A Tribe of Toffs

A Tribe of Toffs were a novelty pop band from Sunderland, England, best remembered for their 1988 Top 40 single, "John Kettley is a Weatherman".

A Tribe of Toffs
OriginSunderland, England
GenresPop
Years active1986–1990
Past membersStephen Cousins - Guitars, vocals
Andrew Stephenson - Bass, guitars, vocals
Michael 'Motch' Haggerton - Guitar, vocals
Philip Rodgers - Drums, percussion, vocals

The band was formed in 1986 by four pupils from Bede Comprehensive School in Sunderland. They were noticed after sending a tape of their songs to children's TV presenter Andy Crane. The producer of Children's BBC's But First This, Paul Smith, liked the tape and arranged for the band to come down to London in July 1988 to record the song at the BBC Television's Maida Vale Studios. The following month the four were back in London to record the video, at the warehouse just across the road from BBC Television Centre, where Who Framed Roger Rabbit had just been filmed. The band went on to make appearances on Wogan, Daytime Live (with Alan Titchmarsh) and various Children's BBC appearances, as well as some satellite TV shows. The single went to number 21 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1988.[1] It may be recalled for its video featuring TV weatherman John Kettley in person.[2]

Following "the bloody Kettley record" (as the band were later to call it), the band were keen to release some more serious songs, but were unable to secure a recording contract. They decided to release a second humorous single in 1989 called "Terry Wogan's On TV (Again)" but it did not chart.

The band split in 1990 and retired from the music industry.

References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 565. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. Eastbourne.co.uk Archived June 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine


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