Random top ten: Singers pretending to be bands

Published on Thursday 7 May 2009 16:02

1 Simply Red

Currently on a "farewell" tour celebrating 25 years in the music business, Simply Red will soon split up. Picture the emotional scenes at these live shows, as Mick Hucknall prepares to part company with some people most of his audience have never heard of. After which, what? He will tour as Mick Hucknall, presumably, accompanied by some other people nobody has heard of. It is, truly, the end of an era.

2 Tears for Fears

Aka musically brilliant shrinking violet Roland Orzabal and his more flamboyant, less musically brilliant best friend, Curt Smith. Listen to Tears for Fears' first three albums, and observe Orzabel's gradual realisation that Smith was surplus to requirements. By album four, Orzabel was on his own, and writing sarcastic songs about his former partner.

3 Wham!

All-conquering pop duo consisting of a talented but shy singer-songwriter and his ambitious but otherwise mostly useless best mate, whom he rapidly outgrew. As we all know, Andrew Ridgley went on to release a much-neglected solo album, before forging a new career selling surfing equipment. Where the other one ended up we have no idea.

4 The Pretenders

OK, so some of the "band" have been in the line-up for many years now, but name any member of the Pretenders other than Chrissie Hynde. Go on! You can't, can you?

5 The Cure

OK, so some of this "band" have been in the line-up for many years now, but name any member of the Cure other than Robert Smith. Go on! You can't, can you?

6 Babybird

A fascinating, eccentric pop oddity over five albums of scratchy demo recordings, Stephen Jones, aka Babybird, became less interesting once he'd recruited a band and attempted to become a proper pop star, despite You're Gorgeous becoming a biggish hit. Better off by himself, all round.

7 PJ Harvey

For two albums, 1992's Dry and 1993's Rid of Me, PJ Harvey were a three-piece band. They just happened to be named after their singer, who kept the name when she went solo. Fair enough, it being her name and everything.

8 Goldfrapp

Goldfrapp, confusingly, is a duo, but one that takes its name from its singer's surname, while the other member, Will Gregory, has never appeared on stage and is nothing but a blur in the background in all the publicity photos – if he can be seen at all. Each to their own, one supposes. Also, Goldfrapp and Gregory would sound like an accountancy firm.

9 Elvis Costello and the Attractions

The Attractions, it is safe to say, were not the main attraction.

10 The Fall

Aka Mark E Smith plus whatever set of hired hands are pottering around behind him this week – all of whom, you can be sure, will soon disappear like one of those anonymous crew members in Star Trek.