With their sleek, mechanical sound inspired by proto-punk, garage rock, and bubblegum pop, Boston-based quintet The Cars racked up a string of platinum albums and Top 40 singles, becoming the most successful American new wave band of the late '70s and early '80s. They had enough rock & roll attitude to cross over to album rock radio, while still being heavily influenced by the art rock of artists like Suicide, The Velvet Underground, and Roxy Music. Their first two albums (1978's 'The Cars' and 1979's 'Candy-O') were new wave classics; their fifth album, 1984's 'Heartbeat City', was a modern pop masterpiece fueled by a run of videos that became MTV staples. The Cars broke up in 1988, but their music's popularity and influence never faded. This continued interest led to the band reuniting twice, in the mid-2000s without Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr (who passed away in 2000) and again in 2011 with all the living members involved.
Ric Ocasek (guitar, vocals) and Ben Orr (bass, vocals) had been collaborators for several years before forming The Cars in 1976. Ocasek began playing guitar and writing songs when he was ten. After briefly attending Antioch College and Bowling Green State University, he dropped out of school and moved to Cleveland where he met Orr, who had led the house band on the TV show "Upbeat" as a teenager. The two began writing songs and led bands in Cleveland, New York City, Woodstock, and Ann Arbor before settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the early '70s. In 1972, the pair was the core of a folk trio named Milkwood. The band released an album on Paramount Records in late 1972 that was ignored; the record featured keyboards by a session musician named Greg Hawkes. By 1974, Ocasek and Orr had formed Cap'n Swing, which featured Elliot Easton on lead guitar. Cap'n Swing became a popular concert attraction in Boston, but the group broke up in 1975. Ocasek, Orr, and Easton formed a new band called The Cars in 1976 with former Modern Lovers drummer Dave Robinson and keyboardist Hawkes.
Early in 1977, The Cars sent a demo tape of "Just What I Needed" to the influential Boston radio station WBCN and it quickly became the station's most-requested song. For the remainder of 1977, The Cars played Boston clubs, and by the end of the year they signed with Elektra. The group's eponymous debut album appeared in the summer of 1978 and it slowly built a following thanks to the hit singles "Just What I Needed" (number 27), "My Best Friend's Girl" (number 35), and "Good Times Roll" (number 41). The Cars stayed on the charts for over two-and-a-half years, delaying the release of the group's second album, and it eventually sold over six million copies.
Recorded early in 1979, 'Candy-O' wasn't released until later that summer. The album was an instant hit, quickly climbing to number three on the charts and going platinum two months after its release. The record launched the Top Ten hit "Let's Go" and sent the band to the arena rock circuit. Perhaps as a reaction to The Cars' quick success, the group explored more ambitious territory on 1980's 'Panorama'. Though the album wasn't as big a hit as its predecessors, it nevertheless peaked at number five and went platinum. Before recording their fourth album, several bandmembers pursued extracurricular interests, with Ocasek earning a reputation as a successful new wave producer for his work with Suicide and Romeo Void (he even produced some demos for Iggy Pop). The Cars released their fourth album, 'Shake It Up', in the fall of 1981, and it quickly went platinum, with its title track becoming the group's first Top Ten single.
Following the success of 'Shake It Up', the band recorded the soundtrack to the short film "Chapter-X" and then took an extended leave, with Ocasek releasing his solo album 'Beatitude' in 1982 and Hawkes issuing 'Niagara Falls' the following year; Ocasek also produced the debut album from the hardcore punk band Bad Brains. The Cars reconvened in 1983 to record their fifth album, 'Heartbeat City', which was released in early 1984. Supported by a groundbreaking, computer-animated video, the album's first single, "You Might Think," became a Top Ten hit, sending 'Heartbeat City' to number three on the album charts. Three other Top 40 singles -"Magic" (number 12), "Drive" (number three), and "Hello Again" (number 20)- followed later that year, and the record went triple platinum in the summer of 1985. At the end of the year, the group released 'Greatest Hits', which featured two new hit singles, "Tonight She Comes" and "You Are the Girl."
The Cars were on hiatus for much of 1985 and 1986, during which time Easton released 'Change No Change' and Orr issued 'The Lace'. During 1987, the group completed its seventh album, 'Door to Door'. The album was a moderate hit upon its summer release in 1987, launching the single "You Are the Girl," which peaked at number 17. 'Door to Door' had seemed half-hearted, sparking speculation that the group was on the verge of splitting up. The Cars announced in February of 1988 that they had indeed broken up. All of the members pursued solo careers, but only Ocasek released albums with regularity. By the '90s, he'd also become a much sought-after alt-rock producer, having worked with with the likes of Weezer, Bad Religion, Black 47, Hole, Guided by Voices, No Doubt, Nada Surf, Johnny Bravo, D Generation, Possum Dixon, Jonathan Richman, The Wannadies, and former Suicide members Alan Vega and Martin Rev. Easton later reappeared with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, while sadly, Orr lost a battle with pancreatic cancer and died on October 3, 2000.
After Orr's passing, a few new Cars releases appeared on the marketplace, including the concert DVD "Live" (taped originally in Germany during 1979, and featuring an interview with the group shortly before Orr's death), a double-disc deluxe edition of their classic self-titled debut album, and a more extensive hits collection titled 'Complete Greatest Hits'. By early 2002, Ocasek was at work putting together a Cars documentary film, comprised of backstage footage and unreleased promo clips that the band filmed itself. He also continued working on solo material, releasing 'Nexterday' in 2005 to warm reviews. Meanwhile, Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton teamed up with Todd Rundgren to form The New Cars, a pop supergroup whose repertoire included Rundgren's solo songs, The Cars' past hits, and some new material. The New Cars toured with Blondie in 2006 and released one record, the concert album 'It's Alive!', before Rundgren resumed his solo career the following year. By 2010, The Cars officially reunited for the first time in two decades, with the late Orr serving as the reunion's sole absentee. Working with producer Jacknife Lee, they took up temporary residence in a recording studio in Millbrook, New York, emerging with 2011's 'Move Like This'. Released on Hear Music and greeted by positive reviews, 'Move Like This' peaked at seven upon its release and the group supported it with a brief tour. Afterwards, The Cars entered hibernation, with the only new activity being the band's 2015 nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (they were not inducted) and the 2016 compilations 'Moving in Stereo: The Best of the Cars' and the complete box set 'The Elektra Years 1978-1987'. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
English indie rock band founded in 1988 in London by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter from the ashes of Jamie Wednesday. Equally revered and despised in their native England, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine has been on the cutting edge of the U.K.'s dance-pop scene since their first hit single in 1989. Instead of following the disco-derived pop songs of the Pet Shop Boys, Carter relies more on the underground club/dance scene, bringing such techniques as spoken word samples, drum and riff samples, and a relentless beat to tuneful, hook-oriented pop songwriting. In addition, their attitude is inspired by punk rock's mentality, manifesting itself in their satiric lyrics and slash-and-burn approach to ravaging pop's past and present. Their second single, "Sheriff Fatman," is arguably the finest example of their style and established them as a force in the U.K.
