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{{Short description|British novelty band}}
{{for|other uses, including other groups called The Firm|Firm (disambiguation)}}
{{for|other uses, including other groups called The Firm|Firm (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{multiple issues|
{{lead too short|date=March 2011}}
{{lead too short|date=March 2011}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2019}}
}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = The Firm
|name = The Firm
|background = group_or_band
|background = group_or_band
|origin = [[London]], [[England]]
|origin = [[London]], England
|genre = [[Novelty song]]s
|genre = [[Novelty song|Novelty]]
|years_active = 1982–1987
|years_active = 1982–1987
|label = Bark
|label = Bark
|past_members = John O'Connor, Grahame Lister, Tony Thorpe, Dev Douglas, Gary Wilson
|past_members =
* [[John O'Connor (musician)|John O'Connor]]
* Grahame Lister
* Tony Thorpe
* Dev Douglas
* Gary Wilson
}}
}}


'''The Firm''' is a British music act, formed by [[guitarist]], [[session musician]] and [[music producer]] [[John O'Connor (musician)|John O'Connor]], which had hits in the 1980s with [[novelty song]]s.
'''The Firm''' was a British music act, formed by [[guitarist]], [[session musician]] and [[music producer]] [[John O'Connor (musician)|John O'Connor]], which had hits in the 1980s with [[novelty song]]s.


=="Arthur Daley E's Alright"==
=="Arthur Daley E's Alright"==
John O'Connor, primarily an [[acoustic guitar]]ist, ran his own [[recording studio]] (Bark Studios in [[Walthamstow]], [[London]]) specialising in [[songwriter]]s' [[demo (music)|demo]]s, for some ten years.<ref name="SOS">{{cite web
John O'Connor, primarily an [[acoustic guitar]]ist, ran his own [[recording studio]] (Bark Studios in [[Walthamstow]], [[London]]) specialising in [[songwriter]]s' [[demo (music)|demos]], for some ten years.<ref name="SOS">{{cite web
| last = Tingen
| last = Tingen
| first = Paul
| first = Paul
| title = John O'Connor From 'Star Treking' To King Of The Hill
| title = John O'Connor From 'Star Treking' To King Of The Hill
| work = Sound On Sound
| work = Sound On Sound
|date=December 1998
|date=December 1998
| url = http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec98/articles/joconer.258.htm
| url = http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec98/articles/joconer.258.htm
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
In the early 1980s he decided to concentrate more on playing and writing music, working as a session musician with artists in a variety of [[music genre|genre]]s, from [[Maddy Prior]] and [[Isla St Clair]] to the more commercial [[pop music|pop]] of [[Bucks Fizz (band)|Bucks Fizz]].
In the early 1980s, he decided to concentrate more on playing and writing music, working as a session musician with artists in a variety of [[music genre|genres]], from [[Maddy Prior]] and [[Isla St Clair]] to the more commercial [[pop music|pop]] of [[Bucks Fizz]].

⚫
In 1982 he and fellow guitarist Grahame Lister wrote a novelty song, "Arthur Daley 'E's Alright",<ref>{{cite web
⚫
| title = Firm, The - Arthur Daley 'E's Alright
⚫
| work = Discogs
| url = http://pop.discogs.com/release/846679
⚫
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
⚫
based on the [[Arthur Daley]] character from the British TV series ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'', and including many [[catchphrase]]s from the show. Unable to find an artist willing to release the song, O'Connor & Lister did it themselves, under the name of 'The Firm'. It spent seven weeks in the [[UK Singles Chart|UK Top 40]], peaking at No. 14,<ref name="ChartStats">{{cite web
⚫
| title = Arthur Daley (E's Alright)
| work = Chart Stats
| url = http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=10048
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
⚫
and was performed on TV chart show ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' on 29 July 1982 featuring former Rubettes guitarist Tony Thorpe on lead vocals.<ref>{{cite web
⚫
| title = The Minder songs
⚫
| work = The unofficial fans of Minder website
⚫
| url = http://www.minder.org/
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>


⚫
In 1982, he and fellow guitarist Grahame Lister wrote a novelty song, "Arthur Daley 'E's Alright",<ref>{{cite web
=="Long Live The National"==
⚫
| title = Firm, The - Arthur Daley 'E's Alright
⚫
| work = Discogs
⚫
| url = https://www.discogs.com/The-Firm-Arthur-Daley-Es-Alright/master/616037
⚫
| accessdate = 2021-07-14 }}</ref> based on the [[Arthur Daley]] character from the British TV series ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'', and including many [[catchphrase]]s from the show. Unable to find an artist willing to release the song, O'Connor and Lister did it themselves, under the name of 'The Firm'. It spent seven weeks in the [[UK Singles Chart|UK top 40]], peaking at No. 14,<ref name="OfficialCharts">{{cite web
⚫
| title = Arthur Daley (E's Alright)
| work = Official Charts
| url = https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/arthur-daley-(e's-alright)/
⚫
| accessdate = 2019-01-09 }}</ref> and was performed on the TV chart show ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' on 29 July 1982 featuring former [[Rubettes]] guitarist Tony Thorpe on lead vocals.<ref>{{cite web
⚫
| title = The Minder songs
⚫
| work = The unofficial fans of Minder website
⚫
| url = http://www.minder.org
⚫
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>


The song also peaked at number 78 in Australia.<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=112}}</ref>
⚫
In 1983, with the future of the [[Grand National]] horse race in doubt, The Firm released a song "Long Live The National" as a single in support of the campaign to keep the race alive. The single did not chart. The following year they released "Superheroes" written again by Lister and O'Connor.


