80's band tribute page

Limahl (Chris Hamill), Steve Askew, Nick Beggs and Stuart Crawford.... Hits from 1983 included "too shy" , "ooh to be ah", "hang on now".
Never lasted long but made really good music and Limahl's look.. Well Kewl for the 80's. Limahl left for a solo career in 1983. His last album "love is blind" 1992 was only released in Germany

A-HA

One of the most famous Norwegian groups...name another...ok, Lene Marlin.. A-HA were Morten Hacket, Paul Gamstwaaktaar, and Magne Furholmen.
The band formed in 1984 and made it really big with a number one in USA October 1985. The one most people remember is A1 s cover, "Take on me" and another of their hits was "The sun always shines on TV" . .

T'PAU

T'pau is basically Carol Decker who is the only original member in the present group. She was born Sept 10th 1957 and was big stuff in the eighties. One of her most memorable songs was "China in your hand"

ADAM AND THE ANTS

Born Stuart Leslie Goddard on 3rd Nov 1954. Formed Adam and the Ants and had their first peformance on 10th May 1977. Huge Huge hits were to follow late 70's early 80's including "Antmusic","Prince Charming","Stand and Deliver" to name but a few. Stuart went solo in 82 and is still going now but never seems to be in the charts anymore. !!The only band i ever saw with two drummers!! too kewl for words..

JOY DIVISION

Started life in 1976 as Stiff Kitten, Bernard, Peter, Terry, Ian and changed their name in 77. Had their first major airplay on radio in Feburary 79. Final line up in 80 was Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Bernard Dickens and stephen Morris. With hits like "Love will tear us apart" (copied by Paul Young), "Transmission", "Atmosphere" to name but a few. Ian unfortunately killed himself in May 1980 at the age of 23, ending the group !!

ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN

Echo started 1978 in the liverpool scene after the break up of Shallow Madness which also included Juilian Cope and Pete Wylie who went on to form Teardrop Explodes (named after part of a cartoon hero book). " Pictures on my wall" was their first release followed by "the rescue" and "crocodiles". They took on the Army Surplus look. The group went into obscurity after 1988
Record i remember most was "Spare us the cutter"

Mark Gane and Martha Johnson, formed in 1977 and had their first album in 79 (Metro Music) Their most famous song, "Echo Beach" (Inspired by chesil beach, Dorset) was a worldwide number 10 hit.)

TEARS FOR FEARS

Roland Orzabel and Curt Smith were transformed to hitmakers in 1982 with their 3rd single "Mad World" and released their debue album "The Hurting" . Another of their biggest hits was "Everybody wants to rule the world"

DURAN DURAN

Nick Rhodes was the forming member and played Keyboards. John Taylor (bass) Andy Taylor (guitar) and they were fronted by Simon le Bon. Formed in 1980 they were one of the most sucessful bands of the 80's with massive hits including "Plannet Earth" (first single) which reached number 3 and in 1982 they were supporting act on the BLONDIE tour...
other hits include...

Union of the Snake
Wildboys
The Reflex
New moon on monday

As a point of interest Princess Diana (rip) called them "her favorite band"

They also had a spin off group called "ARCADIA"

Formed in Beckenham, Kent in 1980 by Nick Heyward, with band members Les Nemes, Graham Jones, Mark Fox and also as drummer Blair Cunningham (also played for Echo and the Bunnymen) their first hit was "Favorite shirt (boy meets girl)" other songs included "love plus one" , " Fantastic Day" Nick heyward left the band to go solo in 82 and the group finally disbanded in 84

Gary Anthony James Webb born March 1958 in Hammersmith, London Had sucess with "Tubeway Army" and became famous worldwide in 1979 with "Are friends Electric" . Tubeway Army i believe formed in 1977/8

OMD started life in Liverpool on October 1978 with Paul Humphries and Andy McCluskey. They were formally in "The Id" .Before they settled on OMD they tried the name "VCL X1" which only lasted a few months. Their first album " Orchestral Manoeuvres in the dark" was made up of songs from "the Id" which hit the shops in 1980. OMD split up in 1989 although Andy McCluskey has since continued as OMD.

One of my favorites which got me interested in them was "Pandoras box" which was 1998 i think and is classic OMD

He left Tubeway army to follow a solo career in September 79 and had a massive hit with "Cars" which topped UK charts and made it into US top 10. At his peak he was Britains top selling artist. Both his "Pleasure principal" and "Telecon" albums entered the UK charts at number 1. Still going but not had a hit recently. Cars was used recently in a TV commercial.

ABC formed after Martin Fry interviewed Mark White and Stephen Singleton (who were Vice Versa) for his fanzine "modern drugs". Mark Lickley and David Robinson completed the first line up and their Debut single "Tears are not enough" hit the top 20 UK in late 1981. 1982 saw "poison arrow" , "Look of love" , "All of my heart" , and the album "Lexicon of love" followed . There was a big upheaval in 1984 with just White and Fry remaining. They went to America and took on Fiona Russel-Powel and David Yarritu. Then there was an absence due to Fry becoming very ill with Hodgkins disease. They returned in 1987 with "when smokey sings" . In the 90's only Fry remained and mid 90's saw "Skyscraper" .