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Cutting Crew

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Cutting Crew
Cutting Crew in 1989
Cutting Crew in 1989
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Years active1985 (1985)–1993, 2005–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitecuttingcrew.org

Cutting Crew are an English rock band formed in London in 1985. They are best known for their debut studio album Broadcast (1986) and hit singles, "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" and "I've Been in Love Before".

History

[edit]

1985–1986: Formation

[edit]

While still in his teens, Nick Van Eede (born Nicholas Eede) recorded a few UK solo singles in the late 1970s. Later, he was in the band the Drivers,[3] which found success in Canada, particularly with their 1982 single "Tears on Your Anorak". While touring Canada, the Drivers had a support band called Fast Forward, whose line-up included guitarist Kevin MacMichael.[3] Van Eede was so impressed with MacMichael's guitar playing that he asked him to form a new band with him. The Drivers broke up in 1984, but MacMichael continued to tour with Fast Forward. In 1985, MacMichael survived an accident when his tour bus drove off the side of a mountain, and he relocated to London, England to join forces with Van Eede.[3][4] Initially, the two made demos before bassist Colin Farley and drummer Martin "Frosty" Beedle joined in 1986.[5][3] They named the band "Cutting Crew" after a quote by Queen, who were once asked why they were not touring, and they replied, "We're a cutting crew", meaning they were only cutting records in the studio.[6]

Having assembled the band, they invited representatives from various labels to a London recording studio to showcase the crew, and they were later signed by Siren Records, which was part of Virgin Records.[4]

1986–1988: Broadcast and breakthrough

[edit]

Their debut studio album, Broadcast, was released on Virgin Records in 1986. The song "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" was mixed in London at Utopia Studios by Tim Palmer. Although Virgin Records was already a major label in the UK, their debut song, "(I Just) Died in Your Arms", provided the first US hit for Virgin as a full-fledged label. This song release quickly helped the band gain popularity. Virgin flew the band to New York City for initial recordings of the album, then to Australia to shoot music videos. The unknown band shot to No. 1 in the major US market, as well as smaller markets such as Canada and Norway, with their debut single. Their most popular single was a multiformat success in the US, where it also reached number four on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, No. 24 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and—in an extended remix version—No. 37 on the Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The song peaked at No. 4 in another major market, the UK Singles Chart, as well as becoming a hit in the smaller Switzerland and South Africa markets. It went to No. 2 in Sweden and Ireland, and No. 9 in Austria.[7] Keyboardist Tony Moore joined in 1986 and was a touring member of the band through 1988.

The choice for follow-up single in the UK had been "I've Been in Love Before", but that song spent only three weeks in the UK Top 40, peaking at No. 31. Their choice for follow-up single in the US was their third UK release, "One for the Mockingbird", but the song was a relative commercial disappointment on both sides of the Atlantic, just cracking the Top 40 of the Hot 100 at No. 38 and hitting No. 29 on the Mainstream Rock chart in the US, No. 47 in Canada and No. 52 in the UK Singles Chart.

The band took a chance on "I've Been in Love Before" again, this time with greater success. The song became Cutting Crew's second US Top 10 on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 9, and was their first major hit on the US Adult Contemporary chart, where it peaked at No. 2. This success prompted a UK re-release, and this time it spent five weeks in the UK Singles Chart Top 40, peaking at No. 24. The song failed to chart throughout most of Europe, but it peaked at No. 8 in Canada. Despite an unflattering review by Rolling Stone magazine, Cutting Crew received a Grammy nomination as the Best New Artist of 1987.

1988–1990: The Scattering

[edit]

Disputes with management led to a long recording hiatus, which stalled the band's career momentum. Cutting Crew's second studio album, The Scattering,[8] was finally released in early 1989. Its lead single, "(Between a) Rock and a Hard Place" (CA 54, UK 66, U.S. 77), failed to reach the Top 40. Van Eede's vocal style, however, did score a sizeable US Adult Contemporary hit with "Everything but My Pride." That song peaked at No. 4 and stayed in the top 50 for 22 weeks. It climbed to No. 72 on the Canadian pop charts, though it failed to hit the US Hot 100. The prophetically named "The Last Thing" scaled the AC charts as high as No. 17 in early 1990 and went to No. 90 on the Canadian chart, and has been their final chart hit to date. Although a music video for the title track did air briefly in the UK and North America, The Scattering failed to chart.

