A landmark photography project
Photography by Rose Morris & Katie O'Neill
Martin Fry is the lead singer and founding member of ABC, one of the defining bands of the 1980s new wave and synth-pop scene. Known for his distinctive baritone voice, sharp gold-lamé suits, and suave, orchestral pop style.
Martin was born in 1958 in Stretford, and was raised in Bramhall, Stockport. He grew up in a working-class family and from a young age he developed a strong interest in literature, art, and music, which later shaped both his songwriting and his highly stylised approach to pop.
ABC: Martin Fry (centre right)
In 1978 Martin moved to Sheffield to became part of its creative scene. The city was rapidly becoming a hub for post-punk and electronic experimentation. He began writing for a local music fanzine called Modern Drugs, interviewing emerging bands in the area. In 1979, while interviewing the electronic trio Vice Versa, Fry impressed the band with his enthusiasm and lyrical ability. They invited him to join, initially as a synthesiser player and, later, as lead vocalist. With Martin’s vision for stylish, romantic, and orchestrated pop, Vice Versa transformed into ABC.
ABC’s debut, The Lexicon of Love, produced by Trevor Horn, became a landmark album of the decade. It delivered major hits, Poison Arrow, The Look of Love, All of My Heart. ABC released a further eight stylistically diverse studio albums. The most recent being The Lexicon of Love II, a critically praised return to the themes of the original album.
Early promo photo (Credit - Paul Cox)
The Lexicon of Love, 1982
ABC in New York, 2022 (Photo - Mickey McCarter)
Widely regarded as one of the UK’s great pop frontmen and a key figure in 1980s music history, Martin continues to tour, record, and appear at major festivals. Most recently in 2025, ABC completed their critically acclaimed The Lexicon of Love Orchestra Tour, performing their 1982 album in full with alongside the Lexicon Sinfonia.
02 Apollo Manchester
We photographed Martin both front and backstage at the Apollo before ABC's Lexicon of Love Orchestra Show.
ABC first performed at the Manchester Apollo in 1982 on the original Lexicon of Love Tour.
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Student reflection: Rose Morris
It had been a while since I’d worked on a Greater Mancunians shoot, and I’ll admit I was feeling a little nervous. When we arrived at the Apollo’s stage door, we met Matt, Martin’s manager, who let us know they were running slightly behind schedule and that the shoot would need to happen after soundcheck. This turned out to be a gift: we were able to sit and watch Martin, the band, and the orchestra run through their paces. They sounded fantastic, with Martin’s voice as strong as ever. After the soundcheck, we photographed him at the front of the stage. Our trusty LED wand proved to be invaluable, giving us the extra light needed to capture him against the backdrop of the Apollo stage.
Martin was incredibly friendly and easy-going, which helped settle my nerves. It was clear we were limited for time, with Martin's family visiting backstage. We moved quickly to photograph him among the band’s flight cases and boxes. This setting provided us with some of our strongest images.
It was a genuine pleasure working with Martin, and it’s always a great experience being part of the project. The shoot came with its challenges - tricky lighting and tight timing - but I’m happy with the results and feel my confidence growing with every Greater Mancunian shoot.
