The Look formed in the Cambridgeshire cathedral city of Ely, gigging locally while shopping numerous tapes around record company A&R departments.
Their collection of rejection slips grew while the band members made ends meet by working as builders, minicab drivers, and porters (in frontman Johnny Whetstone’s case, alongside Pete Townshend’s brother in Selfridges once).
In January 1981, their single I Am The Beat (which had been issued in the autumn of 1980) sprung out of nowhere to become a Top 10 hit in the UK charts, helped by an appearance on Top Of The Pops.
The Look failed to capitalise on the success, however.
They toured extensively and a minor follow-up hit, Feeding Time, reached #50 but their third single, Tonight, failed to reach the charts at all. There were other distractions – a legal case to fight and changes on the management side – and the group disbanded in 1983.
They returned briefly in 2004 with a new album, entitled Pop Yowlin’.
Johnny Whetstone
Vocals, guitar
Gus Goad
Bass, vocals
Mick Bass
Keyboards, guitar, vocals
Trevor Walter
Drums
