King

The 1980s saw another band gain great success from the city of Coventry. The Specials and the Selector earned rave reviews in the start up of the Ska music and the set up of the infamous 2 Tone label. Another band that came from Coventry was new wave band King.

King formed in 1984 and the band consisted of Paul King, Mick Roberts, Tony Wall and Jim Lantsbery. There early influences was Ska music which was prevalent around that time in Coventry and the midlands and they carried on in that vain.

The Ska movement came to a natural end so the band had to adapt to the changing scene of Britain and the band changed image and there genre of music.

Paul King went for a radical look with long hair and spiky on top wearing sprayed Doc Marten's and the band followed suit with a large array of hair and bright colours. The band existence was only 2 years but they made a significant impact on the album and single charts.

Initially the single 'Love and Pride' was released in 1984 but failed to make any impact on the chart but following an appearance on Saturday Morning TV programme performing the song, the song was re-released and hit the heights of number 2 in the UK singles chart. The band released 2 albums debuting with 'steps in time' in 1984 and the album reached number 6 in the UK album charts. The follow up was 'bitter sweet' which peaked at number 16 and soon after the band disbanded.

In terms of singles the band enjoyed 5 top 30 hits, begiining with the most successful 'love and pride' at number 2. The follow up 'won't you hold my hand now' reached 24, towards the end of 1985 'alone without you' hit the top 10 and reached number 8 and 'the taste of your tears' reached number 11. Early 1986 saw the last single release 'torture' reach number 23.

Soon after that Paul King disbanded King and pursued a solo career but unfortunately was not as successful. He went on famously to be a VJ (video Jockey) for MTV and latterly VH1 working mainly on the charts and vintage music. Although there existence was short it had successes with there music, style and the videos they produced. Paul King also helped revolutionise the VJ role and gave TV and music a whole new dimention.
To listen to more King

Happy Mondays

Although the band made huge cultural music influences in the 1990s, the band origins began in the 1980s and they were soon to revolutionise the music and dance scene with there own brand of music that would see Madchester born.

The band consisted of 6 mates who were Shaun and Paul Ryder, Mark Day, Gary Whelan, Paul Davis and Bez. The band hailed from Salford, Greater Manchester and they came to prominence when local man by the name of Tony Wilson liked the look of them at a battle of the bands contest held at the Hacienda Club in Manchester.

There music consisted of a fused style of indie guitar, northern soul and house music. There music would encourage many DJ's to mix there music which would sound better in a club environment.

The Madchester scene had exploded and the clothes and style were equally important as the music, the Mondays style was more of a hippy and psychedlic look with baggy jeans and tops and the hairstyles were long hair. Suddenly long hair and flared jeans were cool again.

There popularity saw them as the face of the rave scene in the UK and also numerous tours saw them as one of the must bands to see where they played all over the world and also took part in the infamous Glastonbury festival.

The first album they released was the long titled 'Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile' (White Out), the title was the main theme for the 2002 film '24 hour party people' which documented the story of Factory Records and the whole Madchester scene. The album was released in 1987 but didn't make any impression on the charts but in 1988 they released 'bummed' which was produced by Martin Hannett of Joy Division fame. The album reached number 59 in the UK album charts and was seen as a positive moment in the Happy Mondays musical development.

They released 3 EP's in the 1980s and one of them was the key to there breakthrough. They released the '45' ep in 1985 but in 1989 they released the infamous 'Madchester Rave on' EP which broke through into the top 20 and featured 'Hallelujah' and 'Rave on' the EP was very influenced by Acid house and rave music which appealed to the clubbers.

Later on in the year they released 'Hallelujah' EP a 7 track EP which featured the title track as well as 'clap your hands' and 'WFL'. The 1980s saw Happy Mondays release 6 singles but only one reach the top 70 with 'WFL'peak at number 68. They also released 'tart tart' and '24 hour party people' but sadly they didn't make an impression on the charts.

They were soon to enjoy bigger success as the 1990s started and there influence could be seen as the whole club and rave scene developed.
For further listening

Dark side of the 1980s

Sisters of Mercy and The Mission

When looking at the dark side of the 1980s it really features the genres of Goth rock, Alternative rock and Indie Guitar rock. Two of the biggest players were Sisters of Mercy and The Mission who made major impact on the UK charts.

The sisters of mercy were formed in 1980 and began as a quartet Doktor,Eldritch,Marx and Adams. Andrew Eldritch was see as the main singer and the single 'temple of love' helped the band achieve major success and Wayne Hussey joined the band to help cement there upcoming success. However, the band started to fragment and Adams and Hussey left the band to form Sisterhood but Andrew Eldritch protested about the similar name and they decided to change it to The Mission.

With Andrew Eldritch left to his own self devices he went on to produce the new 'floodland' album with Jim Steinmann. The album featured the classic song 'this corrosion' which peaked at number 7 in the UK charts and this was followed up by 'dominion' and 'lucretia my reflection' also hitting the top 20 UK singles chart. When the album was released he essentially wotked with a drum machine and Patricia Morrison on bass, who was to feature heavilly on the marketing of the album as the gothic lady. As the eighties drew to a close, the band saw several line up changes but essentially Andrew Hildritch has remained the regular in the band.


The Mission were formed from Sisters of Mercy with Adams and Hussey joining forces with Mick brown and Simon Hinckler as a four piece Gothic rock band in 1986.

They released 3 albums in the 1980s with debut 'Gods own medicine' in 1986 and was followed up by 'The first chapter' in 1987 and 'children' in 1988. The album 'gods own medicine' reached number 14 in the UK album charts and the 'Children' reached a healthy number 2 in the charts and was widely regarded as there best album.

In terms of single success, they enjoyed plenty of releases and hits but only 2 went into the top 20 UK singles charts during the 1980s. The first was 'wasteland' that peaked at number 11 in 1987 and this was followed in 1988 by 'tower of strength' which reached the heights of number 12 in the charts.

The late 1980s saw a real power struggle in the sales between the two and on the evidence, the Mission were more productive in terms of albums and live dates where they often headlined festivals. Quite often groups form out of others by musical differences and usually end up playing the same type of music like the Human league/heaven 17 scenario but there is no doubt these two bands had plenty of ideas to satisfy there legion of fans.

