| Adorable |
| Background information |
| Origin |
Coventry |
| Genre(s) |
Shoegaze |
| Years active |
1991 - 1994 |
| Label(s) |
Creation
Records |
Associated
acts |
Polak |
| Members |
Piotr
Fijalkowski
Robert Dillam
Wil (Stephen Williams)
Kevin Gritton |
Adorable were a British rock band
of the 1990s.
They formed in Coventry
in 1991, and consisted of band members Piotr Fijalkowski (vocals,
guitar), Robert Dillam (guitar), Wil (bass), and Kevin Gritton (drums).
After recording a 12" of "Sunshine Smile" ("I'll Be Your
Saint" & "Breathless" on the b-side) that was pressed up to be
released on record producer Pat Collier's 'Money To Burn' label the
band received a gushing review in the NME. The single was never
released. They signed to Creation Records in 1992, and after
a UK tour supporting Curve they released their first
single a re-recording of "Sunshine Smile" in May of that year.
Distancing themselves from the Shoegaze movement, by attempting to be
more outspoken than traditional shoegazers, Adorable were briefly seen
along with other bands Suede and The
Verve as being a part of a new movement tagged 'New Glam', a
label attributed to Fijalkowski's assertion that "we want to put the
glamour back into pop". "Sunshine Smile" was NME's Single of the Week, and topped the Indie
Singles chart as well as entering the mainstream UK single top 100
charts for three weeks. A backlash in the press against the band's
outspoken image immediately followed, and the band were never to be
interviewed in the mainstream UK press after their debut single. The
band released "I'll be your saint", "Homeboy" and Sistine Chapel
Ceiling" (NME single of the Week), which all went into the Top 5 in the
Indie charts, but failed to enter the mainstream Top 75. The Album
"Against Perfection" released in 1993 went #70 in the album charts, and
the band toured the USA, Europe, Australia & Japan.
The second album "Fake", was seen as a far more introspective
album, which Fijalkowski himself suggests was the result of the band
feeling vulnerable. Although the two singles "Kangaroo Court" &
"Vendetta" again entered high in the Indie Singles chart, the album
failed to dent the mainstream Top75, and strained relations both within
the band and with Creation resulted in the band announcing their split
onstage in Brussels in late 1994.
In subsequent years, the band has been re-classified as being
part of the shoegazing movement. Bands such as Ash
& Oasis have in the past
acknowledged their admiration of the band.
Subsequent to the band's demise Robert Dillam moved to
Scotland where he joined The Zephyrs, whilst
Fijalkowski went on to form the band Polak, who signed to One
Little Indian Records, though now crediting himself with the anglicised
version of his name Pete Fijalkowski.
Discography
Albums
- Against Perfection (Creation / CRE 138) - Mar 1993
- Fake (Creation / CRE 165) - Sept 1994
Singles
- Sunshine Smile (Creation / CRE 127) - Apr 1992
- I'll Be Your Saint (Creation / CRE 133) - Jul 1992
- Homeboy (Creation / CRE 140) - Oct 1992
- Sistine Chapel Ceiling (Creation / CRE 153) - Jan 1993
- Favourite Fallen Idol (Creation / CRE 159) - Apr 1993
- Kangaroo Court (Creation / CRE 172) - Apr 1994
- Vendetta (Creation / CRE 177) - Sept 1994