The Flying Pickets

The Flying Pickets, a British a cappella vocal group, were founded in 1982 by Brian Hibbard. The group originated from actors who had been active with Hibbard in John McGrath's 7:84 theatre group and chose the name "Flying Pickets" due to their involvement in UK miners' strikes. Their breakthrough came with the release of "Only You", a cover version of Yazoo's track, which reached Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks during Christmas 1983. The group's flamboyant appearance and political activism, particularly their support for the 1984 miners' strike, became notable aspects of their image. Despite internal changes and the departure of key members like Hibbard and Red Stripe (David Gittins) in 1986, the Flying Pickets continued to release albums such as Lost Boys (1984), Waiting for Trains (1987), and Blue Money (1990). The group's line-up has seen numerous changes over the years, however, they continued to record and tour extensively. Brian Hibbard pursued an acting career post-Flying Pickets, appearing in notable TV shows like Coronation Street and winning a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Actor in 2006. He passed away on June 17, 2012.

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