Perhaps it was coincidence, but after settling a copyright infringement lawsuit with lawyers representing The Rolling Stones in 1991, Carter began to open up their sound slightly; although they were still heavily dance-oriented, there weren't as many recognizable soundbites, but not at the expense of their pop sensibilities. The pop audience was not as receptive to Carter as they were just a couple of years earlier, and the band still couldn't earn anything larger than a cult following in the U.S. By the mid-'90s, their audience had declined sharply in both Britian and America, and their albums were generally ignored upon their release, yet the group continued to record. In 2014, Carter USM reconvened for its final performances. On November 22nd that year, the last show was played at Brixton Academy. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Bored! were formed as a punk rock band in Geelong in 1987 with Grant Gardner on bass guitar, Adrian Hann on keyboards, Justin Munday on drums, John Nolan on guitar (ex-Behind the Magnolia Curtain) and Dave Thomas on guitar and vocals (ex-Bodies, Slaughter House).
Thomas' previous punk band, Bodies, had formed in Geelong in 1983, by 1985 he had joined the Melbourne-based group, Slaughter House. Late in 1986, Thomas started a new band, International Rescue, which successively became Sister Anne and then White Noise. By 1987, the group had the line-up of Gardner, Hann, Munday, Nolan and Thomas and were renamed as Bored!. Their name was derived from a 1978 single, "Bored", by Detroit punk rockers Destroy All Monsters.
In October 1988, Bored! released their debut extended play, 'Bored!', on the independent label, Grown Up Wrong, which included a cover version of Lobby Loyde's "Human Being". In the following year they released, 'Negative Waves', their first studio album. After its appearance Gardner was replaced on bass guitar by Tim Hemensley (ex-Royal Flush, God). With Hemensley on board they released 'Take It Out on You', in 1990 and toured Europe.
In 1991 Hemensley and Nolan left to form Powder Monkeys, while Munday and Thomas continued with Russell Baricevic (Gas Babies, Macho Clowns) on bass guitar. In December they released a third album, 'Feed the Dog', on Rattlesnake Records. Their fourth album, 'Junk', was released in October 1992 with eight tracks produced by The Celibate Rifles' guitarist, Kent Steedman; and four tracks by Rose Tattoo's Peter Wells. In March 1993 their fifth album, 'Scuzz', collected thirteen studio out-takes, recorded between 1991 and 1992, and nine live tracks recorded on 13 May 1992 at Prince of Wales Hotel. By the end of 1993 Bored! had disbanded.
After disbandment Dave Thomas managed fellow Geelong band, Magic Dirt, he later joined the group on guitar from August 1995 to July 1997. Tim Hemensley on bass guitar and lead vocals, and John Nolan on guitar, founded punk, indie rockers, Powder Monkeys (1991–2002). From 1997 Baricevic, Munday and Thomas periodically reformed Bored! with Matt Randall on rhythm guitar.
In 1999 Thomas oversaw a 2× CD compilation album, 'Chunks 1988-'94', for Full Toss Records, which was issued in March 2000. In 2000 the Bored! line-up of Thomas with Buzz Munday on drums and Ben Watkins on bass guitar undertook a short European tour. In 2010, the Bored! line up of Thomas, John Nolan on guitar, Russell Baricevic on bass guitar and Justin 'Buzz' Munday on drums reunited to play the Monster Sessions gig at the Esplanade Hotel, St. Kilda.
Thomas died from cancer in 2020. Former guitarist John Nolan died in december 2021, aged 55. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Birdland were formed in 1988 in Birmingham by the brothers Robert (vocals) and Lee Vincent (guitar), who had previously released records and toured in the glam rock band Zodiac Motel (1984–1988). The other band members were Simon Rogers (bass) and Neil Hughes (drums). Birdland's debut single, "Hollow Heart", was released on Lazy Records. It reached No. 1 in the UK Indie Chart. The band generated a lot of attention in the British music press. The band released four further singles: "Paradise", "Sleep with Me", "Everybody Needs Somebody", and "Rock n Roll Nigger", all of which were No. 1 UK independent singles. "Sleep With Me" also reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart (with the video being shown on Top of the Pops). They released their eponymously titled debut album in 1991.
After the album's release, problems with management and inner band disagreement forced the band to split up. They briefly reunited in 2011 and streamed a new demo. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Following the disbandment of the British indie pop group The Housemartins in 1989, vocalist Paul Heaton and drummer David Hemmingway formed The Beautiful South. Where their previous group relied on jazzy guitars and witty, wry lyrics, The Beautiful South boasted a more sophisticated, jazzy pop sound, layered with keyboards, R&B-inflected female backing vocals and, occasionally, light orchestrations. Often, the group's relaxed, catchy songs contradicted the sarcastic, cynical thrust of the lyrics. Nevertheless, the band's pleasant arrangements often tempered whatever bitterness there was in Heaton's lyrics, and that's part of the reason why The Beautiful South became quite popular within its native Britain during the '90s. Though the group never found a niche in America -by the middle of the decade, their records weren't even being released in the U.S.- their string of melodic jazz-pop singles made them one of the most successful, if one of the least flashy, bands in Britain. Their popularity was confirmed by the astonishing success of their 1994 singles compilation, 'Carry on Up the Charts', which became one of the biggest-selling albums in British history.
Heaton and Hemmingway formed The Beautiful South immediately after the breakup of The Housemartins, who were one of the most popular and well-reviewed British guitar pop bands of the mid-'80s. The Housemartins had earned a reputation for being somewhat downbeat Northerners, so the duo chose the name Beautiful South sarcastically. To complete the lineup, the pair hired former Anthill Runaways vocalist Briana Corrigan, bassist Sean Welch, drummer David Stead (formerly a Housemartins roadie), and guitarist David Rotheray, who became Heaton's new collaborator. In the summer of 1989, they released their first single, "Song for Whoever," on the Housemartins' old record label, Go!. "Song for Whoever" climbed to number two, while its follow-up "You Keep It All In" peaked at number eight in September, 1989. A month later, the group's debut, 'Welcome to the Beautiful South', was released to positive reviews.
