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{{Short description|British musical group}}
{{For|the South Korean TV series with the same name|Secret Affair (TV series)}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2009}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->| image_size            = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| name                = Secret Affair
| background          = group_or_band
| image               =
| caption             = 
| origin              = London, England 
| genre               = [[Mod revival]], [[power pop]], [[Soul music|soul]]
| years_active        = 1979–1982, 2002–present
| label               = I-Spy
| website             = {{URL|www.secretaffair.info}}
| current_members     =
* [[Ian Page (singer)|Ian Page]]
* [[David Cairns (musician)|David Cairns]]
| past_members        =
* Dave Winthrop
* Dennis Smith
* [[Seb Shelton]]
* [[Paul Bultitude]]
* [[Simon Hanson]]
}}

'''Secret Affair''' are a [[mod revival]] band, formed in 1978 and disbanded in 1982 during which period their work is predominantly best-known. They reformed in 2002 and have since then produced an album in 2012.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.secretmerch.com/secret-affair/|title=Secret Affair - Secret Affair Official Merchandise|website=Secret Affair Official Merchandise|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-07}}</ref>

==Career==
[[File:IAN&DAVE-edit1 (3).jpg|thumb|Ian Page and David Cairns from Secret Affair]]
Formed after the demise of the [[Columbia Records|CBS Records]] signed [[power pop]] band [[New Hearts]],<ref name="Larkin80">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2003|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-969-9|pages=421/2}}</ref> singer [[Ian Page (singer)|Ian Page]] and guitarist [[David Cairns (musician)|David Cairns]] spent the second half of 1978 writing songs that would form the basis of the first two Secret Affair albums.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-s/secret-affair/|title=Secret Affair {{!}} Nostalgia Central|website=Nostalgiacentral.com|date=10 July 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-15}}</ref>

After spending January 1979 [[demo (music)|demoing]] songs, Page and Cairns enlisted the services of bassist Dennis Smith from the power pop band Advertising and Young Bucks drummer [[Seb Shelton]]. Saxophone player Dave Winthrop, originally playing with the group in his capacity as a session musician, would join as a full-time member of the band later in the year.
 
After the demise of the group in 1982, Cairns went on to form a band called Flag, with Archie Brown from [[The Bureau (band)|The Bureau]] and signed a [[recording contract]] in the US. He subsequently teamed up with Scottish singer Alan King in [[Walk on Fire (band)|Walk on Fire]], writing the majority of the band's material and playing keyboards on tours. Signing to [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]] in the US, the band released the album ''Blind Faith'' in 1990 and toured supporting [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]], [[Nils Lofgren]] and [[Dan Reed Network]], before Cairns joined [[Gibson Guitars]] USA as Special Projects and Events manager. Page released two solo singles before leaving the music industry.<ref name=":0" /> Having departed the band in late 1980, drummer Seb Shelton joined [[Kevin Rowland]]'s [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] and enjoyed success with them between 1980 and 1982.<ref name="Larkin80"/>

==Reunion==
In June 2002, Page, Cairns, Smith and Winthrop, with drummer Paul Bultitude, reunited for three gigs, including a performance at London's [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://zani.co.uk/archive/music-archive/item/342-ian-page-of-secret-affair|title=Ian Page of Secret Affair|last=Sedazzari|first=Matteo|website=Zani.co.uk|access-date=2017-11-15|language=en-gb}}</ref> They returned in June the following year, playing at The Scala in [[Islington]] to promote the release of ''Time For Action: The Anthology'' ([[Sanctuary Records|Sanctuary]]), a major CD retrospective of hits, rarities and previously unreleased tracks. The concert was filmed and released on DVD.

In 2006, Page and Cairns attempted to mend their sometimes fractious relationship and started work on a fourth Secret Affair album, recording five new songs for [[Peer Music]]. The album remains unfinished, but in 2010 Captain Mod Records released ''Secret Affair, The Singles Collection'' which featured two of the Peer Music tracks, "Soho Dreams" and "Land of Hope".

Page and Cairns reformed Secret Affair as a touring band with a new line-up. In 2009 they played regularly around the UK and further afield, having played their first ever concerts in [[Dublin]], [[Madrid]], [[Moscow]] and [[Tokyo]].{{cn|date=November 2024}}

In July 2011, Secret Affair re-recorded "Time For Action" for [[Save The Children]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/secret-affair-rework-mod-classic-1811697|title=Secret Affair rework mod classic for Save The Children campaign |date=2011-09-20|website=Walesonline.co.uk|access-date=2017-11-15}}</ref> The latter spearheaded their campaign for health workers in poor countries, and over 42,000 people signed the petition in the UK which was taken to [[David Cameron]] in September 2011, resulting in funds for the cause endorsed and approved by the [[United Nations]].{{cn|date=November 2024}}

On 5 December 2011, Dave Cairns appeared as a guest on [[BBC Two]] programme, ''[[Never Mind The Buzzcocks]]''.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

Secret Affair released their fourth studio album, ''Soho Dreams'' after an absence of 30 years on their label, I-SPY Records, on 10 September 2012, distributed by Code7/Plastic Head and supported by a 13-date UK tour ending at The 229 Club, London, on 24 November. The band continue to tour throughout 2013 and perform their end of year show at the Islington Assembly Hall, 7 December.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

On 5 September 2014, Secret Affair begin their '35th Anniversary Tour' of the UK in Gloucester at the Guildhall, followed by Stockton on Tees and ending in Manchester at the Band on the Wall venue, on 13 December 2014, celebrating the 1979 release of their debut album, ''[[Glory Boys]]''. In November that year, Sony/BMG/Captain Mod Records released ''Est 1979''; The Secret Affair 35th Anniversary Box Set featuring all four albums from 1979 to the present day. In August 2016, I-SPY Records released Secret Affair's cover of the [[Northern soul]] classic "[[Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)]]" on 7-inch vinyl only. In September that year the band appeared on Vintage TV, episode 28, performing live in concert three tracks, "Do I Love You' (Indeed I Do)", "I Don't Need No Doctor" and "My World".

