After Dinner Speakers: The Rubettes, Issy Van Randwyck, P.J. O'Rourke

Former songwriters of the Pete Best Four, Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington created the Rubettes from session musicians after their composition, "Sugar Baby Love", was rejected by existing acts. A fusion of 50s revivalism and glam-rock, it gave the new group's career a flying start by topping the UK charts and climbing into the US Top 40 in 1974. The song was mimed on television and promoted in concert by Alan Williams (b. 22 December 1948, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England; vocals/guitar), Tony Thorpe (b. 20 July 1947, London, England; guitar), Bill Hurd (b. 11 August 1948, London, England; keyboards), Mick Clarke (b. 10 August 1946, Grimsby, Humberside, England; bass, ex-Symbols) and John Richardson (b. 3 May 1948, Dagenham, Essex, England). Despite adverse publicity when it was revealed that a Paul Da Vinci had warbled the punishing falsetto lead vocal on "Sugar Baby Love", the five stayed together and were able to continue as hit parade contenders and touring attractions - particularly in Britain and northern Europe - for another three years. "Tonight", "Juke Box Jive", "I Can Do It' and lesser hits mixed mainly Waddington-Bickerton and band originals. Five years after their grand exit with 1977"s countrified "Baby I Know" in the domestic Top 10, Thorpe returned from obscurity to sing lead on the Firm's "Arthur Daley (E's Alright)", a chartbusting paean to the main character in the television series Minder. This was followed in 1987 with the UK number 1, "Star Trekkin'". Richardson went on to record New Age style music.