"A Little Time," the first single from the group's second album, 'Choke', became the group's first number one single in the fall of 1990. 'Choke' was also well-received, even though it didn't quite match the performance of the debut, either in terms of sales or reviews. In particular, some critics complained that Heaton was becoming too clever and cynical for his own good. The Beautiful South released their third album, '0898', in 1992; it was their first record not to be released in the United States, yet it maintained their success in Britain. Following the release of '0898', Corrigan left the group, reportedly upset over some of Heaton's ironic lyrics. She was replaced with Jacqui Abbot, who made her first appearance on the band's fourth album, 1994's 'Miaow'.
While both '0898' and 'Miaow' were popular, they were only moderate successes. Their respectable chart performances in no way prepared any observers, including the band themselves, for the blockbuster success of 'Carry on Up the Charts', a greatest-hits collection released at the end of 1994. 'Carry on Up the Charts' entered the charts at number one. It was one of the fastest-selling albums in U.K. history and its success outlasted the Christmas season. The album stayed at number one for several months, going platinum many times over and, in the process, becoming one of the most popular albums in British history. Its success was a bit of a surprise, since the popularity of The Beautiful South's previous albums never indicated the across-the-boards success that greeted 'Carry on Up the Charts'. The album wasn't released in America until late 1995, after it broke several U.K. records.
The Beautiful South released their follow-up to 'Miaow', 'Blue Is the Colour', in the fall of 1996. 'Quench' followed three years later, then 'Painting It Red' in fall 2000, and 'Gaze' in 2003. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Baciamibartali formed in June 1981 with Tarcisio Lancioni (vocals), Francesco Guidobaldi (bass), Ido Borsini (guitar) and Carlo Iura (drums). In April 1982 they recorded their first LP, an album shared with the twin Lancioni project Winter Light, an essential document of Italian post-punk, on their own label Sequence Records. Robert Clark (from Winter Light) replaced Ido on guitar and produced the album.
In 1984, with Stefano Mengascini on keyboards, they recorded a three songs 12" EP for Contempo Records, 'The Mournful Gloom'. In 1992 Carlo and Francesco Pirro, with the support of Robert Clark on guitar and production, issued 'Grey Sunset', a 12 songs CD on PH MusicWorX Records. In 1993 the mexican label Opcion Sonica included a 'Grey Sunset' song ("Mother Rust") in the compilation 'Contempo 93'. In the beginning of 1995 the band split.
Babes in Toyland is about as harsh as rock music gets -guitarist Kat Bjelland screams and thrashes her guitar to the gut-pounding, throttling beat of bassist Maureen Herman and drummer Lori Barbero. Over their two albums and two EPs, the all-female trio offer no escape from their strongly female-oriented, but not necessarily feminist, rock.
Bjelland formed Babes in Toyland in 1987 in Minneapolis, after playing around San Francisco for several years in various bands that featured, at various times, Jennifer Finch of L7 and Courtney Love of Hole. After releasing a single on Sub Pop's singles club, Babes in Toyland came to the attention of Sonic Youth, who took them on a tour of Europe. Soon, they recorded their abrasive debut, 'Spanking Machine', with producer Jack Endino; one more independent EP followed before they signed to Reprise. Between labels, original bassist Michelle Leon left the group.
Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo produced their second album, 'Fontanelle', which showed no signs of concession to a major label. In early 1993, the band broke up for several days before re-forming to record the 'Painkillers' EP and hitting the road with Lollapalooza 1993.
Even though Lollapalooza offered the group a boost in public exposure, they chose not to capitalize on it; instead, it took them nearly two years before they released a new record, 'Nemesisters', in 1995. With Babes in Toyland on hiatus, Bjelland formed Katastrophy Wife with husband Glen Mattson; in the spring of 2000, Reprise issued the Babes collection 'Lived'. The band limped on for a few years, hinting at a possible fourth record, but were often distracted by consistently breaking up and then re-forming. The group played their last official show in November 2001, and subsequently released a live recording of the gig called 'Minneapolism'. Babes in Toyland got back together in 2014 and promised new material alongside some live shows. In the group's usual fashion, the reunion did not run smoothly, and bassist Maureen Herman was fired from the band in 2015. Although any new material failed to appear, 2016 saw the release of 'Redeux', a career-spanning collection that was compiled by the band themselves. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Tumbling out of the same late-'80s post-punk Boston music scene that produced The Lemonheads, Dinosaur Jr., and the Pixies, geography was the only thing that Anastasia Screamed had in common with their contemporaries. With a dark, discordant hard rock sound that owed as much to sonic assassins like Hüsker Dü and Led Zeppelin as to the pop-oriented college radio rock popular at the time, Anastasia Screamed earned a loyal audience up and down the Northeastern coast with their unpredictable live performances. Formed in 1987 by guitarist Chris Cugini and drummer Chris Burdett, the band went through a number of roster changes until the pair met songwriter/guitarist Chick Graning on the subway one day. The musical interests of the three were similar and, enlisting the help of bassist Michael Lord, they recorded the self-released five-song 'Electric Liz' EP in Boston's Fort Apache studios. Produced by Sean Slade, the 1988 EP came to the attention of London's Fire Records, which signed Anastasia Screamed to their Roughneck imprint. Tiring of the competitive Boston music scene (and high living expenses), the band picked up and moved to Nashville at the suggestion of Tennessee native Graning. Bassist Charlie Bock replaced Lord for the recording of 'Laughing Down the Limehouse', the band's 1990 debut album. Well received by the British music press, 'Laughing Down the Limehouse' produced a minor U.K. hit in "Samantha Black." The five-song EP '15 Seconds or 5 Days' followed in 1991. Distribution problems stateside, coupled with label problems overseas, prompted the band to break up in 1992, with Graning going on to form the band Scarce. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Although in retrospect, The Tourists are seen almost entirely as the band Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox were in before they formed Eurythmics, the Scottish group was in fact more of a showcase for singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter Peet Coombes, who had first worked with Stewart in a folk duo in the early '70s. Adding Stewart's girlfriend Lennox on vocals and occasional keyboards, the new trio dubbed themselves Catch and released one single, "Black Blood," on the Logo label in 1977. Adding bassist Eddie Chin and drummer Jim Toomey, the group re-christened themselves The Tourists and released their first album, 'The Tourists', in 1978. A follow-up, 1979's 'Reality Effect', scored a U.K. hit with a cover of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want to Be With You." 1980's 'Luminous Basement' didn't build on that popular success, and the album, which had a new electronic emphasis in contrast to the '60s-inspired guitar pop of the first two, sounded like the group had lost their aesthetic focus. The Tourists split later that year. In 1984, Epic released a cash-in compilation called 'Should Have Been Greatest Hits'. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
There were few punk-era, major-label performers as intensely creative and controversial as Tom Robinson. Cutting his teeth with folk-rockers Café Society (who released a Ray Davies-produced record on the head Kink's Konk label in 1975), Robinson roared into the spotlight in 1978 with a great single ("2-4-6-8 Motorway") and a much-ballyhooed contract with EMI. What was remarkable about this was that Robinson was the kind of politically conscious, confrontational performer that major labels generally ignored -he was openly gay and sang about it ("Glad to Be Gay"); he was vociferous in his hatred for then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; he helped form Rock Against Racism; and he generally spoke in favor of any leftist political tract that would embarrass the ruling ultraconservative Tory government. His debut album, 1978's 'Power in the Darkness', was an occasionally stunning piece of punk/hard rock agitprop that, along with being ferociously direct, was politicized rock that focused more on songs than slogans.
