Utopia - Feet Don't Fail Me Now

The story of Utopia is intertwined with Todd Rundgren, but the band evolved over time to become more than just an outlet for Rundgren's more adventurous music.  Fresh off his pop successes, Rundgren formed Utopia (originally called Todd Rundgren's Utopia) in 1973 to perform progressive rock.  By 1977, the band membership stabilized with Rundgren (guitar), Kasim Sulton (bass), Roger Powell (keyboards) and Willie Wilcox (drums), and this lineup would remain until the group disbanded.

The consistent lineup helped Utopia to become a real group, and by the early 1980s they had a sound that was somewhat distinct from Rungdren's, helped by the fact that other members wrote and sang material.  Unfortunately the group had label problem, which likely limited their commercial success.  It also didn't help that they were viewed as a progressive rock band at a time when that segment was seen as out of date.

In spite of these issues, "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" was a minor hit for the band, charting at #82, while the self-titled album peaked at #84.  The song and album were undoubtedly helped by the video, which went into heavy rotation on MTV for a while, due to its avant garde (at the time) vision of the band members as insects.

Unfortunately, Utopia was not able to really break through, and Rundgren broke up the band in 1986, though there have been periodic reunions since then.

Note that Todd Rundgren made an appearance on ERV for his underrated 1982 solo single, "Hideaway."

Cool trivia fact:  The song title refers to the "feets don't fail me now" catch phrase that dates back to the early 20th century vaudeville and chitlin' circuit performances, but its exact origins are unknown.

Cool trivia fact #2: Utopia is an official one hit wonder, as only 1980's "Set Me Free" (#27) broke the top 40 on the singles charts.

Lenny Kravitz - Let Love Rule

I think of Lenny Kravitz as a 1990s artist, but like Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, his first album came out in 1989.  Unlike Nine Inch Nails, Kravitz' music has a definite retro vibe; he has basically made a living with updated late 1960s/early 1970s rock and funk.  As a result, critics have panned his music as derivative.  While there is an element of truth to this, it is also unfair -- Kravitz' music has classic rock influences, but there are also modern touches, something that led to significant commercial success in the 1990s.

"Let Love Rule" was from Kravitz debut album of the same name, and it became his first charting single, at #89.  The album peaked at #61 and remains (as of this writing), Kravitz' only non-top 40 album of his entire career.  Interestingly, Kravitz has only had 4 top 40 singles, and "Are You Gonna Go My Way" was not one of them (it somehow failed to break the top 100 in the U.S.).

The video for "Let Love Rule" was directed by Lenny Kravitz' then-wife, Lisa Bonet (they divorced in 1993).  The home movie feel and use of kids was highly effective in my view and presented Kravitz as a modern hippie -- something that he didn't really shake until the success of 1993's "Are You Gonna Go My Way."

While "Let Love Rule" was a modest hit in the U.S., it really launched Kravitz in Europe, and he remains the rare artist who is probably more successful outside of his home country.

Cool trivia fact:  The video for "Let Love Rule" was nominated for MTV's best new artist award, but he didn't win -- Michael Penn did for "No Myth," which was featured on ERV in November 2012.

Honeymoon Suite - New Girl Now

"New Girl Now" is another forgotten gem, and the full video contains one of the coolest, eighties-ish intros ever put on tape.  The first 38 seconds starts with some guys doing graffiti, when a Delorean pulls up (presumably without the flux capacitor).  A blown kiss that turns into candy hearts follows (I just loved that bit), and we cut to the band on stage.

Honeymoon Suite formed in Niagara Falls, Canada in 1981, and went through several lineup changes in the early years, before settling on Johnnie Dee (vocals), Derry Grehan (guitar), Gary Lalonde (bass), Ray Coburn (keyboards) and Dave Betts (drums).

As we mentioned in the "Feel It Again" video (posted last May), "New Girl Now" launched the group's career when they won a battle of the bands on Toronto's Q107 radio station.  The self-titled debut album followed in 1984, and "New Girl Now" picked up some airplay.  The song eventually reached #57 on the charts, while the album climbed to #62.

Although the band never really broke through in the U.S., they had four charting singles, and one top 40 hit (the previously mentioned "Feel It Again.")  They had more success in their native Canada, and were a successful live act; they were the opening band on several big 1980s tours including Billy Idol, Heart and Journey.

The band remains active (with some personnel changes) as of this writing.

A special shout out to Sam on this one. (I hope that you have not seen the full intro with the Delorean).

Pat Benatar - All Fired Up

Long time ERV readers may recall that Pat Benatar's cover of The Rascals "You Better Run" was the second video posted on ERV, back in August 2011.  (Uncoincidentally, it was also the second video ever played on MTV, after The Buggles.)  In contrast, "All Fired Up" may well have been the last Pat Benatar video played on MTV during the 1980s; it was unarguably her last (of 15) top 40 hits, not counting "You Better Run," which peaked at #42 in 1980.

