A Flock of Seagulls -

A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band that was initially active during the first half of the 1980s. Their name originates from the climactic verse of the 1978 Stranglers epic “Toiler on the Sea.”

Hailing from Liverpool, A Flock of Seagulls achieved iconic status with their highly acclaimed, mega-selling debut album. With the singles “Space Age Love Song,” “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You),” and the era-defining evergreen “I Ran,” the band played a pivotal role in the Second British Invasion that swept America in 1982–83. Their success was owed in part to MTV, which placed the band’s clips in high rotation just as the channel was first becoming a U.S. household fixture.

Members: Mike Score (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Ali Score (drums, 1980-86), Frank Maudsley (bass, 1980-86), Willie Woo (guitar, 1980), Paul Reynolds (guitar, 1980-84), Gary Steadnin (guitar, 1984-85), Chris Chryssaphis (keyboards, 1984-85)

Background

A Flock of Seagulls were formed in 1980 by ex-hairdresser Mike Score, who had spent the prior year playing bass in the Liverpudlian small-press one-off Tontrix, which also featured vocalist Hambi Haralambous — future Hambi & the Dance frontman — and soon-to-be Adam & the Ants drummer Chris Hughes.

For their initial recordings, A Flock of Seagulls were produced by Bill Nelson, who issued the band’s first single, “Talking,” on his Cocteau label in 1981. A stately slice of Ultravoxian modern rock, the record helped codify the band’s guitar/synth-based sonic luminosity.

Recorded 1981-05-06. First broadcast 12 May 1981. Repeated 13 August 1981 and 30 March 1982.
Talking (It’s Not Me Talking) / Messages From The Rings Of Saturn / I Ran / “Committed”

5 Jun 1981
A: (It’s Not Me) Talking
B: Factory Music

25 Sep 1981
A: Telecommunication
B: Intro

27 Nov 1981
A1: Modern Love Is Automatic
A2: D.N.A.
B1: Windows
B2: You Can Run

A Flock of Seagulls

A Flock of Seagulls released their self-titled debut album on April 28, 1982, on Jive.

1. “Modern Love Is Automatic” 3:54
2. “Messages” 2:57
3. “I Ran (So Far Away)” 5:12
4. “Space Age Love Song” 3:52
5. “You Can Run” 4:30
6. “Telecommunication” 2:33
7. “Standing in the Doorway” 4:46
8. “Don’t Ask Me” 2:52
9. “D.N.A.” 2:30
10. “Tokyo” 2:59
11. “Man Made” 5:46

Recorded Summer–Late Autumn 1981
Studio Battery (London)

Mike Howlett – production (all tracks except “Telecommunication”, “Tanglimara” and “Intro”)
Bill Nelson – production (“Telecommunication”)
Steve Lovell and A Flock of Seagulls – production (“Tanglimara” and “Intro”)
Mark Dearnley – engineering
Mike Shipley – engineering

12 Mar 1982
A: I Ran
B: Pick Me Up

May 1982
A: Space Age Love Song
B: Windows

Listen

A Flock of Seagulls released their second album, Listen, on April 29, 1983, on Jive.

1. “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)” 5:30
2. “Nightmares” 4:39
3. “Transfer Affection” 5:21
4. “What Am I Supposed to Do” 4:13
5. “Electrics” 3:36
6. “The Traveller” 3:27
7. “2:30” 1:00
8. “Over the Border” 5:04
9. “The Fall” 4:29
10. “(It’s Not Me) Talking” 5:00

Recorded 1982–1983
Studio Conny Plank’s Studio (Neunkirchen, West Germany)

Mike Howlett – producer (1-9)
Bill Nelson – producer (10)
Dave Hutchins – engineer, producer (A6)
Conny Plank – producer (A6)
Mike Score – producer (B7)
Pete Watson – sleeve design, art direction
Eric Watson – photography

29 Oct 1982
A: Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)
B: Committed

Apr 1983
A: Nightmares
B: Rosenmontag

Jun 1983
A: Transfer Affection
B: I Ran (Live)

Sep 1983
A: (It’s Not Me) Talking
B: Tanglimara

The Story of a Young Heart

A Flock of Seagulls released their third album, The Story of a Young Heart, on August 07, 1984, on Jive.

1. “The Story of a Young Heart” 6:07
2. “Never Again (The Dancer)” 5:05
3. “The More You Live, the More You Love” 4:10
4. “European (I Wish I Was)” 4:26
5. “Remember David” 4:06
6. “Over My Head” 3:55
7. “Heart of Steel” 5:45
8. “The End” 3:34
9. “Suicide Day” 5:20

Recorded 1983–1984
Studio Ridge Farm (Capel, England)

Steve Lovell – production
Chris Porter – engineering
Steve Lipson – engineering (4)
Phil Vinal – engineering
Sven Taits, Alister Bullock – assistance
John Reid – bass (2)
Pete Watson – art direction
Eric Watson – photography (back)
Daniel Thistlethwaite – photography (front)
Ali Score, Weed – photography (inner sleeve)

Jun 1984
A: The More You Live, The More You Love
B: Lost Control

Sep 1984
A: Never Again (The Dancer)
B: Living In Heaven

Dream Come True

A Flock of Seagulls released their fourth album, Dream Come True, in March 1986 on Jive.

1. “Better & Better” 5:21
2. “Heartbeat Like a Drum” 5:33
3. “Who’s That Girl (She’s Got It)” 4:17
4. “Hot Tonight” 5:56
5. “Cry Like a Baby” 6:28
6. “Say So Much” 3:35
7. “Love on Your Knees” 3:57
8. “How Could You Ever Leave Me” 3:24
9. “Whole Lot of Loving” 6:03

Recorded 1985
Studio Battery Studios, London

Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar
Frank Maudsley – bass
Ali Score – drums

Additional Musicians
Pete “Q” Harris – Fairlight programming
Phil Nicholas – Fairlight programming (7)
Mike Irving – lead guitar (1, 3, 6, 8)
Joel Bogan – lead guitar (2)
Keith Moore – lead guitar (4)
Gus Isadore – lead guitar (5, 9)
Becky Boone – flute sequence (4)
Jay Carley – backing vocals (1, 2, 7)
Beverley Skeete – backing vocals (1, 2, 7)
Carmen Manley – backing vocals (3)
Karen Kay – backing vocals (4, 6)
Dee Lewis – backing vocals (5, 8, 9)
Shirley Lewis – backing vocals (5, 8, 9)

Production
Mike Score – producer
Wayne Brathwaite – producer (2, 7, 9)
Steve McGlaughlin – engineer (1, 3-6, 8)
Brian “Chuck” New – engineer (2, 7), mixing (2, 7)
Steve Power – engineer (9)
Simon Hanhart – mixing (1, 4, 6, 8)
Nigel Green – mixing (3)
Jeremy Allon – mixing (5)
Steve Power – mixing (8)

Oct 1985
A: Who’s That Girl (She’s Got It)
B: Who’s That Girl (She’s Got It) (Instrumental Version)