(HRPR) In 1985 Fine Young Cannibals made an unforgettable first impression with their debut single "Johnny Come Home" and their self-titled album, showcasing a fully-formed act with a sharp, soulful sound and potent songs. But it was 1989's The Raw & The Cooked that propelled them onto the global stage, becoming their defining masterpiece. Powered by hits like "She Drives Me Crazy," "Good Thing" (both US Billboard #1s) and their inspired take on the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen In Love," the album encapsulated 30 years of music in 35 minutes and sold over five million copies worldwide, topping charts on both sides of the Atlantic, and earned the band two BRIT Awards, an Ivor Novello, four MTV Music Video nominations and three GRAMMY Award nominations. After their tidal wave of success, they closed in 1996 with the elegiac final single "The Flame."
Fine Young Cannibals' rise was almost as unlikely as it was spectacular. When UK outfit The Beat split unceremoniously at their peak, bassist David Steele and guitarist Andy Cox forged a creative alliance and pushed past waning industry enthusiasm for the fading 2 Tone scene. Teaming up with former Ska band Akrylykz frontman Roland Gift, a singer with matinee-idol looks and a voice steeped in Otis Redding-esque soul, they forged a sound that would make them one the most internationally successful acts of their generation.
Forty years on and the enduring influence of the band and their sound continues to resonate, with their songs making prominent appearances in film ("Johnny Come Home" in the Andrew Haigh's award winning film All of Us Strangers) and TV ("She Drives Me Crazy" in Season 4 of the acclaimed series The Bear), as well as "She Drives Me Crazy" becoming the musical centerpiece for the Chanel 2025 Handbag campaign starring Dua Lipa and Jennie from BLACKPINK.
London Records celebrates this legacy with FYC40, a definitive anthology out November 21 and available to pre-order/pre-save now. From the bedsit-soul grit of "Johnny Come Home" to the taut, piledriver angst of "She Drives Me Crazy" and the late-Elvis ache of "Suspicious Minds," FYC40 offers a kaleidoscope of soul and R&B-influenced music filtered through a very distinct British lens.
FYC40 is available to pre-order now in multiple formats. Single vinyl and CD editions present a 12-track album or the core hits, while an expanded double vinyl offers 24 tracks, including six exclusive remixes. The double-CD set features the expanded album plus a second disc packed with brand-new and rare remixes from the London Records vault.
The expanded formats of FYC40 go beyond the hits, unearthing rare and unreleased gems, including era-defining remixes by a who's who of dance and hip hop culture including Soul II Soul's Jazzie B, De La Soul's Prince Paul, Norman Cook, Arthur Baker, Roger Sanchez, Mousse T and Faithless, alongside brand-new remixes from the likes of Flight Facilities, The Reflex, DJ Q and previously unheard promotional remixes from the likes of Frankie Knuckles and Juan Atkins.
The DJ Q remix of "Ever Fallen in Love" is out today. A household name in the UK garage and bassline scene, DJ Q re-imagines FYC's iconic Buzzcocks cover with driving low-end energy, sharp two-step percussion and floor-filling momentum, bridging the song's classic pop history with contemporary club culture.
For collectors, the Deluxe 4CD/DVD box set is a definitive treasure trove - featuring 1985's self-titled debut, The Raw and The Cooked (each expanded with rarities), two further discs of new, rare and unreleased remixes, and a DVD compiling all the band's promo videos alongside the full 1989 Live At The Paramountconcert (restored audio and visuals) and BBC classic performances from Top Of The Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test, and Wogan.
Roland Gift and his band will play two special headline shows at the London Palladium (October 2nd) and Birmingham Symphony Hall (November 12th).
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