Sad Café

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title: "Sad Café" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["english-soft-rock-music-groups", "rock-music-groups-from-manchester", "musical-groups-established-in-1976", "swan-song-records-artists", "a&m-records-artists", "rca-records-artists"] description: "English rock band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sad_Café" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English rock band ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

Field	Value
name	Sad Café
background	band
origin	Manchester, England
genre	Soft rock
label	{{flatlist
years_active	1976–1990, 1998, 2000, 2012–present
current_members	Des Tong
Dave Day
Neil Shaw-Hulme
Matt Steele
Steve Gibson
Matt Wolff
past_members	Paul Young
Vic Emerson
Ian Wilson
John Stimpson
Tony Cresswell
Lenni
Michael Byron-Hehir
Jeff Seopardi
Phil Lanzon
Alistair Gordon
Simon Waggott
Steve Whalley
Ashley Mulford
Pete Hughes
Dave Irving
Sue Wilson-Quin
Bryan Hargreaves
Barry James Thomas
Paul McCafferty
associated_acts	{{flatlist
website
::

| name = Sad Café | image = | background = band | origin = Manchester, England | genre = Soft rock | label = {{flatlist|

• RCA
• A&M
• Swan Song
• Polydor
• Legacy
• Atlantic
• Edsel
• Ariola Express
• Camden
• Eagle
• Renaissance
• Castle Communications
• Armoury | years_active = 1976–1990, 1998, 2000, 2012–present | current_members = Des Tong Dave Day Neil Shaw-Hulme Matt Steele Steve Gibson Matt Wolff | past_members = Paul Young Vic Emerson Ian Wilson John Stimpson Tony Cresswell Lenni Michael Byron-Hehir Jeff Seopardi Phil Lanzon Alistair Gordon Simon Waggott Steve Whalley Ashley Mulford Pete Hughes Dave Irving Sue Wilson-Quin Bryan Hargreaves Barry James Thomas Paul McCafferty | associated_acts = {{flatlist|
• Mandalaband
• Gyro
• Mike + The Mechanics | website = Sad Café are an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1976, who achieved their peak of popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known for the UK top 40 singles "Every Day Hurts", "Strange Little Girl", "My Oh My" and "I'm in Love Again", the first of which was their biggest hit, reaching number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979.{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 478}} The band also had two US Billboard Hot 100 hits with "Run Home Girl" and "La-Di-Da".

History

The group formed as a result of the unification of rock bands Mandalaband and Gyro. Its founder members were Paul Young (vocals), Ian Wilson (guitar), Vic Emerson (keyboards), Ashley Mulford (lead guitar), John Stimpson (bass) and Tony Cresswell (drums). The band took their name from the Carson McCullers novella The Ballad of the Sad Café. Harvey Lisberg, who also managed 10cc, arranged for Eric Stewart to produce their third album, Facades (an anagram of Sad Cafe), which included the top 3 single "Every Day Hurts".

Personnel

Members

;Current

• Des Tong – bass, vocals (1981–1990, 1998, 2000, 2012–present)
• Steve Gibson - drums (1989–1990, 2023–present)
• Dave Day - guitars, vocals (2018–present)
• Neil Shaw-Hulme - saxophones, wx7, vocals (2018–present)
• Matt Steele - keyboards (2019–present)
• Matt Wolff - vocals (2025-)

