 | 45 |
| "What Time Is It?" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Don't Look Any Further" | 64 | — | 1 | — | 52 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||
See also
edit- List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
- List of number-one dance singles of 1988 (U.S.)
- List of 1980s one-hit wonders in the United States
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- Bands and musicians from Yorkshire and North East England
- Now That's What I Call Music 4 (UK series)
Citations
edit- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961–2006. Record Research Inc. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-89820-169-7.
- ^ Hustle, The (29 December 2015). "Episode 34 - Martin Brammer of The Kane Gang – The Hustle – Podcast". Podtail.
- ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 155. ISBN 0-85112-579-4.
- ^ "THE KANE GANG". Archived from the original on 20 January 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "The Kane Gang Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "x.com".
- ^ "Martin Brammer interview". Zioshow.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
- ^ "Martin Brammer | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Kane Gang: Motortown". One Hit Wonder Central. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ "Lowdown by Kane Gang". Archived from the original on 8 October 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kane Gang | Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ "The Kane Gang aided & abetted by Field Music + Special Guests". www.thefirestation.org.uk.
- ^ a b Davies, Gary (3 October 2019). "I was young, free and single and treated like a rock star... then I got fired! Now I'm back after 25 years and I'm loving it". Daily Record. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Byker Grove - History of the BBC". BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 296. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 163. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
