Shock (troupe)

Shock were a music/mime/dance/pop group that was notable in the early 1980s for supporting English <a href="/facts/New_wave_music/jw9IYpDh">new wave</a> groups such as <a href="/facts/Gary_Numan/w7XWpqwh">Gary Numan</a>, <a href="/facts/Adam_and_the_Ants/SvqA2rFj">Adam and the Ants</a>, <a href="/facts/Depeche_Mode/HYrMb9Q4">Depeche Mode</a> and Famous Names, led by <a href="/facts/Steve_Fairnie/d7a9CmP0">Steve Fairnie</a>.
In 1979, mime artists <a href="/facts/Tim_Dry/evuR2AuU">Tim Dry</a> and <a href="/facts/Barbie_Wilde/18BYEszn">Barbie Wilde</a> united with actors Robert Pereno and Lowri-Ann Richards and dancer Karen Sparks to produce Shock. In April 1980, they recruited another mime, Sean Crawford. The line-up changed again with the departure of Karen and the introduction of <a href="/facts/Carole_Caplin/vAYx6yPd">Carole Caplin</a>.
Based in London, England, Shock performed in clubs such as <a href="/facts/The_Ha%25C3%25A7ienda/IIgvdRvj">The Haçienda</a>, The Warehouse (Leeds) and The Blitz Club (home of the <a href="/facts/Blitz_Kids_(New_Romantics)/Xu4H70Jz">Blitz Kids</a>) and The Venue (London). With costumes from <a href="/facts/Kahn_%2526_Bell/U1b6tbHG">Kahn & Bell</a> (designers for <a href="/facts/Duran_Duran/okh8KMup">Duran Duran</a>), miming to music by <a href="/facts/Fad_Gadget/DAvSREBB">Fad Gadget</a>, <a href="/facts/Landscape_(band)/EKwN9QW1">Landscape</a>, <a href="/facts/Kate_Bush/gkBP9bD9">Kate Bush</a> and <a href="/facts/Wilson_Pickett/7tXgmJjQ">Wilson Pickett</a>, they were in the vanguard of the <a href="/facts/New_Romantic/kCfg3alo">New Romantic</a> cult of the early 1980s, alongside <a href="/facts/Boy_George/9wANLvxG">Boy George</a>, Duran Duran, <a href="/facts/Steve_Strange/znv6yyAK">Steve Strange</a> and <a href="/facts/Spandau_Ballet/sfan1p7v">Spandau Ballet</a>.
Their first record, "Angel Face" on <a href="/facts/RCA_Records/bp1jLxvU">RCA Records</a> – with production by <a href="/facts/Rusty_Egan/BsRN6JAQ">Rusty Egan</a> (<a href="/facts/Visage_(band)/HGSMRAXQ">Visage</a>) and <a href="/facts/Richard_James_Burgess/prnM23dh">Richard James Burgess</a> (<a href="/facts/Landscape_(band)/EKwN9QW1">Landscape</a>) – was a dance floor hit, as was the second, "Dynamo Beat". In 1981, Shock co-starred with <a href="/facts/Ultravox/TFXS67gp">Ultravox</a> at the 'People's Palace Valentine's Ball' at the Rainbow Theatre. Lowri-Ann, Barbie and Carole appeared in the video for <a href="/facts/Landscape_(band)/EKwN9QW1">Landscape</a>'s "Einstein A Go-Go". Sean and Barbie starred in the video for Ultravox's "<a href="/facts/Passing_Strangers/tXPHxBlc">Passing Strangers</a>".
Shock went on to perform at <a href="/facts/Ritz_(rock_club)/qobBuSFl">The Ritz</a> rock club in Manhattan and toured Europe and the Far East. Their biggest live concerts were in April 1981 with Gary Numan at <a href="/facts/Wembley_Arena/Kw8xMjHl">Wembley Arena</a>.
Shock eventually broke up and reformed as a foursome with Barbie, Tim, Sean and Carole and released the single "Dynamo Beat" on <a href="/facts/RCA_Records/bp1jLxvU">RCA Records</a>. However, soon Tim and Sean broke away to form their own double act as <a href="/facts/Tik_and_Tok/tSCl8dFR">Tik and Tok</a>. Barbie went back to acting and TV presenting. Carole went on to become a lifestyle advisor to <a href="/facts/Cherie_Blair/GoMFNEob">Cherie Blair</a>.

Shock (troupe) open-in-new

Shock (troupe)