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British pop band

Black Lace are a British pop band, best known for novelty party records, including their biggest hit, "Agadoo". The band first came to the public eye after being selected to represent the UK in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, in which they finished seventh with the song "Mary Ann". With numerous line up changes (the only original member being Colin Gibb), Black Lace went on to have success with novelty party anthems such as "Superman" and "Do the Conga". Today, Black Lace consists of original member Colin Gibb, who has taken the band around the world playing party shows throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Canada and the US.

Terry Dobson and school friend Ian Howarth formed The Impact as a five piece pop group in 1969, with Alan Barton, Steve Scholey and Nigel Scott. The group also performed under the names Penny Arcade and Love or Confusion. Ian Howarth left the band for a short while but returned to the line up in 1974, and Dobson also left, to be replaced briefly by Neil Hardcastle. Dobson then re joined, and Scott left in 1975, that same year the band adopted the name Black Lace. Ian Howarth left the band for good in 1976, and was replaced by Colin Gibb (born Colin Routh, 8 December 1953).

After turning professional at the beginning of 1976, the band toured the majority of the UK, managed by Keith Mills, commencing their first summer season at the Skegness Bier Garten. The following year their summer season would take them to Butlins in Filey, North Yorkshire and Skegness, Lincolnshire. An EP was recorded and produced by comedian Freddie 'Parrot face' Davies at his studio, which was to be sold at their shows. The group were voted Yorkshire Band of the Year by BBC Radio Leeds, and best clubland group playing at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool. In 1979, Black Lace recorded their first single, "Mary Ann", for ATV music and a recording contract followed with EMI. As the song required a more 'throaty' vocal, Alan Barton was moved to being lead singer, with Steve Scholey on backing vocals for the band's recordings, but remaining as lead singer on live performances. The song won the BBC Television's A Song For Europe and the band went on to represent the UK at the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest held in Israel, with the band finishing seventh. Other television appearances around this time included Nationwide, Multi Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops and Juke Box Jury. "Mary Ann" reached No. 42 in the UK Singles Chart. The band's follow up single, "So Long Suzy Baby", failed to chart in the UK (as EMI could not decide on which track should be used, and delayed the planned release date), but achieved success in Europe. Black Lace found success with live performances and TV shows, notably the Sopot International Song Festival in Poland, the Golden Orpheus festival in Bulgaria, and on TV in East Germany, West Germany and Spain. The band toured Denmark in 1980, supporting Suzi Quatro and working with Tommy Seebach, a Danish entertainer. Black Lace and Seebach recorded "Hey Hey Jock McRay" for the Danish singles market, but an intended 1980 tour of Poland was called off because of political unrest in the country.

The group were famously lampooned in the UK No. 1 chart single "The Chicken Song", recorded as part of the Spitting Image programme. A parody of Black Lace's style, it contained a specific reference to the band members Barton and Gibb with the line "those two wet gits with their girly curly hair". Black Lace records have also been voted in the top five all time 'Best Party' songs, 'Best Holiday' songs and 'Worst Records of all time'.