The Wonder Stuff

In the mid eighties an alternative rock band emerged from the black country to storm the charts and make the indie scene a sought after alternative.

The band consisted of Miles Hunt, Malcolm Treece, Rob Jones and Martin Gilks. The band spawned from another band Pop will eat itself. The band formed in 1986 and then self financed there first release and EP called 'A wonderful day'.

This provoked much interest in the music offices and eventually the band signed to Polydor Records.

After the signing of the contracts the band released a number of singles with 'Unbearable', 'give give give me more more more', 'A wish away' and 'It's yer money i'm after' which was there first top 40 hit in the UK singles chart.

This led to 1988 album release 'the eight legged groove machine' which debuted very well in the UK and reached number 18 in the UK album charts. There live music was gaining more interest and were on the road playing at Glastonbury and Reading festivals and also touring Europe and the USA. In between all that they found time to release 'who wants to be the disco king'.

In 1989 saw another successful year for the band when 'Don't let me down gently' broke into the top 20 UK single charts and this was followed by the album Hup which went top 5 in the UK album charts.

Personnel changes did occur where Rob Jones left the band to move to the USA and was replaced by Paul Clifford and also Martin Bell joined the band where his influence of Violin and Banjo were prevalent on some of there songs such as Golden Green and Unfaithful.

It wasn't until the early 1990s that the band really became household names They released the critically acclaimed album Never Loved Elvis which went top 3 in the UK album charts but it was the release of the single 'Size of a cow' reached number 5 in the UK single charts and was backed up by 'Caught in my shadow' which went top 20.

They then covered a Tommy Roe cover 'Dizzy' with comedian Vic Reeves and the song went to the top of the charts and this lifted the band profile hugely and the follow up 'welcome to the cheap seats' went top 10 in the single charts.

But like all good things sometimes they come to an end and the band eventually went there separate ways in 1994 after playing the Phoenix festival near Stratford upon Avon. During the 1980s the band released 2 studio albums and released 9 singles enjoying 5 top 40 successes.

Simple Minds Waterfront 30 years on..

30 years ago this month Simple Minds released one of there best known Anthems Waterfront. The release of the song saw a shift away from the Electronic new wave sound and a leaning towards a more rock sound which ultimately lead to the stadium sound they became famous for.

The song became famous for it's repetitive bass line introduction coupled with the drumming of Mel Gaynor which gave Simple Minds a more rock feeling an suited the stadium arenas they were about to embark on.

The song was released as the first single of the album 'Sparkle in the Rain' which hit the top of the album charts in 1983.

The song was released on Virgin records and the song was written by Simple Minds and was produced by Steve Lillywhite whose earlier work was with Ultravox, U2, The Pogues, XTC, Siouxie and the Banshees, Peter Gabriel amongst others, he was also married to Kirsty MacColl.

The B side featured the classic song from the NEW GOLD DREAM album 'Hunter and the Hunted'.

The song peaked at number 13 in the UK singles chart and the song also featured on the first Now That's what I call music album although the version on the album was slightly different without the bass introduction. 30 years the band are doing there celebration tour and the song still features heavily on there set.

Sisters of Mercy Floodland

26 years ago this week saw the commercial breakthrough for Goth Rockers Sisters of Mercy with the atmospheric album Floodland.

The band had split two years earlier When Hussey and Adams left the band to Form The Mission.

Andrew Eldritch was intending to record solo but teamed up with Bassist Patricia Morrison. Andrew wrote all the songs for the album and then enlisted the help of legendary producer Jim Steinmann to finish of the album.

They released a single as a prelude to the release of the album and the success of 'this Corrosion' was a huge success in the UK reaching number 7 in the singles charts. This prompted much interest in the band and the release of the album was much anticipated.

In November 1987 saw the release of the album and again the album reached top 10 in the UK and was well received by the critics with the album selling over 100,000 copies on release alone. In America the album was released but only reached the top 100.

They then released 'Dominion' as the next single of the album and with a slight remix the single hit the top 20 in the UK and was a top 30 hit in the USA. The next single release was 'Lucretia my reflection' and again this did fare will in the charts and again was a top 20 hit in the UK.

The album was a throw away from the earlier goth guitar and bass sound and the emphasis on sequencers and drum machines. It did work and gave that atmospheric dark wave sound that few tried to copy around the time of Sisters of Mercy.

The tracks on the album are:-
Dominion
Flood I
Lucretia my Reflection
1959
This Corrosion
Flood II
Driven like the snow
Neverland (a Fragment)

The album was released by Merciful Release records and the album peaked at number 9 in the UK album charts.

The longest running no1 single in the UK

That distinction goes to Frankie Goes to Hollywood with there 1984 dance floor war song Two Tribes.

The song released on ZTT records went to number one for 9 weeks and there previous number one 'relax' enjoyed a upturn and went to number two whilst still occupying the top spot.

The song was famous for it's booming Bass sound and excerpts from the public information film 'Protect and Survive'. The song was originally recorded in 1982 for the John Peel sessions but was updated with the percussion sound at the height of the Cold War between America and Soviet Union.

The song was written by Peter Gill, Holly Johnson and Mark O'Toole and was produced by Trevor Horn. The song was backed by a cover of Edwin Starr 'War' and a Paul Morley interview over a instrumental named 'One February Friday'.

1984 saw Frankie number one for 15 weeks with 3 songs and enjoyed a record of 3 number ones with there first three releases. Only Gerry and the Pacemakers had did that in the 1960s. Godley and Crème directed the video of the Cold War Leaders Reagan and Chernenko wrestling in a ring and ultimately leading to the Universe blowing up. It was no hype that was the fear to the rest of the world what could have happened.
 

The Pogues

After the Punk scene faded in the UK, there were many people left with which musical direction to go. Many opted for the New Wave sound, some opted for goth rock and some changed direction all together. One band that did change was the Pogues.

Following the embers of Punk the band decided the best route was to play more traditional celtic rock using more traditional instruments and the decision opened the ways for the likes of The Waterboys, Del Amitri, Hothouse Flowers through to the Levellers.

The band was originally formed in London by Shane Macgowan and Spider Stacy and soon enlisted the help of o'riordan and Ranken as there live shows were legendary and soon attracted the attention of London record label Stiff Records who had Elvis Costello and Madness on the books.

They toured with The Clash and changed there name to The Pogues, it was Pog Mo Thoin but was deemed offensive to the gaelic speakers. The next release was the infamous 'rum, sodomy and the Lash' which was loosely based on a Winston Churchill statement describing the British Navy and the songs on the depicted a poetic feel with the Old Main Drag, Waltzing Matilda and a cover of Ewan MacColl Dirty Old Town, whose daughter Kirsty would work with them at a later date.