Secret Affair celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2019 with a 14 date UK tour.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

==Band members==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Current members
* [[Ian Page (singer)|Ian Page]] – vocals <small>(1979–1982, 2002–present)</small>
* [[David Cairns (musician)|David Cairns]] – guitars <small>(1979–1982, 2002–present)</small>
{{col-2}}
;Former members
* Dave Winthrop – saxophone <small>(1979–1982, 2002–2008)</small>
* Dennis Smith – bass <small>(1979–1982, 2002–2003)</small>
* Chris Bennett – drums (1979)
* [[Seb Shelton]] – drums <small>(1979–1980)</small>
* [[Paul Bultitude]] – drums <small>(1980–1982, 2002–2003)</small>
*[[Simon Hanson]] – drums <small>(2012, 5 tracks on the 'Soho Dreams' album.)</small>   
{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Current touring musicians
*Steve Rinaldi – trombone <small>(2006–present)</small>
* Russ Baxter – drums <small>(2008–present)</small>
* Ed Pearson – bass <small>(2011–present)</small>
* Stevie Watts – hammond organ (2016–present)
* John O'Neill – saxophone (2015–present)
* Tim Pannell – trumpet <small>(2012–present)</small>
{{col-2}}
;Former touring musicians
* Andy Brush – saxophone <small>(2008–2012)</small>
* Martyn Blagden – trumpet <small>(2008–2012)</small>
* Sean Kelly – bass <small>(2008–2011)</small>
* Bryn Barkham – hammond organ <small>(2009–2011)</small>
* Stephen Wilcock – saxophone (2012–2015) 
* Andy Fairclough – hammond organ (2011–2016) 
{{col-end}}

==Discography==
===Albums===
====Studio albums====
*''[[Glory Boys]]'' (1979) – UK #41
*''[[Behind Closed Doors (Secret Affair album)|Behind Closed Doors]]'' (1980) – UK #48
*''[[Business as Usual (Secret Affair album)|Business as Usual]]'' (1982) – UK #84<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=David|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|year=2006|isbn=1-904994-10-5|edition=19th|location=London|page=487}}</ref>
*''Soho Dreams'' (2012)

====Live albums====
* ''Live at the Bridge'' (1999)
* ''Time for Action'' (2012)
* ''Time for Action - Live red vinyl '' (2022)

====Compilation albums====
* ''Time for Action – The Very Best Of'' (1997)
* ''Time for Action – The Anthology'' (2003)
* ''Mod Singles Collection'' (2010)
* ''35th Anniversary Box Set'' (2014)

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" |Year
! rowspan="2" |Single
! colspan="2" |Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" |Album
|-
!<small>[[Irish Recorded Music Association|IRE]]</small><br/><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know|url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement|access-date=2021-02-17|website=irishcharts.ie}}</ref>
!<small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br/><ref>{{Cite web|title=SECRET AFFAIR {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/17945/secret-affair/|access-date=2021-02-17|website=www.officialcharts.com}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |1979
| align="left" |"Time for Action"
|13
|13
| rowspan="2" |''Glory Boys''
|-
| align="left" |"Let Your Heart Dance"
|—
|32
|-
| rowspan="2" |1980
| align="left" |"My World"
|—
|16
| rowspan="2" |''Behind Closed Doors''
|-
| align="left" |"Sound of Confusion"
|—
|45
|-
|1981
| align="left" |"Do You Know"
|—
|57
| rowspan="2" |''Business as Usual''
|-
|1982
| align="left" |"Lost in the Night (Mack the Knife)"
|—
|—
|-
|2013
| align="left" |"All the Rage" <small>(Promo release)</small>
|—
|—
|''Soho Dreams''
|-
|2016
| align="left" |"[[Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)]]" <small>(Limited release)</small>
|—
|—
|Non-album single
|-
| colspan="5" style="font-size:8pt" |"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released
|}

==See also==
*[[List of bands from England]]
*[[List of performances on Top of the Pops]]
*[[List of Peel sessions]]
*[[Captain Oi! Records]]
*[[Rock Goes To College]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Other sources==
* Sleevenotes to the CD reissues of ''Glory Boys'', ''Behind Closed Door'' and ''Business As Usual'', by [[Chris Hunt]]

==External links==
*[http://www.secretaffair.info Secret Affair Official band site]
*[http://www.chrishunt.biz/features08.html The Mod Revival] The story of the Mod Revival, by [[Chris Hunt]], published in the ''[[New Musical Express]]'' Mod special edition, April 2005
*[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p20445|pure_url=yes}} Secret Affair biography] at [[AllMusic]]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]]
[[Category:English new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:British mod revival groups]]