When in Rome (band)

When in Rome were an English synth-pop/new wave group, which originally consisted of vocalists Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann, and keyboardist Michael Floreale. They are best known for their 1988 single "The Promise", which was their only top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. As of July 2012, there were two bands using the When in Rome name, although the original lineup has been disbanded since 1990.

History

Formation

Michael Floreale and Andy O'Connell were recruited by Clive Farrington to replace departed members of his Manchester-based group Beau Leisure. O'Connell left the group; the remaining trio recorded some demos – sometimes including Mann's friend Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister – while seeking a recording deal.

Debut album

The band was signed to Virgin UK subsidiary 10 Records, and their first release in 1987 was The Promise. The 7" release flopped and did not achieve success, while the original 12" dance mix had a minor dance club hit. An album followed in 1988, as their self-titled debut album was released on 3 May 1988. Producers Ben Rogan (who had worked with Sade) and Richard James Burgess took special interest in the trio's song "The Promise", issued first as a 12" dance disc. When the song became popular, hitting the top of Billboards Dance Club Play chart, Virgin ordered an album. A remixed version of "The Promise" was the album's first single. It was an instant success, barely missing the top ten in the United States, peaking at No. 11. The re-released single still failed poorly in the UK with No. 86 in January 1989 and No. 58 in February. Months later, the trio reached Billboards pop chart's lower reaches for the last time with "Heaven Knows" (No. 95 on US and 14 on US Dance, Feb 1989). Additional singles did little on the charts, like "Everything" and "Sight of Your Tears" (40, US Dance, May 1989) and the group ultimately faded away.

Breakup, reformation, and legal issues

In 1990, Floreale was fired by Farrington and Mann over creative differences and When in Rome disbanded shortly after Virgin Records dropped them in 1993. Tensions arose between the members again in 2003, when "The Promise" was used in the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite and Floreale made sole claim to the song, despite the trio receiving equal royalties. Since then, the band has toured the United States and South America with various other 1980s groups. Farrington and Mann reformed in 2009, under the name "When in Rome UK". Floreale, however, had trademarked the name "When in Rome" in 2010,

In 2019, When In Rome II reformed with former Ultravox singer and Enuff Z'Nuff guitarist, Tony Fennell.

In 2020, Farrington+Mann, in collaboration with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Slovenia Symphonic Film Orchestra, released a 30th anniversary orchestral edition of their hit song "The Promise" on both CD and vinyl.

Members

Original line-up (1987–1990)

Clive Farrington – vocals
Andrew Mann – vocals
Michael Floreale – keyboards

When in Rome II (2006–present)

Michael Floreale – keyboards
Tony Fennell – vocals, guitar
Chris Willett – drums
Jack Ivins - drums

When in Rome UK (2009–present)

Clive Farrington – vocals
Andrew Mann – vocals
Rob Juarez – drums

Discography

Studio albums

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

! rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title

! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Details

! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions

|- style="font-size:smaller;"

! style="width:45px;"| SWE

! style="width:45px;"| US

! scope="row"| When in Rome

Release date: 3 May 1988
Label: Virgin Records

| 42

| 84

! scope="row"| When in Rome II

Release date: 11 August 2015
Label: Spectra Records

| —

| colspan="15" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

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

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Album

|- style="font-size:smaller;"

! style="width:35px;"| UK

! style="width:35px;"| US

! style="width:35px;"| US Dance