''Skyscraping'' is the seventh
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by English pop band
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
, released in March 1997 by Blatant and Deconstruction. The album was produced as a homage to lead singer
Martin Fry
Martin David Fry (born 9 March 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, composer, musician, and record producer.
Fry's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of the pop band ...
's several musical heroes, including
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
,
Roxy Music
Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...
and
the Sex Pistols
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
.
It is their first album without founding member, keyboardist and guitarist
Mark White, who had up until that point been heavily involved in the composition and production of their work. As the line-up of ABC without White consisted solely of Fry,
Glenn Gregory
Glenn Peter Gregory (born 16 May 1958) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of the new wave and synthpop b ...
of
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 are an English new wave and synth-pop band that formed in Sheffield in 1980. The band were a trio for most of their career, composed of Martyn Ware (keyboards) and Ian Craig Marsh (keyboards) (both previously of the Human League), an ...
and Keith Lowndes were brought in as songwriting and performance collaborators. The album was met with positive reviews from critics but little commercial success.
Three singles were released: "
Stranger Things
''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Prod ...
", "
Skyscraping
''Skyscraping'' is the seventh studio album by English pop band ABC, released in March 1997 by Blatant and Deconstruction. The album was produced as a homage to lead singer Martin Fry's several musical heroes, including David Bowie, Roxy Musi ...
" and "
Rolling Sevens
"Rolling Sevens" is a song by new wave group ABC, released as the third single from their album ''Skyscraping
''Skyscraping'' is the seventh studio album by English pop band ABC, released in March 1997 by Blatant and Deconstruction. The ...
". An expanded 2CD edition of the album was released by
Cherry Red Records
Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as well ...
on 23 September 2013.
In September 2022 the album was finally released on Spotify and other digital platforms.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by
Martin Fry
Martin David Fry (born 9 March 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, composer, musician, and record producer.
Fry's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of the pop band ...
,
Glenn Gregory
Glenn Peter Gregory (born 16 May 1958) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of the new wave and synthpop b ...
, and Keith Lowndes except where indicated.
1997 Blatant/Deconstruction 74321 45653 2/BMG Japan BVCP-6029
#"
Stranger Things
''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Prod ...
" - 5:18
#"Ask a Thousand Times" - 5:13
#"
Skyscraping
''Skyscraping'' is the seventh studio album by English pop band ABC, released in March 1997 by Blatant and Deconstruction. The album was produced as a homage to lead singer Martin Fry's several musical heroes, including David Bowie, Roxy Musi ...
" - 4:20
#"Who Can I Turn To?" - 3:48
#"
Rolling Sevens
"Rolling Sevens" is a song by new wave group ABC, released as the third single from their album ''Skyscraping
''Skyscraping'' is the seventh studio album by English pop band ABC, released in March 1997 by Blatant and Deconstruction. The ...
" - 4:31
#"Only The Best Will Do" - 4:19
#"Love Is Its Own Reward" - 4:08
#"Light Years" - 6:40
#"Seven Day Weekend"
(John Uriel) - 3:31
#"Heaven Knows" - 3:59
#"Faraway" - 5:20
#"Stranger Things (Acoustic Version)" (Japan only) - 5:09
2013 Cherry Pop Remaster bonus disc
#"The World Spins On" ("Stranger Things" B-side) - 3:44
#"All We Need" ("Stranger Things" B-side) - 4:33
#"Stranger Things" (Acoustic) - 5:09
#"Skydubbing" (dub mix of "Skyscraping") - 7:27
#"Stranger Things" (Live) - 4:55
#"Rolling Sevens" (Radio Edit) - 3:33
#"The Look of Love" (Live) - 3:54
#"All of My Heart" (Live) - 5:53
#"Skyscraping" (Alternate Version) - 4:16
Chart performance
Personnel
*
Martin Fry
Martin David Fry (born 9 March 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, composer, musician, and record producer.
Fry's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of the pop band ...
– lead and backing vocals
Musicians
* Keith Lowndes – keyboards, guitars, drum programming
*
Glenn Gregory
Glenn Peter Gregory (born 16 May 1958) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of the new wave and synthpop b ...
– additional keyboards (1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10), backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10)
* Paul Rabiger – additional acoustic piano (2), saxophone (2, 4, 8)
* Phil 'Snake' Davies – saxophone (7)
* Dinah Bemish – cello (1, 3, 4)
* Jocelyn Pook – viola (1, 3, 4)
* Sally Herbert – violin (1, 3, 4)
* Sonia Slany – violin (1)
* Jules Singleton – violin (3, 4)
*
Carol Kenyon
Carol Kenyon (sometimes spelt Karol; born 1959) is a British singer. She is best known for her vocals on the Heaven 17 hit song "Temptation", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1983. When the song was re-released as a remix by ...
– backing vocals (2, 5, 10)
*
Juliet Roberts
Juliet Roberts (born 6 May 1962) is a British jazz, rock, soul and house music singer of Grenadian descent.
Career
Roberts was born in London, England. She originally recorded as Julie Roberts in 1982, and performed on the 1983 top 10 hit s ...
– backing vocals (3, 4, 11)
* Paul 'Tubbs' Williams – backing vocals (3, 4, 11)
Production
* Martin Fry – producer
* Glenn Gregory – producer
* Keith Lowndes – producer
* Danton Supple – recording (1, 3, 7, 11), mixing (1-4, 6, 7, 10, 11)
* Paul Rabiger – recording (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), mixing (5, 8, 9)
* Farrow Design – art direction, design
* Andy Earl – photography
See also
*
Honeyroot
Honeyroot is an ambient dance collaboration between Glenn Gregory and Keith Lowndes, signed to the independent record label Just Music.
Career
The project had its origins in the 1997 album, ''Skyscraping'', by ABC. As ABC was essentially Ma ...
(The ambient music project of Glenn Gregory and Keith Lowndes)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1997 albums
ABC (band) albums