The First Class were a British pop music studio-based group, put together by songwriter and record producer John Carter.[1] They are best known for their hit song "Beach Baby," a top 20 hit in both the US and UK, and #1 in Canada..
The First Class | |
|---|---|
| Origin | England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
| Years active | 1974–1976 |
| Labels | UK |
| Members | John Carter Tony Burrows Chas Mills |
Career edit
The First Class was the studio creation of British singer/songwriter John Carter, who hired singers Tony Burrows and Chas Mills to join him as an outlet for material Carter wrote, with his creative partner and wife, Gillian (Jill) Shakespeare.[2] In the 1960s, Carter had formed the group Carter-Lewis and the Southerners with fellow producer Ken Lewis.[1] That band dissolved when Carter and Lewis began working extensively as studio singers, appearing on the hits "It's Not Unusual" (Tom Jones), "I Can't Explain" (The Who), "Hi Ho Silver Lining" (Jeff Beck), "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Sandie Shaw), "Excerpt From A Teenage Opera" (Keith West), and "Out of Time" (Chris Farlowe). Concurrently with this session work, Carter was a member of The Ivy League, leaving in 1966 to be replaced by Burrows.[2]
Carter and Shakespeare wrote the song "Beach Baby".[2] Carter immediately created a studio band, enlisting musicians Burrows and Mills, to record the song for Jonathan King's UK Records record label – under the name The First Class.[2] In 1974, the song became a hit in the UK (where it peaked at #13),[3] and in the US, where it peaked at #4.[1]
The group recorded a follow-up single, "Bobby Dazzler", and material for their eponymous first album, The First Class. While there was some demand for live performances by the group, neither Carter nor Burrows had the time for or interest in touring, so a group including bassist Robin Shaw, a previous member of The Flower Pot Men and White Plains, lead singer Del John, guitarist Spencer James (lead singer with The Searchers from 1986-2019), keyboardist Clive Barrett and drummer Eddie Richards (like Burrows, a former member of Edison Lighthouse) was assembled to perform a number of dates as The First Class.[2] Although that quintet was pictured and credited along with Carter, Burrows and Mills on the cover of the band's first album, none of the "live" quintet actually performed on "Beach Baby" or any of the album's other tracks.
"Bobby Dazzler" and later singles "Dreams Are Ten a Penny" No. 83. US, "Won't Somebody Help Me" and "Funny How Love Can Be" (No. 74 US, a remake of the 1965 hit by The Ivy League, on which Carter had been one of the vocalists) failed to chart in the UK.[1] Officially now down to a trio (Burrows, Carter and Mills) supported by studio session players, the group released an unsuccessful second album (SST) in 1976.[2]
After the issue of the second album, The First Class became strictly an occasional studio venture, while various members pursued other work. Still, the band continued to record and release non-album singles over the next several years, for a variety of labels: "Broken Toy" (1978), "Song On The Wind" (1979), "Ocean of Glass" (1981) and "Gimme Little Sign" (1983). None of these singles charted or received much attention, and by the mid-1980s the First Class effectively ceased to exist.[1]
Chas Mills subsequently retired from the music industry to run a restaurant in North London. Tony Burrows went on working as a solo artist. John Carter remained active writing jingles and managing his back catalogue. He later reflected on The First Class: "Making the First Class albums was a very happy and creative time. Who knows if we ever come up with another suitable song, maybe we will all get back together one day and record under that name again?"[4]
Discography edit
Original albums edit
- September 1974 The First Class UK Records. UKAL R 1008.
- October 1976 The First Class SST UK Records. UKAL 1022.
Compilation CDs edit
- 1993 Beach Baby & Other Assorted Love Songs (Century Records, Japan)
- 1994 Golden Classics (Collectables Records, US)
- 1996 The First Class/The First Class SST (compilation of 2 LPs) (See For Miles Records, UK)
- 1999 Beach Baby: The Very Best of The First Class (Collectables Records, US)
- 2005 Summer Sound Sensations (RPM Records, UK)
- 2023 Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings (Cherry Red Records, UK)
Singles edit
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US[5] | CAN | UK | AUS[6] | ||
| 1974 | "Beach Baby" | 4 | 1 | 13 | 11 |
| "Bobby Dazzler" | - | - | - | - | |
| "Dreams are Ten a Penny" | 83 | - | - | - | |
| 1975 | "What Became of Me" | - | - | - | - |
| "Funny How Love Can Be"[7][8] | 74 | 80 | - | - | |
| "Life Is Whatever You Want It To Be" | - | - | - | - | |
| "I Was a Star" | - | - | - | - | |
| 1976 | "Beach Baby (Re-Release)" | - | - | - | - |
| "Child's Play" | - | - | - | - | |
| "Ain't No Love" | - | - | - | - | |
| 1977 | "Too Many Golden Oldies" | - | - | - | - |
| 1978 | "Broken Toy" | - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | "Beach Baby (Re-Release)" | - | - | - | - |
| 1982 | "Beach Baby (Re-Release)" | - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | "Gimme Little Sign" | - | - | - | - |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Jason Ankeny. "The First Class". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 865. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 200. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Liner notes by Fraser Massey for See For Miles Records, CD SEECD 443
- ^ "The First Class". Billboard.com. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 112. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs – Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 2, 1975" (PDF).
External links edit
- Discography
- 45cat discography
- The First Class at AllMusic
- The First Class discography at Discogs
- The First Class at IMDb