Dire Straits was an English rustic-rock band led by guitarist–singer Mark Knopfler. They released six studio albums and a live disc between 1978 and 1991 on Vertigo/Warner Bros. Musically, the band progressed from lean four-piece interplay on Dire Straits and Communiqué (“Sultans of Swing,” “Lady Writer”) to piano-colored, longer-form song structures on Making Movies (“Tunnel […]
Metro was an English symphonic/art-pop combo that was active through two iterations between 1976 and 1980. In its initial trio formation with veteran singer/songwriter Duncan Browne, the band released a classic self-titled album in late 1976. After his departure, two further albums appeared circa 1979/80 from a revised five-piece lineup. Musically, Metro wed the quasi-symphonic […]
City Boy was an English art-rock sextet from Birmingham that released seven albums on Vertigo between 1976 and 1981. The band was noted for its theatrical stage shows and harmonized, multisectional material. Their first five albums were produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange, who developed his later-famous surround-sound techniques while working with the band. Members: […]
Charlie was an English rock band, formed in 1971. After five years on the live circuit, they signed with Polydor and released eight albums, starting with the 1976 release Fantasy Girls. They drew attention with the provocative models that graced the covers of their 1977–79 albums No Second Chance, Lines, and Fight Dirty. Musically, Charlie […]
The Movies were an English adult-oriented rock band from Cambridge that premiered with a 1975 album on A&M, followed by the 1977–78 albums Double A and Bullets Through the Barrier and the 1980–81 RCA titles India and Motor Motor Motor. Its three co-founders came from the 1973 Sovereign one-off Public Foot the Roman. Members: Greg […]
Chris Rea is an English singer, guitarist, and songwriter who released nine albums between 1978 and 1987 on Magnet, followed by further titles on WEA, EastWest, and Jazzee Blue over the subsequent three decades. Rea’s 1989–91 albums The Road to Hell and Auberge both topped the UK Albums Chart and spawned Top 20 title singles. […]
Judie Tzuke is an English singer/songwriter, best known for her 1979 ballad “Stay With Me Till Dawn.” She released seven studio albums through 1989 and charted with the first two, Welcome to the Cruise and Sportscar, on Elton John‘s Rocket Record Company. Background Tzuke was born Judie Myers on April 3, 1956, in London to […]
Café Jacques was a Scottish trio on Epic–Columbia that released the 1977–78 albums Round the Back and International, both produced by Rupert Hine. Members: Chris Thomson (guitar, vocals), Mike Ogletree (drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals), Peter Veitch (keyboards, accordion) Background Café Jacques formed as a septet in 1973 when guitarist–singer Chris Thomson, an accounting student […]
Marshall Hain were the English art-pop duo of keyboardist/songwriter Julian Marshall and vocalist/songwriter Kit Hain, who released the album Free Ride on Harvest in 1978. Marshall later teamed with vocalist Deborah Berg in the jazz-pop duo Eye to Eye while Hain recorded several solo albums and gained industry renown as a songwriter. Members: Julian Marshall […]
Duncan Browne (March 25, 1947 — May 28, 1993) was an English singer/songwriter who released the album Give Me Take You on Immediate in 1968, followed by a self-titled album on RAK in 1973. After a one-album stint in the symphonic/art-pop trio Metro, he released the 1978/79 albums The Wild Places and Streets of Fire […]
The Bliss Band was an English–American adult-oriented rock band based in Los Angeles. They made two albums for Columbia: the Steely Dan-inspired Dinner With Raoul (1978) and the West Coast-styled Neon Smiles (1979). Members: Paul Bliss (vocals, piano, keyboards), Nigel Elliott (drums, percussion), Phil Palmer (guitar), Andy Brown (bass, vocals), Alan Park (organ, piano, keyboards) […]
Live Wire was an English pub-rock band from London that released the 1979–81 A&M albums Pick It Up, No Fright, and Changes Made. Singer–guitarist Mike Edwards led all three lineups; guitarist–keyboardist Simon Boswell joined after the debut and produced the final two albums. Members: Simon Boswell (guitar, vocals, keyboards, 1980-81), Chris Cutler (guitar, 1979), Mike […]
Sniff ‘n’ the Tears were an English adult-oriented rock band from London that released four albums on Chiswick Records between 1978 and 1982, the first two issued stateside on Atlantic and the third on MCA. The band’s revolving lineup featured a slew of notable players, including the guitarists Mick Dyche (Wild Turkey), Loz Netto (Moon), […]
Moon was an English soul-funk band from London that released the 1976/77 Epic albums Too Close for Comfort and Turning the Tides. Guitarist Loz Netto later joined Sniff ‘n’ the Tears while vocalist Noel McCalla sang for Mike Rutherford on the Genesis-bassist’s 1979 solo album Smallcreep’s Day. Members: Noel McCalla (vocals), Loz Netto (guitar, vocals), […]
Sad Café was an English ensemble that was active between the late 1970s and mid-1980s. Hailing from a then-furtive Manchester scene (10cc, Buzzcocks, Magazine) the band released six studio albums between 1977 and 1985. The instrumental core of the band congealed as Mandalaband, formed to backup composer David Rohl on a pair of album-length conceptual […]
Yellow Dog was an English art-pop band behind the 1977/78 Virgin albums Yellow Dog and Beware of the Dog, followed by the 1981 Escape release Strangers in Paradox. They featured four ex-members of Fox with guitarist-singer Kenny Young in Noosha Fox’s vacated role and Gerry Conway (Eclection/Fotheringay) in the drum seat. Members: Kenny Young (guitar, […]
