Fairground Attraction

Fairground Attraction are a British folk and soft rock band. They are best known for the 1988 hits "Perfect" and "Find My Love", both from their debut studio album The First of a Million Kisses. The band won two Brit Awards in 1989, but broke up the following year to pursue solo careers. They reformed in 2024.

Career

Fairground Attraction were formed in London in the mid-1980s, consisting of Mark Nevin, Eddi Reader, Simon Edwards and Roy Dodds. The sound they developed together blends elements of folk, jazz, country, and cajun styles.

In 1987, they were signed to RCA Records. Their first single, "Perfect", was an immediate success and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. It was also nominated for the prestigious Ivor Novello 'Best Song Musically and Lyrically' award.

The album The First of a Million Kisses followed in 1988, with all but one of its songs written by guitarist Nevin. It entered the UK Albums Chart at #3 and peaked at #2, eventually being certified double platinum. RCA released three other singles from the album: "Find My Love" (which reached #7), "A Smile in a Whisper", and "Clare". At the 1989 BRIT Awards, "Perfect" won Best British Single, and The First of a Million Kisses won Best British Album. He also worked with Kirsty MacColl again, before embarking on his own solo career. Reader continued to perform as a solo artist, performing Fairground Attraction songs as well as her solo songs, The band subsequently announced new music and a UK tour on the band's Facebook page. They debuted a new single, "What's Wrong with the World?" on 24 March 2024, followed on 12 June with the title track of their second studio album Beautiful Happening. The album was released in September 2024, over 36 years after The First of a Million Kisses.

Personnel

Eddi Reader – vocals, acoustic guitar, concertina
Mark E. Nevin – electric and acoustic guitars
Simon Edwards – guitarrón
Roy Dodds – drums, percussion
Pete Geddis – guitar
Andrew Davies – drums

Tour personnel

Roger Beaujolais – percussion
Graham Henderson – percussion, accordion, acoustic guitar, mandolin, piano

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;" | Album details

! scope="col" colspan="11" | Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2" style="width:12em;" | Certifications

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| UK

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| AUS

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| AUT

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| CAN

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;" | FIN

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| GER

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NED

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NZ

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SWE

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SWI

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| US

! scope="row" | The First of a Million Kisses

Released: 16 May 1988
Label: RCA

| 2

| 9

| 17

| 57

| 13

| 38

| 29

| 19

| 6

| 18

| 137

UK: 2× Platinum

! scope="row" | Ay Fond Kiss

Released: 18 June 1990
Label: RCA

| 55

| —

! scope="row" | Beautiful Happening

Released: 20 September 2024
Label: Absolute

| —

|align="center" colspan="15" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

The Collection: Fairground Attraction, featuring Eddi Reader (1994)
Perfect: The Best of Fairground Attraction (1995)
The Very Best of Fairground Attraction, featuring Eddi Reader (1996)
The Masters (1997)
80s Eternal Best: Fairground Attraction Best (1998)
The Very Best of Fairground Attraction (2004)

Live albums

Kawasaki Live in Japan 02.07.89 (2003)
Beautiful Happening Live in Japan (2025)

Singles

{|class="wikitable"

!rowspan="2"| Year

!rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"| Title

!colspan="11"| Peak chart positions

!rowspan="2" style="width:11em;" | Certifications

!rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"|Album

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| UK

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| AUS

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| AUT

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| BEL

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| GER

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| IRE

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NED

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| NZ

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SWE

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| SWI

!style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"| US

| rowspan="3" | 1988

| "Perfect"

|align="center"| 1

|align="center"| 19

|align="center"| 4

|align="center"| 5

|align="center"| 1

|align="center"| 5

|align="center"| 4

|align="center"| 2

|align="center"| 5

|align="center"| 80

BPI: Silver
GLF: Gold

|rowspan="4"| The First of a Million Kisses

| "Find My Love"

|align="center"| 7

|align="center"| 86

|align="center"| 3

|align="center"| 24

|align="center"| 22

|align="center"| 6

|align="center"| 30

|align="center"| 34

|align="center"| —

| "A Smile in a Whisper"

|align="center"| 75

|align="center"| —

| 1989

| "Clare"

|align="center"| 49

|align="center"| —

| 1990

| "Walking After Midnight"

|align="center"| 97

|align="center"| —

| Ay Fond Kiss

| rowspan="2" | 2024

| "What's Wrong with the World?"

|align="center"| —

| rowspan="2" | Beautiful Happening

| "Beautiful Happening"

|align="center"| —

|align="center" colspan="15" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Videos

The First of a Million Kisses (1990)

Collection of music videos: "Perfect", "Find My Love", "A Smile in a Whisper", "Clare"

Live at Full House (1990)

Live performances from German television show called Live at Full House

Awards and nominations

{| class=wikitable

! Year !! Awards !! Work!! Category !! Result

| 1988

| Smash Hits Poll Winners Party

| rowspan=2|Themselves

| Most Promising New Act

| rowspan=4|1989

| Silver Clef Award

| Best Newcomer

| Ivor Novello Awards

| rowspan=2|"Perfect"

| Best Song Musically & Lyrically

| rowspan=2|BRIT Awards

| Best British Single

| The First of a Million Kisses

| Best British Album

References

External links

Eddi Reader's official website
Mark E. Nevin's website