1991–1992: Compus Mentus

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Recorded at The Mill Studios in Cookham, Berkshire on the Thames and produced by Chris Neil. Farley and Beedle left the group in 1991 with no replacement, leaving only Eede and MacMichael in the group.[3] Eede sang and played keyboards and MacMichael played all guitars (lead and bass). Standout tracks are "Frigid as England" written by Jeff Lowe, the plaintive "Sweet Auburn" and the darkly comic, "Don't Let It Bring You Down".

The album spawned one single, "If That's the Way You Want It."[9] Neither the single nor the album itself charted. Within weeks of its release, Virgin Records was bought by EMI and the album became obsolete.

1993–2005: Break-up and MacMichael's death

[edit]

The band broke up in 1993; shortly after the release of their Compus Mentus studio album. After the break-up, MacMichael joined forces with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and played on his solo studio album Fate of Nations. On 31 December 2002, MacMichael died of lung cancer[10][3] at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the age of 51.

2005–2014: Reformation

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In 2003, Van Eede formed the group Grinning Souls. This group independently released the studio album Capture in 2005. The following year, Van Eede took the decision to re-release the album under the title Grinning Souls,[10][11] this time crediting the work to Cutting Crew.[10][3] Grinning Souls (the band) became Cutting Crew for all subsequent live work: Van Eede was the only original Cutting Crew member in the group.

The new band toured in Germany, Norway, the UK, Canada, Hungary, Switzerland and the USA with, amongst others, ABC, Berlin, Wang Chung, Supertramp, Level 42 and Midge Ure. In 2008, Cutting Crew signed a US deal with label Spectra Records.

2015–2019: Add to Favourites

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In October 2015, Cutting Crew released their fifth studio album, Add to Favourites,[3][12] through In Red Flynn label, via Cherry Red Records.[13][14][15][16] It features "Till the Money Run$ Out",[14] which was released as the first single on 4 September 2015.[17][18] The band line-up included guitarists Gareth Moulton and Joolz Dunkley, bassist Nick Kay, keyboardist Jono Harrison, drummer Martyn Barker and the Blackjack Horns.[3] The band embarked on a UK tour shortly after its release.[14]

2020–present: Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven

[edit]

At the end of 2018, Cutting Crew had announced, through their social networks, they had plans to release a new album featuring "new songs and new versions of CC classics."[19] Although they did not have any new releases for 2019, a press release made by January of the following year announced the release for their second official worldwide compilation album titled Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven, featuring nine songs from their past catalogue reworked as orchestral renditions, as well as other versions.[20] Soon afterwards, the release date was announced on 27 March 2020 by Van Eede in a short video through the Cutting Crew official Facebook page.[21] On the same day, they released the lead single for this project, an eight-track digital EP of their signature song "(I Just) Died in Your Arms",[22] which also received a physical release,[23] as well as a brand new video for the song uploaded on YouTube.[24]

The album was released on 24 April 2020,[25] through August Day label,[26] on digital platforms such as Spotify[27] and Apple Music.[28] But due to logistics limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic, its physical release was delayed until 8 May 2020.[25] Along with its other formats there is a limited box edition containing three different CDs, as well as the physical CD edition of the reworked (I Just) Died in Your Arms EP, and a postcard signed by Van Eede himself.[21] To promote the album, Van Eede spoke to several media outlets, such as American Songwriter[29] and Forbes.[30] This greatest hits album has since spawned two more singles, the orchestral version of the Broadcast single "One for the Mockingbird",[31] and the orchestral version of The Scattering single "Everything but My Pride".[32]

On 5 August 2020, it was announced a vinyl limited edition, with only 300 copies pressed, would be available for purchase solely through DTC,[33] making this the first vinyl edition of one of the band's releases since The Scattering.[33] After Van Eede stated he had planned to do some concerts held in England in 2021 to support the album,[34][30] the band announced on 7 September 2020 they would be the opening act for Go West's upcoming tour to happen in 2021,[35] but, after the sanitary measures regarding COVID-19 pandemic still happening, the joint tour was postponed to the first half of the following year.[36][37][38] Cutting Crew's setlist for this tour featured several cuts from Ransomed.[39] After concluding touring the UK, Cutting Crew started their 35th Anniversary Tour in Germany.[40][41]

