Shakespears Sister

Infobox musical artist
Name = Shakespears Sister


Img_capt = Siobhan Fahey and Marcella Detroit in a promotional photograph for the album "Hormonally Yours".
Img_size = 180
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = London, England
Genre = Rock
Synthpop
Years_active = 1988–1996
Label = London
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members = Siobhan Fahey
Past_members = Marcella Detroit
Notable_instruments =

Shakespear's Sister (originally Shakespeare's Sister) was a synth-pop-rock band formed by former Bananarama singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey in 1988. It was Fahey's first musical project since leaving Bananarama. Later in 1989, backing vocalist Marcella Detroit was featured more as London Records presented the band as a duo. The name is taken from the title of the song "Shakespeare's Sister" by The Smiths, which in turn refers to a section of Virginia Woolf's feminist essay "A Room of One's Own", in which Woolf argues that if William Shakespeare had a sister of equal genius, as a woman she would not have had the opportunity to make use of it.

The band's name lost its final "e" when a friend making a woodcut logo for Fahey misspelt the most common modern spelling of Shakespeare. The cover of the first album, "Sacred Heart", clearly includes an apostrophe (i.e. Shakespear's Sister), but this too was subsequently lost.

History

Fahey-Detroit era

Originally conceived as a Fahey solo project, Shakespears Sister first release was the double A-sided single "Break My Heart (You Really)"/"Heroine" in October 1988, which failed to chart. In 1989, with Shakespears Sister now presented as a duo of Fahey with Marcella Detroit, the next single, "You're History", became a top ten hit in the UK. The debut album, "Sacred Heart", also went top ten, though further singles taken from the album were less successful.

Taking some time off due to both members' pregnancies, Shakespears Sister returned in late 1991 with the release of the single "Goodbye Cruel World", which peaked at number 59 in the UK Singles Chart. However, in early 1992, the duo released what would become their biggest hit single, "Stay". The single reached number one in the UK for eight weeks. It was also number one in Ireland, and became their biggest US hit, reaching number four on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The success of the single was enhanced by a campy, futuristic accompanying music video. Their second album, "Hormonally Yours", was critically acclaimed and peaked at number three in the UK Albums Chart.

After a year-long worldwide tour throughout 1992, Fahey cancelled further European touring due to physical and emotional exhaustion and subsequently admitted herself into a psychiatric unit with severe depression.

Following this, Shakespears Sister were nominated for several BRIT Awards, including best group, best album, best video, best single and best female artist (for Fahey). However, out of these they only won Best Video for "Stay", which was voted for by the British public.

At the 1993 Ivor Novello Awards, Fahey announced the split with Marcella Detroit. Allegedly, the pair have not spoken since.

Fahey alone

Shakespears Sister carried on as Fahey by herself, and in 1994 she recorded "Prehistoric Daze" for the soundtrack to the film "The Flintstones", as well as "Waiting" for the Sadie Frost/Jude Law film "Shopping".

In 1996, Fahey resurfaced again as Shakespears Sister with the single "I Can Drive", a single picked by the record company from her forthcoming third album instead of Fahey's choice of "Do I Scare You". After the single peaked at no.30, London Records refused to release the full album. Fahey later parted company with the label, leaving the album unreleased. This year also marked Fahey's divorce from Dave Stewart, whom she married in 1987.

In 2003, Fahey regained the master tapes for the unreleased album "#3", which had been recorded in 1995-1996. The album was finally given an independent release in 2004 on Fahey's own record label, SF Records.

A greatest hits CD/DVD retrospective ("The Best of Shakespears Sister") was also released in late 2004, containing all of the group's singles and music videos, as well as tracks intended for the "#3" album. An additional compilation album, "Long Live the Queens!", featuring a tracklisting of remixes and b-sides, was released in late 2005.

A recurrent theme of many of Shakespears Sister songs involve departure and blame ("You're History", "Goodbye Cruel World", "You Made Me Come to This", "I Don't Care"). In interviews, Bananarama members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward have alluded to these songs being about them.Fact|date=June 2007

Discography

Albums

ingles

Promotional videos

* "Heroine", directed by Sophie Muller
* "Run Silent", directed by Sophie Muller
* "You're History", directed by Sophie Muller
* "Break My Heart", directed by Sophie Muller
* "Dirty Mind"
* "Goodbye Cruel World", directed by Sophie Muller
* "I Don't Care", directed by Sophie Muller
* "Stay", directed by Sophie Muller
* "Hello (Turn Your Radio On)", directed by Sophie Muller
* "My 16th Apology"
* "I Can Drive", directed by Sophie Muller

External links

* [http://www.siobhanfahey.com/ Official Siobhan Fahey site]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050314040842/http://www.neilnet.force9.co.uk/ "Shakespears Sister Info File"(previously): http://www.neilnet.force9.co.uk/]
* [http://www.geocities.com/djohnl_2000/Interviews/1992_July_TheFace.html Interview with Fahey and Detroit in July 1992 edition of "The Face"]