The band released an EP as a follow up named Poguetry in Motion but the band was to see some changes in personnel with Darryl Hunt and Terry Woods joining the ranks but Cait O'Riordan exiting the band. Also Shane MacGowan erratic behaviour was causing concern with his hellish lifestyle of drink and partying.

Also the band released 'The Irish Rover' with the Dubliners to celebrate there 25 years in music and as that was released there record label Stiff Records went bankrupt. The band signed to Island Records and held it together to release 'If I should fall from grace with God' and this spawned the huge international hit 'Fairytale of New York' with Kirsty MacColl on joint lead vocals with Shane.

Although never actually reached the pivotal Christmas number one it is highly regarded as the most requested Christmas song and was kept of the top spot in the UK by Pet Shop Boys. Shane's behaviour was cause for concern as the bands commercial success was increasing, he failed to show for the start of the American tour in 1988 and was replaced by ex-Clash singer Joe Strummer, eventually MacGowan was sacked by the band in 1991 as he tried to stop the band releasing an album in 1990 named Hells Ditch.

Shane would eventually rejoin the band but not until 2001 for a reunion tour. During the 1980s the band released four studio albums with 3 going top 20 in the UK with 'If I should fall from grace with god' peaking at number three.

They also released 13 singles with four top 30 singles in the UK with 'The Irish Rover' and 'Fairytale of New York' both going top 10. However, Fairytale has been a significant entrant on the charts since 2005 based on downloads and enjoyed further top 10 entries in 2005-07 and top 20 every year since 2006! such is the popularity of the song.

The Human League Dare

32 years ago this week saw the release of one of the most significant synthpop albums. This was the bands third album released and a lot was riding on it considering there two previous works had not performed well and the band shifted in personnel to come up with this classic 80s gem.

The group saw the creative influences of Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh leave the band and Phil Oakey was the new driving force behind the change to get the band more commercially accepted. The band reinvented itself mainly due to Oakey directional change and the addition of the two young backing singers Jo Catherall and Susan Sulley and the musical influence and writing of Jo Callis.
They set to work and the first release was Love Action which was a top 3 in the UK and vindicated the moves the band had made to become more commercially accepted.

The album was completed and as the norm a single was released to promote the album. This saw Open your Heart released and again a top 10 hit. The record label decided to release 'Don't you want me' as a Christmas release. Oakey was much against this as he thought it was the weakest track on the album hence the last track on side 2 but he was overruled and the decision paid off for the record label when it went to number one, selling over 1 million copies and the 1981 Christmas number one! It still remains one of the top 30 best selling singles of all time in the UK!

The album went to number one in the UK in November 1981 and they also held a number one album and single at the same time. This was no mean feat in the 1980s. Such was the popularity of the album it remained in the charts for 71 weeks.

The album and the number one single is widely reported to have saved Virgin records from bankruptcy, The label had no success since Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells in 1977 and this helped prevent the company from going under. Such was Richard Branson relief that he bought Oakey a Motorbike but unfortunately Oakey was unable to ride one!

Tracks on album

The things that dreams are made of
Open your heart
The sound of the crowd
Darkness
Do or Die
Get Carter
I am the law
Seconds
Love Action
Don't you want me

Phil Chevron 1957-2013

This week saw the sad news that Phil Chevron of the Pogues had died after a long battle with Cancer. Having seen The Pogues live on many occasions this was certainly a sad week in music to see this talisman leave the Earth.

A Dubliner who after a brief foray into the Punk scene of the late 1970s with Radiators from Space he moved to London to seek his fame and Fortune and met up with the original hell raiser Shane MacGowan. He joined the Pogues as a back up musician but became full time when they released the legendary album 'Rum, sodomy and the Lash' where he played the Banjo and Mandolin.

He became one of the important member of the band with his musicianship along with his songwriting and singing. He became an all rounder which was needed on the numerous tours the band went on. His best writing was the homage to many Irish that emigrate called 'Thousands are Sailing' and became one of the most requested songs for the band to play.

He did have his demons like many and spent years battling drink and drugs problems but he overcame but unfortunately he lost the long battle with Cancer and now joins the other great musical Dubliners who have now departed. RIP Phil.

Desire U2 25 years on...

Today is the 25th anniversary of U2 first number single in the UK and the band are still going strong although there has been a hiatus of a few years.

At the time U2 were one of the hottest tickets in town and they were coming of a very successful Joshua Tree tour after the success of the 1987 release. The band decided to do a warts and all rockumentary following the band across America and they released an album mixed with new songs and live material.

A film followed with a book and the band were pretty much in everyone's radar. 1988 saw the release of Rattle and Hum and the first offering was in late September 1988 when Desire was released. The song went to number one in the UK and number three in America. The song was a shift away from previous material where the influence of Blues, folk and gospel.

There obsession with America was finally rewarded with this classic song and album that followed suit. The song was composed by the band and was produced by Jimmy Iovine who previously had worked with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Patti Smith. The song b side was Hallelujah (here she comes) and was released on the Island record label.

Karma Chameleon 30 years on..

30 years ago today, Karma Chameleon was number one in the UK single charts, it also went on to become a USA number one as the bands global image took the world by storm.

It was the bands second number one in the UK following up to 'Do you really want to hurt me'. Karma Chameleon was the biggest selling single in 1983 and to date has sold in excess of 1.4 million copies in the UK and 5 million worldwide.

The song also won the BRIT awards for best British single. The song was written by Culture Club and was produced by Steve Levine who had worked previously with The Clash and Gary Moore amongst many. Steve's brother David was responsible for the artwork and photography on the single cover itself.

The song was released on the Virgin Label. The song pretty much hit number one all over Europe, South Africa, Japan and Australia and was a truly global smash hit.

The Unforgettable Fire

On this day in 1984 U2 released arguably there finest piece of work following on from the previous success of the last album War. The band went for a more different sound following the more rockier War album. The result was a more ambient sound which lost some of the rock fans but gained a new following plus more radio play which was important.

Recording began in early 1984 at Slane Castle in Co Meath and then was completed at Windmill Lane studios in Dublin. They compose some of there finest work here and the critics lavished praise on the album on release. The title was an odd one but was reference to an exhibition they saw in Japan in 1983 about the Hiroshima atomic bombings.

The band decided on a new direction and sought several producers to work with but in the end they opted for Brian Eno whose ambient expertise was seen on Roxy Music and Talking Heads. Eno bough along the production expert Daniel Lanois but not everyone was happy mainly Island Records owner Chris Blackwell who felt the band may regret the new sound just as they found there feet.

The band were a conventional Guitar and Bass sound but for the first time a synthesiser was heard on a U2 record and during the recording it was beset with problems such as recording in too big rooms and the bands ability not too finish tasks which saw the deadline looming the band were forced to work 20 hour days for the last 2 weeks.

The work was completed and released in October 1984 and the result saw a more atmospheric album with low bass sound and more string arrangements which suited the radio and lounge music departments.