Members

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Current members

  • Nick Van Eede – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards (1985–1993, 2005–present)
  • Tom Arnold – drums (2005–present)
  • Gareth Moulton – lead guitar (2005–present)
  • Martyn Barker – drums (2013–present)
  • Gary Barnacle – saxophone (2013–present)
  • Jack Birchwood – brass (2013–present)
  • Angela Brooks – backing vocals (2013–present)
  • Nik Carter – brass (2013–present)
  • TJ Davis – backing vocals (2013–present)
  • Joolz Dunkley – guitars, keyboards (2013–present)
  • Steven Fuller – brass (2013–present)
  • Jono Harrison – keyboards (2013–present)
  • Nick Kay – bass (2013–present)
  • Mak Norman – bass (2013–present)

Former members

  • Martin "Frosty" Beedle – drums (1985–1993)
  • Colin Farley – bass (1985–1993)
  • Kevin MacMichael – lead guitar (1985–1993; died 2002)
  • Tony Moore – keyboards (1986–1988)
  • Dominic Finley – bass (2005-2008)
  • Sam Flynn – keyboards (2005-2008)

Discography

[edit]
Cutting Crew discography
Studio albums5
Compilation albums7
Singles13
Video albums1

Albums

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[42] 		AUS
[43] 		CAN
[44] 		FIN
[45] 		GER
[46] 		NOR
[47] 		SWE
[48] 		US
[49]
Broadcast 41 77 11 7 49 3 30 16
The Scattering
  • Released: 16 May 1989
  • Label: Siren, Virgin
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
 — — — — — — — 150
Compus Mentus
  • Released: 27 July 1992
  • Label: Siren, Virgin
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
 — — — — — — — —
Grinning Souls [A]
  • Released: 6 March 2006
  • Label: Hypertension
  • Formats: CD
 — — — — — — — —
Add to Favourites — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

[edit]
Title Album details
The Best of Cutting Crew
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Virgin
  • Formats: CD, MC
Cutting Crew – Best of the 80's
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Disky
  • Formats: CD
I'm on the Guest List
  • Released: 2017
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: CD
Icon
Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven
  • Released: 24 April 2020
  • Label: August Day Recordings
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
Mixes / Extended / Live
  • Released: 22 April 2022
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Formats: digital download
All for You - The Virgin Years 1986-1992
  • Released: 9 February 2024
  • Label: Cherry Pop
  • Formats: CD Boxset

Video albums

[edit]
Title Album details
Live at Full House
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: M's Box
  • Formats: LaserDisc
  • Re-released on DVD in 2006

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[42] 		AUS
[43] 		BEL (FL)
[55] 		CAN
[56] 		GER
[46] 		IRE
[57] 		NOR
[58] 		US
[59] 		US AC
[60] 		US Main
[61]
"(I Just) Died in Your Arms" 1986 4 8 17 1 4 2 1 1 24 4 Broadcast
"I've Been in Love Before" 24 — — 8 44 25 — 9 2 50
"One for the Mockingbird" 1987 52 96 40 47 — — — 38 — 29
"Any Colour" 83 — — — — — — — — —
"(Between a) Rock and a Hard Place" 1989 66 — — 54 — — — 77 — 41 The Scattering
"The Scattering" 96 — — — — — — — — —
"Everything but My Pride" — — — 72 — — — — 4 —
"The Last Thing" 1990 — — — 90 — — — — 17 —
"If That's the Way You Want It" 1992 92 — — — — — — — — — Compus Mentus
"Hard on You" 2006 — — — — — — — — — — Grinning Souls
"Till the Money Run$ Out" 2015 — — — — — — — — — — Add to Favourites
"(I Just) Died in Your Arms" (Orchestral Version) 2020 — — — — — — — — — — Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven
"Everything but My Pride" (Orchestral Version) 2021 — — — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Notes

