Wolfgang Düren (born July 9, 1956) is a German electronic musician who served as a sequencer programmer for Tangerine Dream between 1978 and 1980. As a recording artist, he released the album Eyeless Dreams on WPL Records in 1980. He subsequently went into keyboard distribution and founded Waldorf Electronics, a synthesizer manufacturer, in 1988. Discography: […]
A Certain Ratio were an English art-funk/New Wave band from Manchester that released a slew of shortplayers on Factory Records circa 1979/80, followed by four albums on the label between 1981 and 1986. Members: Jez Kerr (bass, vocals), Simon Topping (vocals, trumpet, percussion, 1978-83), Martin Moscrop (guitar, trumpet), Peter Terrell (guitar, electronics, 1978-82), Donald Johnson […]
999 were an English punk-rock/New Wave band from London that released two albums on United Artists in 1978, followed by a pair of titles on Polydor in the early 1980s. Guitarist/vocalist Nick Cash (real name: Keith Lucas) played alongside Ian Dury in the early 1970s retro-R&B act Kilburn and the High Roads. Members: Nick Cash […]
Status Quo was an English hard-rock/boogie band from London that initially cut three beat singles as The Spectres circa 1966/67, followed by a fourth as The Traffic Jam in 1967. After settling on the name Status Quo, the band released four albums on Pye between 1968 and 1971, followed by 16 further studio albums on […]
Shriekback were an English ethno/art-funk band that released multiple 1982/83 shortplayers and the 1983 album Care on Y Records, followed by two albums apiece on Arista and Island between 1984 and 1988. Keyboardist/vocalist Barry Andrews hailed from the original lineup of XTC, recording two 1978 albums with the band before cutting a pair of 1979/80 […]
1919 were an English goth-rock band from Bradford, West Yorkshire, that released five shortplayers on Red Rhino and Abstract between 1982 and 1984. All of the band’s recordings from this period were later issued on the 2001 Anagram disc The Complete Collection. Members: Mark Tighe (guitar, 1979-2017), Ian Tilleard (lead vocals, 1979-84), Nick Hiles (bass, […]
The 13th Chime were an English goth-rock band from Haverhill, Suffolk, that released three small-press singles between 1981 and 1983. Around 1984, tracks were laid for an intended album that was ultimately released by archivists Sacred Bones in 2009. Members: Mick Hand (vocals), Gary O’Connor (guitar), Terry Taylor (bass), Ricky Cook (drums) Discography: “Cuts of […]
Quarterflash were an American modern-rock band from Portland, Ore. Members: Marv Ross (guitar), Rindy Ross (vocals, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone), Jack Charles (guitar, vocals, 1980-86), Brian David Willis (percussion, 1980-86), Rick Gooch (bass, 1980-86), Rick DiGiallonardo (keyboards, 1980-86), Doug Fraser (guitar, 1990-96), Sandin Wilson (bass, 1990-96), Mel Kubik (keyboards, saxophone, 1990-96), Gregg Williams (percussion, 1990-96) […]
Atlantic Starr were an American soul-funk band from White Plains, N.Y., that released six albums on A&M between 1978 and 1985, followed by two albums on Warner Bros. during the late 1980s. Members: Wayne Lewis (keyboards, vocals, 1976-2000, 2008-present), Jonathan Lewis (percussion, keyboards, trombone, 1976-2000, 2008-present), Joseph Phillips (percussion, flute, 1976-2000, 2008-present), David Lewis (vocals, […]
Oregon are an American ethno-jazz band from Eugene, Ore., formed in 1970. Members: Collin Walcott (percussion, tabla, sitar, dulcimer, 1970-84), Glen Moore (bass, clarinet, viola, piano), Paul McCandless (bass clarinet, oboe, horn, soprano saxophone, synthesizer, wind synthesizer), Ralph Towner (flugelhorn, classical guitar, piano, percussion, 12-string guitar, guitar, Hammond organ), Trilok Gurtu (percussion, tabla, 1987-93), Mark […]
Grover Washington Jr. (Dec. 12, 1943 — Dec. 17, 1999) was an American jazz-funk and soul-jazz saxophonist who released 10 albums on Kudo between 1971 and 1977, followed by multiple titles on Motown, Elektra, and Columbia during the next two decades. Washington was born on December 12, 1943, to a musical family in Buffalo, New […]