The album was highly anticipated and as a taster the band released the lead single Pride(in the name of love) a tribute to MLK and the song was at the time the biggest UK hit as a top 5 hit. The album went to number in the UK and was a top 20 in America.

The follow up single to Pride was Unforgettable Fire and again this was a top 10 hit in the UK. Following the album a tour ensued but it was difficult to replicate the textured sound live so reluctantly the band used sequencers and this proved popular for songs such as A sort of homecoming and Bad.

The latter song was played at the Live Aid concert in 1985 and still is one of the most popular live U2 songs.

Tracks on album

A sort of homecoming,Pride (in the name of love), Wire, The Unforgettable Fire, Promenade, 4th of July, Bad, Indian summer sky, Elvis Presley and America and MLK

Classic 80s films songs

The 1980s saw many big films and behind most big films was a huge soundtrack which record labels cottoned on to. As a result the 80s saw a huge rise in songs released in conjuction with films to boost the popularity and marketing potential. Some artistes relied solely on the film industry and produced constant scores for them. Where would survivor be without the Rocky films and vice versa? I will take a look at some of the biggest film soundtracks of the 1980s.



Simple Minds - Don't you forget about me (The Breakfast Club)

A huge anthem for the brat pack film, the song intended for Billy Idol and then rejected by Bryan Ferry but was passed to Simple Minds and that decision led to a number one in America. Written by Keith Forsey the song was huge both sides of the pond and in the UK remained in the top 100 for almost 2 years such was it's popularity. It remains one of there most requested songs.

Huey Lewis and the News - Power of Love (Back to the future)

This again was a huge hit and earned Huey Lewis a cameo role in the film and a academy award to sit with a number one in America. The song was co written by Lewis and Colla and remains an integral part of the film.

Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters (Ghostbusters)

Probably and arguably one of the biggest films in the 80s behind ET. Written and produced by Parker the song reached number one in America and number two in the UK as Ghostbusters gripped the world in 1984. It was nominated for an academy but fell short at the final hurdle. The song was written to be similar to a advert and was many years used as this for a 118 advert in the UK. The song also courted legal issues as was similar in riff to a Huey Lewis song and was eventually settled out of court.

Irene Cara - Fame and Flashdance

This young lady firmly put the dance floor back into the public conscious with these two huge hits of the 80s. Fame Written by Gore and Pritchard it was wrote for the original film and won the academy award that year as a number one in the UK, it wasn't until the TV spin off series was released in 1982 that the song hit the shores here and again enjoyed a number one success as Fame became a huge success. It remains one of the few songs in the UK to sell one million plus copies.

Flashdance written by Miroder, Forsey and Cara again enjoyed huge success topping the charts in America, countless awards and a number 2 in the UK. The song again featured in another film The Full Monty in 1997.

Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F (Beverley Hills Cops)

One of the most recognised names in Film scores and producing synth pop with his German background. This instrumental classic enjoyed number 2 peaks in the UK and America. The song enjoyed a revival by that annoying Crazy Frog but thankfully didn't do too much damage to this synth classic.

Kenny Loggins - Footloose (Flashdance)

Another classic song from the Flashdance film which saw Kevin Bacon dancing mentally to this toe tapper. The song reached number one in America and was a top 10 hit in the UK. The song was written and produced by Loggins and Pitchford. The song has been covered recently in films such as Alvin and the Chipmunks and Glee!

Phil Oakey and Giorgio Miroder - Electric Dreams (Electric Dreams) This brief partnership produced an absolute gem of a song in the 1980s. Both written and produced by Miroder the song reached number 3 in the UK singles charts and many thought the song actually eclipsed the film itself! Miroder came up with the concept and Director of the film Steve Barron suggested Phil Oakey as he had worked with him on the Human League promo video 'don't you want me' and the rest they say is history.

Joe Cocker - Up where we belong (an officer and a Gentlemen)

A weepy girlie film saw the lead song smash the charts and take the Grammy award for that along with the film success. Joe duetted with Jennifer Warnes. It went to number one in America and number 7 in the UK charts. The song was famously used at the end where Zak would sweep his intended of her feet at the factory thus the tears and cheers. The song was used against the producer and Gere advices but when they saw the final cut they were overwhelmed by the nature of the song.

Vangelis - Chariots of Fire

Arguably the biggest British film of the 1980s and this instrumental classic was pivotal to the ambience of the film. Composed by a Greek man who manages to catch the essence of the film and earned an Oscar for the musical score. The song reached number one in America and number 12 in the UK but the album did reach number in the UK. The song enjoyed a comeback for the 2012 London Olympics when MR Bean played the song at the opening ceremony.

Echo & the Bunnymen - People are Strange (Lost Boys)

This featured heavily on the Lost Boys film and was a cover by the 1970s rockers The Doors. The song was released as a single in the UK and peaked at number 29. The song was ironically produced by Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek. A classic 2 minute song which is perfect for films and this song proved to be a popular one amongst fans of 80s film music.

Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (Pretty in Pink)

Another classic gem from the 1980s and this post punk band came to prominence with this track for Pretty in Pink. The song was originally released in 1981 after being produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame and the song just failed the top 40 but was revamped for the 1986 movie and the song made the top 20 in the UK and just outside the top 40 in America. A true pop guitar sound.

Starship - Nothings gonna stop us now (Mannequin)

A huge hit which went number one on both sides of the pond and also the second best selling song in the UK in 1987. It was the main song for the romantic comedy film and was nominated for a academy award in 1987 but unfortunately missed out. The song featured Grace Slick on vocals who at the time was the oldest vocalist to get to number one in America at the time.

Duran Duran - View to a Kill (James Bond Film)

A song written by Duran Duran and John Barry and this song reached number one in America and number two in the UK. At the time Duran Duran were one of the biggest bands at the time and was the last song recorded before the original line up broke up. They met up with Barry who was the Bond composer and came up with this classic song which also saw Simon Le Bon play a James Bond character in the video promo.

A-ha - Living Daylights (James Bond Film)

Again John Barry worked with A-ha on this song and the song didn't fare well in America and didn't make the top 100 but was a top 5 hit in the UK. Despite the lack of success in America it sold over 2 million copies.

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger (Rocky)

A true heart beating song of the 1980s and a must for anyone who deems themselves a underdog in this world. It topped the charts in America and UK and was a last minute song originally when Stallone was unable to get permission to use a Queen song, Survivor came up with this effort and help revolutionise the film. The song alone has sold over 9 million copies such is the popularity of the song.
To purchase some of the 80s movie hits click below:

Midge Ure

The 1980s music scene saw many iconic figures and one of those although didn't bang his drum was the Scottish musician Midge Ure.

