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Fiona Russell Powell (born 2 April 1962)[citation needed] is a British journalist. She is best known for her series of interviews throughout the 1980s in The Face magazine. For a brief period in the mid-1980s, she performed as a member of pop group ABC in videos and onstage to support their cartoon-synth album How to Be a ... Zillionaire! (1985). She was credited originally as "Fiona" in early recordings of material for this album,[1] but eventually performed under the stage name "Eden".
Fiona Russell Powell | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Eden, Cooper O'Kelly (as poet) |
| Born | 2 April 1962 |
| Origin | England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, journalist |
| Instrument | Back-up vocals |
| Years active | August 1984 – December 1985 as musician; 1982–present as journalist and writer |
| Labels | Mercury |
Early life and career
editGrowing up in Dore, Sheffield, she had known ABC from their early days as an electronic three-piece called Vice Versa.[2]
In 1982, aged 20, she began writing for The Face[3][4] as a features writer, concentrating mostly on music and became known for her irreverent mickey-taking interviews with leading pop stars of the day.
ABC
editAfter the success of ABC's debut album The Lexicon of Love and the disappointing reception to their follow up Beauty Stab, ABC's Martin Fry and Mark White decided they wanted a completely new image for ABC. To that end, they asked Powell to join the band as well as American David Yarritu.
Neither Powell nor Yarritu were allowed to contribute musically. When Powell admitted she couldn't play any instruments, ABC frontman Martin Fry replied "It doesn't matter. You can pretend. We want you because you've got a great look".[2] Vocals attributed to Powell as Eden on the album How to Be a Zillionaire were not performed by her either – for example, in the song "A to Z", the words "Hi, I'm Eden, and I want you to kiss my snatch" was actually Martin Fry's voice sped up and was recorded entirely without Powell's knowledge.[5]
Inflatable instruments were made for the band with the aim to be as luridly bright and "cartoony" as possible. Eden even wore a dildo belt she made on The Tube, the 1980s Channel 4 live music show, which was a belt covered in "ladyfingers" – very small white dildoes – to look like a bullet belt.[6][7] The new look ABC went over well enough; in the UK and the US How to Be a Zillionaire charted in the top 30,[8][9] while "Be Near Me" was the highest-charting track off the album at No. 26 in the UK[8] and in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100.[10]
Journalistic career
editPowell has written for Punch,[11] The Face, i-D,[12] Daily Express,[13] Time Out[14] and New Humanist,[15] among others.
References
edit- ^ "Discogs entry for 1986 UK pressing of the "How To Be A Zillionaire" 12" single". Discogs. 1986. The name "Fiona" can be seen on the back cover of the 12", as seen by viewing the "More Images" link on the Discogs page.
- ^ a b Powell, Fiona Russell (7 March 1997). "Pop groups should not make comebacks, says Fiona Russell Powell". The Times. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009.
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (March 1982). "The Most Wanted Man in Pop: Trevor Horn. By Fiona Russell Powell : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". The Face. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (October 1982). "David Sylvian: The Face Interview. By Fiona Russell Powell : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". The Face. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ "ABC - How to Be A Zillionaire!". Classic Pop. November 2020.
- ^ Interviewed by Bill Brewster in Mark's West London flat Archived 21 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine DJhistory.com, 20.7.04 Link not actually DEAD, it has just always been the wrong one.
- ^ "ABC's Zillionaire performance on The Tube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Belt can be seen at timecode 1:27
- ^ a b "ABC | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ "ABC Chart History | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
How to Be a Zillionaire peaked at #30 on 16 November 1985
- ^ "ABC | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
"Be Near Me" peaked at #9 on 9 November 1985
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (March 1998). "George Michael: My High Times with Gay George. By Fiona Russell Powell : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". Punch. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (April 1987). "Excess: Sex, Drugs and the Vanity of the Psychedelic Furs. By Fiona Russell Powell : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". i-D. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (1995). "Boy George: Is This His Last 15 Minutes of Fame?. By Fiona Russell Powell : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". Daily Express. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (December 1983). "Matt Johnson: A Master of All Trades. By Fiona Russell Powell : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". Time Out. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Powell, Fiona Russell (17 July 2009). "Shock and bore | New Humanist". New Humanist. Rationalist Association. Retrieved 14 August 2020.