Bananarama’s Siobhan Fahey hits out at ‘sexist’ behaviour of former producers Stock Aitken Waterman

Bananarama’s Siobhan Fahey has accused former producers Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) of sexist behaviour during the height of the group’s success.

The ‘Love In the First Degree’ singer, 59, says the direct “sexism” she experienced at the hands of the famed production trio was partly behind her decision to quit the chart-topping girl group in 1988.

In the January issue of Attitude – available to download and in shops now, Siobhan who co-founded Bananarama with friends Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward in 1981, reveals that the tension between herself and SAW’s Pete Waterman became so great that the pair couldn’t be in the same room together.

“I found the sexism of Stock Aitken Waterman very difficult to handle,” she explains. “I couldn’t be in the studio at the same time as Pete [Waterman].”

Siobhan, who recently reunited with her former bandmates for Banarama’s first ever tour as a trio, goes on to describe an incident in which another member of SAW, Matt Aitken, made remarks about Keren’s breasts in the recording studio.

“I remember Matt [Aitken] pressing the talkback button going, ‘Keren, I can see your tits wobble!'” she recalls.

She adds: “But I didn’t want to leave my sisters in the lurch, so I made the album with them.”

When the group is later reminded that Pete Waterman once branded the trio “difficult” to work with, Keren replies: “Good… difficult compared to the other artists who just accepted songs, performed them and left.”

You can read the full interview with Bananaram in Attitude’s Januaru issue. Buy in print, subscribe or download now.