;Former

• Ian Wilson - rhythm guitar, vocals (1976–2022)
• Paul Young – lead vocals (1976–1990, 1998; died 2000)
• Vic Emerson – keyboards (1976–1984, 2000; died 2018)
• John Stimpson – bass, backing vocals (1976–1980; died 2021)
• Tony Cresswell – drums (1976–1978)
• Ashley Mulford – lead guitars, vocals (1976–1981, 1986–1989, 2000, 2012–2014)
• Dave Irving - drums (1978–1984, 2000, 2012–2019)
• Lenni Zaksen – saxophone (1979–1984, 1998, 2000)
• Al Hodge - guitars (1981; died 2006)
• Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars (1981–1984, 1989–1990, 1998; guest musician: 1986)
• Jeff Seopardi – drums (1984–1986)
• Danny Schogger – keyboards (1984)
• Phil Lanzon – keyboards (1986)
• Alistair Gordon – keyboards, vocals (1989–1990, 1998)
• Simon Waggott – keyboards, vocals (2012–2014)
• Steve Whalley – vocals, guitar (2012–2014; died 2025)
• Sue Wilson-Quin - keyboards, vocals (2012–2022)
• Pete Hughes - keyboards (2018)
• Bryan Hargreaves – drums (2019–2022)
• Barry James Thomas - vocals, percussion (2018–2024; died 2024)
• Paul McCafferty - vocals (2025) ;Guest musicians
• Roy Martin – drums (1998)
• Paul Burgess – drums (1986–1990)
• Steve Pigott – keyboards (1984–1986)
• Ali Roocroft - keyboards (2023-2024)
• Fraser Rowe - keyboards (2025)

Lineups

::data[format=table]

1976–1978	1978–1979	1979–1980	1980–1981	1981–1984	1986 Politics of Existing	1986	1986–1989	1994 Whatever It Takes	1994 BMI Event	2000 Forever Young	2012–2014	2018	2019	2021–2022	2023–2025
::

Discography

Studio albums

::data[format=table] | Title | Details | Peak chart positions | UK | US | Fanx Ta-Ra | Misplaced Ideals | Misplaced Ideals | Facades | Sad Café | Olé | Politics of Existing | Whatever It Takes | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | 56 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | 50 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | 94 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 146 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 46 | 160 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 72 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Live albums

::data[format=table] | Title | Details | Peak chart positions | UK | Live in Concert | Access All Areas | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | | 37 | | | | | | | — | | | | | ::

Compilation albums

::data[format=table]

Title	Details	The Best of Sad Café	The Best of Sad Café	Everyday Hurts: The Best of Sad Café	The Masters	Facades / Misplaced Ideals	Saving Grace	The Best of Sad Café	Anthology	Every Day Hurts	Anthology	Anthology	Fanx Ta-Ra / Misplaced Ideals	Facades / Sad Cafe	Anthology
::

Singles

::data[format=table] | Title | Year | Chart positions | UK | AUS | NLD | US | "Black Rose" | "Love Will Survive" (UK-only release) | "Hungry Eyes" (UK-only release) | "Run Home Girl" (US-only release) | "Every Day Hurts" | "Emptiness" (US and Canada-only release) | "Strange Little Girl" | "My Oh My" | "Nothing Left Toulouse" (UK only-release) | "La-Di-Da" | "I'm in Love Again" | "Black Rose" (Live) | "Misunderstanding" | "La-Di-Da" (US release) | "No Favours – No Way" (US-only promo) | "Follow You Anywhere" | "Keep Us Together" (UK-only release) | "Why Do You Love Me Like You Do" | "Refugees" (UK-only release) | "Only Love" (UK-only release) | "Heart" | "Take Me (Heart and Soul)" (UK-only release) | "Whatever It Takes" | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1977 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1978 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1979 | 3 | 78 | 48 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | 108 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 32 | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1980 | 14 | — | 42 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 62 | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 41 | — | — | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 40 | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1981 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1983 | 80 | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1984 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1985 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1986 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1989 | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

References

References

1. Artist Biography by Greg Prato. (15 July 2000). "Sad Café | Biography". AllMusic.
2. (1997). "[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music". [[Virgin Books]].
3. (19 July 2000). "Obituary: Paul Young – Singer who made Manchester rock". [[The Guardian]].
4. Mowbray, Guy. (8 November 2018). "Vic Emerson obituary". The Guardian.
5. "Sad Cafe {{!}} full Official Chart History". [[Official Charts Company]].
6. "Sad Café Chart History: Billboard 200".
7. (19 October 1985). "New Albums".
8. (4 February 1989). "New Albums".
9. Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
10. "Discografie Sad Café".
11. "Sad Café Chart History: Hot 100".

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