His second album, the Todd Rundgren-produced 'TRB Two', performed less well. By the end of the '70s, Robinson signed to maverick major I.R.S. as a solo act. In a wise move, he ditched the hard rock polemics of 'TRB' for a more sophisticated pop/rock sound. A brief period of silence ended with him, somewhat surprisingly, signing with Geffen and releasing 'Hope and Glory'. It was a politically tinged but mostly mainstream rock record that featured a cover of that decidedly non-punk song, Steely Dan's "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," with Robinson deftly exploring the song's homoerotic subtext. Still, it wasn't enough to resuscitate his career and for the remainder of the decade Robinson released U.K.-only albums while also hosting a radio show for the BBC, which started in 1986 on their World Service.
During the '90s, Robinson released a trio of albums for Cooking Vinyl -'Living in a Boom Time', 'Love Over Rage', and 'Having It Both Ways'- and saw himself performing at Glastonbury 1994. With a renewed interest in his music, the U.K. tabloids also delved into his personal life, revealing that he had fathered a child with Sue Brearley, whom he would later go on to marry. Robinson continued with his radio shows for the BBC, eventually becoming one of BBC 6 Music's stalwarts. In 2015, Robinson returned to the studio some 15 years after his 1999 album 'Home from Home', and the resulting 'Only the Now' was released in October of that year. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
While most of the early British punk bands spoke of working-class concerns -primarily unemployment and the shrinking U.K. economy, which was leaving a generation with nothing to do and nowhere to go- many of the pioneering groups had working-class credentials that were suspect at best; the Sex Pistols' career was being molded by a haberdasher and would-be artist, while The Clash were led by the son of a diplomat. Sham 69, however, was different; proletarian and proud of it, Sham 69 was the voice of the people in the first wave of British punk, and if they were never as fashionable as such contemporaries as the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Wire, or The Jam (who, in their early days, shared Sham's provincial outlook and "we're with the kids" fan solidarity), they enjoyed a long run of chart successes and were a major influence on the street punk and Oi! movements which followed.
Sham 69 was formed in the working-class community of Hersham (in Surrey) in 1975 by singer and lyricist Jimmy Pursey; the name came from an ancient bit of graffiti celebrating a local football team's winning season in 1969. From the start, Sham 69's politics were populist, and their sound accessible; straight-ahead four-square punk with a hard rock influence and lyrics that often used sing-along slogans in their choruses, such as "If the Kids Are United" and "(Gonna Be A) Borstal Breakout." The band went through a revolving cast of musicians early on before settling on the lineup of Pursey, Dave Parsons on guitar, Albie Slider on bass, and Mark Cain behind the drums. They began scaring up gigs where they could, and began playing the notorious London punk venue the Roxy on a regular basis, where they built up a loyal following. Step Forward, a small independent label, released the band's first single, "I Don't Wanna," in September 1977. The success of the single and the band's growing fan base prompted Polydor to sign the band in the U.K., and their first album, 'Tell Us the Truth' -one side recorded live, the other in the studio- was released in early 1978. (Sire released the album in the United States, and it would prove to be the only Sham 69 album released in America until the late '80s.) By the time the album came out, Albie Slider had left the band and Dave "Kermit" Tregunna took over on bass. Sham's second album, 'That's Life', was released in the fall of 1978, and featured two major hit singles, "Hurry Up Harry" and "Angels With Dirty Faces"; and as many of the first wave of U.K. punk bands were beginning to peter out, Sham 69's popularity continued to grow.
However, there was a fly in the ointment for Sham 69; the band's rowdy, sing-along attitude began attracting a violent and undiscriminating audience, and fighting became increasing common at the band's live shows. The group also found their gigs were becoming recruiting grounds for Britain 's extreme right-wing (and racist) political party, the National Front; while Pursey often spoke out against the NF, for some reason it was an association that wouldn't go away. While the group's third album, 'The Adventures of Hersham Boys', was a commercial success (as were the singles "If The Kids Are United" and "You're a Better Man Than I"), the increasing violence at concerts made it harder to tour, and Pursey began producing other bands and investigating new musical directions.
Drummer Mark Cain also quit the band, with Ricky Goldstein taking over on percussion. After the group's fourth album, 'The Game', received a lukewarm reception from both reviewers and fans, Pursey opted to split up Sham 69 in mid-1980. Pursey went on to a solo career, briefly working with former Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook, while Dave Parsons and Dave Tregunna formed a short-lived band called The Wanderers with former Dead Boys vocalist Stiv Bators. After "the Sham Pistols" failed to work out, Pursey recorded a series of ambitious but commercially unsuccessful solo albums, and Tregunna joined The Lords of the New Church. In 1987, Pursey and Parsons assembled a new edition of Sham 69; Pursey continues to tour and record with Sham 69, while also pursuing an acting career and recording solo material. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
They didn't invent punk rock, and they weren't the first British punk band to perform or record, but no band did more to turn punk into a global cultural phenomenon than the Sex Pistols. In just over two years, the group's success de scandale took them from utter obscurity to global infamy, beloved by converts to punk rock, hated by nearly everyone else, and subject to legal and vigilante persecution in their native England. The Sex Pistols' music was not formally groundbreaking, yet their simple meat-and-potatoes rock was filled with a power and aggression that was all but unknown in the mid-'70s, and the ferocious, sneering vocals of Johnny Rotten (as well as his pointed, accusatory lyrics) upended all expectations of how a rock frontman should look or sound. Even as the media treated them as pariahs, the potency of their music and their image spoke to an audience waiting for something different than the prog and soft rock sounds that ruled the charts in the 1970s, sparking a revolution that is still playing itself out. The group's only album from their original incarnation, 1977's 'Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols', is a cornerstone of British punk, 1980's 'Flogging a Dead Horse' collected the original singles that earned them their reputation, 1996's 'Filthy Lucre Live', recorded at a reunion concert, is that rare Sex Pistols live album with decent fidelity, and 2021's '76-77' is a box set that collects the band's pre-'Never Mind the Bollocks' studio sessions.
