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> BIOGRAPHY

Between 1985 and 1990, the names Delroy, Deniece, Doris, Stedman and Lorraine Pearson would have been well known to the record buying public. Together, the five brothers and sisters formed 'Five Star', a pop group described as being "the British Jacksons". With hits like 'Rain Or Shine', 'System Addict' and 'The Slightest Touch', Five Star took the world by storm.


1983 > The family persuade their father, Buster, to sign them to his own record label, Tent   Records, through which they release their debut single 'Problematic'. Although it fails to set the charts alight, it gives the group something to build upon.

1984 > Five Star are signed up by RCA records, who have an exclusive licensing deal from Tent Records for the group. Following a series of gruelling PAs across the UK, Five Star release two singles Hide and Seek and Crazy, both of which miss out on the top 100.

1985 > The release of their fourth single, 'All Fall Down' sees Five Star's first chart success, making the UK Top 20. This is followed by 'Let Me Be The One' and 'Love Take Over', both taken from the group's debut album 'Luxury Of Life'. The end of the year sees the group's seventh single, 'R.S.V.P', charting at number 45, disappointingly missing out on the Top 40.

1986 > The final single from Luxury Of Life, 'System Addict' is released and becomes the group's first top ten hit. The group are finally making a name for themselves. The first two singles ('Can't Wait Another Minute' and 'Find The Time') from their forthcoming second album 'Silk and Steel' also make the top ten, with the third single 'Rain or Shine' reaching number two! When 'Silk and Steel' is finally released it hits the prized position of number one!

1987 > This year saw two more top ten singles from 'Silk and Steel', and the group winning a Brit Award for being 'Best British Group'! Smash Hits magazine, names Five Star Best Group in their readers poll. Five Star released their third album 'Between The Lines' in August with it reaching number six in the UK album charts. A sell out UK tour followed, with the three single releases from the album becoming top 25 hits.

1988 > Following a sixth month break, Five Star relaunch themselves with a shocking new raunchy leather look. The first two singles from the group's fourth album 'Rock The World', released in August, become Top 30 hit singles. The album reached number 16 in the UK charts, with favourable reviews but disappointing sales. The group's next two singles; 'There's A Brand New World' and 'Let Me Be Yours' become the group's first singles not to reach the Top 40 since 'R.S.V.P' in 1985.
In October Lorraine gets engaged to American comedy actor, Eddie Murphy. However, following tabloid rumours of infidelity on Eddie's part, the engagement is called off. A sour Eddie desribes the whole thing as a 'publicity stunt' whilst Lorraine simply explains that 'things just didn't work out'.

1989 > Begins with a subdued start. Five Star release 'With Every Heartbeat' from their forthcoming album and during a promotional appearance on BBC1 are sworn at by a phone in caller, who is then named and shamed by presenter Sarah Greene. The single misses out on Top 40 success.
Later in the year the group release their 'Greatest Hits' album, which alongside the single contained one new recording; 'Something About My Baby'.

1990 > The group announce that they have left the 'unsuccessful' RCA records and have signed to CBS Epic in a deal rumoured to be worth more than £1million. In their luxurious Sunningdale mansion, the group install an expensive recording studio, hoping to lease it out to stars like Stevie Wonder.
Five Star's debut Epic single, 'Treat Me Like A Lady' failed to hit the Top 40, as did its follow up 'Hot Love'. Rumours in the press suggested that Five Star were now bankrupt, but the group were keen to point out that although their new recording studio had been a failure, they themselves were not bankrupt. "I still skip to the post office every month to pay my poll tax" Lorraine chirped. The group moved out of their Sunningdale home, to a new house 'just up the road'.
Their eagerly anticipated self penned and produced album 'Five Star', due for release in July, fails to materialise. It is later released in the US, but UK fans find that they have to order it 'on import'.
At the end of the year Stedman is given a criminal conviction for 'Public Indecency', and the Pearson family move to America to 'further' their careers.

1991> Having recorded their second album, 'Shine', for Epic, the group are keen to release it. However, it only receives a limited UK release, but receives good reviews. It is later (1998) voted as being the fans' favourite album.
Stedman reveals that he is engaged.

1992 > Having fulfilled their contract with Epic, the group take some time off and try to live normal lives.

1993 > Denise gets married, making her Denise Saneinia. Five Star plan a comeback.

