Reliving the 80’s with Curiosity Killed the Cat’s Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot

Jayna Patel | 8th July 2015

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Perhaps the Eighties were the best years of your life, or maybe you are often heard sighing ‘I wish I’d been born in the 70’s to enjoy all the amazing music/fashion of the Eighties’. But what if the colorful decade could be revived and relived? Tony Denton Promotions are doing just that by bringing together some of the decade’s most popular and notable artists from Big Country, Midge Ure, Nick Heyward and Curiosity Killed The Cat for an nationwide ’80’s Invasion Tour’ in March 2016. With the tour promising to be the ultimate Eighties extravaganza, VIVA caught up with Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot, lead singer of the famous British pop band, Curiosity Killed the Cat.

Working with Pop Art leading legend, Andy Warhol on their music video for their 1986 single “Misfit” propelled the soulful, jazzy and funky pop sound of Curiosity Killed the Cat to prominence and over the band’s life span they have garnered a UK chart-topping album and 5 top 20 singles in the UK charts under their belts. The band split in the early Nighties for various reasons- some have suggested it was due to the band’s alleged extravagant partying and excessive drug use.

“There was a lot of money going around,” Ben says frankly with a wistful laugh when asked what he misses most about the career defining decade that was the Eighties. “So it was all very luxurious I seem to remember. Yeah it was very extravagant and stuff like that, not that that was my type of tastes,” he adds hastily. “But that’s what I remember about it, going out every night.

Having been memorable for always being depicted sporting a beret when he was pictured with fellow band members, guitarist Julian Godfrey Brookhouse , bassist Nicholas Bernard Thorp, drummer Michael Drummond and keyboardist Toby Anderson, you get the sense that Ben misses performing music on stage just as much as he yearns for the Eighties.

“There’s been quite a few odd gigs and stuff but they’ve been sort of annually, just a couple of Here and Now [an Eighties tribute tour that Ben joined in 2001] gigs around the country but this is the first tour since, well maybe ten years or something.”

Ben continues: “I think the 80’s Invasion Tour is going to be good. I’ve done one of these types of tours before and it was a real laugh because it’s great doing one off gigs and seeing everyone and stuff but with these ones we spend a bit of time together, probably travel around in a big bus altogether, so we have a real laugh I reckon.”

Ben’s evident burning desire to tour also translates to his passion for the fans: “I’m looking forward to the gigs and meeting new people on this tour because I like to take advantage of the things I wasn’t able to do back in the Eighties, you know, come out after the gig, meet some of the fans and stuff, not just to sign autographs but like to sit and have a chat. 

“I always like to organise a little after show, play some music have a drink and just relax so basically I’ll have to try and organise something when I get to Manchester!” he quips. 

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Ben explains that he hasn’t written any material for the 80’s Invasion Tour, which intends to be a nostalgic “trip down memory lane.” He also tells us that his former band members weren’t planning on coming on tour with him, with what he dubs “a super group” that plays with most of the singers, accompanying him instead but admits: “we [his former band members] have been talking about it together and we might just surprise everyone and all come!” with a hint of possibility in his voice.

Like the tour, Ben is also reminiscent of the cherished decade, citing the band’s album, ‘Keep Your Distance’ reaching number one as the most memorable highlight of his career so far.

“A lot of people can get number one singles but a number one album, we felt was quite an achievement and it was like number one before the album even came out so it was really exciting. I think we were in Scotland at the time and our record company flew up to say that we were number one and to say that we were just signing in America so that was quite a celebration that night.”

But back to the present Ben explains why you won’t want to miss out on the 80’s Invasion Tour: “It’s a high standard of music and it’s a friendly atmosphere, I wouldn’t say it’s a family show because it’s at night but it’s very friendly and it’s going to be a fun night out I think.”

“The audiences are always really buzzy up north as well so I’m looking forward to that,” he adds fondly.

For updates on the 80’s Invasion Tour visit http://www.tdpromo.com/