Ted Curson — aka Theodore Curson (June 3, 1935 — Nov. 4, 2012) — was an American post-bop/jazz-funk trumpeter from Philadelphia. Discography: Plenty of Horn (1961) Plays Fire Down Below (1963) Tears for Dolphy (1964 • Ted Curson Quartet) The New Thing and the Blue Thing (1965) Urge (1966) Ode to Booker Ervin (1970) Pop […]
Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz-funk trumpeter, conductor, and composer from Oakland, Calif. Discography: Jon & Billy (1974 • Billy Harper & Jon Faddis) Youngblood (1976) Good and Plenty (1979) Legacy (1985) Good and Plenty (1986) Take Double (1986 • Clark Terry & Jon Faddis) Into the Faddisphere (1989)
Synergy is the recording/performance moniker of American electronic musician Larry Fast (born Dec. 10, 1951), who released seven albums under the name on Passport Records between 1975 and 1982. Discography: Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra (1975) Sequencer (1976) Cords (1978) Games (1979) Audion (1981) Computer Experiments: Volume One (1981) The Jupiter Menace (1982) Metropolitan Suite […]
Janet Lawson (born Nov. 13, 1940) is an American jazz vocalist from Baltimore who released two albums with her namesake post-bop group on Inner City and Omnisound between 1981 and 1984. Discography: “Dindi” / “Two Little Rooms” (1970) The Janet Lawson Quintet (1981 • The Janet Lawson Quintet) Dreams Can Be (1984 • The Janet […]
The Zones were a Scottish new wave rock band that released the album Under Influence on Arista in 1979. They were an outgrowth of Slik, a mid-’70s pop quartet that served as the launching pad for singer Midge Ure (later of Ultravox). Members: Willie Gardner (vocals, guitar), Russell Webb (bass), Billy McIsaac (keyboards), Kenny Hyslop […]
Stanley Turrentine (April 5, 1934 — Sept. 12, 2000) was an American post-bop/jazz-funk tenor saxophonist from Pittsburgh. Discography: Look Out! (1960) Blue Hour (1961 • Stanley Turrentine With The 3 Sounds) Stan “The Man” Turrentine (1962) Dearly Beloved (1962) That’s Where It’s At (1962) Never Let Me Go (1963) Soul Shoutin’ (1964 • Shirley Scott […]
Tom Browne (born Oct. 30, 1954) is an American jazz-funk trumpeter from Queens. Discography: Browne Sugar (1979) Love Approach (1981) Magic (1981) Yours Truly (1981) Rockin’ Radio (1983) Tommy Gun (1984) No Longer I (1988) Mo’ Jamaica Funk (1994) Another Shade of Browne (1996) R’n’Browne (1999) S’ Up (2010)
Angel Witch were an English heavy metal band from London that released a self-titled album on Bronze in 1980, followed by a pair of albums on Killerwatt during the mid-1980s. Members: Kevin Heybourne (vocals, guitar), Rob Downing (guitar, 1977-79), Steve Jones (drums, 1977), Barry Clements (bass, 1977), Kevin “Skids” Riddles (bass, 1978-81), Dave Hogg (drums, […]
Frank Zappa (Dec. 21, 1940 — Dec. 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, producer, and bandleader from Baltimore, Md., who was active as a recording artist for more than 25 years, starting with his backing band the Mothers of Invention during the mid-1960s. Between 1966 and 1975, he released five albums on Verve, followed […]
Captain Beefheart was the performance moniker of Don Van Vliet (Jan. 15, 1941 — Dec. 17, 2010), an American musician, singer, poet, songwriter, and painter from Glendale, Calif., who was active as a recording artist between 1967 and 1982, releasing 11 albums with his avant-blues Magic Band. Magic Band members: Captain Beefheart (vocals, harmonica, saxophone, […]
Shandi Sinnamon (born 1954) is an American singer/songwriter from Miami who released a self-titled album on Asylum in 1976, followed by a second eponymous album with a New Wave/rock backing band on Dreamland Records Inc. in 1980. Discography: Shandi Sinnamon (1976) Shandi (1980)
Mike Harvey is a Kiwi keyboardist and composer who fronted the New Zealand band Salty Dogg during the late 1970s. As a solo artist, he released the album Great Expectations on EMI in 1979. Discography: Great Expectations (1979)
Pierre Moerlen’s Gong was a French jazz-rock band that functioned as a continuation of Gong following the departure of Daevid Allen, with percussionist Moerlen assuming the reigns. This iteration of the band released six albums between 1975 and 1981, the last three of which bear the affixed nameplate. Members: Pierre Moerlen (drums), Benoit Moerlen (percussion, […]