The Sex Pistols story began in 1972, when 17-year-old Steve Jones and 16-year-old Paul Cook decided to form a band. They were working-class teenagers from London's Shepherd's Bush district, and their initial influences were rooted in Roxy Music, David Bowie, and what would come to be called junk shop glam. With Jones on vocals and Cook on drums, they recruited Warwick Nightingale to play guitar, and began practicing, using the names The Strand and The Swankers. They began hanging out at a clothing boutique called Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die, that specialized in fashions recalling the rebellion of the first rock & roll era. In time, Jones and Cook got to know Malcolm McLaren, who co-founded the shop with Vivienne Westwood; McLaren had an interest in music, media, and cultural subversion, and had briefly attempted to manage The New York Dolls shortly before they broke up. In 1974, hoping to get the band off the ground, Jones asked McLaren if he'd be interested in managing them, and he agreed, renting the band a rehearsal space. By this time, they needed a bassist. Enter Glen Matlock, an art student who worked part time at Too Fast To Live and could play the bass; McLaren recruited him to join the group. It was soon agreed that Nightingale wasn't up to the challenge of playing in the group; he was fired, and Jones took over on guitar.
McLaren had bandied about the name QT Jones and the Sex Pistols (or Cutie Jones and the Sex Pistols), but when it became clear Jones wasn't comfortable singing lead, the first part of the name was dropped and they set out to find a vocalist. McLaren first invited former New York Doll Sylvain Sylvain to front the group, but Sylvain turned down the gig, so McLaren was on the lookout for local talent when, in August 1975, he spotted an intense looking young man wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt that he had customized by scrawling "I HATE" over their logo. Intrigued, McLaren arranged for the creative misfit, whose name was John Lydon, to meet his band over drinks at a pub. Lydon was given a makeshift audition at the shop, singing along to a 45 of Alice Cooper's "(I'm) Eighteen," and they decided to bring him aboard. Lydon was soon nicknamed Johnny Rotten, in honor of his bad teeth, and the group's lineup was complete.
The group settled into regular rehearsals, and began writing original songs, with Matlock writing the music along with Jones and Cook, and Rotten penning the lyrics. It soon became obvious that Rotten's lyrical perspective was every bit as challenging as his appearance and personality, and their tunes took on a distinctive edge. (McLaren was well aware of a new underground rock scene that was then incubating in New York City with bands like Television and the Ramones; he tried to persuade Richard Hell to sign a management deal with him, and while Hell said no, McLaren carefully noted his nihilistic outlook and purposefully ripped clothing and passed suggestions along to his new charges.) In November 1975, the Sex Pistols gave their first public performance, opening for a group called Bazooka Joe at Saint Martins College. They began the set with some covers, but their intense stage volume and cacophonous attack led to the power being pulled on them before they could play any originals. They did make a strong impression on Bazooka Joe bassist Stuart Goddard, who would soon quit the group and rename himself Adam Ant. After playing a few more college gigs, the Sex Pistols began to develop a small but loyal following, and to help publicize the band, McLaren turned to his friend Jamie Reid, a graphic artist who, like McLaren, was a follower of the Situationists, a political and creative faction whose philosophy was informed by Marxism and avant-garde art. Reid created striking graphics for the Sex Pistols' posters and promotional materials, often using found images and lettering taken from newspaper headlines in the manner of a ransom note, a technique he used to create their official logo.
As the Pistols attracted a group of fans they dubbed the Bromley Contingent -which included future stars Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin, and Billy Idol- they were booked to open for Eddie & the Hot Rods in February 1976. Their performance (in which fans invaded the stage and some of the Hot Rods' gear was damaged) was witnessed by a writer for New Musical Express who was there to review the show; his column focused on the Sex Pistols rather than the headliners, marking their first nationwide press coverage. Steve Jones was quoted in the piece as saying, "Actually we're not into music, we're into chaos," and the phrase drew the attention of music fans across the nation. A pair of students from Birmingham, Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, traveled to London to see the Sex Pistols and walked away converts, soon forming a like-minded band called the Buzzcocks and arranging for the Pistols to play a show in their town.
As the Sex Pistols kept gigging and the U.K. music press followed their movements, other punk bands began making noise (some of whom, including The Stranglers and The Damned, had already been playing before the Pistols caught the eye of the press), and they were considered the leaders of a small but lively scene. Record companies paid attention, and in October 1976, McLaren negotiated a deal for the Sex Pistols with EMI, one of Britain's biggest and most powerful labels. EMI wasted little time taking the band into the recording studio, and their debut single, "Anarchy in the U.K.," arrived in shops in late November. (Upstart indie label Stiff Records managed to beat the Sex Pistols to the punch by signing The Damned and bringing out their first single, "New Rose," four weeks earlier.) McLaren set out to arrange a concert tour that would feature the Sex Pistols along with rising punk stars The Clash and The Damned, as well as The Heartbreakers, an American band led by New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders. On December 1, 1976, in order to publicize the single and the tour, EMI arranged for the Sex Pistols to appear on a popular TV chat show, "Today", hosted by Bill Grundy. Both Grundy and the band reportedly enjoyed several drinks before they went on air live, and Grundy, bemused by the Pistols and the Bromley Contingent, challenged Jones to say something outrageous. Jones responded with a string of insults that included repeated use of the "F" word, which was immediately heard by families across Britain during the dinner hour.
