80s Pop Group Five Star to Feature On Boogie

On today’s show we’re featuring 5 Star The Greatest Hits compilation album with all of their greatest hits: System Addict, The Slightest Touch, Find The Time, All Fall Down, Let Me be The One and much much more… and we’re taking a trip down memory lane with 3 VERY special guests in the studio today: Isla Gilmore (the biggest 5 Star fan I know); Swahili blues artist Leo Mkanyia; and writer and budding singer Caroline Uliwa. Gosh, what a line-up! I’m honored and excited to have you guys back in the studio. And tonight, the follow-up nu disco single Color Me Beautiful by Joett with B Side bongo disco track Girls Girls Girls will premier on Boogie.

Five Star were one of the success stories of the mid 1980s. Often dubbed “The British Jacksons”, they were seldom off our TV screens and rarely out of the charts, notching up 15 Top 40 UK hits and selling millions of albums in the process. Born in Romford Essex, Deniece, Doris, Lorraine, Stedman and Delroy were the talented offspring of Buster Pearson, a professional guitarist who’d performed with Wilson Picket, Desmond Dekker and Jimmy Cliff in the 1960s. His daughters persuaded him to let them record “Problematic”, a song he had recently written and put it out on his new label Tent Records. Although the single failed to chart it showed promise and Buster decided to manage the group full time. Expanded to a five piece with the inclusion of their two brothers, Buster managed to secure a deal for the group with RCA.

The first two singles under the new deal struggled to chart but their next release “All Fall Down” finally dented the Top 20 in May 1985 and was swiftly followed by Let Me Be The One” in July. The debut album “Luxury of Life” spawned seven singles in all, the most successful being “System Addict” which gave the group its first Top 5 hit reaching No. 3 in January 1986. The follow up album “Silk and Steel” proved equally popular. Climbing slowly to the top of the album charts it eventually went triple platinum and provided the group with a steady stream of hits including their biggest “Rain Or Shine” which peaked at No. 2. Continued success allowed the family to move from Romford to a mansion in Sunningdale where they installed a massive studio complex. 1987 saw Five Star winning a Brit Award for Best British Group and the release of their third album, “Between The Lines featuring 3 further Top 25 hits.

In 1988 following a six month break, Five Star relaunched themselves with a new raunchier leather look. The group’s fourth album “Rock The World” reached No. 16 with favorable reviews but disappointing sales. Their run of chart hits was finally over. The media were quick to pounce and the family rapidly became the subject of several stories concerning their financial stability.

Relocating to the US, the group signed for Epic Records and made 2 further albums “Five Star” and “Shine” but never managed to revive their flagging career. Although their chart days appear to be over, they are still performing as a trio (Stedman, Deniece and Lorraine) and have recently been on stage at Wembley Arena as part of the “Here and Now Tour”.

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JOETT
Radio Presenter, Recording Artist & Vocal Coach

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