Fine Young Cannibals

The Profile

Fine Young Cannibals are a British trio from Birmingham formed by Andy Cox and David Steele (formerly of The Beat) with singer Roland Gift. They broke through in the late 1980s with the album The Raw & The Cooked and hit singles She Drives Me Crazy and Good Thing.

Core lineup: Roland Gift (vocals), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass/keyboards). Origin: Birmingham, England. Style blends new wave, pop rock and blue-eyed soul. Key releases include Fine Young Cannibals (1985) and The Raw & The Cooked (1989). Noted singles: She Drives Me Crazy, Good Thing, Johnny Come Home. Covered the Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen In Love.

A celebratory look at Fine Young Cannibals’ The Raw & The Cooked, spotlighting the band’s blend of ska/dancehall grooves, pop craft, and Roland Gift’s distinctive vocals. Beyond She Drives Me Crazy, the review praises album depth (Good Thing, I’m Not The Man I Used To Be, Tell Me What) and thoughtful lyrics. It underlines the group’s unique lightness and melodic punch while nodding to their Buzzcocks cover. Overall, a compact portrait of late-’80s pop-soul finesse.