Dance/pop band from Derry in Northern Ireland active between 1992 and 1997. Originally comprising Peter Cunnah and Al Mackenzie, with Ciaran MacCarthy providing sax, by the time they made it big, it was effectively Cunnah's solo project, with additional players (including future science communicator Dr Brian Cox on keyboards) brought in to fill out the band for live performances. Cunnah and Mackenzie buried the hatchet in the early 2000s and released a comeback album in 2011, on which Cox also appeared as a special guest.
By far best known for their anthemic "Things Can Only Get Better" which was a UK top twenty hit on three separate occasions, reached number one in 1994 and was adopted as the Labour Party's 1997 election theme.
No relation to the popular Minecraft YouTuber and speedrunner Dream, nor is their keyboardist to be confused with actor Brian Cox.
Tropes in evidence:
- Artistic License – Space: The "Party Up the World" video presents the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank as a transmitter. It's actually quite the opposite.
- Punny Name: Their singles don't just have Remixes, they have D:Reamixes! "Shoot Me With Your Love" also has a Re:Deamix.
- Repurposed Pop Song: "Things Can Only Get Better" adopted as the theme for Labour's 1997 election campaign.
- Re-release the Song: "Things Can Only Can Better" and "U R the Best Thing" were each released three times.
- Standard Snippet: "Things Can Only Get Better" is this for Britain in The '90s, especially where politics is involved.