=="Star Trekkin'"==
=="Long Live the National"==
⚫
In 1983, with the future of the [[Grand National]] horse race in doubt, The Firm released the song "Long Live the National" as a single in support of the campaign to keep the race alive. The single did not chart. The following year they released "Superheroes" written by Lister.
In 1987 the group recorded another novelty song, this time based on catchphrases from the'' [[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' TV series set to a catchy, childlike tune with an increasingly frantic arrangement. Thorpe adopted the stage name '''Ron Spock''' in homage to Star Trek character [[Spock]]. It was rejected by all the [[record label|label]]s O'Connor approached with it. Believing it to be worth releasing, O'Connor pressed an initial 500 copies on his own label, Bark Music.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Firm, The - Star Trekkin'
| work = Discogs
| url = http://pop.discogs.com/release/846468
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
The record, "[[Star Trekkin']]{{-"}}, spent two weeks at [[List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)#1987|number one]] in the UK and a total of nine weeks in the UK Top 40,<ref name="ChartStats2">{{cite web
⚫
| title = Star Trekkin'
| work = Chart Stats
| url = http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=14395
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
and reached [[List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s#1987 (Australian Music Report)|No. 3 in Australia]], with comparable success in Japan and Europe and worldwide sales of over a million copies.<ref name="SOS" />


=="Star Trekkin{{'"}}==
⚫
Though it received substantial airplay on various [[radio station]]s throughout the U.S., the song did not chart on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]].
⚫
{{Main|Star Trekkin'}}
In 1987, the group recorded another novelty song, this time based on catchphrases from the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' TV series set to a catchy, childlike tune with an increasingly frantic arrangement. It was rejected by all the record labels which O'Connor approached with it. Believing it to be worth releasing, O'Connor pressed an initial 500 copies on his own label, Bark Music.<ref>{{cite web |title=Firm, The - Star Trekkin'&thinsp; |work=Discogs |url=http://pop.discogs.com/release/846468 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140712224418/http://pop.discogs.com/release/846468 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-07-12 |access-date=2007-04-25}}</ref> The record, "[[Star Trekkin']]{{-"}}, spent two weeks at [[List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)#1987|number one]] in the UK and a total of nine weeks in the UK top 40,<ref name="OfficialCharts2">{{cite web |title=Star Trekkin'&thinsp; |work=Official Charts |url= https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/star-trekkin'/ |access-date=2019-01-09 }}</ref> and reached [[List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s#1987 (Australian Music Report)|No. 3 in Australia]],<ref name=aus/> with comparable success in Japan and Europe and worldwide sales of over a million copies.<ref name="SOS"/>


⚫
Though it received substantial airplay on various radio stations throughout the US, the song did not chart on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]. (One of the song's phrases, "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it", became so popular that it has often been misattributed to the TV series, but actually originated with "Star Trekkin'".)
On the back of their success with "Star Trekkin'", The Firm released an album, "Serious Fun", in 1987, through [[K-Tel]] in the UK and [[Dino Music]] in Australia.<ref name="SeriousFunUK">{{cite web
| title = Firm, The - Serious Fun
| work = Discogs
| url = http://www.discogs.com/Firm-Serious-Fun/release/1650814
| accessdate = 2012-10-15 }}</ref><ref name="SeriousFunAU">{{cite web
| title = Firm, The - Serious Fun
| work = Discogs
⚫
| url = http://www.discogs.com/Firm-Serious-Fun/release/637696
⚫
| accessdate = 2012-10-15 }}</ref> As well as "Star Trekkin'", it included previous singles "Arthur Daley ('E's All Right)", "Superheroes" and "Cash in Hand", plus eight new tracks. In the US, "Star Trekkin'" was released on the [[Dr. Demento]] albums ''Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CD of All Time'' in 1988, ''Dr. Demento: 20th Anniversary Collection'' in 1991, and ''Dr. Demento: Hits From Outer Space'' in 2006.