Midge career in music started in the 1970s and enjoyed success with Slik and Thin Lizzy and the 1980s saw the success continue with the Rich Kids, Visage and more famously the frontman with Ultravox coupled with a successful solo career. To add more strings to his bow he also co-wrote the biggest selling single at that time 'do they know it's Christmas' with Bob Geldof and then as a consequence of that success also organised the biggest show in the world when Live Aid hit the stage and TV in 1985.

Initially in the 1970s Midge was involved in the Punk scene having worked with the Sliks and Thin Lizzy and in the late 1970s he formed Visage with Rusty Egan, Steve Strange on vocals and Billie Currie on keyboards. During this period Midge struck a great friendship with Billie and they decided to resurrect Billie previous group Ultravox who had gone into a hiatus with Robin Simon and John Foxx pursuing other directions.

The classic Ultravox line up was confirmed along with Chris Cross and Warren Cann. They recorded the classic album 'Vienna' although not a success at first it wasn't until the release of the self titled single that interest and sales followed. The song spent four weeks at number 2 kept of by a combination of John Lennon and Joe Dolce and went on to be the 5th best selling single that year.

The album sale also rose and the album peaked at number 3 in the UK charts. The video promo also received rave reviews as directed by Russell Mulcahy and was aground breaking video which set the pace for how videos should be produced.

Around this time Visage also released an album and had huge success with 'Fade to Grey' which Midge co-wrote and this song was seen as the blueprint for the new romantic scene. Keen to capitalise on the success of Vienna they released Rage in Eden which was a top 5 album in the UK which featured the Thin Wall and the Voice both top 20 singles and following that Midge and Currie worked on Visage second album The Anvil, the album was again a top 10 but Midge left Visage to concentrate more on Ultravox.

Another album followed named Quartet and this was produced by the legendary 5th Beatle George Martin and the album contained the following single successes 'Reap the wild wind', 'Hymn', 'visions in blue' and 'we came to dance' all top 20 hits along with a top 10 album.

Midge took time out to carve out a solo career and tested the market with a Walkers brothers cover 'No regrets' which again made a top 10 entry. It was a productive time as Ultravox released 'Lament' which was a top 10 album in the UK and featured the classic 'dancing with tears in my eye' which was a top 3 hit. The band and record label then released what was an unusual thing they released a greatest hits album showcasing all there work from 1980 and the album was a huge success and peaking at number 2 in the UK album charts.

The band last album was released called U-VOX, the album went top 10 but the singles barely dented the top 30 and many declared this not up to scratch on there previous work but still the album did well. Around this time Midge concentrated on his solo career and enjoyed a rare number one single with 'If I was' and the subsequent album 'the gift' enjoyed a number 2 slot which featured Mark King of Level 42 and Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17. The subsequent album 'answers to nothing' did not do as well.

During the 1980s his solo career saw 2 album releases and 8 single releases with 5 top 30 hits and a number one. His spell at Ultravox saw 5 studio albums which all went top 10 with Vienna peaking at number 3. They also released 20 singles with 10 top 20 singles with again Vienna going close at number 2. With visage he was involved with 2 top 20 albums with the Anvil peaking at 6, also 8 singles released with 4 top 20 hits with Fade to Grey peaking at number 8.

Bon Jovi

A band from New Jersey made huge strides in the glam rock arena in the 1980s and this band emerged from the often derided term Hair Metal genre, they were Bon Jovi. The band formed in 1983 and had moderate success with there two early album releases but it wasn't until the release of the Third Album 'Slippery when Wet' that this record catapulted this band into the public arena.

The band has pretty much remained the same since it'd formation with Bon Jovi, Torres, Sambora and Bryan leading the charge for the fluffy haired axe wielding giants. There success came the hard way with Bon Jovi working at radio stations and record labels pleading with anyone to listen to there music.

There first two albums 'Bon Jovi' and '7800 fahreinheit' achieved moderate success in America with first single 'Runaway' reaching the top 40 in America and the albums also denting the top 40. They were getting noticed and were soon opening for the likes of Kiss and Scorpions as well as an appearance at the Monsters or Rock at Donnington.

1986 the band moved to Canada and spent a solid 6 months working on 'Slippery when wet' and the results were huge. The first single releases 'You give love a bad name' and 'Livin' on a prayer' both went to number one in the USA. The album spent 2 months at number one in America and they soon became the hottest band to see live. such was there popularity that in 1987 they headlined the Monsters of Rock Festival which is no mean feat. The album was a huge success in America and Europe and keen to build on that success the next album did not disappoint.

The release of 'New Jersey' the album went to number one in America and the UK and a number of singles were released such as 'Bad Medicine', 'born to be my Baby' and 'Lay your hands on me' all going top 10. The success of the band was it's live sets and one in particular started a whole generation of how music should be viewed and heard.

In 1989 Bon Jovi and Sambora performed Living on a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive with just two acoustic guitars at the MTV music video awards and this is widely reported that this performance alone sparked the whole MTV unplugged series which still continues to this day.

The band also performed in Russia which was a first for any band and there whole appeal was beginning to take effects on the band. After the tours of 1989 the band took a long earned rest to recouperate and think about the next direction.

It wasn't until late 1992 that the band appeared again with the 'Keep the Faith' album and again huge commercial success. Although the hair metal scene was often criticised there music managed to pull through and the band kept there credibility when many others had lost there's.

The band has sold over 130 million records and countless awards such as UK hall of Fame in 2006 and songwriters hall of fame in 2009.

During the 1980s they released four studio albums with 'New Jersey' there only number one album in the UK. They also released 16 singles with surprisingly only one top 10 in the UK with Livin' on a prayer, In America they enjoyed four number ones. In the UK they were to enjoy better singles success in the 1990s.

 

Billy Idol

A certain William Broad went onto international fame better known as the Punk rocker Billy Idol. He initially shot to fame with punk band Generation X who enjoyed moderate success in the UK and then swept onto the new MTV generation with his countless video promo's as a solo artist in the 1980s.

Billy early musical career saw appearances in bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and Chelsea before settling with Generation X in the mid to late seventies. They enjoyed 3 top 40 singles and one top 30 album in the UK but after leaving the band his career catapulted.

Billy moved to New York and worked with ex-Kiss manager Bill Aucoin. They played heavily on his bad boy image and this was mixed with the glam rock image that was playing heavily in America. He released his debut Album simply called 'Billy Idol' and Billy became part of the 'Second British invasion' of the USA and MTV in particular heavily played his video promo of 'White Wedding' and 'Hot in the city' as well as his Generation X classic 'Dancing with myself'. On the back of this success he released his second album and one of his most popular works.

The release of 'Rebel Yell' was a huge success in America and the UK with classic hits 'Rebel Yell' and 'Eyes without a face' Keith Forsey had produced the album and a lot of Billy Material and he also worked with the likes of Harold Faltermeyer, Giorgio Miroder, Donna Summer and Simple Minds.

