By Boynextdoor (4.165.87.134) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 10:00 pm:

Can anyone out there tell me what this group sounded like? I saw their CD advertized. I guess they're British. I had never heard them. Guess they broke up in the 80's? Did they sound like Bananarama?

By Dayo (81.136.172.59) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 03:39 am:

Bananarama/Belle Starres = same vibe

By STONEWALL (68.237.93.170) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 03:46 am:

I really cannot describe their sound except for kinda blue-eyed girl group soul. I know I liked them and bought their records. That says it all! A group I haven't heard mentioned in about 20 years: The Belle Stars. Visit: www.Overture.com and enter "Belle Stars".

By roger (217.35.87.17) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 05:38 am:

Hi Boynextdoor.

They had a big U.K. hit with a revival of SHIRLEY ELLIS's "Clapping Song". And a minor hit with a revival of THE DIXIECUP's "Iko-Iko".

Stylistically I'd agree that they were very similar to BANANARAMA when they did their version of THE VELVELETTES "He was Really Saying Something", i.e kept very close to the original arrangement, but with 80's "musicianship" and rather "flat" (IMO) sounding vocals.

Pleasant enough, but nothing to get TOO excited about.

Roger

By STONEWALL (68.237.93.170) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 03:06 am:

Yes, that was why I and so many liked THE BELLE STARS, because of their musically unique takes on Girl Group songs, like The VELVELETTES' "Really Sayin' Something", SHIRLEY ELLIS' "Clap Song", i.e., "3-6-9 the goose drank wine....", and especially their version of THE DIXIE CUPS' "Iko, Iko". They had a deliberately "camp" effect to them, to. I first heard them in a Gay club and henceforth on the radio.