⚫
On the back of their success with "Star Trekkin{{'"}}, The Firm released an album, ''Serious Fun'', in 1987, through [[K-Tel]] in the UK and Dino Music in Australia.<ref name="SeriousFunUK">{{cite web |title=Firm, The - Serious Fun |work=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Firm-Serious-Fun/release/1650814 |access-date=2021-07-14}}</ref><ref name="SeriousFunAU">{{cite web |title=Firm, The - Serious Fun |work=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Firm-Serious-Fun/release/637696 |access-date=2021-07-14}}</ref> As well as "Star Trekkin{{'"}}, it included previous singles "Arthur Daley ('E's All Right)", "Superheroes" and "Cash in Hand", plus eight new tracks. In the US, "Star Trekkin{{'"}} was released on the [[Dr. Demento]] albums ''Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CD of All Time'' in 1988, ''Dr. Demento: 20th Anniversary Collection'' in 1991, and ''Dr. Demento: Hits from Outer Space'' in 2006.
==Afterwards==
O'Connor moved to [[California]], where he went on to record several [[new-age music]] albums on the [[Higher Octave]] label as part of the band Eko,<ref name="SOS" /> and won the [[Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI]] TV Music award (1998)<ref>{{cite web
| title = BMI Film/TV Awards: 1998
| work = Broadcast Music, Inc.
| date = 1998-01-01
| url = http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/533562
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
for his work as [[composer]] on the ''[[King of the Hill]]'' [[animated television series|cartoon series]]. "Star Trekkin'" is still played on shows like [[Dr. Demento]] and regularly resurfaces on [[compilation album]]s to this day.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Dr. Demento Discography
| work = DMDB
| url = http://dmdb.org/discographies/demento.disco.html
| accessdate = 2007-04-25 }}</ref>
Lister still writes in The Jailhouse Studio in [[Essex]] but mainly records in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. He also plays in his band, Roots Revue, every Thursday in [[Brentwood, Essex]]. Apart from music he also coaches tennis in [[Billericay]], at the Billericay Lawn Tennis Club.


==References==
==References==
Line 95: Line 72:
[[Category:English pop music groups]]
[[Category:English pop music groups]]
[[Category:British comedy musical groups]]
[[Category:British comedy musical groups]]
[[Category:British novelty song performers]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in England]]

Latest revision as of 19:23, 30 November 2024

For other uses, including other groups called The Firm, see Firm (disambiguation).

The Firm
OriginLondon, England
GenresNovelty
Years active1982–1987
LabelsBark
Past members

The Firm was a British music act, formed by guitarist, session musician and music producer John O'Connor, which had hits in the 1980s with novelty songs.

"Arthur Daley E's Alright"

[edit]

John O'Connor, primarily an acoustic guitarist, ran his own recording studio (Bark Studios in Walthamstow, London) specialising in songwriters' demos, for some ten years.[1] In the early 1980s, he decided to concentrate more on playing and writing music, working as a session musician with artists in a variety of genres, from Maddy Prior and Isla St Clair to the more commercial pop of Bucks Fizz.

In 1982, he and fellow guitarist Grahame Lister wrote a novelty song, "Arthur Daley 'E's Alright",[2] based on the Arthur Daley character from the British TV series Minder, and including many catchphrases from the show. Unable to find an artist willing to release the song, O'Connor and Lister did it themselves, under the name of 'The Firm'. It spent seven weeks in the UK top 40, peaking at No. 14,[3] and was performed on the TV chart show Top of the Pops on 29 July 1982 featuring former Rubettes guitarist Tony Thorpe on lead vocals.[4]

The song also peaked at number 78 in Australia.[5]

"Long Live the National"

[edit]

In 1983, with the future of the Grand National horse race in doubt, The Firm released the song "Long Live the National" as a single in support of the campaign to keep the race alive. The single did not chart. The following year they released "Superheroes" written by Lister.

"Star Trekkin'"

[edit]
Main article: Star Trekkin'

In 1987, the group recorded another novelty song, this time based on catchphrases from the Star Trek TV series set to a catchy, childlike tune with an increasingly frantic arrangement. It was rejected by all the record labels which O'Connor approached with it. Believing it to be worth releasing, O'Connor pressed an initial 500 copies on his own label, Bark Music.[6] The record, "Star Trekkin'", spent two weeks at number one in the UK and a total of nine weeks in the UK top 40,[7] and reached No. 3 in Australia,[5] with comparable success in Japan and Europe and worldwide sales of over a million copies.[1]

Though it received substantial airplay on various radio stations throughout the US, the song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. (One of the song's phrases, "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it", became so popular that it has often been misattributed to the TV series, but actually originated with "Star Trekkin'".)

On the back of their success with "Star Trekkin'", The Firm released an album, Serious Fun, in 1987, through K-Tel in the UK and Dino Music in Australia.[8][9] As well as "Star Trekkin'", it included previous singles "Arthur Daley ('E's All Right)", "Superheroes" and "Cash in Hand", plus eight new tracks. In the US, "Star Trekkin'" was released on the Dr. Demento albums Dr. Demento Presents the Greatest Novelty CD of All Time in 1988, Dr. Demento: 20th Anniversary Collection in 1991, and Dr. Demento: Hits from Outer Space in 2006.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Tingen, Paul (December 1998). "John O'Connor From 'Star Treking' To King Of The Hill". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 25 April 2007.
  2. ^ "Firm, The - Arthur Daley 'E's Alright". Discogs. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Arthur Daley (E's Alright)". Official Charts. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  4. ^ "The Minder songs". The unofficial fans of Minder website. Retrieved 25 April 2007.
  5. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 112. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ^ "Firm, The - Star Trekkin' ". Discogs. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2007.
  7. ^ "Star Trekkin' ". Official Charts. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Firm, The - Serious Fun". Discogs. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Firm, The - Serious Fun". Discogs. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
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