1994 > The group record a new album. Entitled 'Heart and Soul', the album sees the group maturing. It is put up for licensing from Tent (now based in the USA) in the middle of that year, but is eventually released independently by the label. The video for the '(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons' single is directed by the group's long time friend, actor Malcolm Jamaal Warner, best known as Theo from The Cosby Show. 'Surely' becomes their follow up US single.
Denise gives birth to her first child; Karan Adasheer Stedman Saneinia.

1995 > The group arrive in the UK to promote their forthcoming single and album release with PAs and TV appearances. Though reviewed favourably, the single and album have limited chart success. The follow up 'I Give You Give' becomes a big club hit, but fails to set the UK charts alight.
The group perform as a four piece, whilst Denise gives birth to her second child, Asa.

1996 > Five Star rerelease a remixed version of 'I Give You Give' in the UK.

1997 > Denise records a duet with ex lead singer of Bros, Matt Goss. Entitled 'This Pain' It never sees release though Denise attempts to launch a solo career.
Five Star re-unite to re-record two of their earlier hits ; 'Let Me Be The One' and 'Rain Or Shine'.  Unsatisfied with the recordings, the group record three tracks for a new album.
Stedman, Lorraine and Doris are now living in the UK, and recording is postponed whilst Buster tries to find the group a deal with a major label.
In August The Five Star Service, the only Five Star fanzine in production, is launched.

1998 > Five Star launch the Tent Records website, which is run by the Pearson family and sells previously unavailable merchandise. A proposed deal with Columbia Records falls through.
 The group describe The Five Star Service as being 'enjoyable to read', and were surprised about the results of the readers track poll in which Shine was voted favourite album, and 'The Start Of Forever' was voted favourite track.
Denise and her husband divorce.

1999 > Rumoured to be signing a deal with MCA the group begin recording their new album again. Completed by the end of the year the album is described as being 'amazing'. A proposed duet with Janet Jackson, a project suggested by Janet herself, never emmerges, but rumours of working with Chakka Khan look promising.
Stedman gets married to his long time fiance, whilst Lorraine announces her engagement.

2000 > With the album complete and set for a mid-year release via Tent Records, the group cut one more track, a cover of Chakka Khan's 'Through The Fire'. Having vetoed plans of a duet, feeling that it would spoil the song, Chakka was keen to produce the track herself, but due to last minute problems had to decline.
Living in England, Lorraine gets married making her Mrs Najii Simaan.
The group make several appearances as a 3 piece, with Doris and Delroy absent apparently  'busy working on other projects'. Denise later reveals that they had thought about starting the group up again for a long time, but they had been waiting for all 5 members to agree "until finally we just went ahead with the three of us."

2001 > In March, the new album, entitled Eclipse is made available to fans via the Tent Records website, before being made commercially available. A lead single, Funktafied, written by Denise and Delroy, is a minor hit on the US Billboard chart. Eclipse receives good reviews and features all five members of the group; with Doris contributing some tracks recorded several years earlier, whilst Delroy produces the 9 new tracks. A further 6 tracks taken from 1994's Heart and Soul are also included.

2002 > In April, Lorraine, Stedman and Denise return to the UK for a week of promotions. Announcing that they will be performing in December's Here and Now Christmas Party, the group appear on a series of TV programmes. They also make live PAs at London Astoria's G-A-Y and Birmingham's Nightingales, and are shocked by the positive reaction they receive.
The Five Star Service Fanzine celebrates its 5th birthday with positive praise from Denise, Lorraine and Buster.
December sees Five Star joining The Human League, Kim Wilde, Dollar, Altered Images,The Belle Stars and Visage on Tony Denton's Here and Now Christmas Party tour. Playing 9 arenas across the UK, Five Star play a 6 track set with a live band and receive a host of positive reviews.

2003 > Continuing as a three piece, Five Star play a series of PAs at Butlins holiday camps across the UK. They also make a successful return to Birmingham's Nightingales.
Camden records, a subsiduary of BMG, reissue their 1998 collection 'Five Star - The Greatest Hits' with a new sleeve.
Five Star celebrate their 20th Anniversary by preparing to release a newly recorded version of System Addict; remixed by a producer from the legendary Timbaland studio. Work begins on their new album, provisionally titled "Five Star - 20th Anniversary".
Five Star join Kim Wilde, Howard Jones, ABC, Paul Young and other acts on the Here And Now Greatest Hits Tour for 7 Arena dates throughout December.

2004 > Five Star prepare to release their 2004 interpretation of System Addict (remixed by the Timbaland Studio) in February, whilst playing several UK dates as part of a 21st Anniversary tour.

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