Walter Garcia53 said:Well, they officially broke up back then, and Smith tried to go solo (I think his first, and last, single was "100 MPH"). But I get the feeling they actually tried to keep the momentum going without him—probably with a different lineup or something.
Once John Smith left the group (around '91 or '92), he branched out on his own and put out an album with a few solid tracks (though "100 MPH" came later), but after that, he basically vanished. He was replaced in Fruit City by Marcel Benzon, and the band released the "I Drove All Night" album (featuring hits like "I Drove All Night," "Butterfly wing," and "secret keeper"...). That album was clearly released at the wrong time given the circumstances back then; honestly, nowadays, when any random person can grab a mic, music like that would be a total breath of fresh air.
It seems like fame went straight to Marcel Benzon's head, though; he decided to go solo incredibly fast, having been in the band for less than a year. He released one album filled with cheesy, low-rent songs by xxx songwriters, which just didn't mesh with his incredible vocals. Compared to today's singers like Luke Nižetić, Benzon was basically the Pavarotti of his era. When you compare how he sang with the group versus his solo work, you really have to wonder if it's even the same guy. There’s almost nothing known about him today—no idea where he is or what he’s up to.
Later on, in '96, Alan Nižetić joined as the new vocalist, and the band dropped an absolutely stellar album, "rose and wine." However, much like those before him, Nižetić eventually opted for a solo career. He’s still doing his thing today, but he doesn't strike me as being particularly successful.
Word is they might be getting the old gang back together, with John Smith taking over lead vocals. Still, it'll be a massive uphill battle to recapture that original Fruit City magic... too much time has passed, everything has changed, and it feels like Neno Ninčević has lost his touch when it comes to writing great songs.