The reaction to the "Today" appearance was immediate and severe. The media condemned the band for their foul language, and the more they looked into the Sex Pistols' music, ideas, and the rising punk rock movement, the more outraged they became. The U.K. tabloid press had a field day with the Sex Pistols, and nearly all the dates of the "Anarchy in the U.K". tour were banned by wary public servants. EMI followed suit by pulling the "Anarchy" single from the marketplace (though not before it hit the British singles chart, peaking at number 34), and they dropped the band, letting them keep their £40,000 advance as a farewell gesture. While the Pistols were looking for a new record deal, Glen Matlock was ousted from the lineup and Simon John Ritchie -a close friend of Johnny Rotten and a Sex Pistols superfan who had taken the nickname Sid Vicious- was hired as his replacement, despite having no musical experience. In March 1977, A&M Records signed the Sex Pistols and made plans to rush release their next single, "God Save the Queen," an attack on the monarchy timed to coincide with the nationwide celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee. As A&M was having "God Save the Queen" pressed, the Sex Pistols visited the label's London offices after signing their contracts, where Rotten verbally abused the staff, Vicious managed to smash a toilet, cut his foot, and leave a trail of blood in his wake, and Jones persuaded a woman to have sex with him in the women's bathroom. Between the growing controversy over "God Save the Queen," the staff's complaints about the group's behavior, and an incident in a pub where one of Rotten's friends threatened an A&M executive, the label decided they'd had enough; six days after they were signed, A&M dropped the Sex Pistols, destroying the 25,000 copies of "God Save the Queen" that had been pressed (a handful survived and became valuable collector's items) and giving McLaren and the group a £75,000 settlement.
Determined to have "God Save the Queen" out in time for the Jubilee, McLaren and the group struck a deal with Virgin Records, an independent label who were up for the challenge of dealing with the Sex Pistols. Such was the group's reputation that Virgin's usual pressing plant refused to manufacture the singles, and a printing plant objected to making the sleeves, but Virgin founder Richard Branson smoothed over the obstacles and "God Save the Queen" was available for Jubilee week. The BBC banned the song and several major record chains refused to stock the 45, but Virgin had its own chain of stores and an independent distribution network, and it was by far the top-selling single of the week. However, the British Phonographic Institute, who published the U.K. sales charts, declared that sales from record shops owned by labels would no longer be counted for chart placement, which kept the record from the number one spot -a rule they reversed a few weeks later.
While "God Save the Queen" was a success, it came with a price. The uproar over the Sex Pistols in the British press had only increased, and Johnny Rotten, Paul Cook, and Jamie Reid were all victims of violent attacks by individuals who hated punk and loved the Queen. Virgin released a second single, "Pretty Vacant," whose lyrics were less incendiary than their previous releases; with no specific grounds to censor it, most of the nation's shops stocked the record, and the Pistols enjoyed an unambiguous commercial success. However, they were still banned from performing in most British venues, and the group set out on what became known as the "SPOTS" tour -"Sex Pistols On Tour Secretly", with the band playing surprise shows under assumed names at various small clubs. Meanwhile, Steve Jones and Paul Cook had been recording tracks with producers Bill Price and Chris Thomas in piecemeal fashion for a Sex Pistols album, but their relationship with Rotten was becoming strained, and Vicious, whose attempts to learn the bass were only marginally successful, was not up to playing on the sessions. Different sources contend Jones overdubbed the basslines for the tracks, while others say Glen Matlock was brought in to play the parts. In addition to being unreliable on-stage and in the studio, Vicious was also developing a dangerous appetite for alcohol and drugs, and had become involved in an increasingly unhealthy relationship with Nancy Spungen, an American rock fan who followed The Heartbreakers to England and fell in love with Sid.
With their options in England increasingly narrow, McLaren began plotting to sell the Sex Pistols to the larger world. The U.S. rock press had been following the band's antics, and Warner Bros. signed the Pistols to a North American deal. McLaren also struck upon the idea of making a movie about the group, channeling their earnings into the project. At one point American exploitation auteur Russ Meyer had signed on to direct, from a script he commissioned from Roger Ebert, but financing for the project collapsed before the first day of shooting. In the midst of this chaos, the long-awaited album 'Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols' was released in October 1977. The LP was, as expected, a commercial smash in the U.K., but American record buyers were wary. Hoping to boost interest in the record, McLaren and Warner Bros. arranged for the Sex Pistols to play a tour in the United States. A handful of East Coast and Midwest dates that were to kick off the tour had to be canceled when it was discovered the band members all had arrest records (mostly for drugs). By the time they finally obtained visas to travel to America, they were booked into a string of dates in the South and Southwest, where McLaren was convinced bored and disaffected youth would welcome the Pistols. Making their U.S. debut in Atlanta in January 1978, the band found themselves in front of audiences who, for the most part, were morbidly curious or openly hostile. Rotten's increasingly obvious distaste for the band and the media circus that followed them only made things worse, as did Vicious' heroin habit and general unreliability. The final date of the tour was at Winterland in San Francisco on January 14; it was the largest hall on the tour and one of the biggest they had ever played, and while McLaren had accepted the gig in hopes of outraging the Hippie Capital of the world, it ended up being the only U.S. date in a city that already had an audience for punk. The Pistols delivered a shambolic performance for the sold-out crowd, and Rotten ended the show with the words, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night." That night, Rotten resigned from the group.
McLaren entertained the notion of the Sex Pistols continuing with another singer, and shortly after the American tour wrapped, he set up a publicity stunt recording session with Jones and Cook backing Ronnie Biggs, one of the men behind the Great British Train Robbery of 1963 who had been living in fugitive exile in Brazil. Rotten, meanwhile, had gone to Jamaica to help Richard Branson scout talent for Virgin's reggae offshoot label, and announced he was abandoning his stage name and was to be addressed as John Lydon. Vicious had ended up in New York with Spungen, playing occasional shows with pick-up bands, most featuring members of The Heartbreakers. In June 1978, the Ronnie Biggs track, "No One Is Innocent," was issued by Virgin, with a string-laden version of "My Way" sung by Vicious appearing on the flipside. Vicious, like Lydon, had fallen out with McLaren, and while he was persuaded to record a pair of Eddie Cochran covers with Jones and Cook, it marked the end of his participation with the Sex Pistols. By the end of 1978, Jones and Cook were at loggerheads with McLaren as he attempted to complete a Sex Pistols movie and install Tenpole Tudor as their new vocalist. Eventually they would walk away from the Sex Pistols and form a group of their own,The Professionals. Lydon also debuted a new group, the ambitious and experimental Public Image Ltd., playing their first show on Christmas Day 1978.
