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New Wave, a vibrant and influential genre that emerged in the late 1970s and peaked in the 1980s, represented a departure from the prevailing sounds of the time. Defined by its eclectic fusion of punk energy, electronic elements, and pop sensibilities, New Wave was a musical and cultural catalyst. Bands like The Cure, Talking Heads, and Devo epitomized the genre’s embrace of experimentation and synthesizers. The visual aspect was as crucial as the music, with artists exploring avant-garde fashion and quirky aesthetics. New Wave not only reshaped the sonic landscape but also played a pivotal role in the integration of music videos into popular culture. Its legacy can be heard in the continued experimentation within alternative and indie music, making New Wave a transformative force in the evolution of contemporary sound and style.
“Heart Of Glass” was one of those transition songs. It came along as disco’s excesses consumed the genre. The Blondie song had a New Wave feel with a dash of Punk but you could still dance to it. As the group progressed its Rock tendencies emerged in the songs “Call Me,” “One Way Or Another”…
The Cars In most cases, a band has to rule its home turf before it conquers the world. That’s exactly what happened with the Cars – Ric Ocasek (vocals/guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass/vocals), Elliot Easton (guitar), Greg Hawkes (keyboards) and David Robinson (drums). In ’77, amid the disco onslaught, a demo version of “Just What I…
Beware of novelty songs. It may be fun to do one. But bands rarely think it could be what they are remembered for. Despite other great performances, the Bangles and “Walk Like An Egyptian” are eternally linked. The Bangles had two #1 songs, the aforementioned novelty track and the dreamy ballad “Eternal Flame.” Based on…
The Knack The word on The Knack was they recorded their debut album “Get The Knack” in eleven days for eighteen-thousand dollars. It went platinum in ’79. Not a bad return on investment for Capitol Records. Of course, the song that made it all possible was “My Sharona.” Within weeks of its release, the herky-jerky…
At the beginning of ’77, ex-schoolteacher Gordon Sumner a.k.a. Sting (so named for his fondness for a black and yellow stripped jersey he constantly wore) and Stewart Copeland began The Police with guitarist Henri Padovani. By mid-year The Police were producing demos and playing shows. They also added guitarist Andy Summers. But Padovani left shortly…
INXS started with the Farris Brothers (guitarist Tim, keyboardist Andrew and drummer Jon) in ’79. School friends, bassist Gary Beers, guitarist/sax player Kirk Pengilly and vocalist Michael Hutchence; Interestingly, this line-up remained intact through the band’s lengthy history (’79 to ’97). Honing their act, INXS (in excess) set out on a rigorous tour of their…
INXS started with the Farris Brothers (guitarist Tim, keyboardist Andrew and drummer Jon) in ’79. School friends, bassist Gary Beers, guitarist/sax player Kirk Pengilly and vocalist Michael Hutchence soon came on board. Interestingly, this line-up remained intact through the band’s lengthy history (’79 to ’97). The Swing Honing their act, INXS (in excess) set out…
Not since the Beach Boys, nearly two decades earlier, had a band been more consistently happy and upbeat. It shouldn’t be surprising since The Go-Go’s lead singer Belinda Carlisle was a high school cheerleader – in Hollywood, no less. Ironically though, The Go-Go’s began as an L.A. Punk group. Carlisle, Jane Wieldin (guitar), Charlotte Caffey…
The great thing about alcohol is briefly, very briefly in fact, all things seem possible. With a buzz on, drinking away the evening in a Chinese restaurant in Athens, GA, future members of the B-52s, who had little or no prior musical experience, decided to form a group. The name came not from the lethal…
College friends, vocalist Cy Curnin and drummer Adam Woods decided to have a crack at starting a group. They placed an ad and recruited guitarist Jamie West-Oram, keyboardist Rupert Greenall and bassist Charlie Barret. They originally called themselves The Fix but found that there was already band using that moniker so they quickly added another…