Squeeze is an English group formed in 1974 by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, who will be quickly joined by Jools Holland and Paul Gunn. Group which first bears the names of 'Captain Trundlow's Sky Company' and other 'Skyco' before taking the final name of Squeeeze.
The group released their eponymous debut album 4 years later in 1978, an album that allowed them to get noticed right from the start with two successful singles "Take me, I'm yours" and "Bang Bang".
Success confirmed and amplified the following year in 1979 with the release of the album "Cool for cats", album which will produce what will remain as their two biggest successes across the Channel of their entire career, namely "Cool for cats" and “Up the junction”.
Recognition became global at the start of the 1980s with the release of the album "Argybargy" in 1980, an album which paradoxically did not produce a major hit except for the title "Another nail in my heart" which will be the only one to come out correctly.
The rise in power intensified from 1981 with the release of the album "East side story", an album produced by Elvis Costello in particular. Successful album whose single "Tempted" will finally bring them worldwide recognition after which they have been chasing since their debut.
Despite the certain success of the new album "Sweets from a stranger" the following year in 1982 as well as of the single "Annie get your gun", the reviews on the album and the dissensions within the group which become legion will result in the dissolution of the latter during the year 1982.
Difford and Tilbrook continued the adventure in duo mode during the years 1983 and 1984 but the success was not really in the game except on the title "Love's crashing waves" in 1984.
The group rose from its ashes the following year in 1985 and produced a new album "Cosi fan tutti frutti", album which allowed the group version 2 to return to success. Unfortunately, the album will struggle to produce any big caliber singles except "Last time forever", the only single to be pretty much in the public's favor.
Return of frank and massive success in 1987 with the release of the album "Babylon and On". This time the success is global with an album which will be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic and a track "Hourglass" which will bring to the group the same year one of the most beautiful achievements on the single side. And to a lesser extent "853-5937", another single which will be released a year later in 1988.
New air hole for the group at the end of the decade with the half-hearted release of the album "Frank" in 1989, album which will be unable to produce a hit worthy of the name. With the consequence of an outright end of contract with their historic A&M label.
This did not prevent the group from returning in 1991 with the album "Play", album which was released under their new label Reprise. Album with very average success but which allows them to find a semblance of success in the Charts single with the title "Satisfied".
Return to A&M from 1993 and new album "Some fantastic place", a winning comeback given the success of the album. Granted, the level of success has nothing to do with what they experienced over the past decade, but still. However, once again, no big caliber single will be extracted.
Another relapse in 1995 with the failed release of the album "Ridiculous" which was saved at the last minute by the success of the single "This summer" but only across the Channel.
New very average success with the album "Domino" in 1998, album which will see the group disappear from the radar thereafter for nearly 12 years. Before making an unexpected comeback in the early 2010s, a comeback that unfortunately will not change the situation ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Take me, I'm yours 1978
Bang bang 1978
Goodbye girl 1978
Coolf for cats 1979
Up the junction 1979
Slap and tickle 1979
Another nail in my heart 1980
Pulling mussels (From the shell) 1980
Is that love 1981
Tempted 1981
Labelled with love 1981
Black coffee in bed 1982
Annie get your gun 1982
Love's crashing waves (Difford & Tilbrook) 1984
Last time forever 1985
No place like home 1985
By your side 1985
Hourglass 1987
Trust me to open my mouth 1987
The waiting game 1987
853-5937 1988
If it's love 1989
Satisfied 1991
Third rail 1993
Some fantastic place 1993
It's over 1994
This summer 1995
Electric trains 1995
Heaven knows 1996
Happy days 2015
Craddle to the grave 2015
Innoncence in paradise 2017
Clips :
1978 ... beginnings that do not go unnoticed, it is clear. The group knew perfectly how to mix old and new sounds and the result is bluffing. With the key to a first classified title !
1978 ... a second track much more rock oriented. But where did the brilliant inspiration found on the first title go ? Too bad, it all went frankly well ...
1978 ... the group finds its inspiration of the very first title, phew. Unfortunately, the result in the Charts will not really be of the same level
1979 ... THE title of the big takeoff ! The group found the perfect mix between the rhythmic side and the sonorous side. Race results : first top hit. HU-GE !
