Co-Co | |
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Also known as | Mother's Pride, The Main Event |
Origin | United Kingdom |
Genres | Pop |
Years active | 1974–1980 |
Labels | Pye, Ariola/Hansa, RCA, Carrere |
Associated acts | Bucks Fizz |
Past members | Terry Bradford Josie Andrews Cheryl Baker Keith Hasler Paul Rogers Peter Perrera Charlie Brennan Helen Bailey Vivien Banks Sue Lane |
Co-Co were a five piece British band who represented the UK for the Eurovision Song Contest 1978, staged at the Palais de Congrès in Paris, France, on 22 April 1978, with the song, "The Bad Old Days". The song was written by the husband and wife team of Stephanie de Sykes and Stuart Slater. It finally placed eleventh of the 20 entries, which at the time was the worst showing ever for a UK entry. It would not be until 1987 that any British song fared worse in Eurovision. The group were originally called Mother's Pride.
At the time, the group consisted of Terry Bradford, Josie Andrews, Cheryl Baker, Keith Hasler and Paul Rogers. For their performance in Paris, a drummer named Charlie Brennan was added to the group. They won the preliminary heat A Song for Europe, having previously placed second, again as a quintet, but with only Bradford, Hasler and Baker in the original line-up, together with Peter Perrera and another female singer, Vivien Banks (who would later join The New Seekers) when they appeared in the 1976 UK final, singing "Wake Up" written by the Arrows "I Love Rock N Roll" songwriting team of Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker. Perrera appeared in the 1976 contest with a shaved head, having promised his band mates he would go bald if they made the final. Additionally, the group returned as a quartet (minus Andrews and Rogers, but with a new female singer Helen Bailey) as The Main Event, for the 1980 A Song for Europe contest. Oddly, despite this new line-up, Josie Andrews still appeared on stage with the group, providing backing vocals to the main quartet. On this occasion they placed last with the song "Gonna Do My Best", written by Bradford. Bradford also wrote a song for the 1979 UK final, "Harry, My Honolulu Lover", performed by The Nolan Sisters, which placed fourth. Stephanie de Sykes and Stuart Slater also won the A Song for Europe contest a second time, in 1980, with the song "Love Enough for Two" performed by Prima Donna, ironically beating the new line up of Co-Co in the process.