The biggest Pistols-related news, however, belonged to Sid Vicious, and it was all bad. On October 12, 1978, Nancy Spungen was found dead in the room she shared with Sid at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, with a stab wound to her stomach. Vicious was arrested and charged with her murder, and McLaren quickly made his way to New York to come to his defense. While out on bail, Vicious was involved in an altercation at a nightclub where he smashed a man in the face with a beer glass. He was soon back in jail, and spent 55 days behind bars, detoxing from heroin cold turkey. Vicious was released on February 1, 1979, and his mother had planned a dinner that evening to celebrate. She purchased a cache of heroin for Sid, believing it would be better than him trying to score on the streets himself. By the end of the night, Vicious had died of an overdose at the age of 21.
A few weeks after Vicious' death, Virgin released 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle', a two-LP odds-and-ends soundtrack album to the Sex Pistols movie that was still unfinished. There was no band left to promote it -Vicious was gone, and Cook and Jones had joined Lydon in a lawsuit against McLaren over his use of their royalties to fund the movie without their consent. The case would bounce in and out of legal limbo until January 1986, when the rights to the movie (which finally limped into theatrical release in 1980) and back royalties were handed over to the band. Over the next decade, a steady stream of releases -some legally questionable- would recycle various demo tapes and live recordings of the Sex Pistols as new generations of punk fans, as well as loyal followers of the first era, slaked their thirst for the group's music.
In 1996, the group surprised fans when they mounted a global reunion tour, with Lydon, Jones, Matlock, and Cook hitting the road for six months of dates in the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, South America, Japan, and Australia. One of the first concerts on the tour, a massive outdoor show in London's Finsbury Park, was recorded and issued just weeks later as the album 'Filthy Lucre Live'. In 2000, the group participated in the production of a documentary, "The Filth and the Fury", a study of the band's history directed by Julian Temple, who had worked with McLaren on "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" and ended up directing and completing the picture. More live appearances followed in England (2002) and North America (2003), and in 2006 the group sold the rights to their catalog to Universal Music. That same year, the Pistols were voted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, though true to form, they refused to accept the trophy and made their dislike of the institution abundantly clear. They reunited again for a run of five British concerts in November 2007; the performance at the Brixton Academy was filmed, and released in 2008 under the title "There'll Always Be an England". In addition to reissuing 'Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols', Universal prepared and released occasional archival projects documenting the group's history; 2016's 'Live 1976' featured recordings of four concerts the Pistols played before signing to EMI, and 2021's '76-77' was an exhaustive collection of demos and unreleased studio sessions. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Pop/rock band from Spain Radio Futura started playing in 1978 under the name of Futurama, a project created by keyboardist Herminio Molero. The band debuted in October of 1979 while performing live at Madrid's Ateneo. The following year they had the opportunity to open for Elvis Costello. After signing up to Hispavox, 'Música Moderna' was released. In 1981, Herminio Molero decided to leave the act. Soon after, Radio Futura signed up to Ariola, issuing 'De Un País En Llamas' in May of 1985. While becoming a three-piece act, the group moved to the U.S. in 1986, recording 'La Canción de Juan Perro' at New York's Sigma Sound studios. On October 28 and 29, 1988, the band recorded a live album with Javier Monforte on guitar, Oscar Quezada on drums, and Pedro Navarrete on keyboards. After releasing 'Tierra Para Bailar' in 1992, Radio Futura broke up. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Prefabricated punks who later became globe-conquering superstars, The Police played a pivotal part in bringing New Wave into the pop mainstream. Rooted in reggae and flirting with punk, The Police also dabbled in jazz, worldbeat, and atmospheric instrumentals that nodded toward new age music, a combination that made the trio one of the most distinctive bands of their era. They were also one of the most commercially successful groups of the late 1970s and early '80s, appealing to album rock, Top 40, and MTV audiences in equal measure, building a repertoire filled with pop/rock staples, including "Roxanne," "Message in a Bottle," "Don't Stand So Close to Me," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," and "Every Breath You Take," the blockbuster that spent eight weeks at number one in 1983. "Every Breath You Take" and its accompanying album 'Synchronicity' served as a career-capping moment for the band. The volatile internal chemistry between vocalist/bassist Sting, drummer Stewart Copeland, and guitarist Andy Summers turned combustible in the wake of 'Synchronicity', leading The Police to disband at the peak of their popularity. They left behind an enduring body of work, one which they celebrated with a reunion tour in 2007.
Sting, a teacher born Gordon Sumner who moonlighted playing jazz bass in Newcastle, first crossed paths with Stewart Copeland when the drummer was playing with the prog rock band Curved Air. At the time Curved Air passed through Newcastle, Sting was part of Last Exit, a jazz-fusion band who released the single "Whispering Voices" on the indie imprint Wudwink in 1975. The single caught the ear of Carol Wilson, who was working for the publishing division of Virgin Records' Richard Branson. Buoyed by this attention, the group moved to London but they fell apart shortly after this relocation. While some of his bandmates headed back to Newcastle, Sting stayed in London, seeking out Copeland in hopes of a collaboration. As it happened, Curved Air had just split, so the pair joined forces with the intent of breaking into London's thriving punk scene.
Adding guitarist Henri Padovani, Sting and Copeland formed a nascent version of The Police. By March 1, 1977, they played their first gig and by May, they released the "Fall Out"/"Nothing Achieving" single on Illegal Records, an imprint co-founded by Copeland's brother Miles; both sides of the 45 were written by Stewart. Around the time the "Fall Out" single hit the stores, Mike Howlett -a bassist who had just left the prog rock outfit Gong- invited Sting to join him and guitarist Andy Summers, a veteran of a latter-day incarnation of The Animals and an early version of Soft Machine, to play in a group called Strontium 90. Howlett planned to bring drummer Chris Cutler, a veteran of the challenging Henry Cow, into the fold but he had other commitments, so Sting drafted Copeland as the group's drummer. During the early summer of 1977, Strontium 90 recorded a demo and played a pair of concerts, including a debut at a Gong reunion show in Paris. Despite this activity, Strontium 90 dissolved quickly and Sting asked Summers to join The Police. The Police briefly existed as a quartet with both Summers and Padovani, but by August the new recruit insisted that he be the group's only guitarist. Shortly afterward, Padovani was dismissed and The Police became a trio.