Recommended purchasing or further listening

The Jesus and Mary Chain and Spear of Destiny

Jesus and Mary Chain were a alternative rock band from Scotland formed in 1983 with the brothers Reid at the helm.

The band relocated to London and courted controversey with there live sets where violence would occur and a lot of councils banned them fearing they were the new Sex Pistols. However, on the single front they released 'upside down' which was one of the best selling indie singles of the 80s and stayed in the indie charts for over a year.

This led to a new record deal and the release of the iconic album 'psychocandy' and from that 2 singles were released that hit the top 50 'never understand' and 'just like honey'. The album peaked just outside the top 30. The band continued touring but beset with problems such as playing later than planned and more violence occurred at the venues.

They did some work on radio 1 for the John Peel show and released a stripped down version of 'some candy talking' which went to number 13 in the charts. However, the song was banned by radio 1 as there was in there opinion a song that championed drugs.

A second album 'Darklands'followed in 1987 and the title track was released as a single, the album reached number 5 in the UK album charts. Also the album saw a top 10 single 'April Skies' and towards the end of the 1980s a third album was released 'Automatic' the album was not a great success but the singles 'head on' and 'blues from a gun were released. Despite what went on in the 1980s, the band split in 1999 but reformed in 2007 and still rocking.


Spear of destiny were another alternative rock band that formed in 1983 and the founding members Kirk Brandon, Stan Stammers, Chris Bell and Lascelle James.

During the 1980s the band released 5 albums Grapes of wrath, one eyed jacks, world service, Outland and the price you pay. World Service and Outland albums both hit the top 20 UK album charts.

The singles chart success was limited but in 1987 'never take me alive' from the outland album was a top 15 hit in the UK single charts and this led to more exposure to the public. On the back of that there live shows were selling out and also a support tour with rock giants U2.

The band has gone through various personnel changes but Kirk still remains despite his illness in the 1980s which saw the band put everything on hold whilst he recovered and the band are still touring and releasing material as late as 2010.
Recommended listening or purchasing

New Model Army v Fields of Nephilim

New Model Army (NMA) were a punk/alternative rock band which formed in Bradford in the 1980s. They took the name from Oliver Cromwell army.

The band was led by Justin Sullivan and the band worked closely with punk poet Joolz Denby who was there first manager and wrote some lyrics to help the band. The band released 4 studio albums in the 1980s starting with the debut 'Vengeance' in 1984 followed by 'No rest for the wicked' on the heels of this they released 'The ghost of cain' and finished the decade with 'Thunder and consolation'.

The last album 'Thunder and consolation' reached number 20 in the UK album chart which represented there best effort on the charts.

The band released 10 singles in the UK during the 1980s starting with the debut 'Bittersweet' in 1983 and ending the decade with 'Green and Grey'. There best effort on the UK singles chart was in 1985 when the single 'No rest' peaked at number 28.

The band will be best remembered for the logo and artwork on there records and merchandise, also in some quarters they will also be remembered for some of there lyrics which were very powerfully politically motivated with humanitarian messages. One famous song '51st state'was about American Imperialism which gained them popularity at the time but basically any hope of cracking America dissapeared. The band are still active under justin and released a studio album as late as 2009 with
'Today a good day'.

The Fields of Nephilim are a true hard core gothic band who hailed from Stevenage in the early 1980s.

The band consisted of lead singer Carl McCoy, Gary Wisker, Tony Pettit, Paul Wright and Alex Wright. Although commercially they have not hit the heights but they have influenced many other bands with there hard hitting sound.

They had an unusual look wearing cowboy western clothes with big hats and dusters to give that rough look. They released two albums in the 1980s with the debut 'dawnrazor' in 1987 and a year later followed with 'nephilim'. The latter peaked at number 14 in the UK album charts to critical acclaim.

During the 1980s they released 6 singles debuting with 'power' in 1987. There last 2 singles of the decade reached the top 40, with the iconic 'moonchild' peaking at 28 and the follow up 'psychonaut' reaching number 35.

The band went into a split in the early nineties when lead singer McCoy left the band to pursue other music and the rest carried on but in a different name. The original band did get back together for a tour and have released new material, the name and the look still remains iconic and one of those bands that has mystique about them. The music was loud and produced to the maximum to concentrate on the guitar and bass with a lot of there work produced by Pink Floyd producer Andy Jackson.
Recommended listening or purchasing

All about Eve v Cocteau Twins

All about Eve consisted of Julianne Regan on vocals backed with Andy Cousins and Tim Briceno. There type of sound was associated to alternative rock with a hint of Goth rock.

The band released a number of independent singles ranging from with 'D for Desire' and 'In the clouds' amongst others.

The band did have links with The Mission where Julianne sang on there album 'Gods own medicine' The band enjoyed mainstream success and released 2 albums in the 1980s.

They debuted with 'All about eve' and 'Scarlet and other stories'. The 2 albums hit the top 10 in the UK album charts. The debut album peaked at number 7.

In terms of singles released, the band released 11 singles in the UK and enjoyed 2 top 30 singles in the UK, where 'Martha's harbour' reached number 10 and the follow up single 'What kind of fool' peaked at number 30.

Martha's harbour was unusual song as it just featured an acoustic guitar and the sound of the sea. However, the band featured on BBC Top of the Pops where they had to mime the song but when they were due to go, the sound was not transmitted to the band so they sat there quiet whilst the audience could hear everything! as a result of that the band were invited back next week to perform and the surge of interest in the song saw sales rise.


A band that formed in late 1979 as a alternative rock band from Scotland.

The original band consisted of Elizabeth Fraser on vocals and supported by Rob Guthrie, Will Heggie and Simon Raymonde.

The main focal point of the band was Fraser soprano vocals which made words hard to decipher but was incredibly enchanting and went with the mood of the music they offered.

The band released 6 albums in the 1980s debuting with 'Garlands' in 1982 and ending the decade in 1988 with 'Blue bell knoll'.

In terms of UK album chart success, two of the albums went top 20 with 1986 'Victoria land' peaking at number 10 and in 1988 'blue bell knoll' reaching a credible 15 in the charts.

In terms of UK charts single success the band released 10 singles mainly EP's and debuted in 1982 with Lullabies EP and ending the decade with 'Carolyns fingers' which did not chart.