1979 ... a year 1979 which saw them unquestionably become one of the musical phenomena of the moment across the Channel. A well-deserved recognition !
1979 ... this title will experience a less favorable fate but keeps the group in the leading pack without too much difficulty. It remains to be seen what the 1980s have in store for them ...
1980... an 80s decade which started off under the best auspices with a new big-caliber single. And who says big caliber single says big caliber hits ...
1980 ... with them, the start of the year is more favorable than the end of the year in terms of results in the Charts. We therefore suspect that this title will do less well than its predecessor ...
1981 ... despite rather flattering results in the Charts, the group still does not manage to pass the level which will allow him to achieve global recognition. It won't be long ...
1981 ... then THIS title comes ! This time has been the good one and the group obtains its first title classified on both sides of the Atlantic. And at the same time obtains one of this biggest successes with a notoriety which explodes as a result. All good !
1981 ... which says end of the year, says mixed success. A basic trend which is confirmed once again unfortunately for the group ...
1982 ... new year and return to normal in terms of success in the Charts. But it could be that this year 1982 exceptionally reserves a surprise for the end of the year ...
1982 ... and the nice surprise, here it is ! For once, the group will end a year in style and afford the luxury of landing a new top hit. HU-GE !
1984 ... unfortunately, the great adventure will come to an end after the group imploded at the end of 1982 following very strong internal tensions. The adventure therefore continues in duo mode and at least allows the 2 founding members to continue at all costs ...
1985 ... the group is reborn from its ashes as if by a miracle and is back in this year 1985. The return is not triumphant, far from it, but allows the group to start again on new bases. As much on the sound side as on the style side ...
1985 ... the restarting will take a little longer than expected but what the group delivers is still largely valid. But regaining the favor of the public after having disappeared for several years is not easy ...
1985 ... the group regains its pre-success rate, ie favorable at the start of the year and much less at the end. We will not remake them again as they say ...
1987 ... a start to the year 1987 with fanfare and still the word is weak ! The group signs here one of its most emblematic titles and definitively inscribes its name in the musical Pantheon of the 80s. MAS-TER-FUL !
1987 ... this title is at the end of the year so in your opinion, what will be its ranking ? Average necessarily, like all end-of-year titles ...
1987 ... and the closer we get to the end of the year, the worse the ranking. And no luck, on one of their rare Intimist titles, they who hardly ever do ...
1988 ... new year...and new major success, as if by chance ! A really surprising regularity in both successes and non-successes ...
1989 ... a decade that ended in half-heartedness. A single title for this year 1989 and to the most limited success. So, end of the adventure or temporary air gap, good question ...
1991 ... after a year 1990 when not much interesting happened, here they are back in this year 1991 in a form that we will qualify as certain. Sufficient in any case to add a new star to an already well-stocked prize list ...
1993 ... the rest of the adventure will prove to be much more complicated to manage than expected. With a level of success in free fall in the Charts ...
1993 ... success is now limited exclusively to England. And again, a small success. Anyway, we will largely be satisfied ...
1994 ... new single-title year. It is clear that the group is in a very clear loss of speed and that the end is approaching slowly but surely ...
1995 ... that does not prevent them from continuing to offer quality titles. But the delay with the competition is now too important and almost impossible to fill ...
1995 ... they still believe in it but goodwill will not be enough to bring them back to the front of the pack. They are now more figurative than anything else ...
1996 ... a nice track full of finesse to close a magnificent adventure which will have consecrated them as one of the groups which really counted during this end of the XXth century. Well done gentlemen !
2015 ... we thought the case was folded and here they are reborn from their ashes almost 19 years later. Who would've believed that ? Not many people, that's for sure ...
2015 ... especially since they are far from being ridiculous, it is clear. After that, it is sure that it is more a comeback of prestige than anything else ...
2017 ... and it continues ! They will have gone through the 1970s, then the 1980s, then the 1990s, then the 2010s. So, 2020 in their sights ...? With them, anything is possible ...
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