amazing fact i have only just found out...but every one else probably already knows

[naomi6969]

watching an interview on rapture tv last night with the tidy boys....THEY WERE THE JIVE BUNNY.. WTF

[Louise]

i didnt know that..........you sure its not a wind up?

[James]

Correct

 

From Rotherham to world domination

 

It is often said that the best ideas happen by accident, and this was certainly true in the case of Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers. When my father, John Pickles, and I created the Jive Bunny concept, we had little idea that we had created a multi-million record selling pop star whose first three singles would hit number one in the UK charts and whose first album would be a million seller in the UK alone.

 

By July 1989, the music industry across the globe was sitting up and taking notice of a small studio in Rotherham, England called The Music Factory. It was from here that the fictitious pop star rabbit had been created and he was suddenly sitting on top of pop charts around the world, refusing to move.

 

So, why the name, `Jive Bunny’ ? Over the past five years, myself and John have been asked this question many times ! It’s a simple answer – when I was 17, I suddenly said it as a nickname for a friend and it stuck in my mind ever since.

 

Mixing At The Music Factory

 

Three years later, the second part of the Jive Bunny success story began to take shape – mixing together segments of old rock `n’ roll records. At the time, Music Factory were (and still are) operating a DJ mixing service called Music Factory Mastermix, providing DJs with exclusive megamixes of classic and up to date tracks fvrom the Music Factory roster of top remixers.

 

In the summer of 1988, a rock `n’ roll mix entitled Swing The Mood was featured on one of these albums. This was intended as a DJ-only party mix but during the following months the interest grew to such an extent that it became apparent that the mix had a wider commercial potential.

 

So, in January 1989, John decided to release `Swing The Mood’ as a commercial single. This turned out to be easier said than done since it took John six months to obtain the rights to use the rock `n’ roll tracks featured within Swing the Mood – the final track took only five days to record.

 

A Bunny Is Born

 

Once the single was finished, an artist name was needed, a vital ingredient in the success of the project. I suggested `Jive Bunny’ but it was intended initially as a suggestion for the record label rather than the artist – The Mastermixers was originally the favoured artist name.

 

John went to see a designer he knew to put together a logo for the record label and the Jive Bunny character was brought to life. John knew instantly that this bunny was mere than a mere record label logo ! We talked it over and promoted him to full blown artist status. Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers had arrived.

 

Banking On The Bunny

 

It’s worth noting when the project was finished, John offered the project to several major record companies who all refused the idea, saying that it would never work ! It was big decision time. John borrowed money from the bank, risking everything he had built up over the last few years, and Music factory released the single.

 

Swing The Mood entered the UK charts at number 31 on July 15th, 1989, shooting up to number three, followed by a five-week reign at number one. The single received a platinum award for sales in excess of 600,000 units and went on to sell 850,000 in total.

 

The Bunny Gets Bigger

 

Jive Bunny was up and running ! The follow-up single was recorded using another cluster of rock `n’ roll favourites and party classics including the theme from `Hawaii 5-0’ and `Wipe Out’. The single, That’s What I Like’ was released in October and stayed at number one for three weeks.

 

The third single followed in December, entitled Let’s Party. Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers found themselves in the record books alongside Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Gerry & The Pacemakers, a select band of artists who had enjoyed three consecutive number one singles with their first releases in the UK charts.

 

Over the course of two and a half years Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers released 10 singles and three albums in the UK, selling over three million records. This success was repeated around the world with number one hits in countries including Australia, Hong King, Germany and Mexico, not forgetting the small matter of an estimated two million units sold in the United States.

 

It is not often that a recording artist achieves worldwide appeal, but from 1989 to 1991, Jive Bunny was truly a global star. Even today, more than a decade later, you ca bet that Jive Bunny will appear on the turntables at any party that’s really swingin’ !

 

Andy Pickles

 

most successfull acts/artists dont just happen overnight ...