Swing Out Sister's Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell join us to explore the creative process and legacy of their 1986 international smash, “Breakout.”
In the mid-1980s, a new batch of artists emerged on the UK music scene, blending pop sensibilities, refined arrangements, and an understated sense of fashion. Among the likes of Sade, Prefab Sprout, and Simply Red, there was the unique style of Swing Out Sister, originally comprised of jazz-tinged vocalist and songwriter Corinne Drewery, keyboardist Andy Connell, and drummer Martin Jackson.
Influenced by an array of performers, from Dionne Warwick to Ennio Morricone, Swing Out Sister broke through in 1985 but failed to make a dent on the charts with their first single. However, a series of isolated (and almost tragic) circumstances propelled the group to throw everything but the kitchen sink on the next effort, an exuberant and positive song that shot to the top 10 in both sides of the Atlantic.
As they celebrate 35 years of their debut album with a retrospective box set, Corinne and Andy are not afraid to look back at their legacy, and discuss how a sincere song born from a record label’s ultimatum came to define an entire era, and influence millions of listeners to change their lives around.
Show Tracklisting
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Host and Producer: Diego Martinez
Executive Producer: Nicholas "NickFresh" Puzo
Audio Engineer: Adam Fogel
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