Ultravox - Vienna

Huge in the UK and Europe and relatively unknown in the U.S., Ultravox were an influential band that helped lay the foundation for synth pop.  The group formed in London in 1973, and was originally called Tiger Lilly.  The name was changed to Ultravox! when the act signed with Island Records in 1976, and the ! was dropped a few years later.

For all practical purposes, there were two versions of the band.  From the early days until 1979, Ultravox was led by John Foxx, and had an artsy synth-rock sound (to my ear, the sound is in the same genre as Devo).  Foxx left in '79 to start a solo career, and was replaced by Midge Ure, who pushed the band's sound in a lush, artistic direction.

The revitalized Ultravox would go on the have significant success in the 1980s in the UK, with 5 top 10 LPs and 16 top 40 singles, led by "Vienna," which hit #2 on the UK charts.  However, they made barely a ripple in the U.S., where only one album broke the top 100, and no singles reached the top 40.

I don't recall seeing the video on my favorite video music channel, but it is quite strong, especially for an early clip. Influenced by the 1949 movie The Third Man (which takes place in Vienna),  it was mostly shot in London, primarily at Covent Garden.  Interestingly, the band paid for the video, as their label at the time (Chrysalis) didn't think it was worth it.  [How things would change a few years later.]

As previously mentioned, Ultravox was successful through the eighties in Europe - and Midge Ure even co-wrote "Do They Know It's Christmas."  However, artistic difference led the Ure leaving the band in 1988, and the group broke up a few years later.  They did re-form (with Ure) in 2008, and played until 2017, but appear to have disbanded for a second time as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact "Vienna" was the 135th video played on MTV's first day.

Rush - Tom Sawyer

As many readers will know, sometimes The Universe calls out and makes a request.  Often times these are serendipitous events, but some of the time they are sad - and that's ok.  We've been processing the passing of Rush drummer Neil Peart, and were unsure at first whether to put a post up.  Then, we heard "Tom Sawyer" on the radio, reminding us of all that is great about Rush and rock and drummers.  Even better, the video is somewhat rare.

"Tom Sawyer" was the second single off Rush's breakout 1981 LP, Moving Pictures. ("Limelight" was the lead single.)  The song only reached #44 on the U.S. charts, but was a mainstay on FM rock radio in the 1980s.  The album rose to #3 and eventually went 4x platinum, making it Rush's best selling LP in the U.S.

The video was shot in Le Studio in Quebec, Canada during a cold Canadian winter.  With the exception of a quick outside intro shot, the rest of the clip is the band playing in the studio - note that these were the last few years before MTV, and we suspect the video was something of an afterthought.  As a plain vanilla video, we don't recall seeing it on MTV; perhaps it picked up a bit of airplay in the early days.

The song is particularly noteworthy in our book due to the front and center nature of the drum line.  This is the stuff that drum heroes are made of, and true to form, Rush drummer Neil Peart quickly established himself as rock's greatest living drummer.

Rush would go on to have significant success throughout the 1980s, and continued to record and tour through 2015. 

 
Cool trivia fact:  Rush is a one hit wonder, only 1982's "New World Man" broke the top 40 (at #21).

Cool trivia fact #2: Rolling Stone ranks Moving Pictures at #379 on their list of the greatest 500 albums ever.

Poison - Talk Dirty To Me

Here's a fun conversation starter:  What is the most 1980s band?  Not the most successful act of the decade; rather, what artist or group best represents the 1980s vibe?

While we're not sure of the answer, Poison should probably be on the short list.  The band's flashy glam rock sound and image dominated MTV in the second half of the 1980s, and the group sold a boatload of records, as well.

Poison (named after a 1981 Kix song) formed in 1983 in Pennsylvania, and originally was comprised of Bret Michaels (vocals), Matt Smith (guitar), Bobby Dall (bass), and Rikki Rockett (drums).  Like so many other glam rock (pop metal) acts, they moved to LA to make it, and honed their craft playing in the Sunset Strip clubs.  Later, when Smith left the group the remaining members held auditions (more on this later) before settling on C.C. DeVille.

The group signed to Enigma Records in 1986, and released their debut album, Look What the Cat Dragged In later that year.  Although sales were slow to start, a combination of flamboyant videos and a knack for self promotion helped the band break out.

The band's rise began in earnest when MTV put the video for the second single, "Talk Dirty to Me" into heavy rotation.  Poison's debut LP would eventually go triple platinum, while the single would become the first of  10 top 40 songs. 

As was the case with many pop metal acts, Posion's success waned in the early 1990s as grunge became popular, and DeVille left the group for a time (yes, drugs may have been a factor).  However, the original lineup re-formed in the late 1990s and appears to be together as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  C.C. DeVille played the guitar lick from "Talk Dirty to Me" at his audition for the band.

Cool trivia fact #2:  Slash (of Guns N' Roses) auditioned for Poison, and was one of three finalists (along with Steve Silva from the Joe Perry Project) for the job.

Fun Boy Three (With Bananarama) - It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)

Way back when, in 2013, we featured the excellent "Ghost Town" by The Specials as part of ERV's All Hallows Even celebration.  This year, we come full circle with Fun Boy Three's "It Ain't What You Do" cover.

As savvy readers will know, Fun Boy Three arose from the ashes of The Specials, when singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple, and Lynval Golding left to form their new act.  This also led to a change in musical style; while The Specials were a 2 Tone ska band (admittedly with strong pop sensibilities), Fun Boy Three was more of a straight up pop band.

"It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" was the second single that Fun Boy Three released, and it became a huge hit in the UK - reaching #4 on the singles chart.  (I don't think that it charted in the U.S.)  The song also introduced Bananarama to audiences and led to a second collaboration, "Really Sayin' Something," which was featured on ERV in 2015.

 The creepy video has a dream-like atmosphere that fits both the song, and ERV's All Hallows Even theme.

In addition, "It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" is a cover of a 1939 song originally called "'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)."  We believe that one of the first recordings was by Jimmy Lunceford, which we have included below:

Walter Egan - Fool Moon Fire

Our long time reader(s) will know that we love this time of year - to the point that we have an All Hallows Even celebration every year (since 2011!)  This year, we start off with a pitch perfect video - Walter Egan's "Fool Moon Fire."

Egan kicked around the music industry for years, and never quite broke through - with one exception.  His 1978 song "Magnet and Steel" (written about Stevie Nicks), hit #8 on the charts, making him an official one hit wonder.

Of course, this is an eighties blog, and we are taking Halloween, so we went with 1983's "Fool Moon Fire" instead.  The song did chart (#46). although the Wild Exhibitions LP did not.  The video hearkens back to the days when artists spent five grand to make a video - though we find the homemade elements charming.

And we would be remiss if we didn't point out the candy apple red vintage Mustang ... and one of the best wolf man playing guitar scenes ever (around 3:23).

George Harrison - All Those Years Ago

George Harrison's Somewhere in England album was originally slated for release in October 1980.  However, Warner Bros. initially rejected the album as too laid back (label speak for not enough radio-friendly songs).  As a result, Harrison was re-working the material when John Lennon was murdered in December 1980.

Harrison took a previously written song (originally intended for Ringo), changed the lyrics, and recorded it with a little help from his friends.  Ringo actually played drums on the song, and Paul McCartney (along with Linda McCartney and Denny Laine from Wings) sang backup vocals.  As a result, this was the first song to feature the three ex-Beatles since 1970.

In the aftermath of Lennon's death, the feeling of sadness and nostalgia was palpable, and "All Those Years Ago" became a huge hit - reaching #2 on the charts (and only kept out of the top spot by "Bette Davis Eyes.")  The video, featuring footage of Lennon, Harrison, and the rest of the Fab Four, fits the song quite well - it's more a celebration than a dirge.

After Harrison's 1982 LP Gone Troppo fell flat, he took a five year break from the business before his next album.  He then remained sporadically active in the music industry until his untimely death from cancer in 2001. 

Strawberry Switchblade - Since Yesterday

Although they had one of the coolest names in the music industry, Strawberry Switchblade was a one hit wonder in their native U.K., and didn't make a dent in the U.S. market at all.  This is a shame, as they were an odd and interesting duo whose one hit was really pretty good.

