School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Mel & Kim

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Mel & Kim were the London sisters Melanie and Kim Appleby. They signed with Supreme Records and ended up with Stock Aitken Waterman, the London producer trio behind many hits of the second half of the 1980s. Their sound leaned on house from Chicago, but with the trio's tight, cheerful pop production.

Music and breakthrough

The first single, Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend), reached number three in England in 1986 and was number 1 on the American dance chart. In 1987 came Respectable, which reached number 1 in England and sold more than 800,000 copies there. The album F.L.M. appeared in April 1987 and went platinum. The title song and That's the Way It Is (1988) also reached the top 10, so that every single by the duo became a top hit. In 1988 the sisters were nominated for a Brit Award as best new British act.

Influence

Behind the success lay an illness. Mel had been treated for a form of cancer in 1985, and in 1987 it returned in her spine. The sisters withdrew from publicity; Mel still recorded That's the Way It Is when she came out of hospital. Work on a second album stood still. On 18 January 1990 Mel died, aged 23. Kim then began a solo career and had two more top 10 hits, Don't Worry and G.L.A.D.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen at the start of Respectable to the chopped-up voice fragments: the sisters are not singing there, their voices are cut into pieces and used as rhythm. Notice how those samples return later between the verses.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists