Public Image Limited

One of the first and most significant post-punk bands, Public Image Ltd. (PiL) were originally a quartet led by singer John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten, born January 31, 1956) and guitarist Keith Levene, who had been a member of The Clash in one of its early lineups. The band was filled out by bassist Jah Wobble (John Wordle) and drummer Jim Walker. It was formed in the wake of the 1978 breakup of Lydon's former group, The Sex Pistols. For the most part, the band's early incarnation devoted itself to droning, slow-tempo, bass-heavy noise rock, overlaid by Lydon's distinctive, vituperative rant. The group's debut single, "Public Image", was more of an uptempo pop/rock song, however, and it hit the U.K. Top Ten upon its release in October 1978. The group itself debuted on Christmas Day, shortly after the release of its first album, 'Public Image'. Neither the single nor the album was released in the U.S. 

'Metal Box', the band's second U.K. album, came in the form of three 45-rpm 12" discs in a film canister. It was released in the U.S. in 1980 as the double-album 'Second Edition'. By this time, PiL were a trio consisting of Lydon, Levene, and Wobble; the latter two played some of the drums on recordings, while the position was held by a series of percussionists, none of whom stayed long. The third album, not released in the U.S., was the live 'Paris au Printemps' (1980). Lydon and Levene, plus hired musicians, made up the group by the time of 'The Flowers of Romance' (1981), the much-acclaimed fourth album, which reached number 11 in the U.K. In 1983, PiL scored their biggest U.K. hit when "This Is Not a Love Song" reached number five. By this time, however, Levene had left, and the name from here on would be, more than anything else, a vehicle for John Lydon (though with a comparatively steady lineup). A second live album, 'Live in Tokyo', appeared in England in 1983. 

The following year saw the release of 'This Is What You Want...This Is What You Get', only PiL's third album to be released in the U.S., though by now the group had six albums out. It marked the start of Lydon's move toward a more polished and accessible dance-rock style, a direction that would be pursued further in 1986's 'Album' (also called 'Cassette' or 'Compact Disc', depending on the format), notably on the hit "Rise", as well as on 'Happy?' (1987) and '9' (1989). In 1990, PiL released the compilation album 'The Greatest Hits, So Far', and in 1991 came the new album 'That What Is Not'. After completing his memoirs in late 1993, Lydon decided to put PiL to rest -largely the result of contractual issues- and pursue a solo career. 

The career-spanning box set 'Plastic Box' arrived in 1999, but otherwise the band seemed truly dead until 2009 when Lydon announced he was reviving the project for a short set of gigs in the U.K. The new PiL, featuring past members Lu Edmonds (also a member of The Damned and The Mekons) and Bruce Smith (who also worked with The Pop Group), along with multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth, were so warmly received in their homeland that a U.S. tour followed in 2010. An album of all-new material, 'This Is PiL', followed in 2012. The band supported the release with an international concert tour, and PiL returned to the recording studio in 2014. The group's 2015 release, 'What the World Needs Now', would prove to be the first Public Image Ltd. album to feature the same lineup of musicians as the album that preceded it. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Mental As Anything

Formed on a whim by a group of bored art students in search of free drinks, Australia's prankish Mental as Anything went on to forge a career spanning several decades, their tongues remaining planted firmly in cheek throughout the duration of their existence. Debuting in 1978, the Sydney-based group included singer/guitarist Reg Mombasa (born Chris O'Doherty), his bassist brother Peter O'Doherty, lead guitarist Martin Plaza, keyboardist Andrew "Greedy" Smith, and drummer Wayne Delisle; their first gig was held at a nearby hotel, with a pool table serving as a makeshift stage. Their early shows proved surprisingly successful, and soon Mental as Anything had earned enough of a cult following to record a single, 1979's "The Nips Are Getting Bigger"; it was a Top 20 hit down under, and when their debut LP, 'Get Wet', achieved similar success, the group was off and running. 

Mental as Anything resurfaced in 1980 with 'Espresso Bongo', which generated two more hit singles, "Come Around" and "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet". After 1982's 'Cats and Dogs' achieved platinum status on the strength of the smashes "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?" and "Too Many Times", Mental as Anything began attracting worldwide notice, and in 1982 they mounted their first tour of the United States. Fan Elvis Costello produced the single "I Didn't Mean to Be Mean", issued later that same year, and in 1983 the group issued its fourth LP, 'Creatures of Leisure', another Aussie Top Ten hit. Also in 1983, Mental as Anything launched their first group art exhibition, featuring works from each of the bandmembers; among the buyers was Elton John. In 1985 they returned with 'Fundamental as Anything', their biggest hit to date; the single "Live It Up" was a smash throughout much of the globe, reaching the Top Five in the U.K. and Germany. 

After their 1986 collection 'Greatest Hits, Vol. 1' fell just shy of topping the Australian charts, Mental as Anything returned the following year with 'Mouth to Mouth'; after 1989's 'Cyclone Raymond', they mounted a touring art exhibition that traveled across the country, but for the most part, the quintet was out of the limelight for the early part of the next decade, instead focusing on personal lives and the occasional side project (including the O'Doherty brothers' collaboration Dog Trumpet). A Mental as Anything B-sides collection, 'Chemical Travel', appeared in 1993, and in 1995 the band's first new studio LP in six years, 'Liar Liar Pants on Fire', returned them to the Top 40 on the strength of the hit "Mr. Natural". In 1997, Mental as Anything celebrated their 20-year anniversary with the original lineup still intact; the LP 'Garage' appeared the following year. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

The Long Ryders

Although they played the same clubs as most of Los Angeles' "paisley underground" bands (i.e., Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade) and even featured Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn in an early lineup, The Long Ryders were actually more a roots rock group strongly influenced by Gram Parsons. The group was founded by Kentucky native Sid Griffin, a Parsons devotee who moved to Los Angeles after hearing about that city's punk scene, with guitarist Stephen McCarthy and drummer Greg Sowders. The group's first bassist Barry Shank, along with Griffin, had previously been a member of the L.A. garage revivalists Unclaimed. He was replaced by Des Brewer just before the band went into the studio for the first time. The Long Ryders' 1983 debut EP, '10-5-60', was a blend of punk attitude, '60s rock, and traditional country (Griffin played steel guitar, autoharp, and mandolin). Brewer soon left as he was not committed to touring. His replacement, Don McCall, lasted for one tour before he was asked to leave. The band's lineup was stabilized when Indiana native Tom Stevens joined. Their first full-length album, the following year's 'Native Sons', was also arguably their best, and featured guest vocals from former Byrds Gene Clark. Subsequent albums, while still of considerable artistic merit, failed to find an audience despite the band's incessant touring. Reeling from the defections of Stevens in June of 1987 and McCarthy in September, and unhappy with Island's promotional efforts and seeming disregard for the group, The Long Ryders called it quits on December 15, 1987. McCarthy formed Gutterball and, along with Griffin, contributed to the 1993 Gram Parsons tribute album 'Commemorativo'. Griffin, meanwhile, moved to London and formed The Coal Porters; today he works as a music critic and writer, foreshadowed by his definitive 1985 biography of (who else?) Gram Parsons. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

The House Of Love

The post-Smiths guitar pop of The House of Love was popular for a short time in the late '80s and early '90s, as many college and alternative rock fans became converts to their mixture of shiny ringing guitars, pseudo-psychedelic melodies, and bursts of noise. The British group formed in 1986; it featured Guy Chadwick (vocals, guitar), Terry Bickers (guitar), Andrea Heukamp (vocals, guitar), Pete Evans (drums), and Chris Groothuizen (bass). Their demo tape attracted the attention of Alan McGee, the head of Creation Records. McGee signed the band for a single, "Shine On", which was released in May of 1987 to some critical acclaim; it and its follow-up, "Real Animal", both sold poorly. Following a tour supporting the singles, Heukamp left the group. Instead of replacing her, The House of Love continued as a quartet, releasing their untitled debut album in the spring of 1988. Many U.K. critics called it one of the finest records of the year, and the band built up a cult audience. 

The following year the band moved over to Fontana (PolyGram in the U.S.) and released two singles, "Never" and "I Don't Know Why I Love You", that failed to crack the British Top 40. By the end of 1989, Bickers left the group; he was replaced by Simon Walker. The House of Love's second untitled album -often referred to as "Fontana" or "The Butterfly Album"- was released in early 1990 to lukewarm sales and reviews; the band's revivalist guitar pop didn't fit in with England's club-conscious pop scene, spearheaded by The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays. After the group's 1990 tour, Walker left the group and was replaced by Simon Mawby. The House of Love returned in early 1992 with 'Babe Rainbow', which received favorable reviews yet weak sales. The continuing lack of commercial success began to wear on the band, leading to their 1993 disbandment, which followed a weak swan song, 'Audience with the Mind'. A few years later, Chadwick emerged with a pleasing solo album, 'Lazy, Soft & Slow', produced by The Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie. In 2005, Chadwick and Bickers made amends, played several gigs, and released 'Days Run Away'. 

Over the next few years, several archival releases appeared, including a collection of BBC sessions; then in 2012 came a triple-disc deluxe version of the 1988 debut along with other reissues from Cherry Red. These all preceded a brand-new album from The House of Love, a record called 'She Paints Words in Red', which was released in April 2013. In November of that year, the band recorded their first live album, 'Live at the Lexington 13.11.13', which was released in 2014. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Vic Godard & The Subway Sect

In 1977, Vic Godard, leader of the early British punk band Subway Sect, described how his band differed from The Sex Pistols and the other new groups on the scene: "They just want to revitalize rock & roll whereas we just wanna get rid of it". Subway Sect were one of the more distinctive acts to emerge from the first wave of U.K. punk, possessing a lean, primal sound that owed a strong debt of influence to The Velvet Underground and The Modern Lovers, but while they were playing gigs as early as 1976 and were courted by two of punk's leading impresarios, the original band was just barely documented on vinyl. Godard (lead singer and sometimes guitarist) and Rob Symmons (guitar) were fans of Northern soul, distaff American acts like The Velvet Underground and Television, and classic crooners (particularly Frank Sinatra); they were drawn to the energy and chaos of punk, though they didn't always care for the music. Godard and Symmons had been making noises about forming a band, and teamed up with friends Paul Myers and Paul Packham, calling their group Subway Sect. Packham was initially the lead singer, but when the foursome chipped in to buy a drum kit, it was discovered that Packham had played a bit during his days as a Boy Scout, so he became the drummer and Godard moved to the vocal mike. 

When Malcolm McLaren organized a punk rock festival at London's 100 Club in the fall of 1976, he realized he needed additional bands to fill out the schedule and took the budding Subway Sect under his wing; he booked them into a rehearsal space and ordered them to get their material together, and they played the festival alongside The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, and other punk trailblazers. With their unusual sound and stark look (their clothes were all either black or dyed gray), Subway Sect attracted the attention of Bernard Rhodes, manager of The Clash; he took on the band shortly after its appearance at the 100 Club and the group began writing and recording material. However, it wasn't until 1978 that Subway Sect's first single was released, "Nobody's Scared" b/w "Don't Split It". (During the interim, Packham left the group, and was replaced by Mark Laff; Laff quit to join Generation X, and Robert Ward became the Sect's new drummer). "Nobody's Scared" didn't fare well in the charts, but their second release, "Ambition" b/w "Different Story," rose to number one on the indie singles charts in 1978. However, Rhodes was unhappy with the results of the group's recording sessions for its first album; he fired the band, shelved the album, and signed a deal with Godard as a songwriter, bringing the group's first era to a close. 

As Godard dug deeper into songwriting, he embraced his interest in pop styles of the past and classic crooning; his 1980 album 'What's the Matter Boy?', credited to Vic Godard & The Subway Sect, reflected his new creative direction, as did 1982's 'Songs for Sale', an homage to Cole Porter. In 1986, Godard released his first solo album, 'T.R.O.U.B.L.E.', but he grew disillusioned with the music business and quit to become a letter carrier. In the '90s, Godard returned to music part-time and continued to write and record with a variety of collaborators when his work schedule permitted. He recorded an album, 'The End of the Surrey People', for the newly revitalized Postcard label in 1993, sang backing vocals on Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You" in 1995, then released the 'Long Term Side-Effect' album on Tugboat Records in 1998. 

After taking a short break, Godard returned in 2002 with a new edition of Subway Sect and released 'Sansend', an album that reflected his newfound interest in hip-hop and sampling. Next up was a 2007 album called '1978 Now', which saw Godard, with the help of ex-Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook, among others, rescuing songs he had recorded for the Sect's first album in 1978, but which never saw the light of day. After that Godard released another solo album, 'We Come as Aliens', in 2010, before starting another reclamation project. '1979 Now!' revisited a batch of Northern soul songs Godard and Subway Sect had demoed but never released. Recorded with Cook's help again, along with original Sect bassist Paul Myers and production from Edwyn Collins, the album was released on Collins' AED label in October of 2014. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Fingerprintz

Now sadly relegated to footnote status, England's Fingerprintz were one of the few bands that lent credibility to the marketing-inspired expression "new wave." Formed by Scottish-born singer/guitarist Jimmie O'Neill in 1978, the 'Printz slowed down punk's careening guitar rock, adding clever, rhythmic twists and turns, and offering up deftly written stories about lust, angst, and urban desolation. The problem was finding an audience; the music was certainly spot-on, but one can only guess as to what kept hordes of people away. Certainly it wasn't the quality of their recorded work, which, despite occasional concessions to slick production, is mostly smart and insightful. Perhaps it was simply a matter of being out of step with the zeitgeist or simply not getting a break. O'Neill decided to call it a day after the third and final 'Printz record, 'Beat Noir', in 1981. However, the story has a sort of happy ending: O'Neill and fellow 'Printz guitarist Cha Burns formed The Silencers in 1987, a band that reaped much greater commercial success than did the 'Printz. Ironically, The Silencers' records weren't nearly as good as that of Fingerprintz. All three Fingerprintz records are long out of print, which is a thinly veiled recommendation for someone to compile a CD anthology. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Eyeless In Gaza

Specializing in alternative pop/rock, post-punk, and art rock, the experimental British duo Eyeless in Gaza have enjoyed an enthusiastic cult following since the early 1980s. The music of Eyeless in Gaza has tended to be moody, quirky and atmospheric, drawing on influences that have ranged from Brian Eno, Pink Floyd and Pere Ubu to Roxy Music, David Bowie (especially Bowie's 'Low' / 'Heroes' / 'Lodger' period of the late 1970s) and the seminal Kraftwerk. Eyeless in Gaza experimented with electronics from the beginning, and they clearly admired Eno's breakthroughs in the ambient electronic realm. 

Eyeless in Gaza got started in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England in 1980, when lead singer Martyn Bates joined forces with fellow multi-instrumentalist Peter Becker; they named their group after British author Aldous Huxley's 1936 novel, which Bates was reading when he met Becker. Both of them have embraced a variety of instruments in Eyeless in Gaza; Bates has played keyboards, organ, guitar and drums (among other instruments), while Becker has contributed guitar (both electric and acoustic), bass, drums, percussion and melodica (in addition to helping with the vocals). Eyeless in Gaza's first mini-album was their 1980 EP 'Kodak Ghosts Run Amok', which was followed by their 'Invisibility' EP in 1981 and their full-length albums of 1981 'Photographs as Memories' and 'Caught in Flux'. Eyeless in Gaza recorded frequently in the 1980s, providing full-length albums that included 'Pale Hands I Loved So Well' and 'Drumming the Beating Heart' in 1982, 'Rust Red September' in 1983, and 'Back from the Rains' in 1986. But the duo went on hiatus in 1987, when Bates opted to pursue some solo projects. The two of them were reunited briefly in 1990 when they worked with poet Anne Clark on her album 'The Law Is an Anagram of Wealth', but many of Eyeless in Gaza's followers were wondering if Bates and Becker would ever record together again as Eyeless in Gaza. In 1993, however, Bates and Becker were officially reunited as Eyeless in Gaza after a seven-year hiatus -and the duo's recording career was resumed with 1993's 'Fabulous Library' (which started out as a Becker solo project but became a full-fledged Eyeless in Gaza album when Bates came on board). By that time, music that was loosely defined as alternative rock or alternative pop/rock had become rock's dominant direction thanks to the major commercial success of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and others. Instead of being described as music for the select few like it had been in the 1980s, alternative had become downright mainstream -and the return of Eyeless in Gaza was quite appropriate considering that Bates and Becker were embracing alternative long before it was in vogue. After 'Fabulous Library', Eyeless in Gaza continued to build their catalog with 'Saw You in Reminding Pictures' in 1994, 'Bitter Apples' in 1995, 'All Under the Leaves, the Leaves of Life' in 1996, 'Song of the Beautiful Wanton' in 2000, 'Home Produce: Country Bizarre' in 2003, and 'Summer Salt/Subway Sun' in 2007/2008. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

The Delmonas

Taking their name from the word for a decorative handbag favored by women in the Klaipeda region of Lithuania, British garage pop girl group, The Delmonas began life as The Milkboilers. If that moniker sounds suspiciously similar to that of the Billy Childish-led Milkshakes, it's no coincidence: the trio got its start by singing backup on the lads' recordings (and dating the boys in the band). Sarah (who went with Mickey Hampshire), Hilary (with Russ Wilkins), and Louise (with Bruce Brand) took the lead on a rendition of The Beatles' "Boys" before striking out on their own with a couple of four-song EPs in 1984: 'Comin' Home Baby' (popularized by Mel Tormé) and 'Hello, We Love You' (actually The Doors' "Hello, I Love You.") In both cases, The Milkshakes served as their backing band and Childish and Hampshire wrote most of the originals. The following year, The Delmonas released their first full-length recording, 'Dangerous Charms', which rounded up the EP tracks, three outtakes, and five numbers from a radio broadcast (it was later released as 'Delmonas Plus Delmonas' with additional material from another BBC session). Interpersonal tensions resulted in a recording gap of several years and a revamped lineup for 1988's follow-up, 'Delmonas 5!'. Louise had since left the group and Hilary and Sarah had renamed themselves Miss Ida Red and Ludella Black (the latter possibly in tribute to British chanteuse Cilla Black). They were backed by the first lineup of Thee Mighty Caesars (Childish, Wilkins, and John Agnew). The new combo cranked out a louder, harder-hitting sound. The Delmonas hit the streets in 1989 and continued in the same brassy vein. It featured 'Dangerous Charms'' lost title-track and a couple of earlier numbers redone in French ('Delmonas 5!' and 'The Delmonas' were later combined onto one CD). 'Do the Uncle Willy', released later the same year, was the band's final musical document. It compiled material from previous releases, a couple of alternate takes, and a new version of The Milkshakes' "Lie Detector". On all of their recordings, The Delmonas mixed cover versions from the '50s and '60s with original compositions that sounded as if they came from that era -upbeat ravers in the spirit of The Shangri-Las, Lesley Gore, Nancy Sinatra, and other tough-but-tender girl acts. If they didn't quite have the vocal range of those artists, they made up for it in attitude and enthusiasm. This spirit was carried over into The Headcoatees, which included Black and Holly Golightly (now Brand's main squeeze), and would fulfill the same function: as backup to Thee Headcoats and as a band backed by them. In 2000, after both groups had called it quits, Black released her first solo album 'She's Out There' (backed, not too surprisingly, by Hampshire and Brand, with whom she had begun her musical career). [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

The Chesterf!elds

Indie pop combo The Chesterf!elds formed in Yeovil, England, in mid-1984, originally comprised of singer/guitarist David Goldsworthy, bassist Simon Barber, and drummer Dominic Manns. Second guitarist Brendan Holden signed on a year later, embellishing the upbeat, frothy melodies that earned The Chesterf!elds a spot on the front lines of the short-lived movement of shambling guitar pop bands dubbed C-86 in honor of the New Musical Express cassette that popularized the sound in question. The C-86 affiliation was further solidified when they signed to Subway Organization, the label owned and operated by The Flatmates' Martin Whitehead and home to acts including The Razorcuts and The Shop Assistants, joining the latter for late 1985's "The Legendary Subway Golden Flexi", to which The Chesterf!elds contributed their recorded debut, "Nose Out of Joint". The EP 'A Guitar in Your Bath' followed in early 1986, and later that year the group resurfaced with the fan favorite "Completely and Utterly". Released in 1987, "Ask Johnny Dee" boasted a more refined sound, and with their debut LP, 'Kettle', The Chesterf!elds reached their creative zenith, combining the energy and abandon of their early singles with an increasingly mature approach to songwriting. 

