Fine Young Cannibals

When Birmingham’s The Beat disbanded in 1983 few would have bet that bassist David Steele and guitarist Andy Cox would go on to form one of the most successful groups of the decade.

The pair recruited former Akrylykz member Roland Gift, who’s distinct vocals would landmark the sound of Fine Young Cannibals. Debut single, 1985’s Johnny Come Home, was an instant hit, charting at number eight in the UK. Their self-titled debut was another great success, cementing Fine Young Cannibals’ as the most exciting new British band of the time.

Second album, 1989’s The Raw & The Cooked, catapulted the group to international mega stars. Decamping to Prince’s Paisley Park, they worked with engineer/producer David Z to record The Raw & The Cooked. This led to the creation of She Drives Me Crazy, one of the most iconic songs of the 1980s that topped charts across the world.

As musicians who had come of age in the punk era, global pop stardom never sat well with the band, however, and after attempts to record a third album in the early ‘90s they decided to part ways, leaving an immaculate legacy of some of the best-loved pop music of the era.