Big Trouble: The Rise and Fall of an 80s All-Female Pop Group
In the mid-1980s, television executive Fred Silverman set out to create something special in the pop music world. Drawing inspiration from the manufactured success of The Monkees two decades earlier, Silverman assembled Big Trouble, an all-female pop group that would briefly capture attention during the height of the MTV era.
The formation of Big Trouble was as methodical as it was ambitious. After selecting bassist Julia Farey, keyboardist Rebecca Ryan, and drummer Suzy Zarow, Silverman faced the daunting task of finding the perfect vocalist. Through auditions of approximately five hundred candidates, former Miss Georgia 1983 Bobbie Eakes emerged as the chosen frontwoman, bringing both vocal talent and stage presence to the group.
Big Trouble found their initial platform through television, serving as the house band on the comedy series Comedy Break on the Mack & Jamie show. This exposure helped establish their presence in the entertainment landscape and provided valuable performance experience before their recording career began.
The band's musical journey took a significant turn when they signed with Epic Records in 1987 and began working with legendary producer Giorgio Moroder. Their collaboration resulted in the promotional single All I Need Is You, written by Moroder and Tom Whitlock, which found its way onto the soundtrack of Sylvester Stallone's film Over the Top.
The centerpiece of Big Trouble's recording career was their self-titled album Big Trouble, released in 1987 under Moroder's production guidance. The album showcased the group's pop-rock sensibilities and featured polished production values that reflected the sophisticated sound of the era. From this release came their biggest success, the single Crazy World, which climbed to number 71 on the U.S. charts and earned the band a music video that helped spread their image beyond radio airplay.
Following up on their modest chart success, Big Trouble released When the Love Is Good in 1988, another Moroder-Whitlock composition. While the single failed to make an impression in the United States, it found slightly better reception in the UK, reaching number 83. The band made one final attempt to recapture their earlier momentum with a UK-only CD maxi-single re-release of Crazy World, but this effort peaked at number 96, signaling the end of their commercial viability.
As quickly as they had emerged, Big Trouble dissolved in 1988, with each member pursuing different paths. Bobbie Eakes transitioned back to acting, landing the role of Macy Alexander on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, while also maintaining her musical interests through various recording projects. Julia Farey joined the all-female rock band Precious Metal, contributing to their final album in 1990. Rebecca Ryan eventually pursued a solo career focusing on jazz and pop standards, while Suzy Zarow stepped away from the public eye.
Though Big Trouble's time in the spotlight was brief, their story represents a fascinating chapter in 1980s pop music history. Their collaboration with Giorgio Moroder connected them to the broader musical landscape of the era, while their television origins reflected the increasingly multimedia approach to launching musical acts. Today, their self-titled album remains a sought-after piece of 80s pop culture, serving as a testament to an ambitious experiment in manufactured pop success.