Artists & Bands

Toploader | Tunes + Guitar Lessons

Toploader captured hearts worldwide with their unforgettable cover of Dancing In The Moonlight. Dive into the story behind the band and their timeless hit!

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Toploader: The Band That Found Fame with a Cover of a Cover

Toploader, formed in 1997 on the south coast of England in Eastbourne, came onto the music scene at the tail end of the industry’s glory days. Their debut album, Onka’s Big Moka, was recorded with a big budget at renowned studios, including RAK Studios in London and Ocean Way in Los Angeles.

The album’s producer, Dave Eringa, had previously worked with the Welsh rockers Manic Street Preachers, and it was his idea to revive King Harvest’s 1972 hit Dancing In The Moonlight. This cover not only brought Toploader mainstream success but also became a classic in its own right. The track played a pivotal role in the album’s success, which sold nearly a million copies in the U.K. and is still regularly heard on the radio and in cover band sets, even decades later.

Interestingly, Toploader’s version of Dancing In The Moonlight was a cover of a cover – King Harvest’s original being a staple of the ’70s. Although the band’s other single, Achilles Heel, was well received, both band members and fans often wonder whether Dancing In The Moonlight overshadowed their other work. Without the success of that iconic track, they argue, perhaps more attention might have been given to the rest of the album.

Toploader followed up their success with Magic Hotel in 2002, again recorded with the same producer and in the same studios. While the album initially charted higher than Onka’s Big Moka, it didn’t resonate with critics, and the band was soon dropped by their label, leading to their breakup.

In 2009, Toploader reunited for a compilation album titled Dancing In The Moonlight – The Best of Toploader. Since then, the band has released two more albums and continues to tour, and while they’ve likely made room for new material in their sets, it’s safe to assume that Dancing In The Moonlight still closes the show.