Only 1 single broke the top 40 which was 'Pearly-dewdrops drops' which peaked at 29 in 1984. The success duly arrived in the nineties when after the house and madchester scene, there was a market for there more ambient sound and some of there earlier material was used.

The band eventually split in 1996 due to personal issues for Fraser and Guthrie but the sound they made still holds relevance and the vocals of Fraser and the sound they produced was quite unique. Recommended listening or purchasing

Queen in the 1980s

Although the band started in the 1970s, they were just as prolific in the 1980s. The band consisted of John Deacon, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Freddie Mercury and they enjoyed some huge success with albums such as Sheer Heart attack, a Night at the Opera and news of the world.

The 1980s saw the success continue and they went on to become one of the biggest rock acts in the world, culminating in the performances at Wembley for Live Aid and there magic tour. The 1980s saw the release of the album 'The Game' which saw the release of 'crazy little thing called love' and 'another one bites the dust'. Both songs went on to top the charts in America and this maintained there growing success in America.

There live tours bought huge success particularly in South America where they regularly played to crowds of over 100,000 at various stadia in Argentina and Brazil. Following the tour they did a collaboration with David Bowie and the result was 'Under pressure' which went to number one in the UK charts. Later that year in 1981 they released there first greatest hits album 1974-81 which went to number one but also became the greatest selling album ever in the UK. The album spent over 8 years in the chart.

In 1982 they released a new album 'Hot Space' the album was a mix of pop, funk and disco which was a break away from the norm of rock. However,a break away from touring and a new label 1984 saw the release of a new album 'The Works' and this saw three huge hits in the UK 'radio ga ga', 'hammer to fall' and 'I want to break free'. The album did well in the UK and stayed in the charts for over a 100 weeks but the album did not do well in America.

A tour followed with dates in Sun City, South Africa but they did insist it was played before integrated audiences. In 1985 Queen played at Live Aid concert at Wembley. Queen and in particular Freddie gave one of the most mesmeric performances ever seen at a concert. Where 80,000 people were unison in clapping and singing to all the Queen classic Radio gaga. On the back of that success they released a one off single 'One Vision' and after a rest the band went back to work on a new album for a new Hollywood blockbuster Highlander.

They released the album 'Its a kind of magic'. The title track was released as well as 'who wants to live forever'. The band was to go back on the road and a huge tour saw a live album recorded at Wembley which featured all there classic hits. In total over 1 million saw Queen on what was there final tour with freddie.

Queen remained inactive for a few years as Freddie worked on solo projects with Montserrat Caballe but they got back together in 1989 to work on 'The Miracle' in 1989. The album featured huge hits such as 'I want it all', 'breakthru' and 'the miracle'. The 1980s saw a busy period for Queen and also the band worked on solo projects in between. Live Aid saw the very best of Queen and rock music was the winner.
Recommended listening

The Cult

A band that formed in the 1980s as primarily as a punk band then went onto a more heavier sound as the decade progressed.

The band formed in 1983 in Bradford and currently consists of Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy, Chris Wyse and John Tempesta. There have been many changes in the band but Ian and Billy have remained throughout the various guises.

The band went through various name changes and eventually settled on The Cult at the height of Goth Rock. The original band toured with Goth Legends Bauhaus. The new band released a single 'Gods zoo' in 1983 and following this a tv appearance on Channel 4 The Tube help gain more recognition.

The first album that went to press was 'Dreamtime' and the single 'spiritwalker' was released and this was quickly followed by the single 'go west (crazy spinning circles)' the album was released and went to number 21 in the UK charts. The success of this album opened up more doors and there was recording seession done on BBC radio Richard Skinner show to display there talents.

They released another single 'resseurection joe' and this was followed up with more UK tours supporting bands such as Big Country and The Mission. In May 1985 The Cult made there mainstream breakthrough when they released there iconic hit 'she sells sanctuary' which went to number 15 in the charts and the single remained in the top 100 for almost 6 months.

The band then went to work and released a new album called 'Love' the album reflected a more psychedelic sound and the album reached number 4. Two more singles followed 'rain' and 'revolution' both hit the top 20 in the UK charts and the success was starting to gather.

The next piece of work to appear was the album 'peace' which was recorded in the UK but unhappy with the sound they went to America to work with the famous producer Rick Rubin. The first release was 'love removal machine' and 'lil devil and 'wildflower' soon followed, the new album was renamed as 'electric' following the rework by the band and Rick Rubin and the album went on to become there best selling album to date.

The success of this was helping there status in America and they went on to tour with a fresh band called Guns n Roses supporting them! The next album saw a few personnel changes and another famous prodcuer Bob Rock went to work on the album 'sonic temple' which went top 10 in the UK and across the pond in the USA and this produced 2 further singles 'firewomen' and 'edie (ciao baby) also had success. The band had a lot to endure with various changes but the perserverance of Ian and Billy ensured the band gained the success they deserved in the UK and Amercia.
Recommended listening

Adam and the Ants

The 1980s was full of colourful characters but one of them was Adam Ant and his merry band of Ants. The band started in 1977 as a punk band then shifted through various changes during the new wave era and towards the new romantic period
.
The band made several personnel changes from the original band where three went on to form Bow wow Wow. However, one that remained was Adam Ant. The original band had limited success with the album Dirk wears white sox.

During 1980 the band welcomed new members Marco Pirroni, Kevin Mooney, Terry Lee and Chris Hughes. The band started a tour without any record deal and soon they were snapped up by CBS and they got to work on Kings of the Wild Frontier.

The album was a huge success and it hit the top of the charts and spawned three singles Kings of the Wild Frontier, Antmusic and Dog eat Dog which all hit the top 10. Antmusic was at number 2 and was kept of the top by John Lennon. Further personnel changes occured when Mooney left the band and was replaced by Gary Tibbs.

Late 1981 they released a new album Prince Charming which saw Adam Ant alter-ego change from a pirate to a dashing young prince. Again the album was a huge success and soon the band were hot property appearing on every programme and magazine. The album saw 2 number one singles, the first was 'stand and deliver' and this was followed by 'prince charming' both went number one for a total of 9 weeks. They released a third single named 'ant rap' which went to number 3 in early 1982.

The band were at the top of there peak and then it all ended suddenly. Adam Ant decided to dissolve the band before a nationwide tour and he embarked on a solo project. He enlisted the help of Marco Pirroni as he helped write most of the Ants biggest hits.

