Formed in 1980, their original band name was Modern Jazz, and they released a single “In My Sleep (I Shoot Sheep)” in that year. Band members were: Mike Ansell on bass, Matthew Flowers (formerly of new wave band “Sore Throat”) on keyboards, Pete Lancaster on trumpet, Andy O on vocals, Tim Parry on guitar and Mickey Sparrow on drums. Steve Pond from Inner City Unit played occasional synthesizer. Parry later went on to become a record producer. Blue Zoo had one UK hit single. In October 1982 “Cry Boy Cry” charted and reached number 13. It stayed on the UK Singles Chart’s Top 40 for eight weeks. They released an album Two By Two - sometimes written-as 2x2 or 2By2 - in 1983. Another band with the same name formed in Australia in the late nineties. Originally called “Laughing Gas” they changed their name to Blue Zoo and played live venues in and around NSW and the ACT between 1998 and 2006. Whilst the Australian Blue Zoo never secured a major recording contract, three of their songs may be found on the compilation album Hurricane Healing (Vol 4), recorded to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Their most successful song was the ballad “Only for You”, which reached as high as number 3 on US internet charts. Other songs include the edgier “Where Would We Be?”, “Pick Yourself Up”, “New Groove”, and “So Funky I Could Cry”. Band members were: Steve Myers (vocals), Tim Begbie (guitar and vocals), Sandy Meischke (bass, percussion and vocals), Amanda Leach (Drums), Rick Millband (Drums), Dan McLean (Trumpet), Dino Martiniello (Sax), Potsy Webber (Hammond organ, upright bass and vocals), Michael Knight (Drums), and Rob Fontaine (Bass). The band played their last gig at Old Parliament House in 2006, and these days their songs are enjoyed mostly by family and friends, and the occasional devoted fan who wonders where they went. |
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