Strawberry Switchblade was formed in Scotland in 1981, and was comprised of Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall.  Their image of big bright dresses and bows fit nicely with the synth pop sound ... as long as you didn't listen to the lyrics (or pay attention to the goth makeup).  It turns out that the name was intentionally chosen, and the lyrics to their bright pop songs were often dark or disturbing.  "Since Yesterday," for instance, was written about the aftermath of a nuclear war.

The group gained traction in 1983, and released their first single, "Trees and Flowers."  This led to a recording contract and in late 1984, "Since Yesterday" was released.  The song slowly rose on the UK charts, eventually reaching #5.  Their self-titled debut LP followed in 1985, but they were not able to land another hit, and a combination of musical and personal disagreements led to a split by 1986.

I don't recall seeing the video on MTV, though it may have appeared on 120 Minutes.  However, the Tim Pope video is visually arresting, and does a solid job of conveying the band to the public. 

Eric B. & Rakim - Follow The Leader

Check out any list of the most influential hip hop artists ever and Eric B. & Rakim will be on it - probably near the top.  Their vintage sampling and laid back, complex rhyming showed the template for modern hip hop.  In fact, many critics view Eric B. & Rakim as the seminal act that helped create the transition from old school to new school rap.

Eric B. (Barrier) and Rakim (born as William Griffin, but changed his name upon his conversion to Islam) were part of the vibrant metro New York rap scene of the 1980s.  By 1986 they were working together, and that same year released their first single, "Eric B. Is President." The following year saw the release of the Paid in Full LP, often viewed as one of the most important and influential hip hop albums ever.   

In spite of their innovative approach to hip hop (from both a DJ and MC perspective), Eric B. & Rakim had only modest commercial success - the duo did not have a top 40 single or a top 20 album.  This was partly due to the duo's image - they were viewed as authentic rap artists, and made little effort to modify their image or their songs to become more commercially successful.

For the blog, we went with the timeless "Follow the Leader" video, off the 1988 album of the same name.  The song reached #16 on the R&B charts, but did not break the top 40.  The album hit #22 - their highest charting effort.

Starting in 1992, tensions over their recording contract and perhaps their master tapes led to an extended legal conflict.  As a result, Eric B. & Rakim broke up, although they remained in the industry as solo artists.  However, in 2017, they re-united for a tour and appear to be together as of this writing.

Vandenberg - Burning Heart

The Dutch band Vandenberg was one of a surprising number of acts from that country to flirt with international success.  For example, both Golden Earring and Shocking Blue have previously been featured on ERV.  Led by (and named after) lead guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, the group was known for its melodic hard rock sound and classical flourishes, especially on the guitar solos.

Vandenberg's 1982 debut LP did reasonable well, reaching #65 on the album charts, helped by the "Burning Heart" single, which reached #39. Note that Vandenberg's song is totally different from Survivor's "Burning Heart" (a #2 hit from 1985, from the from Rocky IV soundtrack).

A successful debut album, a hit single, and a melodic hard rock sound should have translated to further success, but Vandenberg's second and third albums did not do well, and the band broke up in 1986.  The following year, Adrian Vandenberg joined Whitesnake, and remained with them through the remainder of the decade.

Adrian Vandenberg remains active in the industry as of this writing - and is also a painter.

Red Rockers - China

Red Rockers was a fascinating band who never quite found their audience.  To be fair, this was at least partly due to their evolving musical style, which seemed to shift almost on a song-by-song basis.

The band formed in New Orleans in 1979 as a punk act, influenced by groups such as The Clash and The Dils.  In fact, Red Rockers (the band) is named after "Red Rockers" (the 1979 Dils' song).   However, after  their first LP (1981's Guns of Revolution), they swung wildly from punk to pop/new wave on 1983's Good as Gold album.  This resulted in a MTV hit with "China," and set off a series of internal conflicts within the band (not to mention alienating their early punk fans).

In spite of some serious MTV airplay, "China" peaked at #53, leaving Red Rockers one hit short of being a one hit wonder.  Internal conflicts and some personnel changes continued through 1985's Schizophrenic Circus, and the band broke up later that year.