Rubettes

Formed in 1973 in England, the Rubettes were originally organized as a session outfit by Wayne Bickerton of Polydor A&R. Inspired by the successes of Sha Na Na, Mud, and Showaddywaddy, they combined a glam rock appearance with a rock’n’roll revival sound. Their iconic debut single "Sugar Baby Love" topped the charts in several countries, propelling them to international fame. Subsequent releases would be less successful, but the band continued to tour well into the 2000s. The original lineup featured John Richardson on drums, Mick Clarke on bass, Bill Hurd and Peter Arnesen on keyboards, and Tony Thorpe on guitar. Vocalist Paul DaVinci left the band just before "Sugar Baby Love," replaced by Alan Williams. Over the years, the band underwent several lineup changes but continued to perform and release music. Their timeless pop tunes have left a lasting impact on the music scene. The group has also not been shy to thematize taboo subjects. With 1976's "Under One Roof," a sensitive portrayal of a gay man disowned and later murdered by his father; along with Rod Stewart's "The Killing of Georgie," it was one of very few songs tackling the difficult topic of homophobia. At the time, there were speculations that the song had been designed to be uncommercial as to get the band dropped from their label.