Stiff Promotions

THE decade began with Pacman and ended with Sky going up and the Berlin Wall coming down.

Charles and Diana were married, Roland Rat made his TV debut and shoulder pads and ra-ra-skirts were all the rage.

And Adam Ant, Duran Duran, Wham, Madness, Simple Minds and Ultravox all hit the headlines.

If you’ve guessed the era you’ll also know it was the time when pop went synthetic and electronics dominated the musical stage.

But it was also a decade that produced some of the best known dance hits to grace the airwaves.

Classics like Madonna’s Material Girl.....Queen’s We Will Rock You....Kenny Loggins’ Footloose....

And for thirtysomething Amanda Brown it was the era that inspired a career in music.

"When I was a teenager I was really into synthesisers and electric keyboards. I was really influenced by it - all those wacky electronic sounds," she said.

"The music of that era was so much fun - some of it was a bit twee but people enjoyed it. It made them happy."

Amanda’s love affair with 80s hits led her to form Skool Daze - a successful band which pays tribute to all that was great about the decade’s music.

"I had always wanted to play 80s music in an 80s band so I thought the best way to do it was to put the band together myself," she said.

She didn’t have to go far to find musicians to join her trip down memory lane.

She already played in a 70s tribute band called Saturday Night Beaver and two members of that group were also keen to shift their sights 10 years forward.

And a journey across London convinced her the time was right for an 80s revival.

"I got on a tube late at night and found myself surrounded by adults in school uniforms all going off to a club," she said.

"I had been watching the growth of schooldisco.com and people were listening to 80s music again. Friends Reunited was really taking off and everyone my age seemed to be getting nostalgic about their school days."

The band was formed in late 2004. They linked up with East Hampshire promoter Iain Martin and played a dozen gigs in 2005.

That figure has already doubled for 2006 and Butlins have signed Skool Daze for holiday camp gigs throughout the UK.

Among their first bookings was Reading University where Amanda feared 80s music might not resonate with students born after the decade ended.

"But it went really well - it was amazing to see two floors of 18- and 19-year-olds singing to all the words and dancing their bits off.

"The music is very danceable, it’s very entertaining. People know all the words, they can sing along to it and that’s what people want to hear when they go along to a party.

"They just want to let their hair down, go back to their teens and return to their youth.

"And the younger generation seem to just love the songs too."

Skool Daze’s appeal stretches across the generations and across Europe.

They played a storming gig at the International Festival of the Sea where a nearby Russian ship’s company rocked the night away.

"The sailors weren’t allowed off the boat and were wearing full uniform. They were thoroughly miserable," Amanda explained.

"But when we came on a nearby stage they all came out on deck cheering and whistling. They had a great time - they were literally a captive audience. A real highlight of the band’s year.

"Maybe it was the school uniforms the girls were wearing...?"

And the band were a roaring success at a Harley Davidson owners' club meeting in the New Forest.

"You'd think they would all be into heavy rock but we kicked off with Queen’s We Will Rock You and they absolutely loved it. They were brilliant. All they wanted was a good party. They were up all night."

Amanda says lead singer Fiona Poustie is at the centre of the band's appeal and has heavily influenced the selection of music they play.

"She's young, bubbly, got a Blondie-esque voice...she's got the school uniform on, bops away across the stage. She never stops bouncing across the stage - she really gets everybody moving.

"It's all live - there are no backing tracks. It's all genuine, no two gigs are the same."

Skool Daze have been back in the rehearsal studio recently preparing new sets for 2006.

Among their first public appearances of the New Year is at theSTUDIO@tps in Petersfield on February 3.

They're also booked for the Talking Heads in Southampton and, possibly the jewel in this year's booking crown - the opening night at The Bandstand in Southsea on May Bank Holiday weekend supporting the UK Beach Boys.

Said Amanda: "It's a bit of a weird mix but I think they selected us just because we are fun. They know we’ll get the crowd going."

ends

FACT FILE

Skool Daze are:

Drummer Ben Kennedy, 19, from Stubbington. Ben's studying music performance at the ACM in Guildford. He’s also a member of Eve's Only Son.

Nick Leigh, 23, from Lee-on-Solent, on lead guitar. Nick's a full-time musician, teaches in schools, writes for Eve's Only Son and plays in 70s tribute band Saturday Night Beaver.

Bassist Ali Martin, 34, from Buriton, near Petersfield. Ali is a full-time musician, founder member of Saturday Night Beaver and a member of The Deadly Lampshades.

Lead singer Fiona Poustie, 24, from Stubbington. Fiona is a music tech student at Portsmouth University and teaches singing and drama.

Amanda Brown, 32, keyboards, also from Buriton, is a full-time musician. She teaches keyboards, piano and flute and also plays in Saturday Night Beaver and The Deadly Lampshades

Ben, Nick and Fiona went to the same school. "It's like a school reunion for them when we meet up for rehearsals and gigs,” said Amanda.