The third studio album was released 'whiplash Smile' which featured the huge hits 'To be a lover' and 'Sweet Sixteen'. His long term musical partner Steve Stevens had drifted after he had huge success on the Top Gun film score earning him a Grammy. It wasn't until 1987 when album 'Vital Idol' was released and a cover of 'Mony Mony' reached number one in the US and a top 10 in the UK. In terms of musical output that was pretty much that for Billy although he did appear on stage with the Who on a live version of the Rock show 'Tommy' where he played Cousin Kevin.

The remainder of the 1980s saw him go on a tour of his own but without any musical input, he mainly got into the press for his bad boy image of heavy drug use and partying. Plus a bad accident with his motorbike that resulted in a steel rod being inserted into his leg. Famously, Keith Forsey wrote a song for him from the brat pack film 'Breakfast club'. The track was 'Don't you forget about me' and Billy turned it down and the song was given to Simple Minds who earned themselves a number one in America.

During the 1980s Billy released 3 studio albums with 'Whiplash Smile' the only one going top 10 in the UK. He also released a greatest hits album that peaked at number 2 in the UK charts. He also released 15 singles with 3 of those going top 10 with 'White Wedding' and 'Rebel Yell' both peaking at 6 in 1985.

The Style Council

Following the break up of The Jam Paul Weller embarked on a new direction and met up with ex-Dexy's Midnight Runners keyboardist Mick Talbot to form the Style Council. There musical style showed plenty of diversity from funk, soul, avant-garde, Jazz to pop.

There first releases of 'Speak like a child' and 'long hot summer' but it was the single 'ever changing moods' that gained success not only in the UK but also in America.

The group started to reach it's commercial success in 1985 with the release of the 'Our Favourite shop' album. The album had a more political attack on certain agenda's such as Margaret Thatcher and middle England with songs like 'Walls come tumbling down', 'the lodgers' and 'come to Milton Keynes'. Such was Weller interest in politics and engaging young people in this that he teamed up singer activist Billy Bragg to form Red Wedge an organisation based on Labour policies to bring down the Conservative party who were in power at the time.

Taking a break from the political arena they released a live album 'Home and Abroad' and a studio album followed with the release of 'the cost of living' which had a more R&B sound with Curtis Mayfield mixing a lot of the tracks.

There last studio album 'confessions of a pop group' was commercially a negative and limped into the top 20 UK album charts. At the time the album was in many critics eyes very weak but as the years progress it has now been regarded as some of Wellers finest work as the album embarked on a concept theme that many probably did not understand.

The poor sales led to the final album 'Modernism: A new decade' being dropped by Polydor and subsequently the band split after the release of a greatest hits album. The album was eventually released in 1998! the reason for not releasing that the album was going down a more house music route and the label felt that too much change would not be good.

Along with Weller and Talbot, there were two other part time members of the band with Weller's wife Dee C Lee and drummer Steve White. Lee was famously backing singer for Wham and White who went on to drum for Oasis and The Who.

The band called it a day in 1989 but they were very prolific in there output during there short existence. They did release 5 studio album with 3 going top two with Our Favourite shop reaching number one in the UK. They release 21 singles in the UK with seven top 10 entries to there name. There first in 1983 was 'Speak like a child' reaching number 4. there highest entry was number 3 in 1983 with 'Long hot summer'. There last top 10 was in 1987 with 'it didn't matter'.

The Boss

During the 1980s there was no bigger patriotic rocker than Bruce Springsteen and the new jersey rocker was not afraid to send out his American sentiments.

He came to prominence in the seventies with his E Street band but the 1980s saw him as a global superstar with concert tickets the hottest ticket in town.

It was the release of his double album in 1980 'The river' that catapulted him into the conscious of the public. The album produced his first big hit 'Hungry hearts' and the music saw a style similar to the 1950/1960 old fashioned rock sound. A tour followed and then he released the acoustic album 'nebraska' Although the album commercially did not do well it did receive critical acclaim with Rolling Stone mag making it album of the year, also the album inspired U2 who did a similar Lo-Fi Recording for The Joshua tree.


1984 then saw a huge turnaround in fortunes when he released 'Born in the USA' album which sold over 30 million copies worldwide and 15 million alone in America. His music a mixture of American anthems with sympathies for the troops who fought in Vietnam.

The album saw a huge number of top 10 singles including Dancing in the dark which featured Courtney Cox on the video promo. Also Glory days and the classic rock pumping song Born in the USA. He also found time to star in the 1985 single 'We are the world' in there efforts to raise money for Africa.

Also during this crazy period he released a live album of his works between 1975 and 1985 and again this was a huge selling album due to his excellent live shows. It was a hard one to follow but Bruce then released the more laid back album 'tunnel of love'. The album featured the song 'Brilliant Disguise' which was a reflection of his personal relationships which saw the break up of his first marriage.

In 1988 he played a series of live shows in Berlin east Germany and many believe that this led to breakdown of the Berlin wall and the unification of Germany. Also he was now doing work for Amnesty International with a series of concerts.

An integral part of Bruce popularity particularly on the live sets was his backing band The E Street Band who supported him for many years. Also the backing vocal talents of Patti Scialfi whom he would later marry. The band remained unchanged until the recent deaths of Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons.

During the 1980s the boss released 4 studio albums of which Born in the USA and Tunnel of Love both reached number one in the UK album charts. He also released a live album which also went top 10 in the UK. In terms of singles he released 26 but only 5 hit the top 10 in the UK with dancing in the dark peaking the highest at number 4.

Big Country

Were a Scottish rock band from Dunfermline who fused the style of rock with traditional Scottish folk music instruments and sounds and were very successful commercially as a result of this fresh new sound.

The band consisted of Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson, Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki. The group formed after Adamson and Watson left the punk band The Skids and after a few personnel tweaks they eventually settled on the four and although the band drew its influences from Scottish folk music, none of the band members were actually Scottish!

They formed in 1981 and a year later saw there first entry on the UK charts with 'Harvest home' which peaked at 91 and this gave them some exposure to what lay ahead. The next single hit the top 10 with 'Fields of fire' and this was followed by the debut album 'the Crossing' That album and the following single 'In a big country' were high entries in the American market as the demand for more traditional sound and the debut album sold over one million copies in the UK. What was different about the band was there use of bagpipes amongst others and the use of the E-Bow on the guitars to give that distinct Country sound.

A worldwide tour followed and also they found time to release 'wonderland' which again hit the top 10 in the UK. The second album followed suit and 'Steeltown' charted in at number one on the UK album charts. The latter end of 1984 and most of 1985 was touring and they did participate in the Band Aid single in 1984 and supported the likes of Roger Daltrey and Queen. They also recorded the score for a Scottish independent movie called 'Restless Natives' although this was not released until 1997!