His solo career kicked off in fine style when he went to number one with 'goody two shoes'. As the decade wore on and styles changed unfortunately he took a decline in sales.

The band will be remembered not just for its music but also it's videos that accompanied them. The success of these videos made an impact in America and in particular on MTV. There videos were seen as fun and often camp and theatrical but they did enlist some big names from music and film.

Actress Diana Dors starred in the Prince Charming video and 1960s pop star Lulu starred in Stand and Deliver video. For all the fun and campiness they did play some good music and inspired many artistes to put the glam back in rock and pop.

Recommended listening

One in Ten UB40

In terms of single chart success only Madness could match UB40 in terms of weeks in the charts during the 1980s. The boys from Birmingham started out in the late seventies but came to prominence in the 1980s on the back of the ska revival which saw a taste for reggae and dub rise.

A multi cultural band consisted of the Campbell brothers Ali and Robin, Brian Travers, Astro, Earl Falconer, Jim Brown, Norman Hassan, Mickey Virtue. The name of the band was derived from the infamous DHSS form for the unemployed UB40 to which most of the band were when they formed the group.

The band began playing locally around the Birmingham area and got a good following mainly due to cultural backgrounds with a mix of English, Scottish, Irish, Jamaican and Yemeni. Birmingham was quite a mixed place so the appeal of the band spread far and wide. Following quickly they supported The Pretenders and released there first single in 1979 called King which hit the top 10 on a local independent record label and released an album called 'signing off' in recognition of them no longer claiming unemployment benefit.

The 1980s then saw the band at it's prolific best, The band set up it's own record label DEP International and in 1982 enjoyed a top 10 hit with 'one in ten' but 1983 saw the band hit commercial over drive when they released the album 'labour of love' which featured copies of old reggae songs from the 1960's and 70's. The album went number 1 and the first single release 'red red wine' also went number in the UK and USA. They then released 'many rivers to cross', 'please don't make me cry' and 'cherry oh baby' which all went top 20.

The band were enjoying success in the UK and America. The band went to work to capitalise on this new found success and the next album 'geffrey morgan' saw moderate success and the single 'if it happens again' went top 10 but a couple of more releases including 'riddle me' failed to make the top 40.

1985 saw a better return and a number one single in the UK. They released the Sonny and Cher classic 'I got you babe' with Chrissie Hynde who gave them there first support tour all the way back in 1979. On the back of this 'don't break my heart' went top 3 and they were back on form again. In 1986 they released the album 'rat in the kitchen' and the first release was the Jamaican/African song 'sing our own song' hit number 5 and the toasting classic 'rat in mi kitchen' hit the top 20 but 2 further releases struggled to hit the top 40 'all i want to do' and 'watchdogs'.

1987 saw another top 10 hit with 'breakfast in bed' featuring Chrissie Hynde and a release of there greatest hits also gave the next generation a reminder of what material UB40 had amassed. Towards the end of the 1980s saw several single releases but none hit the top 10, the band were still producing good material but the sales were now starting to reduce. They saw possible redemption when they released a new album 'labour of love II' and the single releases of 'homely girl' and 'kingston town' both hit the top 10 and this was a welcome return to form by the Birmingham gang. The band were very influential in bringing and maintaining reggae into the mainstream and thoroughly enjoy there status as the most successful non Jamaican reggae stars.

Recommended listening

One Love - Bob Marley

Although suffered a premature death in May 1981 his influence was widely appreciated in the 80s as well as the 1970s. Possibly the most prominent non-western superstar Bob Marley born as Nesta Robert Marley in 1945 in Jamaica.

Reggae music had originated from the streets of south east Jamaica and became a global phenomenon as one of the most distinctive sounds of the 20th century. The sound and lyrics were based on spiritual music with the struggles of post colonial lyrics.

Reggae had its origins in Ska music in the 1960s and made a return in the UK in the late seventies with The Specials and The Selector. It also had an influence on ragga which saw the DJ talkers or Toasters as they were better known. The slowing of some Ska music saw the introduction of slower rhythms of reggae with a more brooding drum and bass beat. This saw the likes of Desmond Dekker, The Upsetters and Harry J All stars all make inroads into the UK charts.

It was however the introduction of the wailers and there singer Bob Marley that opened up the reggae market. Marley like many other reggae artists had converted to Rastafarianism in the wake of the visit to Jamaica in 1966 by spiritual leader Haile Selassie. Whilst they were working on the sound, The famous 'dub' sound was help popularised by another Jamaican legend Lee 'scratch' Perry who helped Bob Marley reach the global audience they deserved.

Bob Marley musical career was in two parts. Until 1974 he was the lead singer of the wailers, effectively a singing group from Jamaica which included Pete Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Then island records prompted a move to market Marley as a rock star and his ex-colleagues were replaced by a new band and within 3 years he was a global superstar. Marley worked with producer Clement Dodd and recorded a mix of ska tunes such as 'simmer down'. After working and living in the United States, he moved back to Jamaica, converted to rastafarianism and teamed up with Lee Perry and the success of 'stir it up' raised there profile.

The releases of 'catch a fire' and 'burnin' gave the band a foothold in the rock obesessed UK. Eric Clapton huge success with Marley's 'I shot the sheriff' paved the way for Marley's breakthrough single in 1975 'no woman, no cry'. In 1977 The release of 'exodus' and its tie in hit 'waiting in vain' saw Marley now a global superstar. With success increasing, his personal safety was a constant thorn and after an attempt on his life in December 1976 he remained in exile in Britain for 2 years.

The exile ended when he returned to Jamaicain 1978 for the One Love peace concert and Marley reasserted his political influence with the release of 'survival' in 1979, but after a European tour in 1980, the melanoma on his toe that had been first diagnosed in 1977 had grew critical and became cancerous. In May 1981 died in Miami on route to his spiritual home of Jamaica.

He was given a state Funeral and also the recipient OM the order of merit for Jamaica. His influence was worldwide and at the age of 36 another icon to leave early. Testament to that was 3 years after his death, the release of the Legend compilation sold 25 million copies worldwide and is easily one of the best selling albums and a must listen to album. In terms of singles One Love, buffalo soldier and keep on moving all hit the top 20 and the spirit of Marley still lingers and forever a legend.


recommended listening

Ultravox Electrical pioneers

Ultravox are a group who found fame in two parts. The seventies saw the band influenced by glam rock and then towards the end of the decade were starting to experiment with drum machines and a more electronic feel.

