Hutchinson to publish Bananarama memoir

Hutchinson has acquired Bananarama's memoir Really Saying Something in a "strong" six-figure deal, and will publish this October.

The book will be authored by band members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward, who together made 28 Top 50 hit singles in the UK and 11 in the US. Billed as "a classic story of the highs and lows of fame and a testimony to the joy of female friendship", the deal struck was for world English language rights and done via Tim Bates at PFD. 

Dallin and Woodward—who only last year released an album and played Glastonbury—were best friends who came to London in the early 80s, aged 18, "in search of success, fun and adventure".

The synopsis for the book reads on: "From living at the YWCA, to clubbing at the Blitz, to becoming friends with Paul Cook and moving into the (bathroom-less) flat above Malcolm McLaren’s studio, they became international stars while unabashedly having the time of their lives. But they also fought against a male-dominated music business and Press, who were suspicious of women achieving things on their own terms and saw a baby as the end of a career. Their influence is profound, both on the girl bands that came after them and also on the generation that grew up with them." 

Cornerstone m.d. Susan Sandon commented on the deal: "We’re enormously excited to be publishing this brilliant and riveting memoir from Bananarama, the soundtrack to so many of our lives. From schooldays to starriness, music to making it on your own terms, Really Saying Something is a classic story of the highs and lows of fame and a testimony to the joy of female friendship."

Dallin and Woodward said: "We are incredibly excited to be collaborating with the team at Hutchinson. As childhood friends, we could never have imagined the extraordinary life we had ahead of us. It's been and continues to be an amazing adventure from school choir to Glastonbury and everything in between. Enjoy the ride!"