The Police began gigging in earnest late in 1977, but the group found it difficult to build an audience. Strapped for cash, they agreed to play in a commercial for Wrigley's gum, dying their hair blond as part of the agreement. Although the spot never aired, the commercial wound up giving the group their distinctive bleached-blond look. Not long afterward, Copeland's brother Miles underwrote the recording of the band's debut, 'Outlandos d'Amour'. Seeing potential in "Roxanne," Miles became The Police's manager and secured the group a deal with A&M Records.
Miles Copeland managed to stir up some controversy regarding the single release of "Roxanne" and its successor "Can't Stand Losing You." Upon its April 1978 release, "Roxanne" never made it onto the BBC's playlists, which Miles spun into the single being "Banned from the BBC" -a label that stretched the truth but was slapped onto the initial singles of "Roxanne." Despite this commotion, it didn't chart. "Can't Stand Losing You" wound up getting banned from the BBC due to the single's cover art -a tongue-in-cheek depiction of suicide by hanging- and The Police parlayed that into a modest 42 placement on the U.K. charts in late summer 1978. "So Lonely," the group's third single, didn't chart at all.
Britain may not have been paying attention to the band, but they were gaining traction in North America. "Roxanne" wound up cracking the Top 40 in both the U.S. and Canada in early 1979, which at that time was a rarity for punk bands. The stateside success was enough to get "Roxanne" re-released in the U.K., where it went to 12, followed by a number two placement for the re-release of "Can't Stand Losing You." With some chart momentum on their side -they were popular enough to have a re-release of "Fall Out" scrape the U.K. singles chart- The Police embarked on an extensive American tour, completing a new album in the meantime. Entitled 'Reggatta de Blanc', their second album went to number one upon its October 1979 release, partially on the strength of the number one singles "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon." Neither single charted in the U.S. Top 40 -the latter made it all the way to 74- but 'Regatta de Blanc' still climbed to number 25 on the Billboard Top 200, while its title track snagged the group their first Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
The Police scored another U.K. hit in February 1980 when "So Lonely" reached six upon its re-release, but the year is better remembered as the group's international breakthrough thanks to 'Zenyatta Mondatta'. Delivered in October 1980, the record reached number one in the U.K. and number five in the U.S., with its first single, "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da Da," becoming the group's first American Top Ten hit; in the U.K., it was the record's second single, reaching number five. "Don't Stand So Close to Me," released as 'Zenyatta Mondatta's first single in the U.K. and as its second in the U.S., eclipsed its companion, reaching number one in the U.K. and a Duo or Group With Vocal. "Behind My Camel," an album track from 'Zenyatta Mondatta', also earned the trio the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance that year.
High on their chart success, The Police headed to Montserrat to record their fourth album with producer Hugh Padgham. The resulting 'Ghost in the Machine' appeared in the fall of 1981, topping the U.K. charts and scaling its way to number two in the U.S. The rise of 'Ghost in the Machine' was fueled by "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," a Top Ten hit throughout the world which was also a staple on MTV. "Spirits in the Material World" was another international hit, reaching 11 in the U.S. and 12 in the U.K., while "Invisible Sun" reached number two in the U.K. 'Ghost in the Machine' also increased The Police's presence on album rock radio, as evidenced by "Secret Journey" reaching 46 in the U.S.
During the reign of 'Ghost in the Machine', the individual members of The Police seized the opportunities brought by success. Sting resumed the acting career he attempted to launch in 1979, when he appeared in Franc Roddam's silver screen adaptation of The Who's rock opera "Quadrophenia". He appeared in the film "Brimstone and Treacle" -its soundtrack featured three new Police songs, including the simmering "I Burn for You"- and had a key role in David Lynch's 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert's "Dune". Copeland was also drawn to Hollywood, composing the score for Francis Ford Coppola's "Rumble Fish". Meanwhile, Summers collaborated with Robert Fripp for the 1982 LP 'I Advance Masked'.
All this success was dwarfed by 'Synchronicity', the 1983 album that turned into a multi-million blockbuster. Much of that success was due to "Every Breath You Take," an ominous ballad that topped the charts in both the U.S. and U.K. "Every Breath You Take" became an instant standard, winning the Grammy for Song of the Year along with Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. BMI would later name "Every Breath You Take" its most performed song, as it racked up over 15 million radio plays. The ballad wasn't the only hit on 'Synchronicity'. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "King of Pain" both reached the Top 10 in the U.S. -the former only went to 17 in the U.K.- and "Synchronicity II" turned into a hit on MTV and the radio, peaking at 16 on the Top 40; "Synchronicity II" also took home the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.
'Synchronicity' dominated 1983, spending 17 weeks on the top of the U.S. charts, vying for the position with Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'. The Police supported the album with a stadium tour that spilled into 1984, but Sting started to grow restless with the trio. Following the tour's completion in March 1984, the group went on hiatus. Sting turned his attention to recording his debut, 'The Dream of the Blue Turtles' with a group of jazz musicians featuring Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, and Omar Hakim. In America, "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" and "Fortress Around Your Heart" gave Sting two Top Ten hits, while "Love Is the Seventh Wave" and "Russians" charted at 17 and 16 on Billboard's Top 40, respectively, helping make Sting was inescapable throughout 1985. He sang the "I want my MTV" refrain on Dire Straits' smash hit "Money for Nothing," he cameoed on records by Phil Collins, Miles Davis, and Arcadia alike, he appeared on Hal Willner's 'Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill' tribute album and he took his 'Dream of the Blue Turtles' out on the road on a tour that was captured on Michael Apted's documentary "Bring on the Night", which was released toward the end of the year.
The Police reconvened in June 1986 to play three concerts on the "Amnesty International: A Conspiracy of Hope" tour, which led to the group attempting to record a new album that July. Prior to heading into the studio, Copeland broke his collarbone in a horse-riding accident. The injury exacerbated simmering tensions within the group and the trio wound up completing just one track: a new version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me." Attached as a new track on the 1986 compilation 'Every Breath You Take: The Singles', and the song was a modest hit. Following its release, the band separated, this time for good.
Over the next two decades, the paths of The Police would occasionally cross. Andy Summers would play with Sting both on record and on-stage, while the entire trio reunited for an impromptu performance at Sting's 1992 wedding to Trudie Styler. The group reunited in 2003, when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, planting the seed for The Police's full-fledged reunion tour of 2007-2008. The reunion, which was the highest-grossing tour of 2008, featured an appearance by their original guitarist Henri Padovani and culminated in an August 2008 show at Madison Square Garden. 'Certifiable: Live in Buenos Aires', a combination video and CD set documenting the group's reunion tour, appeared in November 2008, closing the book on The Police's reunion and career. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