"All Fired Up" is off the Wide Awake in Dreamland album, which was Benatar's seventh studio LP.  It was also her last album recorded in the 1980s (and last top 30 LP).  Although it is not as strong as her first few records, it is a solid effort, though perhaps a bit formulaic.  Having said that, Benatar's strong vocals make nearly everything sound good.

The video features the long haired version of Benatar, along with guitarist/husband Neil Giraldo and drummer Myron Grombacher (who was fantastic live).  It is a performance piece, with some behind-the-scenes footage.

As savvy readers will have surmised by the labels, "All Fired Up" is also a cover.  The song was written by by Kerryn Tolhurst and recorded in 1987 by his band, Rattling Sabres.  The song was the group's biggest hit, and reached #97 on the charts in their native Australia.  Through the minor miracle that is the internet, the video is below.

Benatar's "Promises in the Dark" was also posted on ERV in March 2018.

Hüsker Dü - Makes No Sense At All

Hüsker Dü was one of the most interesting and influential bands of the 1980s.  No less a source than Allmusic believe that they and R.E.M. changed the direction of rock and roll.  At a bare minimum, Hüsker Dü has to be considered one of the acts that laid the groundwork for the alternative music scene.

The group formed in Minneapolis in 1979 and were originally a quartet called Buddy and the Returnables (seriously).  Eventually Grant Hart (drums/vocals), Bob Mould (guitar/vocals), and Greg Norton (bass) booted keyboardist Charlie Pine out of the band and transitioned to a hardcore punk act.

While the band's first few indy records were strong, over time Hüsker Dü began recording material that sounded like melodic punk songs -- punk pop, if you will.  This was groundbreaking and innovative stuff.  Unfortunately, although the band built a strong cult following, they never became a mainstream success.

"Makes No Sense At All" is a great example of the punk pop sound, and comes off the superb 1985 Flip Your Wig LP.  This was the last record on the SST label, as the group had just signed to major label Warner Bros. (who apparently wanted to release Flip Your Wig, but the band declined).  The video includes "Makes No Sense At All" and "Love Is All Around" (the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show) which was the B side.  The result is somewhat odd, but still impressive.

Hüsker Dü would go on to release two additional records on Warner Bros. before breaking up in 1987, due to the creative tension between Bob Mould and Grant Hart (the two songwriters for the band).  Mould and Hart remained in the industry, while bassist Greg Norton has sporadically played in the intervening years (he has spent most of his time in the restaurant business).

Cool trivia fact:  Neither "Makes No Sense At All" nor Flip Your Wig charted in the U.S.

Note that Bob Mould's "See A Little Light" was previously featured on ERV.

Novo Combo - Tattoo

Sometimes characterized as an American version of The Police (albeit a much, much, much, much less successful version), Novo Combo released two solid new wave/pop albums in the early 1980s and even generated a bit of airplay on MTV.  However, the band was unable to break through, which of course makes them perfectly suited for ERV.

Novo Combo formed in New York and was composed of several music industry veterans, including Michael Shrieve (drums), who played on the first 8 Santana albums.  Stephen Dees (bass) played with Hall & Oats, while guitarist/singer Pete Hewlett and lead guitarist Jack Griffith rounded out the original lineup.  (Carlos Rios replaced Griffith on the second Novo Combo album.)

"Tattoo" was off the band's self-titled 1981 debut LP.  The album did hit the charts, at #167, and "Tattoo" reached #42 on the Mainstream Rock charts.  However, the group's second effort, 1982's Animation Generation did not do as well, and the band broke up soon afterwards.

The video is a classic early MTV performance piece, and we vaguely remember seeing it.  We particularly enjoyed the super-serious drummer, smoke effects, and Steinberger headless bass (so 1980s).

Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two

A prototypical one hit wonder, Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock burst onto the music scene with their infectious (and possibly overplayed) "It Takes Two" in 1988 and then faded into the background nearly as quickly.

Rob Base (Rob Ginyard) and DJ EZ Rock (Skip Bryce) came out of Harlem and had immediate success with their first album, also titled It Takes Two.  The LP went to #31 on the charts, while the single of the same name reached #36.  "It Takes Two" liberally samples the 1972 song "Think (About It)" from Lyn Collins, assisted by James Brown (who co-wrote and produced the song).  The intro music is from "Space Dust" by The Galactic Force Band.

In the aftermath of It Takes Two, Base and DJ EZ Rock split up; Base released the 1989 follow up, The Incredible Base as a solo album.  It did not do as well, and failed to produce a hit single.  The duo then worked together on a 1994 album, Break of Dawn, but it did not generate any traction.

Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock remained in the industry and continued to sporadically perform until EZ Rock's untimely death on April 27, 2014.

As an added bonus, here is the Lyn Collins song "Think (About It)."  The break at 1:23 is the sample.