Originally the band were led by singer John Foxx and the rest of the band consisted of Chris Cross, Warren Cann and Billy Currie. The band signed to island records but made moderate sales and although the band were one of the first to feature a drum machine on a album, the sales ultimately decided there fate and not featuring in the charts eventually lead to a crisis of confidence. Island records dropped them after the release of the third album 'Systems of romance' The album was more akin to the krautrock genre and many felt this would succeed but with failure both in the UK and America and the disharmony in the group which many thought would see the end of the group.

John Foxx left the band to pursue solo projects and the rest worked with various other projects. The Ultravox story was not over and Midge Ure revitalised the band after a stint with Thin Lizzy, the rest of the band were working on the Visage project.

The band were impressed with him and asked him to join the band and the release of the album 'Vienna' far surpassed the sales of any previous albums. The bands first top 40 single 'sleepwalk' was starting to get the band noticed. The third single was to be there biggest commercial hit and the title song of the album 'vienna' the single reached number 2 and was kept of the top by the annoying 'shaddap your face' by Joe Dolce.

The second album was released in 1981 called 'rage in eden'. Commercially it was a success but not in the same scale as Vienna but 2 top 20 singles 'The thin wall' and 'The voice' cemented there position as one of the leading electronic giants. This album was followed by the album 'quartet' and in 1984 saw the release of 'lament' which spawned the hits 'lament' and 'Dancing with tears in my eyes' and towards to the end of 1984 they released a greatest hits album and a single 'loves great adventure', the album reached number 2 which was there biggest selling album to date.

Around this time Midge Ure was writing the band aid single 'do they know its christmas' and a solo project kept him busy with 'if i was' reaching number one and his solo album 'the gift' reaching number 2.

The band got back together in 1986 to work on the u-vox album but the drummer Warren Cann was sacked and replaced, the album was not a great success and this prompted Ure and Currie to leave the band to work on there respective projects.

Ultimately, other projects had prevented the band from achieving more they enjoyed a 5 year period of relative success and help influence other bands with synth pop mixed with a guitar rock sound and the music promos that were like mini films. It was a band that always looked to move forward and never stand still.

recommended listening

Absolutely Madness

In the late seventies when Punk was fading a long forgotten tradition of music made a revival in the UK. Ska made a huge contribution to music in the late seventies and early eighties and this filtered around the 2 Tone label.

One of those original bands were the boys from Camden Town named as Madness. As was the rule on 2 Tone the contract was to release one single and then move on. Madness released a tribute to ska legend Prince Buster called The Prince. The public took to this and the single reached number 16 and the Madness juggernaut was about to be unleashed.

The original band consisted of Suggs, Chas, Woody, Lee, Bedders, Barso and Chrissy Boy and after the success of The Prince the band went onto join Stiff records and there success was so great that they spent 214 weeks in the singles charts in the 1980s, only UB40 could match that phenomenal success.

They released there debut album under stiff records 'one step beyond' and this featured the single releases of 'one step beyond' and 'my girl' both were huge hits and Stiff records keen to capitalise they released an EP 'work rest and play' which featured new material and the infectious 'night boat to cairo' from there debut album.

The band went to work and Stiff records wanted to act on this new found success and they produced a 2nd album in 1980 named 'absolutely' which featured a number of top ten hits such as baggy trousers, embarrassment and return of the los palmas 7, the album hit number two in the UK album charts and the band were fast becoming one of the nations best loved.

There third studio album was released in 1981 named 7 and this saw the release of singles Grey day, Shut up and cardiac arrest all hitting the top 20. The album represented a change in sound from the ska days and now more a pop sound to match there highly pioneering videos. At the end of the year they released a one off single which was one of there best loved songs. A cover of Labri Siffre song 'it must be love', this reached number 4 and the change seemed to not affect the sales.

In early 1982 they released 'House of fun' and this was there first and only UK number one and this was followed by a number one album named 'complete madness' a collection of there previous singles and material. The tail end of the year saw the release of a new album 'rise and fall' which featured Our House which was one of the best internationally known hits. Around this time Barso was not touring with the band and this left them with getting a replacement to fulfill the tour agreements.

In 1983 saw the release of 'wings of a dove' and the 'sun and the rain' and this was quickly followed by a new album named 'keep moving'. Unfortunately, Barso had now left the band as he was now living in Amsterdam and the geography would not work. The last single they released as a septet was called 'one better day' and following his departure, the band created there own record label Zarjazz records and released a new album 'mad not mad' this featured yesterdays men, uncle sam and sweetest girl and the latter two struggled to reach the top 20. The band eventually split after differences and Barso joined the band for the farewell single 'waiting for the train' which limped into the top 20.

Madness unleashed a string of hit singles and videos that help establish them as one of pops best loved acts. The 1980s would have been a dull place without Madness.

Recommended listening from the 1980s

The Clash

When people talk about the punk period many will mention that Sex pistols were the face of punk but many forget that there were others groups such as the Adverts and The Clash who were a prominent voice in the Punk era.

The band were made up of Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon. The Clash burst onto the scene in 1977 with singles 'Complete Control' and 'White riot' and the social message of frustration and disenchantement continued in there debut album aptly named 'The Clash'.

Although there was frustration there was positive messages such as there anti-racism messages. There start as like most punk bands what they lacked in the musical skill department they more than made up for it on there on the raw energy and loudness that the younger generation responded to and the older generation didn't understand.

Despite there punk background they went on to be on the most influential rock bands of there generation. The debut album 'The Clash' remains one of the most key albums and opened the doors for the likes of The Jam,The Damned, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks to put there variations of the old punk image. Following the success of the album, the Clash were able to develop there musical range and there efforts culminated in the release of 'London calling' the sound included influences such as rockabilly, reggae, ska and hard rock.