1986 saw the release of the third album 'The Seer' and this charted in at number two in the UK album charts and included there biggest selling single 'Look away'. The album also saw Kate Bush provide backing vocals. The album was well received in the UK but this album like the last was not a great success in America so they turned to producer Peter Wolf for the next album in 1988 'Peace in our time' but the American dream was fading and the album only reached number nine in the UK album charts.

The early 1990s saw the band dropped by there record label Phonogram and although they had success as a supporting act coupled with the odd chart entry the halcyon days of the 1980s were no more. Eventually, Stuart Adamson took it badly and sadly took his own life. The band still continue today with Watson and Brzezicki still leading the band with the addition of Mike Peters Ex- the Alarm and Derek Forbes Ex- Simple Minds.

During the 1980s the band released four studio albums all top 10 with 'Steeltown' the only number one. They also released 15 singles with four top 10 hits with 'Look Away' reaching number seven in the charts.

Jon Brookes

Today we saw the sad news of the death of Jon Brookes who was the drummer for indie rock band The Charlatans.

The band formed in the late 1980s but went onto huge success in the nineties. The top 10 single 'The only one I know' and the debut album 'some friendly' captured the attention of the British public and press.

The band was closely associated with the Madchester scene and there musical influence of Soul, R&B and rock proved popular for the new guitar generation.

The Charlatans sound was very distinct and was underpinned by the drumming talents of Jon Brookes. It was during a tour in 2010 that Jon was diagnosed with a brain tumour and sadly the fight was over today. It is a big blow for the band after the sudden death of keyboardist Rob Collins in 1996 but the spirit of the Charlatans will live on. Rest in Peace Jon

Electric 80s

New Order - True Faith


The song was a big shift from there post punk days of the late 1970s as Joy division but the song showcased there talents on the electric dance scene. The song was released in 1987 and reached number 4 in the UK single charts and was there first song to hit the top 40 in America. The song was released as new material on there collection album 'substance' in 1987 and went on to become one of there famous songs. The video promo directed by Philippe Decoufle was a bizarre video with vibrant colours with dancers walking backwards and slapping each other furiously, it was compelling stuff. The song was written and produced by New Order and Stephen Hague and the song was released on the infamous Factory Records and assigned the FAC 183 label. A true classic song.

Ultravox - Vienna


Quite often a song comes along and for what ever reason although popular it never quite hits the top spot. Ultravox suffered that fate in 1981 where the song was number 2 for four weeks. It can be a combination of a better song or the British obsession with novelty records! unfortunately Ultravox suffered twice the first week to John Lennon and the next 3 weeks Joe Dolce 'shaddap your face'. The song was quite unique in it's sound with a mixture of Grand Piano, a deep synth bass and Viola solos in the middle. The song was based on the 1940s film 'The third man' which was based around the Austrian capital Vienna. This was reflected in the video the band produced which was very grandiose and suited the song. The song was written by all the Ultravox members and was produced by Conny Plank a famous German producer who worked with Kraftwerk and David Bowie amongst others. He was a big name in the synth electro sound and one Ultravox were keen to work with. The song is widely regarded as the anthem for the new romantic/synth pop era in the early 1980s and the song epitomised the new scene of music in the 1980s. The success helped encourage many more bands such as Depeche Mode to dominate the charts.

Lotus Eaters - The first picture of you

Lotus Eaters were a new wave synth band from Liverpool formed in the early 1980s. They shot to prominence after singing this song on BBC Radio 1 John Peel Sessions. The song sparked a plethora of record labels wanting to sign them up. They eventually signed to Arista Records and the song was produced by Nigel Gray who worked with the Police and Siouxsie and the Banshees. In 1983 the song received more radio air play than any other song that year. The song peaked at number 15 in the UK singles chart and the song is still played today for it's ambient sound which is easy on the ear for Radio. A true classic electric sound.

Tears for Fears - Mad World



This song in late 1982 took the charts by storm and peaked at number 3 in the UK charts and shot the band into the mainstream. The song was to be a b side to 'Pale Shelter' but decided it give its own life and what a masterstroke it was. The song was produced by Chris Hughes ex-Adam and the ants drummer and was written by Roland Orzabel about his images and dreams of his world. The promo video was a gloomy affair with Curt Smith trying to escape a room but was punctuated with the bizarre dance of Roland near the lake. The song was a popular one of the 1980s and can be seen on most compilations. The song was rejuvenated in 2003 when a remake for the Donnie Darko film saw the song become a Christmas Number One. A true classic synth/gloom song.

A flock of Seagulls - Wishing (If I had a photograph of you)


Possibly without sounding too hyped one of the all time classic new wave synth sounds of the early 1980s. This band from Liverpool scored there only top 10 UK hit with this gem. The song was released from the album Listen and was produced by the fijian maestro Mike Howlett who had success with OMD, Joan Armatrading, Gang of Four and Martha and the Muffins amongst others. The song was very heavily synth and became popular in the UK around that time and the success of this song was as good as it got for the Flocks but definitely opened the door for others to take on. such was it popularity it was heavily played on MTV early days due to it's futuristic appeal. The song was also voted in BBC Radio 6 2006 poll as the 2nd most popular synth song ever only beaten by Tubeway Army 'are friends electric?'. That gives you the measure of the song.

Art of Noise - Close (to the edit)


This innovative band became one of the best respected synth pop bands of its generation. The release of Close shown the full use of electronic music with sampling. Signed to ZTT records the founders of this label found time to form a four piece band and produce some classic material. The song was written and produced by Art of Noise in particular the key members were Trevor Horn and Paul Morley and the song became the first of three top 10 entries in the UK singles chart. The song was infamous for it's various remixes and was originally the unedited part of the earlier single 'Beat Box' but this song went onto become more successful.

Visage - Fade to Grey


Another classic electric song from the synthpop generation. Visage released this song late 1980 and the song went on to become a dance floor hit in the UK reaching the top 10 and was number one in various charts across Europe. The song was released on Polydor records around the same time as the album was released and was written and produced by Visage. Although the writing credits were given to Billy Currie, Chris Payne and Midge Ure. The French Lyrics were performed by Brigitte Arens who was Rusty Egan's girlfriend at the time. The song was also noted for it's video promo which featured the singer Steve Strange body being covered in paint and featured his friend Julia Fodor miming the French lyrics. The video was produced and directed by Godley & Crème. A true classic song which embraced the electric and euro pop feel and the song still holds relevance now.

