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Stedman Pearson of Five Star

Stedman Pearson from Five Star chats to Sara about his memories of the 80s. The Megamix looks at the Top 5 from this week in 1986, and there's another Novelty Track.

Stedman Pearson from Five Star chats to Sara about his memories of the 80s.

The full list of family members in the band are Delroy, Denise, Doris, Lorraine and Stedman

Stedman joined his siblings - Delroy, Denise, Doris and Lorraine - in the band Five Star in 1983 - they were managed by their father Buster Pearson, a guitarist who had toured with the likes of Otis Redding, Jimmy Cliff and Desmond Dekker in the 1960s. As well as performing backing vocals with Five Star Stedman also began designing some of their outfits which would ultimately become the group's trademark - matching stage costumes.

The group's first two singles didn't chart but they finally found chart success in 1985 with the track All Fall Down which got to number 15. They released their debut album, Luxury of Life, in June 1985. The seventh single from the album was System Addict which was released in early 1986 and it gave them their first top ten hit.

1986 also brought the group a Grammy nomination for the b-side of All Fall Down and later that year they were releasing new material and gaining further top 10 hits including Can't Wait Another Minute, Find The Time and Rain Or Shine. They released their second album, Silk and Steel, in August 1986 and it got to the top of the album charts. In 1987 and the group also won the BRIT Award for Best British Group.

At the height of their success the band bought a large mansion in which they all lived and worked - it had a built in recording studio. The group were heavily publicised in the press at this time for their lavish lifestyle - they apparently had a fleet of supercars including Lamborghinis and Ferraris. In 1987 they released their third album, Between The Lines, which peaked at number 7 in the album charts.

In 1988 the group changed their clean cut image to a more adult 'leather clad' look and their music also became more edgy. However their popularity was waning and the second single from their next album was their last one to reach the top 20. By 1989 things weren't going so well and there were rumours of bankruptcy. Stedman tells Sara what really happened behind the scenes of Five Star.

The Megamix looks at the Top 5 from this week in 1986, and there's another Novelty Track (apologies in advance).

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Wed 8 Feb 2017 00:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Erasure

    A Little Respect

    • Erasure - Pop!.
    • Mute Records.

  • Duran Duran

    My Own Way

    • Duran Duran - The Singles 81-85.
    • EMI.

  • Siouxsie and the Banshees

    Peek-A-Boo

    • Product 2378 (Various Artists).
    • Telstar.

  • Paul Hardcastle

    The Wizard

    • The Top Of The Pops Party Album.
    • Telstar.

  • Dire Straits

    Walk Of Life

    • Brothers In Arms 20th Anniv Edition.
    • Vertigo.

  • Madonna

    Borderline

    • Celebration.
    • Warner Bros.
    • 14.

  • ²Ήβ€h²Ή

    The Sun Always Shines on TV

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.
    • 1.

  • Billy Ocean

    When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going

    • Billy Ocean - Love Is For Ever (L.I.F.
    • Jive.

  • Starship

    We Built This City

    • Now 1985 (Various Artists).
    • Now.
    • 1.

  • Art of Noise

    Close To The Edit 12" version

    • Real 80's.
    • EMI/Virgin/Polygram.
    • 004.

  • Simple Minds

    Don't You (Forget About Me)

    • Glittering Prize - Best Of Simple Min.
    • Virgin.

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers

    I Shot the Sheriff

    • Tuff Gong.

  • Five Star

    System Addict

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.

  • The Beat

    Hands Off...She's Mine

    • The Beat - Beat This!.
    • Sire.

  • Soul II Soul

    Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) (feat. Caron Wheeler)

    • NOW 100 Hits 80s No.1s (Various Artists).
    • NOW.

  • Beastie Boys

    (You Gotta Fight) For Your Right (To Party)

    • I Love The 80's (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.

  • U2

    Desire

    • U2 - The Best Of 1980-1990.
    • Island.

  • Diana Ross

    My Old Piano

    • Diana Ross & The Supremes - 40 Motown.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • The Belle Stars

    Sign of the Times

    • The Very Best Of The Belle Stars.
    • Hit Label.

  • Five Star

    Rain Or Shine

    • Now 1986 (Various Artists).
    • Now.

  • Def Leppard

    Animal

    • Def Leppard - Hysteria.
    • Phonogram.

  • Debbie Gibson

    Electric Youth

  • Fiction Factory

    (Feels Like) Heaven

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.

  • The Firm

    Star Trekkin'

    • Novelty No.1's (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.

  • 808 State

    Pacific State

    • (CD Single).
    • ZTT.

  • Depeche Mode

    Strangelove

    • The Greatest Hits Of 1987 (Various Artists).
    • Telstar.
    • 4.

Broadcasts

  • Fri 3 Feb 2017 22:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Wed 8 Feb 2017 00:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2