ABOUT
The Rubettes were an English pop/rock band formed in 1973 by Wayne Bickerton, then head of A&R at Polydor Records, who assembled a group of session singers and musicians to record several songs he co-wrote with longtime collaborator, Tony Waddington. With a band name that harkens back to earlier days, The Rubettes had a unique style that combined glam rock with doo-wop and 1950s rock and roll. The initial lineup consisted of Pete Arnesen, John Richardson, and Alan Williams, with Mick Clarke, Bill Hurd, and Tony Thorpe coming on board in 1974.
The Rubettes made their debut on the U.S. charts in 1974 with the doo-wop-styled bubblegum song, "Sugar Baby Love," featuring lead falsetto guest vocals by Paul Da Vinci. This song became a Top 40 hit and the band's last entry on the U.S. charts. "Sugar Baby Love" topped the charts in the U.K., Australia, Germany, and several other countries, and the band went on to have a long string of U.K. chart hits through 1977 that also included "Tonight" (1974), "Juke Box Jive" (1974), "I Can Do It" (1975), "Foe-Dee-Oh-Dee" (1975), "Little Darling" (1975), "You're The Reason Why" (1976), "Under One Roof" (1976), and "Baby I Know" (1977).
Over the years, The Rubettes had several breakups and reunions along with many attendant personnel changes, and they have continued to tour actively in Europe on the nostalgia circuit to well into the 21st century. There are currently two incarnations of the band, both of which include original members: The Rubettes Featuring Bill Hurd and The Rubettes Featuring Alan Williams.
LINKS
- For more information about the history of the original Rubettes, visit rubettes.com.
- For more information about The Rubettes band with original members Alan Williams, John Richardson, and Mick Clarke, visit rubettesfeaturingalanwilliams.com.
- For more information about The Rubettes band featuring original keyboardist Bill Hurd, go to rubettesfeaturingbillhurd.com.
MERCHANDISE
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- The Rubettes - CDs, vinyl, & more - Amazon.com
- The Rubettes - Digital music - Amazon.com
- The Rubettes - Rare vinyl, CDs, & more - MusicStack.com
SONGS
To listen to a song clip, click any song title that has a speaker icon. This will take you to a list of links to CD and/or MP3 product pages from one or more online merchants that have sound samples.
The Rubettes
- Sugar Baby Love 1974
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