Frankie goes to Hollywood - Relax


If there was one single that gained controversy in the 1980s then this was the one. It was the bands first single release and it didn't make much impact when released but when Radio One DJ Mike Read and the BBC refused to play the song for it's sexual nature and subsequently banned it, the song rose up the charts and reached number 1. Such was it's popularity it sold over 2 million copies and was the seventh best selling single in the UK. The song was pretty much in the charts for over a year and when they released there second single Two Tribes, Relax got another surge and was number 2! The band played the song originally on Channel 4 The Tube and a certain producer Trevor Horn saw this and signed them to ZTT records which he co owned with Paul Morley. He set to work on this and produced a more slick electronic sound. Once produced Paul Morley set to work on the marketing side where the Relax t-shirts etc..became the norm. Soon everyone heard of Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes


This was a classic gem released in 1980 and was successful in its sound and the video promo that accompanied the song. The song was based on Major Tom who featured in his earlier work on space oddity. The song was a huge hit and reached number 1 on the UK single charts. It was released on RCA records and was produced as well by Bowie and his long time producer Tiny Visconti. The video was very iconic for the 1980s with Bowie in a Pierrot costume and leading certain group of new romantics including Steve Strange of the London Blitz kids. The video at the time cost over £250,000 and incorporated many visuals that were unusual at the time such as solarised colours. The song and video were a major influence on the New Romantic scene that followed shortly after. A true classic song.

Falco - Rock Me Amadeus


This song became the first German speaking song to hit number one in the UK and USA singles charts. Released in 1985 this Austrian artist enjoyed great success in Europe mainland but the UK and America was a little difficult but this tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart seemed to do the trick. On the back of this the Video was a great eye catcher showing Falco as Amadeus through the times in a formal jacket to the wacky pink wig with a modern crowd of bikers mixing with 18th century patrons. Weird but it worked somehow! The Song was written by Falco and his Dutch pals the Bolland Brothers. The song has been proved popular in recent polls about the best of the 1980s and the song has really stood the test of time.

Belouis Some - Imagination

This little gem became a huge hit for Belouis Some in 1986 after being re-released following disappointment in 1985. The song reached number 17 in the UK charts and reached the top 100 in America. Released on Parlophone records it was written by Belouis and produced by Thompson and Barbiero who had worked with the likes of Metallica, Madonna, Korn and Public enemy amongst others. The song was noted for it's video which featured nudity and caused controversy in many corners but this seemed to add fuel to the sales of the song as well as sound which proved popular on radio and the dance floor.

Simple Minds - Promised you a Miracle

This was the bands first commercial breakthrough in 1982 and peaked at number 13 in the UK charts. The song was released from the New Gold Dream album and the song help trigger a long sustained attack on the charts right up to the mid 1990s. This song and the album saw a move away towards to the electronic dance and the song was noted for it's electronic keyboard beat from Mick Macneill and combined with the deft riffs on guitar by Charlie Burchill. The song was released on Virgin and was written by Simple Minds and Produced by Pete Walsh and many critics defined this song as one of the bands most complete sounds. A true gem.

Kraftwerk - The Model


These guys were the originators of the electronic based sound. Starting in the early 1970s they produced some of the most innovative work on the music scene. Originally written and recorded in the late seventies by Hutter, Bartos and Schultz, the song went onto be number one in the UK in 1982 by a bizarre Circumstance. The song was released as a b side to 'Computer Love' in 1981 and the song reached the top 30 in the UK. However, DJ's and Radio were more interested in the B side and as a result EMI released it as a stand alone single and the song reached number one as a consequence. The song was released against the bands wishes and as a result the band rarely perform this song. That said the song put Kraftwerk in to many people conscience and a true electronic classic.

ABC - the look of love


This band broke onto the mainstream from the Sheffield electric scene in the early 1980s. They were led by lead singer Martin Fry and the above song came off there debut album The Lexicon of Love. The song was on Mercury records and was produced by the legendary Trevor Horn and the song reached number 4 in the UK singles charts. This proved to be the bands biggest hit. The video promo also got heavy airplay on MTV and featured the old British scenes of Carnivals and Puppet shows. The Video also featured cameos from Trevor Horn and journo Paul Morley who later formed ZTT records and Art of Noise.

Howard Jones - What is Love?


This synth pop legend enjoyed a huge amount of success in the early 1980s and this song peaked at number two in the UK singles charts. It also enjoyed a Top 40 entry on the American charts. The song came of the critically acclaimed album Human's Lib. The song released on WEA records and was written by Howard and Bill Bryant and this saw a period of success for Howard with synth pop classics.

OMD - Maid of Orleans (Waltz of Joan of Arc)

OMD were a top class synth band from Liverpool with McCluskey and Humphries referred to as the Lennon- McCartney of the synth world. This particular song came from there successful album Architecture and Morality. This song release came on the back of the previous single Joan of Arc and this song was also a tribute to the lady. Maid of Orleans faired better in the charts in the UK although both songs did reach the top 5. The song was written to celebrate the 550th birthday of Joan of Arc and was prominently a instrumental song featuring bagpipes, violins and a choir to give it a electro ambient sound. The video promo was directed by Steve Barron who directed memorable videos for Michael Jackson and A-ha and Joan was played by Julia Tobin who at the time worked for the RSC. The song was written and produced by OMD and was released on the DinDisc label. The song reached number 4 in the UK charts and remains one of the best pieces of music during the synth explosion in the early 1980s.

Art of Noise

Arrived on the scene in 1983 and were an unconventional synth pop band at the time. The band was made up of music producers, programmers and journalist. The band consisted of Gary Langan, J J Jeczalik, Trevor Horn, Anne Dudley and Paul Morley.

The group was noted for it's faceless façade and the use of sampling and digital instruments blended into a sound that was made for the dancefloor. The group came to force on Trevor Horn and Paul Morley independent record label ZTT. Horn had worked on Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Propaganda on ZTT and enjoyed great success but now they decided on a new project with the new purchased Fairlight CMI Sampler which could sample at the touch of a keyboard.

They released an EP in late 1983 'Into battle with the Art of Noise' and this produced the instrumental song 'Beat Box' which was a favourite in America amongst the body popping fraternity. They also at the same time provided the theme tune for the then popular ITV programme The Krypton Factor'.

The debut album followed named 'who's afraid of the art of noise?' and this achieved moderate success but the group were to split when Langan, Jeczalik and Dudley left Morley and Horn and took with them the name and moved labels. There was tension regarding the output of the latter so the trio left all together and went in a different direction.

The trio went to China Records and released a second album 'In visible silence' and it featured the Grammy award winning song 'Peter Gunn' with Duane Eddy, the song was huge in America and reached number 2 in the billboard charts. The video promo also featured the comedian Rik Mayall as a private eye detective. Another hit followed with the classic 'paranoimia' which featured the sampling voice of the computer generated presenter Max Headroom. The whole thing although strange did work and the song was hugely successful and again another dancefloor filler.

By now Langan had left the band leaving just two and they released another album 'In no sense Nonsense'  The album was well received by critics but didn't catch the imagination of the public. They did another collaboration with Tom Jones and did a fantastic cover of Prince song 'Kiss' and became there biggest hit in the UK. Interest in the band stoked up again and a new album followed 'below the waste' but commercially the album failed and by 1990 the Art of Noise had disbanded.

