(c’89-’98) Du Kane (guitar / backing vocals), Luke Baldry (keyboards / drum programming / backing vocals) and Robin Goodridge (drums / percussion)

Kane, Baldry and Goodridge were the core members, with Kane and Baldry handling writing and a raft of session musicians / friends contributing.

In the late 80’s, to get by, the members of Beautiful People ran clubs, DJ’d and busked, with songs like “Hey Joe” and “Little Wing” by day, and were involved with Lax Lifetime. Eventually the techno-dance group Beautiful People emerged from rehearsals at the Ewhurst Cricket Club, and on 8 December ’90 played the Wonderful World event at Farnham Art College.

Members of Beautiful People with James Sunquist (AKA Jimi Hendrix Jr.) Source: Beautiful People If 60’s were 90’s

Beautiful People were granted permission to sample any Jimi Hendrix song they wished. The result was 1992’s single “If 60’s Was 90’s” and the similarly named album, “If 60’s Were 90’s” on Castle Communications [432014] and Essential [ESS CD 200] in France on which Gavin George (bass), Phyl D’Bass (bass), David Maskrey (guitar) and Christell (French voice) contributed and the sampled voice and guitar of Hendrix was used extensively. The group also sampled the voices of Mitch Mitchell, Brian Jones and Mike Bloomfield and the guitar work of Frank Zappa.

The album was promoted widely, including ads on MTV:

Later in ’92 and into ’93, various pressings of “Rilly Groovy” were released, which reached No. 3 in the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart. On the back of this “If 60’s Was 90’s” was re-released and peaked at No.74 on the UK Singles Chart, and No.5 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. On 27 November ’93, Beautiful People supported Hawkwind at Hastings Pier.

The album was re-released in the US, UK, Canada and Europe in 1994. Of the re-release Jim Washburn of The Los Angeles Times called it an “inspired piece of grave-digging”. Beautiful People were supported by The Little Green Men at The Works, Corby on 10 June ’94. At some point in ’94 the band meet up British music video and film director Richard Heslop, who’d produced videos for the likes of Queen, The Cure, and New Order, to film for the band. The video was recorded of 16mm film and in 2017, Heslop posted that the video was shot “in and around West London. The house interior was my old house in Ravenscourt Park, and we also shot in and around Portobello Road and Goldborne Road.”

On 18 August ’95, Beautiful People performed at the Splash Club, held at The Water Rats, King’s Cross. In 2012, Beautiful People had a No. 100 hit with a pre-release cover version of “Turn Up the Music” by Chris Brown.

Anton Daniels (?), Chris Chunn (?), Philip Rich (?), and Tuggy Lane (?) were also involved at some point.

Goodridge is now with Bush. Kane was a contributing editor for Front magazine for a few years and runs session recording outfit Replicant. With Maskrey, Kane can now be seen in The Shakespearos, along with The Vapors‘ Steve Smith, mostly gigging in the Worthing area. Baldry set up Earth Terminal Studios in ’93.

(Ed. There’s a lot of info to add and tweak here, but this is a start)

Links:
Writewyattuk’s post “The Rilly Groovy Return of the Beautiful People in Conversation with Du Kane“

Tracks / Video:

Gallery:

Beautiful Peple’s “If 60s Were 90s” back cover. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
In ’93, they released “Rilly Groovy”, which reached No. 3 in the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
If 60s were 90s DVD Sleeve. Source: Beautiful People If 60’s were 90’s
Beautiful Peple’s “If 60s Were 90s” front cover. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
B-side of “If 60’s Were 90’s” DJ Promo Copy 12″ UK release on Essential [ESST 2037] from 1994. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
8 December 1990: Beautiful People played the Wonderful World event at Farnham Art College. Source: The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene
18 August 1995 (not the highlighted day): Beautiful People plus support were at Splash Club at The Water Rats, Kings X. Source: The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene
Beautiful People’s “ESS MC 200” DAT recording, that’s digital rather than analog. Source: Beautiful People If 60’s were 90’s
27 November 1993: Beautiful People supported Hawkwind at Hastings pier.
Beautiful People’s “5” DAT recording. Source: Beautiful People If 60’s were 90’s
Beautiful People’s Du Kane, in his mother’s front room, at Robin Goodridge’s kit during recording of “If 60’s were 90’s”. Photo by Alecz Sversepa and courtesy of Du Kane.
Clipped from the Kettering Evening Telegraph of 3 June 1994. Beautiful People supported by The Little Green Men at The Works, Corby on 10 June ’94. Picture courtesy of Du Kane.
Beautiful People’s “Big Life” cassette. Source: Beautiful People If 60’s were 90’s
B-side of Beautiful People’s Vinyl 12″ “Rilly Groovy”, released on Essential [ESST 2029] in the UK in 1992. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
A-side of Beautiful People’s Vinyl 12″ “Rilly Groovy”, released on Essential [ESST 2029] in the UK in 1992. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
Beautiful People on the set of the Richard Heslop film for the band in 1994. Picture courtesy of Du Kane
Beautiful People: (LtoR) Maskrey, Kane, Daniels, and Lane. Source: Beautiful People If 60’s were 90’s