After The Fire were formed in the UK in 1972 by keyboard player Peter Banks, Andy Piercy (guitar, bass), Ivor Twidell (drums) and John Russell (guitar). The market was responsive to UK adult-orientated rock during the early 70s but the band's mixture of "pomp Christian pop" was slow to break through. They eventually secured a contract following the release of their debut album on their own label. CBS Records invested in them and they were rewarded with a UK Top 40 hit, "One Rule For You", in 1979. The accompanying album, although polished, sold only to the converted. The band's subsequent recordings were minor hits until the unexpected major success of "Der Kommissar". Originally recorded by Falco in his native Germany, After The Fire's version went on to sell over a million copies worldwide, and made the US Top 5. However, by the time it charted, the group had already broken up, frustrated by record company indecision and the Christian ethos that "made things worse, as we couldn't have a good old swearing and slanging match." Banks built his own studio before becoming managing director of Maldon Computer Company, a software and networking enterprise. Twidell released three Christian rock solo albums, Waiting For The Sun (1981), Secret Service (1981) and Duel (1983), after leaving the group following the debut album. He then became a member of the Bedfordshire police force. Russell was last sighted working in a hi-fi shop. Piercy retained the rights to the name, although it was now abbreviated to ATF. Still a practising Christian, after submitting an unreleased solo album for CBS he went on to do production work for the Truth, T'Pau (when they were known as Talking America) and Gary Numan. (Source : VH1)

It's High Fashion

It's high fashion, first they sell you a lie
And let you think if you try perhaps they'll let you find it
It's high fashion, like tomorrow I say
Forever one day away, you'll always be behind it

They show us pictures in a glamour book
And say that next year this is how we will look
I think it's time we got ourselves of their hook

It's high fashion, I'm the face of the week
Someone to smile but not speak, this is a silent feature
It's high fashion, who's that face of the year
No-one who comes from round here, they build a special creature

Then everyone must try and look like their fake
With help from buying all the products they make
That way they get the biggest slice of the cake

Just at the point when all your money is spent
On trying to keep up with the latest of trends
They o and change 'round all the fashions again

It's high fashion, but it's all back to front
They've got us just where they want, that's why we pay their prices
It's high fashion - they know if it was gone
We would all suffer from an identity crisis

And when I told them that I thought it a shame
To have to pay so much for looking the same
They laughed and said it's really only a game - Ho Ho Ho!

If they think that they can sell it - they will

Music Lyrics