During the 1980s the group had released four studio albums with two top 30 albums and they released 13 singles with 4 top 20 singles with Kiss peaking at number 5 in 1988.

Tears for Fears

Were a new wave synth band that formed in 1981 from the embers of a previous band called Graduate. The band essentially consisted of Roland Orzabel and Curt Smith. They became fascinated with the likes of Talking Heads, Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel and moved away from there Mod roots and looked more at the synth sound that was beginning to take over the music market.

They were signed by Phonogram records in 1981 and released two singles 'Suffer little children' and 'Pale shelter', neither did not dent the charts but the next release was to shoot them straight into the charts and become a overnight success.

They released the single originally to be a B side called 'Mad World'. The song was a huge success and reached number 3 in the UK charts in November 1982. On the back of this they released the much awaited debut album 'The Hurting' to huge critical acclaim.

The album was produced by Chris Hughes who was the ex drummer for Adam and the Ants. The album was described as a Concept album which followed the emotions of distress and Primal scream were mentioned in every song. The album enjoyed a 65 week stay in the UK album chart and enjoyed a number one accolade. The album also included the singles of a reworked 'pale shelter' and 'change'.

They went to work on a new album and a more musical shift which produced 'songs from the big chair' Originally producer Jeremy Green worked on 'Mothers Talk' single but the band unhappy bought back Chris Hughes which hit the top 20 and the Follow up 'Shout' was to go more global than 'Mad World' and peak at number 3 in the UK charts. T

The album 'Songs from the big chair' shifted away from the synth sound of previous work going for a more sophisticated guitar arrangement. The album peaked at number 2 in the UK charts and anchored in the charts for 12 months, it also went number one in the US billboard chart.

On the back of that success, the singles were also producing great achievements with 'everybody wants to rule the world' peaking at number 2 in the UK charts. The song was re-released a year later with a slight amendment to run the world to support Sport Relief campaign and the song again hit the top 5.

On the back of success the band went to America to tour and performed at the MTV video awards where the lads discovered a young lady singing in a Kansas City hotel bar by the name of Oleta Adams, who would in time work later with Tears for Fears. They returned home and won the 1986 BRIT award for best single 'Everybody wants to rule the world' but it would be another three years before the boys released any more material.

The new album was 'seeds of love' again the sound had shifted to a more jazz and bluesy feel with a hint of the Beatles and this well prevalent in the release of 'sowing the seeds of love' which was a huge success in the singles chart. The follow up was a duet with Oleta Adams with the powerful hit 'woman in chains' which again fared well in the charts. The album again reached the top spot and also spawned the hit 'advice for the young at heart'.

Following the success of the album Orzabel and Smith had a huge fallout and Curt Smith left the band and handing the reigns to Roland Orzabel who continued the name until they made up in 2000. During the 1980s the band released 3 studio albums with two number ones and a number two. They also released 17 singles in the UK with seven top 10 singles, although they never enjoyed a number one single in the UK they did enjoy two in America with back to back number ones with Shout and Everybody wants to rule the world.
 

Synth Futurism

Two of the main innovators of the synth generation in the UK was John Foxx and a later contributor Gary Numan. Both came out of the Punk rock scene where they embraced the fledgling futurism scene where noise and images were important backed with the domination of machines.

Most synth bands in the UK emerged from the late 1970s where the electronic sound had been pioneered by Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire. However, the workings of John Foxx and Gary Numan went a long way to producing mainstream success in the UK.

The early influences could be seen in the 1970s in Germany where Kraftwerk relied solely on digital equipment and David Bowie recorded in Berlin a number of albums that would have inspired the late 1970s acts.

John Foxx had experimented with many bands but was the original lead singer of Ultravox! where the group fused new wave, reggae and electro. The band signed to Island records and the band released 3 albums between 1977-78, they debuted with the self titled album and was quickly followed by HaHa! both were produced by Steve Lillywhite and Brian Eno.

Both albums were commercial failures but the third album systems of Romance did gain more sales and achieved more exposure particularly in America. the album was produced by Conny Plank who played a major part in the Kraut rock scene mixed with electronic music. The band was dropped by Island but they went on a self financed tour and he then decided to leave the band and was replaced by Midge Ure.

He then embarked on a solo career and signed to Virgin Records in 1980 and achieved relative success with two top 40 singles in the UK with 'Underpass' and 'No-one Driving'. His debut album 'Metamatic' fared well and broke into the top 20 in the UK album charts, one of the songs featured was 'Metal Beat' which was based on the Roland CR78 drum machine sound.

In 1981 he released the follow up album 'the garden' and peaked at number 24 in the UK album charts. Around this time he set up his own recording studio in London called The Garden. As well as recording his own material other bands used the studio such as Depeche Mode, Bronski Beat, The Cure, Brian Eno, Trevor Horn amongst very many acts.

In 1983 he released material for a film soundtrack Identification of A Woman and released his third album The Golden Section which peaked at number 27 in the UK album charts. In 1985 he released 'In Mysterious Ways' which was a commercial flop stalling at 85 in the charts, although critically many felt it was his best work, he fell out of love with music and sold up his studio and returned to his early career as a graphic artist.

He did make a return in the early 1990s at the height of the Acid Rave scene and worked with Tim Simenon (Bomb the Bass and producer for Depeche Mode) and Rave group LFO.

As for Gary Numan he rose to fame in the late 1970s with new wave/synth band Tubeway Army and the band was signed by Beggars Banquet Label and quickly released singles but to no chart success.

Gary Numan interest in the fictional Dystopian science fiction world went hand in hand with his Cold Wave style and wasn't long before the public warmed to this cold style. They hit the top of the charts with the classic 'Are Friends Electric' and the album 'Replicas' also attained the same feat.

The next offering went even bigger with the release of 'Cars' which went number one in the UK and top 10 in the UK and Top 10 in America and the album 'Pleasure Principle' also went number one in the UK. Essentially the album was a rock offering but with no guitars! instead he fed the sound through pedals to achieve the metallic sound he wanted.

He topped the album charts once again with 'telekon' which saw some hits such as 'we are glass' and I die:you die' going top 10 in the UK. After that he gradually departed form the electro scene as other acts such as Duran Duran, Adam and the Ants, Depeche Mode and Human League were the new guard.

He started to look at other influences such as ambient styles of Jazz, he produced the Album 'Dance' which went top 10 in the UK but after that there was a sharp decline in sales despite a very productive output of material of all different experimentations.

His influence did inspire others and many acts such as Foo Fighters, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails have cited Numan as a major influence over in the USA.

Both Numan and Foxx were big influences with the futuristic sound and beats which opened the doors for many to imitate and some even better.