by Mike Edmunds
Steve Overland and brother Chris formed the band Wildlife in 1980 with Pete Jupp and recorded their first album, Burning, for Chrysalis Records. Their second album, Wildlife, included drummer Simon Kirke (ex-Free, Bad Company) and was produced by Mick Ralphs. Wildlife disbanded, but the three original members continued with bass player Goldsworthy (ex-Diamond Head) and keyboard player Didge Digital and changed their name to FM.
The first FM album, Indiscreet, was released in 1986 and included the ballad "Frozen Heart," which was released as a single but failed to chart. FM's second release, Tough It Out (1989), was given an extra push by Epic Records but the extracted single "Bad Luck" also fizzled. Many of the songs were co-written by well-known songwriter Desmond Child. The band lost its contract with Sony and signed to Music for Nations to record Takin' It to the Streets; this shift to a more straightforward rock approach suited new guitarist Andy Barnet (ex-A.S.A.P.), who had been in a formative lineup of the group. FM's fourth album, Aphrodisiac, was acknowledged as their best work but was commercially unsuccessful. The band signed to the Raw Power label to record Dead Man's Shoes, which includes new keyboard player Jem Davies. Upon disbanding, Barnet and Davies formed the Barnstormers, while Overland and Jupp formed So and recorded Brass Monkey in 1998.