Zebra - Tell Me What You Want

With their Led Zeppelin inspired licks and batshit crazy videos, Zebra became an MTV success story in 1983.  The trio originally formed in 1975 in New Orleans and was fronted by guitarist/singer Randy Jackson.  Bassist/keyboardist Felix Hanemann and drummer Guy Gelso rounded out the lineup.

The group gained a following on the Long Island (NY) club scene in the early 1980s, starting as a cover band playing ... Zeppelin (and Rush).  Their self-titled debut did surprisingly well, helped by the videos for "Tell Me What You Want" and "Who's Behind the Door." In fact, when the album was released it became one of Atlantic Records' fastest-selling debuts ever and eventually climbed to #29 on the charts.

The singles did not do as well; "Who's Behind the Door" only made it to #61, while "Tell Me What You Want" did not break the top 100.  Zebra's follow up album, 1984's No Tellin' Lies only reached #84, and was the band's last charting record.

 The video for "Tell Me What You Want" is a total WTF crazy clip.  Although it starts with a literal interpretation of the lyrics (head's on the floor/with a slam of the door), it soon devolves into some kind of smoke-filled nightmare, complete with Zebra chick, and a bunch of weird images that had seemingly little to do with the band or the song.  By the by, the rest of the band (non-Randy Jackson division) gets remarkably little screen time in the video.  My favorite moments:  the double neck BC Rich guitar solo (1:36), the plastic spider (2:07) and the Saran Wrap scene that presages Dexter (2:22).  Also, considered yourself warned that any drinking game that requires players to take a drink whenever the phrase "tell me what you want" is sung is likely to prove fatal.

Zebra broke up around 1990, but reformed in 1997 and remains active to the present day.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Tuff Enuff

While the Fabulous Thunderbirds 1986 album Tuff Enough was a commercial success, many fans and critics were disappointed by the record.  It's not as though Tuff Enough was a bad LP, but it represented a different, more commercial direction for the roadhouse blues band.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds were founded in 1974 and came out of the Austin, Texas blues scene.  Led by singer Kim Wilson and guitarist Jimmy Vaughan (the older brother of Stevie Ray), they released their first album, Girls Go Wild in 1979.  Three additional  strong blues albums followed through 1982, which were generally well reviewed by critics, but they did not become huge commercial successes.

That changed with Tuff Enough.  The album rose to #13 on the album charts and featured the two highest charting hits of the band's long career -- the title cut (which went to #10) and "Wrap It Up," which reached #50.  (Yes, that makes the Fabulous Thunderbirds an official one hit wonder).

Truth be told, the video for "Tuff Enough" is pretty cheesy.  It features stripper/construction workers doing their thing, while the band plays and occasionally interacts with them.  It was not a high point of 1980s videos.  It did, however, generate some airplay, so we suppose that it did its job.

The band saw steadily declining record sales through the 1980s and in 1989 Jimmy left the group to work with his brother.  The band continues to soldier on the the present day, with Kim Wilson as the only constant member.

Cool trivia fact:  Dave Edmunds produced the Tuff Enough album.

John Cougar Mellencamp - Ain't Even Done With The Night

Mr. Happy Go Lucky, John Mellencamp has built an impressive career through the years.  Mellencamp combined folk, roots rock and 1960s influenced pop into a catchy form of heartland rock that has earned him comparisons with Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.  He has also sold more than 40 million albums and has hit the top 40 twenty two times (seventeen of which were in the 1980s).

Mellencamp got his start in the mid-1970s as Johnny Cougar (a name chosen by a former manager without Mellencamp's knowledge).  His first two albums were not successful, but 1979's John Cougar charted, helped by "I Need a Lover" which hit #28 (and received a further boost when Pat Benatar recorded a cover version on her debut album).

Nothin' Matters and What If It Did solidified Mellencamp's status as an artist in the rise and produced two top 40 hits -- "Ain't Even Done With The Night" (#17) and "This Time" (#27).  The album also became the first of nine consecutive LPs to go platinum.

To my ear, the songs off Nothing Matters are more influenced by 1960s pop and have less of an Americana feel than his later work, which may have been intentional.  Much ink has been spilled on Mellencamp's desire to be taken seriously as an artist; it seems likely that part of his musical shift may have been designed to show him in a more serious light.  However, it is worth pointing out that his early pop songs were extremely well-crafted, with unusually strong lyrics for the genre.  (See our Facebook page for an example.)

The video for "Ain't Even Done With The Night" underlines the 1960s pop influences, from the microphone, to the outfits, to the James Brown inspired coat.  It also contains one of the best 'man pretending to be a saxophone' scenes in an early 1980s video.  The whole thing looks like it was shot on the cheap (perhaps in one take), but we still find it enjoyable.

Of course, Mellencamp's career really took off with 1982's America Fool, which went to #1, helped by the ever present (also #1) "Jack and Diane." (As an interesting side note, those were the only #1's of Mellencamp's career.)  And as many readers will know, John Mellencamp remains active in the industry to the present day.