The success of the album in the UK was now spreading afar to America and the release of 'Sandinista' cement there position as one of the leading rock bands. They followed that up with the release of 'Combat Rock' which was stripped back to basics. The result of this saw there two biggest selling singles 'should I stay or should I go' and 'rock the casbah'. Instead of capitalising on this success, the band suffered some internal issues mainly between Strummer and Jones and although they continued touring America as support for The Who, Mick Jones was eventually sacked by the band. Prior to that Topper Headon was also removed from duty due to his drug abuse and the list of replacements was beginning to show as the band were beginning to lose it's original appeal.

Rather than be idle Mick Jones went on to form Big Audio Dynamite who had a huge hit with E=mc2. Although Strummer and Jones made up with Strummer writing some material for Mick Jones band and Jones returning the compliment for Strummer on the Sid and Nancy soundtrack he was working on.

The band eventually split in 1986 but it wasn't until 1991 that they saw there first and only number one on the UK singles chart, Should I stay or should I go was released and hit the top. There were constant rumours that the band would reform but in 2002 Joe Strummer died suddenly.

There rebellious outlook had a big influence on the rock scene and were widely referred mainly by there record label CBS as the only band that matters. They were a band that mixed everything from rock to reggae and somehow it worked. Influential and popular and a very hard band to imitate. Recommended listening

Joy Division

There are not many bands who enjoy a short life and make such a influence on the music industry. One of those bands are a band from Manchester called Joy Division who formed during the punk period and a 3 year period which saw two albums released, a classic song and the early death of lead singer Ian Curtis.

The band formed after Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner saw a Sex Pistols concert in Manchester. They decided to form a band despite no musical experience. Further additions saw Ian Curtis on vocals and Stephen Morris on drums.

They set to work learning to play and write and they released an EP in 1978 called An ideal for living which caught the attention of Television presenter Tony Wilson who he kept on his radar and would later star on his music programmes 'So it Goes'. They were making strides not just musically but also with the press earning rave reviews for there concerts and this lead to being on the front cover of NME via Paul Morley and also there recordings for John Peel show on Radio One.

In 1979 they released there first album Unknown Pleasures and producer Martin Hannett produced a unique atmospheric sound for the group which at first the band were not keen on but eventually grown into. The album captured the mood with songs like Digital, Disorder which captured the bass playing of Peter Hook and hypnotic drumming of Stephen Morris and the poetic lyrics of Ian Curtis all seemed a perfect match. The band worked tirelessly and toured UK and Europe and starred on more Tony Wilson programmes such as 'Something Else'. However, other issues were not helping particularly Ian's Health was fading due to his epilepsy and was prone to the odd attack or outburst.

The band carried on and were protective of him. With the growing success, the band got together to work on the next album which was to be named Closer. A lot of things in hindsight suggested this was going to be there last album. The album cover featured an austere cover of a tomb and the title suggesting Closure. The album contained songs such as Isolation, A means to an end, The eternal and passover which all possibly told a story but was still a commercial success. Prior to the release of the album, the band were to embark on a tour of America and Ian Curtis had committed suicide a combination of his illness, an ongoing affair with another women and guilt caught up with him.

The album was posthumously released and also a single released that was not on the album but was the signature anthem of the group 'Love will tear us apart'. A tortured love song that became the symbol of the group and Ian Curtis tombstone. After that shock, the remaining members of the band decided to carry on and enlisted the help of Stephen Morris wife Gillian to carry on the spirit. They renamed the band New Order and there first release was Ian Curtis last song Ceremony.

A lot has been written about the band and they have influenced generations of musicians, they embraced the sound of punk with a modern sound using technology and laced with the poetic lyrics of love and despair there music still holds relevance today and for many years to come. recommended listening

Goth Rock in the 1980s

Goth rock particularly in the 1980s got a lot of negative press labelling the music slow, introspective, gloomy and doom ridden. Many critics often found the music pretentious and overblown, the dress code was also a conventional black clothes, black hair with faces made to look a deathly white.

The roots of goth rock can be heard from the late 1970s band Joy Division who provided the link between punk and goth rock. In true punk style, Joy division formed after Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook watched punk band Sex Pistols in Manchester. Without any musical experience Joy Division replaced the energy of punk with a more atmospheric and introspectic sound helped by the production skills of Martin Hannett. The sound was very distinct on both of there albums Unknown pleasures and Closer. The untimely death of lead singer Ian Curtis made the band a perfect role model for the fledgling goth movement.

The goth rock flag was handed over to a band from Northampton called Bauhaus whose single 'Bela Lugosi's dead' marked the beginning of the full goth movement, the single was about the actor who played Dracula in the 1930s and covered the goths two favourite subjects horror and death. There debut album 'In the flat field' provided the template for other goth bands to follow with self obsessed and possibly despairing lyrics over a moody and atmospheric music. As Bauhaus established themselves commercially, they released a cover of the David Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' in 1982 and the album 'The sky's gone out' released also in 1982 reached the heady heights of number four in the UK album charts, ensuring that the goth movement was more a movement than a gimmick.

Other bands started to follow suit and some of the key artists that grew during this period were The Cure lead by the happy Robert Smith. Also two other bands who gained commercial success but without ditching there sound and look were The Mission and Sisters of Mercy. The sisters of mercy enlisted the help of Meatloaf producer Jim Steinman for the production of the 1987 album 'Floodland' which help gave the music more depth and scale than previously heard. In 1988 a splinter group of the Sisters of mercy, The Mission released there 1988 album 'Little Children'and the album benefitted from the production skills of Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. By the end of the 1980s goth had run its course as other influences were being spread to genres such as doom and industrial metal such as Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. For all its gloominess it did establish the music as a fine art and not everyones taste it did break boundaries and became more variable and commercially accessible


Recommended listening from the Goth Rock era

Synth Britannia

BBC 4 did a recent programme on the influence of Synth music in the early 1980s and this got me thinking on how far this genre of music has come and the profound influence it has had not only on performing groups and artisites but also DJs and production of music.

When the mass production of digital equipment hit the market from Japan (in particular the Yamaha DX7) a flood of synth based acts hit the UK charts like no-one before. Although heavilly criticised by the more musically traditional based acts, this type of music went on to survive but evolve and very much keep the theme of digital music going.

Most synth bands had grown out of the new wave era and the pioneers of this in the uk where a combination of synth and electronic rocked were Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Volataire. However, there were earlier signs in the 1970s where the germans influenced Kraftwerk hit the market and along with David Bowie 1970s berlin recordings and Giorgio Miroders electro disco beat for Donna Summer that inspired the new pretenders to the crown.

