Darts (band)

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Darts were a successful nine-piece British doo-wop revival band at the end of the 1970s and early 1980s.

Contents 1 History 2 Band line-up 3 Discography 3.1 Singles 3.2 Albums 4 References 5 External link

[edit] History

Founded in 1976, the band is still in the Top 250 selling list according to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles. Despite this, and the fact that they remain Britain's best-known doo-wop vocal group, they receive almost no coverage compared to other pop bands of the period such as Showaddywaddy. The London based outfit notched up three consecutive Number 2 hits in the UK Singles Chart in 1978.

The band was partly formed by members of Rocky Sharpe and the Razors and the John Dummer Blues Band, some of whom went on to form Rocky Sharpe and The Replays.

[edit] Band line-up

The original line-up included

• Rita Ray, vocals (born Lydia Sowa, 11 December 1954, in Ghana)
• Den Hegarty, vocals (born Denis Hegarty, 13 September 1954, in Dublin)
• Griff Fender, vocals (born Ian Collier, 3 June 1954, in Portsmouth, Hampshire)
• Bob Fish, vocals (born Robert Fish, 3 June 1949, in Rochford, Essex)
• Horatio Hornblower, saxophone (born Nigel Trubridge, 15 January 1957, in Brighton, Sussex)
• Thump Thomson, bass guitar (born Iain Thomson, 11 June 1946, in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland)
• John Dummer, drums (born 19 November 1944, in Surbiton, Surrey)
• George Currie, lead guitar (born 14 January 1950, in Dundee, Scotland)
• Hammy Howell, piano (born William Howell 24 October 1954, in Wimbledon, South-west London - died 13 January 1999)

[edit] Discography

Most records were released on the Magnet Records record label. All placings (below) are as recorded in the UK Singles Chart, and UK Albums Chart.

[edit] Singles

• "Daddy Cool" / "The Girl Can't Help It", 1977, #6
• "Come back My Love", 1978, #2
• "Boy from New York City", 1978, #2
• "It's Raining", 1978, #2
• "Don't Let It Fade Away", 1978, #18
• "Get It", 1979, #10
• "Duke of Earl", 1979, #6
• "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", 1979, #43
• "Reet Petite", 1979, #51
• "Let's Hang On", 1980, #11
• "Peaches", 1980, #66
• "White Christmas" / "Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)", 1980. #48

[edit] Albums

• Darts, 1977, #9
• Everyone Plays Darts, 1978, #12
• Amazing Darts (K-Tel compilation album), 1978, #8
• Dart Attack, 1979, #38
• Darts Greatest Hits, 1980
• Darts Across America, 1981

[edit] References

• Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
• Guinness Book of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7

[edit] External link

• Darts official website with photos and Bios of the members