Wendy Cruise, also known as Wendy Wu (29 November 1959) is an English singer who fronted the new wave powerpop band The Photos, who had a top 5 album in the UK Albums Chart in 1980.
The Photos were originally a punk band named Satan's Rats that formed in Evesham, Worcestershire in 1977, with the first stable line-up of Paul Rencher (vocals), Steve Eagles (guitar/vocals), Roy Wilkes (bass guitar), and Olly Harrison (drums). They released three singles as Satans Rats before Wilkes left, to be replaced by Dave Sparrow; and then Rencher left, after which the others deciding to expand the group with the addition of a female singer.
Wendy Wu, the former manager of pub rock band City Youth to joined in 1979. The band signed to CBS Records but moved on to Epic Records after one single. They released a self-titled album (Epic, 1980) and number of singles. These included "I'm So Attractive" and "Barbarellas" (concerning the closure of a Birmingham nightclub).
The album was successful, reaching number 4 in the UK Albums Chart. Initial copies of the vinyl release of the album came with a bonus album, The Blackmail Tapes, the additional tracks also included on the cassette release, and the album was supported by the group performing numerous concerts around the UK. They released several singles in the UK including "I'm So Attractive". which was added to the US album release. A second album, Crystal Tips and Mighty Mice, was released in promotional form in 1981, but withdrawn before it reached the shops, and reissued by Cherry Red Records in 2008. Wu left the band in 1981 and The Photos split up later that year.
Wu went on to release some solo singles during 1982 and 1983, and then joined Steve Strange to form the duo Strange Cruise in 1986.