Once people got to grips with it and all it could do, the public were the next to undertake the challenge. The mainstream audience was going to be difficult as most radio stations stuck to traditional sounds but one who was to take the challenge was Gary Numan, with his bleak look and mesmerising stare he unleashed Are Friends electric and Cars to great success. Numan was certainly not alone in that cold wave vocal style.

Although Sheffield was one of the hotspots of Synth music with Cabaret Voltaire breaking the mould, It was an up and coming band that hit the mainstream who were the Human League. Although a bit of colour was added with the backing vocal talents of Jo and Susanne they enjoyed huge success with Being Boiled and Dont you want me baby. The band split into 2 with Phil Oakey continiuing with the girls and the lads that split evolved into Heaven 17.

Another leader or major influence in this futuristic sound was John Foxx who was the original singer with Ultravox, he inspired the likes of Numan and this saw the appearance of Depeche Mode and Soft Cell onto the scene. Soft Cell had a huge hit with Tainted Love an old northern soul classic and Depeche Mode with New Life and Just cant get enough before personnel changes prompted Vince Clarke to Leave and form an other synth band Yazoo and eventually finishing with Erasure.

Also a change in production techniques lead to various bands forming and producing digital synth based sounds. The main chief was trevor Horn who enjoyed success with Yes and Buggles to produce bands such as ABC, Spandau Ballet, dollar, Frankie goes to hollywood, Art of Noise and Pet Shop Boys.

Although all different bands, the sound was very similar with sampling, strings cascading, heavy bass and multi layered vocals. As it bacame popular old punk based bands such as The Cure and New Order were producing machine driven hits which is the ultimate backhanded compliment. The list goes on with acts that have started life in the synth era such as Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Japan and Visage who all bought there own unique style of futurisitic music but sit back and enjoy the documentary.

The Original TOWIE Depeche Mode

The band emerged in 1980 and they hailed from the Basildon area in Essex. The original band consisted of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke. The band suffered a very early blow when chief songwriter Vince Clarke left in 1981 to form Yazoo. Alan Wilder then replaced Vince and was present in the band until 1995.

Depeche Mode have had huge success with over 40 UK singles and 10 UK albums and were quite rightly hailed as the best electronic band in the world. They stepped onto the scene when electronic music via the New Romantic scene was taking over the more traditional drum, bass and guitar. The band were heavily influenced by movers like Kraftwerk and Ultravox and it took them a while to get a record contract with a new label Mute records.

They released Dreaming of me which limped inside the top 60, however undeterred they released New Life and this fell short of the top 10 but it got an appearance on Top of the Pops and national exposure. This was followed up by one of the best known songs Just cant get enough, the album speak and spell was released and did very well reaching the top 10. however, whilst touring and promoting the album, Clarke departed and songwriting shifting responsibility to Gahan, they released a trio of singles See you, Meaning of Love and Leave in silence all done very well and this followed by the album A broken Frame which featured another famous song Get the balance right.

They began work on the third album Construction Time Again and there sound changed to a more radical Industrial sound with lots of samples of everyday objects and this spawned the hit Everything Counts. This was followed up by People are People and the success was starting to go overseas in Europe and America. The next album release was different tone to last album, Some Great Reward was released where as the last album was more social and environmental themes, the new album concentrated on more personal issues with single release personifying that such as Master and Servant and Blasphemous Rumours and the album hit the top 10 in America which was a breakthrough for the band.

Another album was released called Black Celebration and this saw the release of Stripped as the new single and this album was perceived to be a more darker goth style tone which was a complete change from the previous albums. 1987 saw the release of Music for the Masses and this saw the release of Strangelove and Never let me down again and this album did really well particularly in America where a tour culminated in a 60,000 plus attendance at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. they had truly arrived.

As the 1980s drew to a close, the release of Vialator with the production skills of Flood, saw the release of Personal Jesus and Enjoy the silence. the later winning a Brit Award for the best single. There popularity was growing and a world tour saw an estimated 1.2 million people see the band. What started out as a electronic band in the early 1980s has saw this evolve into one of the biggest bands in the world. They have had there ups and downs but the band has survived and one of the biggest influential bands around with there stadium anthems they truly are Essex finest export.

Gender Cross Dressing in the 1980s

The 1980s was unique for many things but one of the most different styles to take place was the 'gender bender' phase as coined by the popular press. The pioneer undoubtedly was Boy George of Culture Club. His extraordinary career exploded with the formation of his band. There unique style of cross dressing and white soul music with hits like 'do you really want to hurt me' and 'Karma Chameleon'. The band didn't seek controversy but interest built up as a man dressing as a women in the public domain was almost unheard of, particularly in the music industry. However, with George being the pioneer of this movement this opened the doors for others to follow suit and by the end of the 1980s it was almost accepted as part of the norm which then doesn't have its same flamboyancy and edge. Next on the scene was Georges best pal Marilyn who released the massive hit 'Calling your name' which made the top 10 but that was as good as it got for Marilyn, who career went on a down slide. Also Boy George Career took a nosedive after bitter arguments in the band, he then left, went solo and fell from grace after his addiction to Heroin. But like a true trooper he returned stronger and became a DJ and wrote the west end musical Taboo to great acclaim.
Next to follow was Pete Burns and his offering of 'You spin me around' and 'in too deep' with his band Dead or Alive. They incorporated a much different look with crimped hair and bold make up but that didn't stop them getting a number one with the help of Stock Aitken and Waterman. The Band enjoyed limited success before Pete Burns returned a decade or two later with various operations to perfect his look and became a TV reality star.
Lastly Divine an American who enjoyed an international hit via Stock Aitken Waterman production skills with 'you think your a man' who then sadly at the peak of his high energy disco sound died. It is fair to say these guys broke the boundaries and encouraged others to express themselves musically and experiment with looks. The modern day is littered with different looks such as Lady GaGa and they certainly spiced things up.

Celtic rock in the 80s - The waterboys

Celtic rock although a very general term is a mixture of traditional music from the Celtic regions mainly Ireland and Scotland and this is fused with modern rock. A combination of old instruments mixed with new technology has certainly transformed this genre.

