They never stopped looking for Linda, but we are looking for Hue and Cry. It’s become a “Labour Of Love”!
80’s groups came and 80’s groups went. Every one we feature has been successful at some point, and brothers Greg and Pat Kane aka Hue and Cry are no exception. Born in Coatbridge, Scotland the pair released their debut single, “Here Comes Everybody” in 1986. It was not a hit but it did attract attention and they were subsequently signed to Virgin Records. Their first release there “I Refuse” made it to No.85 in the UK.
But it was their second single “Labour Of Love” that propelled them to chart stardom when it reached No.6 in the Summer of 1987. The pair released their debut album soon after “Seduced And Abandoned” which made No.22 in the UK. Further singles included “Strength To Strength” (UK No.46) and a re-issue of “I Refuse” which made No.47 the second time around.
The brothers returned in late 1988 with “Ordinary Angel”, the first taster of their second album “Remote” that was released that November. The single faltered at No.42 in the UK, but the follow up “Looking For Linda” put them back in the top 40 in January 1989 and reached No.15. “Remote” eventually broke the top 10 on the UK album chart.
Their follow up “Violently” reached No.21 in April that year and gave them their third UK top 40 hit and was followed by “Sweet Invisibility” which charted at No.55.
Greg and Pat decided on a change in musical direction for their third album “Stars Crash Down” which came in 1991. Latin vibes mixed with folk, country and a hint of jazz were the order of the day here and the album equaled “Remote”s chart high of No.10, although the singles “My Salt Heart” and “Long Term Lovers Of Pain” did not reach the UK top 40.
In 1993 a greatest hits package, “Labours Of Love”, was released and made No.27 in the UK. It featured a remix of their biggest hit “Labour Of Love” by Joey Negro and was issued as a single, this time making No.25 and becoming their last and most recent top 40 entry.
Despite releasing albums in 1994 and 1999, their popularity had diminished considerably and by the end of the decade and the century, the pair called it a day. But ‘retirement’ didn’t last long. In 2005 they regrouped and appeared on ITV’s Hit Me Baby One More Time and came second in the contest, being beaten by Shakin Stevens! Since then they have performed regularly at 80’s music festivals across the UK.
They released their first album for nine years, “Open Soul”, in 2008, which reached No.42 on the Scottish album chart as well as the singles “The Last Stop” and “Fireball”. Greg and Pat have recorded further works ever since with their most recent “Pocketful of Stones” in 2017.
Stay in touch with Hue and Cry through their WEBSITE and their FACEBOOK group
Talk About Pop Music 