Modern Romance

Modern Romance is a pop group from London, formed in 1980 by former members of the Leyton Buzzards. The original line-up grows out of Geoffrey Deane and David Jaymes’s earlier work in the punk parody band the Leyton Buzzards, which they form in 1977. Modern Romance’s early years are tied to the rise of electronic dance music in London clubs, but the group later shifts towards a Latin-American dance sound with a stronger emphasis on bass, percussion and brass.

Early releases and chart success

The band signs to WEA through a company called Business Art Productions and releases its first single, “Modern Romance”, in 1980, followed by the unsuccessful “Tonight”. It then recruits trumpet player John Du Prez and drummer Andy Kyriacou, and breaks through with “Everybody Salsa” in 1981, which reaches the UK Top 20. Later that year “Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey” reaches the UK Top 10. The group also has a US dance hit with “Can You Move”, a rap-led version of “Everybody Salsa”, which reaches number 2 on the Billboard Dance chart.

Further UK hits follow with “Queen of the Rapping Scene” and a cover of “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White”. Deane leaves in 1982 and Michael J. Mullins becomes lead vocalist. Under Mullins, the band reaches its highest UK chart position with “Best Years of Our Lives”, and continues with “High Life”, “Don’t Stop That Crazy Rhythm” and “Walking in the Rain”. “Best Years of Our Lives” and “Walking in the Rain” both earn silver discs.

Albums, line-up changes and later years

The debut album Adventures in Clubland does not match the singles’ success. The compilation Party Tonight appears in 1983 and becomes the group’s most successful album, reaching gold certification after selling more than 100,000 copies in six weeks. John Du Prez later leaves, and the band moves from WEA to RCA in 1984. It also changes its image, replacing bright suits and wedge hairstyles with long hair and leather jackets. A cover of “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” does not chart strongly, and the final studio album Burn It! appears in 1985. The group then issues the single “Tarzan Boy”, a cover of the Baltimora song, and the anthology Best Mix of Our Lives before splitting.

Reformation and live work

Andy Kyriacou reforms Modern Romance in 1999 with a new line-up that includes no original members. In 2002 the group releases Back on Track, a set mostly built from re-recorded Modern Romance songs, also issued as Moves 2 Fast with a different track listing. The reformed band continues to perform on the 1980s festival circuit, including the opening slot at Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames in 2010 and a performance at Let’s Rock the Moor! in Cookham, Berkshire in 2012.

Members and related work

Key members associated with the group include Geoff Deane, David Jaymes, Paul Gendler and Michael J. Mullins, with Andy Kyriacou becoming an important later member and continuing with the reformed band. After Modern Romance, Deane works as a scriptwriter and television producer, writing for Birds of a Feather, Babes in the Wood, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Chef!, Last Man Standing and A Many-Splintered Thing. He also writes the film Kinky Boots in 2005 and It’s a Boy Girl Thing in 2006, and earlier releases records under the names Geoff Deane & The Valley Girls and as a solo artist, as well as writing “You Think You’re A Man” for Divine.

David Jaymes moves into management, consultancy and music supervision, working on the film Fascination and continuing to collaborate with John Du Prez on commercials and feature films. He manages artists including Sinéad O’Connor, Justin Adams, Miles Hunt of The Wonder Stuff, Republica and Drum Club, and consults for Harry Nilsson, Jimmy Webb, George Fenton and Chuck Mangione. In 2010 he also works on the Haiti earthquake charity single “I Put a Spell on You”, alongside Shane MacGowan, Nick Cave, Chrissie Hynde and Johnny Depp.