The Waterboys are a very good example of this where the musicians come from Scotland, England and Ireland and with this there is a mixture of the fiddle, bodhran, accordian, tin whistle mixed with drums, guitars and bass. The band was formed in 1983 by Mike Scott and the band has been noted for its membership as musicians have come and gone but the name of Mike Scott and the Waterboys still carries on.

The band currently has 11 members but over 50 have been and departed the band. Some of the notable members were Edi Reader (Fairground Attraction), Karl Wallinger (World party and Robbie Williams songwriter) and Guy Chambers Who wrote most of Robbie Williams major hits and wrote and produced for Kylie and The Wanted amongst others.

They released the self titled album in 1983 and went onto tour and get noticed by promoters and record labels alike. A second album soon followed called a Pagans Place and this led to huge exposure in terms of supporting U2 on a tour and playing the Glastonbury Festival. The band as through the years went through a few personnel changes and the next album seem to cement them in the commercial heartland.

The album was called This is The Sea and this saw the single The whole of the moon hit the Top 30 (although it was to go to number 3 on a re-release in 1991) the band were getting more commercially known and this was triggering a few celtic bands to try there luck in the UK.

Mike Scott and a few other members of the band moved over to Ireland and were starting to get more influenced by Traditional Irish music and as a result the band took off to Spiddal in Co.Galway to record Fishermans Blues which was released in 1988. The album saw many guest musicians and many fans and critics were split over the album in terms of its direction as it was more folk music than they were used to but the album did spawn foot tapping hits of Fishermans Blues, and a bang on the ear and when ye go away.

After touring the band went back to studio in Spiddal in the late 1980s to record a new album Room to Roam which included the classic Folk song The Raggle Taggle Gypsy but before the album was released some members left in terms of the direction as some wanted to go back to a rock feel whilst others wanted to carry on the folk theme. The net result was the band soon dissolved after the Room to Roam tour.

Although the band was not as commercial successful as many bands in the 1980s they did leave a legacy and help influence other later bands such as Feeder, Hothouse Flowers, Big Country and the Alarm. For me they were one of the most underrated band of the decade and to this day I still listen to there music and cannot get fed up of the This is the Sea and Fishermans Blues albums, so different but so Waterboys. No other band could be so diverse.

The Police rock..

Following the emergence of Punk in the late 1970s a band emerged from the chaos that went onto great success. The band consisted of 2 musical veterans Stewart Copeland (Curved Air) and Andy Summers(Soft Machine) who teamed up with a jazz playing art teacher Gordon Sumner better known as Sting. They bleached there hair blonde and then landed on the London Club scene,

They got themselves a record deal and went to great success. Although they released material in the late 1970s namely the Outlandos d'amour album which spawned the hits Roxanne and So Lonely and Regatta de blanc which gave us Cant stand losing you and the memorable Message in a bottle, they started to capture the mainstream market as we entered the 1980s.

The band kicked into overdrive and were constantly touring and writing new material and the music had a more Caribbean style to it. Zenyaetta Mondatta was released as an album and this saw the succesful release of Dont stand so close to me and as Alan Partridge best put the gibberish De do do do , de da da da.

The Grammy awards followed on the back of this and soon they were one of the hottest tickets in town. Ghosts in the Machine was released and this saw the release of the infectious Every Little thing she does is magic and spirits in the material world. More awards followed one being a brit award in 1982 for the best band but also the band were involved in side projects with Stewart in film production, Andy releasing a solo album and Sting in acting roles notably Quadrophenia and Lock stock and two smoking barrells.

The band was very active but found time to release which was there last studio album Synchronicity with this album saw the release of Every breath you take, synchronicity and king of pain. With the band members increasing individual activities it was decided to take a break and that continued when they did meet up to record and work on a new album that disagreements were becoming more apparent that it was decided to break the group.

From that moment Sting has enjoyed a successful solo career of note. Stewart and Andy still remained in Music, Stewart was producing and found time to drum on Simple Minds studio album Street Fighting Years and Andy did various solo projects and even played on some of Stings solo albums. What started of as a fired up new wave rock band, it did introduce us to the soprano tones of Sting. The band did get back together after years of non contact and did a Police Reunion Tour to sell out audiences over a 12 month period which took in pretty much every continent. The band then went there seperate ways but the memories will I am sure linger on to future generations.

Long live the Prince

Prince in a true showman is a man who wants to do everything himself. Away from that this man man from Minneapolis, Minnesota is a man of many talents, Entrepreneur, showman, talent scout, label boss, film star but above all a prolific songwriter who penned many a great song not just for himself but for other artistes.

Prince emerged from the early 1980s and from a early age showed signs of a strong will to succeed, this young man managed a advance from Warner Brothers label to start the ball rolling, the label had great faith in him and his ability, perhaps they viewed him as the rock version of Michael Jackson.

With that faith in Prince the world and the label got more than they bargained for. Prince was quite prolific in his songwriting and releasing material and the 1980s was a busy period for the flamboyant showman. He released 2 albums Dirty Mind in 1980 and Controversy in 1981 but people began to take notice when 1999 was released in 1982, this saw the release of Little Red Corvette and 1999.

Things reached a commercial success when in 1984 saw the release of Purple Rain project, the album and movie all done by himself! 13 million copies sold and this saw some of his work go global such as the power ballad Purple Rain also lets go crazy and When Doves Cry.

Prince was number one in all the charts ans soon found himself as the number one everyone wanted to see and talk to. The film also received an academy award and the project was deemed by many as a great success. Following that success Prince went into over drive, he released his own label Paisley Park and a band The revolution and released 3 further albums which scored massive sales, Parade in 1986, in 1987 Sign o' the times which saw the title released as a single and also the international hit Kiss, also Lovesexy was released which saw the magical Wish u Heaven released and alphabet street.

Towards the end of the decade saw a film theme crop up again when Tim Burton the director of the new BatMan films approached him to do a soundtrack for the said film, the result was the infectious get the funk up Batdance.

A true genius in everything he did and whats more he was able to provide hits for other artistes. A list goes on for miles but some of his written material has provided hits for The Bangles with Manic Monday, Sinead O'Connor with Nothing compares 2u, Chaka Khan with I feel for you, Tom Jones with Kiss and Martika with Love thy will be done. The 1980s would certainly be a dull place without
this legendary frontman. To listen to some more of Prince from the 1980s I recommend these