Holden left the lineup in April 1987, resulting in a revolving door of guitarists including future The Blue Aeroplanes Rodney Allen and former The Loft member Andy Strickland before Barber's brother Mark assumed the role full-time; the singles compilation 'Westward Ho!' closed out the year, and in 1988 The Chesterf!elds left Subway to found their own label, Household. The single "Blame" was their inaugural release on the imprint, followed by their second studio LP, 'Crocodile Tears'. Neither effort earned the same critical praise as earlier records, however, and both Goldsworthy and Manns announced their resignations from the group, with the former later turning up in Furnt. The Barber brothers soldiered on for one more Chesterf!elds single, "Fool Is a Man," before dissolving the group in mid-1989. Simon Barber later fronted Basinger, while Mark helmed Grape -neither group earned the raves or the fame afforded their previous work, however. Goldsworthy reunited with the Barbers to record a new Chesterf!elds single, "Down by the Wishing Pool", in 1994, adding drummer Richard Chant for the sessions; a full-length LP, 'Flood', appeared on the Vinyl Japan label that same year. The group then again dissolved, this time for good. Goldsworthy was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Oxford on November 19, 2003. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Bauhaus

Bauhaus are the founding fathers of goth rock, creating a minimalistic, overbearingly gloomy style of post-punk rock driven by jagged guitar chords and cold, distant synthesizers. Throughout their brief career, the band explored all the variations on their bleak musical ideas, adding elements of glam rock, experimental electronic rock, funk, and heavy metal. While their following has never expanded beyond a cult, they kept their cult alive well into the '90s, a full decade after they disbanded. 

The group formed in 1978 in Northampton, England. Guitarist/vocalist Daniel Ash, bassist/vocalist David J (born David Jay Haskins), and drummer Kevin Haskins had played together as a trio called The Craze before forming Bauhaus with vocalist Peter Murphy. Originally, the band was called Bauhaus 1919 after the German art movement; by 1979, they had dropped the 1919 from their name.

In August of 1979, the group released their debut single, "Bela Lugosi's Dead", on the independent record label Small Wonder Records. Although it did not make the pop charts, it became the de facto goth rock anthem, staying in the U.K. independent charts for years. Three months later, the group signed with Beggars Banquet's subsidiary label, 4AD. The group's second single, "Dark Entries", was released in January 1980. Following their first European tour, Bauhaus released their third single, "Terror Couple Kill Colonel", in the summer of that year, which became a hit on the indie charts. 

After touring America for the first time in September, the group released a version of T.Rex's "Telegram Sam". In October, they released their debut album, 'In the Flat Field', which reached number one on the independent charts and number 72 on the pop charts. The success of the album led to their first hits on the pop charts; both "Kick in the Eye" and "The Passion of Lovers" made the U.K. Top 60 in 1981. In October, they released their second album, 'Mask', which revealed a more ambitious musical direction; the new direction, which featured elements of metal and electronic sonic textures, made the music more accessible without abandoning the dark, foreboding core of their music. 'Mask' was a commercial success, peaking at number 30 on the U.K. charts.

In March of 1982, Bauhaus released the EP 'Searching for Satori', which reached number 45 on the U.K. charts; another successful single, "Spirit", followed in the summer. That fall, the group had a number 15 hit with their version of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust". The success of the single propelled their third album, 'The Sky's Gone Out', to number four on the album charts. 

Murphy contracted pneumonia at the beginning of 1983, which prevented him from participating in the recording sessions for Bauhaus' fourth album, 'Burning From the Inside'. Consequently, the record featured substantial contributions from Ash and J, who both pursued more personal and atmospheric directions. After Murphy recovered, the band toured Japan and then returned to the U.K. to promote the summer release of 'Burning From the Inside'. The album was another hit, peaking at number 13. In July, Bauhaus split up. 

After Bauhaus' breakup, Murphy formed Dali's Car with Japan's Mick Karn and then pursued a solo career. Ash continued with Tones on Tail, a project he began in 1981; Kevin Haskins also joined the band after Bauhaus' split. J made some solo records and joined The Jazz Butcher briefly. Ash, Haskins, and J formed Love and Rockets in 1985 after a proposed Bauhaus reunion fell apart because Peter Murphy wasn't interested in the project. More than a decade later, however, with the careers of both Love and Rockets and Peter Murphy at a standstill, Bauhaus re-formed for several live dates in Los Angeles, mounting a full-blown tour in 1998; the two-disc 'Gotham' documented the reunited group's performance at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. In 2008, the band resurfaced again with 'Go Away White', a studio album they promised as their last statement. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]