Techno artefacts 1/2

 


 Re-emerging as the Techno Twins, 1981.

Kings & Queens of Pleasure
October 1981 photo session. From fan-club magazine Punty: “Without a doubt, the single ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ had its finest hour at London’s Embassy Club on June 5th 1982. Queen had just done their concert at Milton Keynes Bowl and flew by helicopter to London for the after show party at the Embassy. It was a ‘shorts and suspenders’ party, packed out with celebrities of all shapes and sizes, including the Techno Twins. There was cabaret from a pair of twin robots, then more music from the house DJ. “Hello, hello” thought Bev and Steve as the familiar intro of Can’t Help Falling in Love filled the air. The dance-floor heaved to the sound of the Techno Twins – which went on and on… and on. The DJ had two copies of the 12″ and was doing his own mix of it which lasted for fifteen minutes. The stars were gyrating away on the floor, including none other than Diana Ross, working that body to the Techno Twins. Bev reckons that’s the high point of her career so far, as the Techno Twins became club heroes of the elite.”


From the 1982 Swing Together photo sessions, with Fairnie as Glenn Miller and Bev as Marilyn Monroe.

Glenn Miller
According to Willie Williams writing in fanclub magazine Punty: “Rupert [the make-up artist], whose work includes all of Stanley Baxter’s amazing face changes, spent a whole day transforming Bev into glamour-queen Monroe, and Fairnie into the disturbingly authentic swing-king Glenn Miller we can see here. It was a long and carefully done job, fitting wigs (two in Steve’s case – a bald cap then the receding toupée) then the make-up itself. It took the longest time to get Bev’s false eye-lashes to stay in place as they were such monsters! Thank you Rupert for a first class job. If we ever consider doing a bank job we’ll give you a ring.”

Pinstripes
Crusade magazine: “Steve and Bev Fairnie from rock group Famous Names look to the book of Genesis for guidance on our attitude to fashion and style. “Look at God’s creation of colour,” they say. “He could have made it all grey, or put all the kangaroos in anoraks, but he didn’t.” They revel in the extraordinary delights of God’s individual creations, pointing out that it ‘also works for a purpose’. “There’s no point in a fish with feathers,” they say, “nor in a brickie wearing silver lamé.” But God made both the rhino and the butterfly and one should not laugh at the other. “Christians should look at clothes the way God looks at creation.”The Fairnies blame poor visual education in Britain for much of our dullness and lack of overall style, but are encouraging. “Fashion is a way of rejoicing in colour and fabric – it’s an area we haven’t started to tap yet.” The Fairnies also mentioned the qualities of a good wife outlined in Proverbs 31.13, where there is an indication of ‘care and creativity in dressing the family – it’s not just a matter of running off to C&A for another nylon jumper.’

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