The Belle Stars - The Belle Stars (30th anniversary)

Tomorrow (January 28th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the self-titled full-length album The Belle Stars from the all-female British rock-ska band. The record features a mix of original tunes and covers of classic songs.

Click here for my complete review of this album.

1-Stop-Experience - Peeping Tom

1-Stop-Experience is a group that combines the styles of Ska and reggae with Latin and jazz elements to create a spicy musical mix.

The band is made up of performers from a variety of former groups.

On tha album Jennie Matthias of the 80’s all-girl group the Belle Stars is on lead vocals. Skip McDonald plays lead guitar. Chico Chagas is on keyboards and synthesizer. Paget King is on keyboards and programming. Jim Dobson plays rhythm guitar. Martin Sawtell is on the bass. Damon Brown plays trumpet with additional horns provided by Crispy Horns. Winston Marche lays out the drumbeats. The production mix is by Adrian Sherwood.

On the road, Martin Stuart (of Bad Manners) plays keyboards. Lenny Bignell and Dredy Madoo (of Pama International) are on lead guitar and drums respectively. Ruby Fortune is on backing vocals. And Jim Dobson, Martin Sawtell, Damon Brown and Jennie Matthias all reprise their recording roles.

the Belle Stars - the Belle Stars

In 1980, an all female British rock band formed in London when a ska band called the Bodysnatchers broke up. The group included Jennie Matthias on lead vocals, Sarah Jane Owen on lead guitar, Stella Barker on rhythm guitar, Miranda Joyce on alto saxophone, Clare Hirst on tenor saxophone and keyboards, Lesley Shone on bass and Judy Parsons on drums.

It would take a few years of hard work playing locally, a half dozen singles released on Stiff Records, and a four song EP called Another Latin Love Song (click here for that review) before they'd put out their only full long-playing record. That album was the self-titled the Belle Stars which was released on January 28th, 1983, and reached number 15 in the UK charts on February 15th, 1983.