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  1. ^ Originally released in 2005 as Capture under the name 'Grinning Souls'.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries – Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 389. ISBN 978-1-8460-9091-2.
  2. ^ "Cutting Crew - Don't Look Back". Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Vera Mella, Alfie (2 November 2015). "Cutting Crew - Add to Favourites (Album Review)". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b Bronson, Fred (2001). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books. p. 665. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
  5. ^ Larkin, Collin, ed. (2 October 2014). "Cutting Crew". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 4th Edition.
  6. ^ Simpson, Dave (19 February 2024). "'If you release that, I'm leaving': how Cutting Crew made (I Just) Died in Your Arms". The Guardian.
  7. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arms". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  8. ^ Sutton, Michael. "The Scattering - Cutting Crew | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Cutting Crew - If That's The Way You Want It (CD, 1992) - Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Bansal, Vik (6 March 2006). "Cutting Crew - Grinning Souls". musicOMH. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Grinning Souls by Cutting Crew on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Add to Favourites by Cutting Crew on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  13. ^ Barrett, Simon (12 November 2015). "This Week in Reviews -Cutting Crew 11/12 by Simon Barrett". BlogTalkRadio. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  14. ^ a b c "UK Hitmakers Cutting Crew Release First New Album In Ten Years!". Real Rock News. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Add to Favourites - Cutting Crew". Amazon Music. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Add to Favourites - Cutting Crew". Cherry Red Records' official webstore. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  17. ^ "Till the Money Runs Out - Single by Cutting Crew". Spotify. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Till the Money Runs Out - Single". Apple Music. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  19. ^ "More Sunday bliss. Look out for new album (...)". Cutting Crew's official account on Twitter. 9 December 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  20. ^ "80's Icons, Cutting Crew return with New Orchestral album!". Pressparty. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Cutting Crew - NEW ALBUM - AVAILABLE NOW (...)". Cutting Crew's official page on Facebook. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  22. ^ "(I Just) Died in Your Arms". Spotify. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died in Your Arms". Cutting Crew's official webstore. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died in Your Arms (Orchestral Version)". August Day's official account on YouTube. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  25. ^ a b "We're very pleased to finally see our new album out today (...)". Cutting Crew's official page on Facebook. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Cutting Crew". August Day's official website. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  27. ^ "Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven". Spotify. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  28. ^ "Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven by Cutting Crew on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  29. ^ Beviglia, Jim (27 April 2020). "Nick Van Eede Weighs In on New Cutting Crew Album". American Songwriter. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  30. ^ a b Chiu, David (12 May 2020). "Cutting Crew's Latest LP Features Iconic '80s Hit Reimagined With An Orchestra". Forbes. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  31. ^ "One for the Mockingbird". Spotify. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  32. ^ "Everything But My Pride". Spotify. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Cutting Crew - Ransomed Healed Restored Forgiven - Limited Edition LP (...)". Cutting Crew's official page on Facebook. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  34. ^ Smith, Lawrence (31 March 2020). "Cutting Crew return with a stunning orchestral album: a conversation with Nick Van Eede". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  35. ^ "Just announced. Hope you can make it to one of these fabulous shows". Cutting Crew's official page on Facebook. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  36. ^ Cooper, Kevin. "GO WEST TOURING THE UK IN 2022". UK Music Reviews. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  37. ^ Costa, Monica (22 January 2022). "Chatting to 80's Popsters Go West and rockers Cutting Crew who are back on the road this Spring". London Mums Magazine. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  38. ^ "Go West - The Bridgewater Hall". Bridgewater Hall. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  39. ^ Ritchie, Miriam; Ritchie, Steve (22 March 2022). "Sunday Night at The London Palladium - Go West and Cutting Crew". PCN Magazine. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  40. ^ "CUTTING CREW - 35th Anniversary Tour 2022" (in German). AllEvents.in. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  41. ^ "CUTTING CREW - 35th Anniversary Tour 2022" (in German). Frankfurter Hof Mainz. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  42. ^ a b "CUTTING CREW | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  43. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 80. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  44. ^ "RPM 100 Singles". RPM. Vol. 46, no. 9. 6 June 1987. Retrieved 15 May 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  45. ^ "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit COU - CYR". Sisältää hitin. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  46. ^ a b "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  47. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  48. ^ "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  49. ^ "Cutting Crew – Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  50. ^ "British certifications – Cutting Crew – Broadcast". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  51. ^ "British certifications – Cutting Crew – Broadcast". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  52. ^ "Kulta- ja platinalevyt". Musiikkituottajat (in Finnish). Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  53. ^ a b "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  54. ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  55. ^ "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". Ultratop. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  56. ^ Peak positions for Cutting Crew's singles in Canada:
  57. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  58. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  59. ^ "Cutting Crew – Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  60. ^ "Cutting Crew – Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  61. ^ "Cutting Crew – Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  62. ^ "British certifications – Cutting Crew – (I Just) Died In Your Arms". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  63. ^ "Datenbank: BVMI". www.musikindustrie.de. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  64. ^ "Cutting Crew "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" | IFPI". ifpi.dk. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  65. ^ "Certificazioni - FIMI". www.fimi.it (in Italian). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
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