Dream Academy
This '80s UK group comprised Nick Laird-Clowes (guitar/vocals), Gilbert Gabriel (keyboards) and Kate St. John (vocals/oboe/saxophone; ex-Ravishing Beauties). Laird-Clowes, who as a child experienced the last days of the London underground movement at first hand, revived memories of that earlier era with the polished folky-pop Life In A Northern Town, dedicated to the memory of singer songwriter Nick Drake. The single, released on the Blanco Y Negro label, reached UK number 15 in 1985 (and US number 7 the following year). Hailed, or conversely, derided as one the leading lights of the new breed of English psychedelic revivalists, the group's momentum was halted by the relative failure of The Love Parade. Since then the group has periodically released albums which have shown the trio sticking gamely to their formula. David Gilmour contributed guitar and production work to their third album. Kate St. John has during this time regularly composed theme music for British television programmes.