The Story

In late 1980 Nichola Martin and Andy Hill sought to create a new group to enter their song 'Making Your Mind up' in the Eurovision song contest. After successfully finding Mike Nolan, Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston and Bobby Gee they decided on the name Bucks Fizz (after Nichola's Favourite drink!).

After winning A Song for Europe the newly formed band went on to win the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin and also created the now famous skirt ripping routine. Making Your Mind Up went straight to number one in the UK and around Europe making the band international stars overnight. Andy Hill effortlessly wrote what would become the bands first album simply titled 'Bucks Fizz' and scoring another two hit singles.

Two more number one singles followed 'The Land of Makebelieve' and 'My Camera Never Lies' along with the groundbreaking album 'Are You Ready'. During the hectic recording schedule Bucks Fizz also went on tour, performing worldwide to their legions of fans. They had now established themselves as one of the front running bands of the 80's, even securing a weekly comic strip adventure in the popular magazine 'Look In'.

1983 saw the release of the critically acclaimed album 'Handcut' with a further two hit singles 'If You Can't Stand the Heat' and Run For Your Life'. During this period the band had a major image change designed to appeal to a more discerning audience, largely due to Jay Aston who was not only creating the bands look but also choreographing many of the dance routines.

By the end of the year the band had released the stand out track 'When We Were Young' which finally proved that they were not just a pop band but by dipping their toes in the new wave movement of the time they were also inovators of style. By Christmas they had notched up enough hit singles for a Greatest Hits album.

1984 started off as a quiet year until the summer when they released their version of The Romantics song 'Talking in your Sleep' which gave them a top 20 hit and a rockier sound. Then came the fabulously dramatic yet underated 'Goldendays', showing the truly outstanding vocal harmonies once more. But it was on the release of the fourth album 'I Hear Talk' that things would take a dramatic turn for the worse.

While on a December tour, after a sell out concert at Newcastle City Hall, the band were involved in a tragic coach crash which left Mike Nolan in a coma and fighting for his life. With the skill of Britain's top surgeons and the support of family, friends and fans Mike began the slow road to recovery. He and Cheryl set up the charity 'Headfirst' for which they still raise funds every year to support this life changing cause.

A further blow for the band came in 1985 when Jay Aston annouced she was to leave the band. Auditions to replace Jay found singer Shelley Preston who secured a further album 'The Writing on the Wall' and five more singles including the stand out top ten song 'New Beginning'.

The single 'Heart of Stone' would be the last recording from Bucks Fizz in 1988, although the final single release was the classic Handcut album track 'You Love Love' from 1983.

The band has continued in various forms until the present day, with a renewed interest largely due to both the fantastic Early Years website where fans old and new relentlessly debate the Bucks Fizz phenomenom and the works of music producer Dean Murphy. Dean has ensured that all previous Bucks Fizz recordings have been released on CD along with some unearthed material in the Lost Masters series.

Bobby Gee still continues to fly the Bucks Fizz flag with his acclaimed live show and, after the recent departure of Shelley Preston from The Original Bucks Fizz, Jay Aston is back after 24 years with her old band mates Mike and Cheryl to keep the Bucks Fizz name alive.

The Music

Singles

Making Your Mind Up, Piece of the Action, One of those Nights, The Land of Make Believe, My Camera Never Lies, Now Those Days are Gone, If You Can't Stand the Heat, Run For Your Life, When We Were Young, London Town, Rules of The Game, Talking in Your Sleep, Golden Days, I Hear Talk, You and Your Heart So Blue, Magical, New Beginning, Love the One Your With, Keep Each Other Warm, Heart of Stone, You Love Love.

Albums

Bucks Fizz, Are You Ready, Handcut, Greatest Hits, I Hear Talk, The Writing on The Wall, Ultimate Anthology, The Lost Masters volume one, Best of...Bucks Fizz, The Lost Masters volume two, Bucks Fizz - The Platinum Collection

The Band

Cheryl has continued to combine Bucks Fizz with her TV career. She has been a presenter of many TV shows including Record Breakers and The Saturday Morning Picture show. More recently she has appeared on Ant and Decs Saturday Night Takeaway, Ready Steady Cook, Hells Kitchen, The Alan Titchmarch show, Paul O'Grady and Justin Lee Collins. She is also a regular guest on Loose Women.

Always keen to keep her music fans happy, Cheryl has done several Jazz evenings and has even been known to throw some laid back Bucks Fizz tunes into the set. She also starred in Footlose The Musical and more recently Menopause The Musical.

She has been hands on in the Lost Masters series and recently recorded some tracks for the third in the series with producer Dean Murphy.

Since leaving Bucks Fizz in 1985 Jay has released two solo albums 'Alive and Well' and 'Lamb or Lizard' proving her ability as a great songwriter as well as a stunning performer.

She also set up the 'Jay Aston Theatre School' where she teaches stars of the future.

2008 was a productive year for Jay, not only was she reunited with her old band mates Cheryl and Mike, but she also fulfilled an acting ambition by starring in the black comedy ‘The Last Days of Edgar Harding’ due for release late 2009. She played Claudia Brite, a star from the 80's on the verge of a comeback. She also performed her selfpenned track 'Rosie Banks' in the film, taken from the album 'Alive and Well'. See links page for trailers and movie site.

Since the heady days of Bucks Fizz, Mike has opted for the quiet life although he has appeared with Cheryl on Ready Steady Cook, showing the wicked side that won him plenty of fans back in the 80's.

More recently he appeared on Pop Goes The Band proving that he can still shape up well, much to the delight of all his Fizz fans!