It was back in late 1980 that producer Andy Hill & Nicola Martin set about the task of putting together a pop group for Eurovision Song Contest to represent the UK. A brand new vocal group who could possibly do what Brotherhood of Man had done previously in '76. Yet something new and fresh, that could have the impact that Sandie Shaw had back in the late 60's.
The start of the 80's had seen the beginning of synth pop, as groups like Human League, Utravox, Adam Ant & Depeche Mode had begun to raise the bar in the UK market for highly produced and polished pop/rock. How could Hill/Martin produce something to fit into this ever changing music market? Was it possible, it was that they need to win- and only a perfect-pop quartet could pull it off.
It was a narrow points margin of only 4 points between UK and Lena Valatis with Germany's schlager sing-a-long tune 'Johnny Blue' France had a typical romantic ballad called 'Humanhum' a style -that had won them first place at Eurovision 5 times before in the Eurovision history to date. 'Making your mind up' stole the show with the bright perky foursome of Cheryl, Mike Bobby & Jay in Dublin that night.
The 'Making your Mind Up' single became huge and hit the number one slot, in eight european countries after the contest. Then Andy Hill had the project of a follow-up full album from the new group a self titled 10 track album that at first seemed to stick to that 3 minute pop formal of the Eurovision winning tune.
Then came the second Bucks Fizz single 'Piece of The Action' this just missed out on a UK top 10 placing peaking at No:12 -Yet the tune make the Top 30 downunder in Australia & NZ !! - where the Eurovision glory in early 80's meant very little to those pop markets at all. So it was a winning follow up and perfectly produced along with a stella "Took it to the Limit" as the B-side.
The album tracklist were as follows:
| Side 1 Piece Of The Action | |
| Midnight Reservation | |
| It's Got To Be Love | |
| Took It To The Limit | |
| One Of Those Nights | |
Side 2 Making Your Mind Up | |
| Lady Of The Night | |
| Getting Kinda Lonely | |
| Shine On | |
| The Right Situation |
In July 1981 the Bucks Fizz album was released and it reached No:14 in the UK album chart an impressive debut. The final single from the album was 'One Of Those Nights' a tune that was perhapes not the strongest third track, however again Bucks Fizz made numberous TV appearences to promote this single that hit No: 20, Proving really these new Eurovision popsters would not be a one hit wonder. Then if you said -The best was yet to come, you would not be wrong...
This Fizz album has been relased in July 2015 in a deluxe CD package of 2 discs, all remastered with newly found bonus remixes of a Matt POP Remix of the Eurovision winner + a 2011 take on 'One of Those Nights' The best bonus tracks the first 2 Bucks Fizz albums- that was recorded - in spanish for the south american spanish market. A real rarity, and a spanish version trend, started by Abba in 1980.
Check it out more details on Bucks Fizz Deluxe CD
Here is the TOTP's Tv appearence Bucks Fizz did in August, 1981
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