Win

Win were a strange yet enjoyable pop band from Scotland that crept onto the music scene with a few singles in 1985 and 1986, but didn't get around to releasing their debut album on the London label, 'Uh! Tears Baby (A Trash Icon)', until 1987. Led by former Fire Engines main man Davey Henderson on vocals, guitar, and keyboards, Win also featured Russel Burn (keyboards, percussion, vocals, and samples), Ian Stoddart (drums, vocals, percussion, and keyboards), Manny Shoniwa (guitar, bass, keyboards, and vocals), and Simon Smeeton (guitar, bass, keyboards, and vocals). 'Uh! Tears Baby' was a strange mix of Henderson's quirky songwriting and a "modern" (for the '80s) dance groove. The clean production (by David Motion) added even more to the odd feel of the album. 

This was a band aching to break down barriers while remaining firmly inside them. Imagine Marc Bolan fronting early It Bites covering songs by Orange Juice and having the whole thing mixed by Kraftwerk and Adam Ant ("wow" is right). As odd as Henderson's songs were, they were still catchy and hummable, fueled by the soulful groove of the band. Two years later, Win released their belated sophomore album, 'Freaky Trigger', on Virgin. With the addition of William Perry (keyboards and vocals), Win sounded basically the same (albeit a little more funky). Without much success, the band drifted away. Henderson resurfaced a few years later as leader of Nectarine No. 9. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]