Dragon are a New Zealander rock band that released two albums on Vertigo in 1974 and 1975, followed by four titles on CBS/Portrait between 1977 and 1979. Another round of albums appeared on Polydor and RCA Victor during the mid-to-late 1980s. Members: Todd Hunter (bass, vocals, 1972-97, 2006-present), Ray Goodwin (guitar, keyboards, vocals, 1972-76), Neil […]
Mi-Sex was a New Zealand new wave band that released four albums between 1979 and 1983 on CBS–Epic. Members: Don Martin (bass), Murray Burns (keyboards), Richard Hodgkinson (drums, 1977-1981), Steve Gilpin (vocals, 1977-1984), Kevin Stanton (guitar, 1977-1986), Paul Dunningham (drums, 1981-present), Colin Bailey (guitar, 1983-present) In late 1978, Mi-Sex debuted with the single “Straight Laddie” […]
The Work were an English avant/art-punk band that issued the single “I Hate America” on self-press Woof Records in 1981, followed by the album Slow Crimes in 1982. A later round of activity yielded the discs Rubber Cage (1989) and See (1992), both again on Woof. Multi-instrumentalist Tim Hodgkinson hailed from 1970s avant/chamber-rockers Henry Cow. […]
Vision were an English synthpop band from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, formed in 1981 as Spiral Visions. In 1982, the band self-released the EP Danse Macabre and the cassette-album Insight, followed by the Italian chart single “Lucifer’s Friend.” A further round of singles appeared on MVM/PRT during the ensuing five-year period. Members: Andy Beaumont (keyboards), Russell […]
Supercharge were an English R&B/big band from Liverpool that debuted with an album on Stag Music in 1974, followed by five albums on Virgin between 1976 and 1979. After an album apiece on Criminal Records and Intercord during the 1980–82 period, the band released two live discs and a comeback studio album on Memo Music […]
The Swell Maps were an English art-punk band from Solihull that issued a three-song single on self-press Rather in 1978, followed by two albums and four shortplayers on Rough Trade during 1979 and 1980. Members: Nikki Sudden (vocals, backing vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, percussion, harmonica, handclaps, balloon), Epic Soundtracks (piano, drums, organ, bass, bass synth, […]
The Vapors were an English rock band that released the 1980–81 albums New Clear Days and Magnets on United Artists–Liberty. They foreshadowed the Second British Invasion with their transatlantic hit “Turning Japanese.” Members: David Fenton (vocals, guitar), Edward Bazalgette (lead guitar), Howard Smith (drums), Steve Smith (bass) The Vapors assembled in Guildford, Surrey, in 1978 […]
Sector 27 were an English New Wave/art-punk band that released a self-titled album with accompanying singles on Fontana in 1980, followed by three further singles in 1981. The band was formed by singer/songwriter Tom Robinson after the breakup of his namesake politi-rock band. He subsequently launched a solo career, releasing eight albums over the ensuing […]
The Ruts were an English punk-rock/reggae band from Hayes, Greater London, that released the album The Crack with accompanying singles on Virgin in 1979. A name-change to Ruts DC preceded the 1981/82 albums Animal Now and Rhythm Collision – Vol.1, the second released on self-press Bohemian Records. Members: David Ruffy (drums), John Jennings (bass, vocals), […]
The Reluctant Stereotypes were an English New Wave/ska band from Coventry that issued a three-song EP on A&M-subsidiary Oval Music in 1979, followed by the album The Label with three accompanying singles/b-sides on WEA in 1980. Vocalist Paul King, who joined just prior to the WEA releases, later recorded two albums with his own surname-sake […]
Zaine Griff — aka Glenn Mikkelson (born Oct. 4, 1957) — is a Kiwi vocalist and musician who was primarily active during the 1970s and early 1980s. Following a stint with New Zealand heroes The Human Instinct, he moved to England and released a single apiece with the bands Baby Face and Screemer. As a […]
Joe Walsh (born Nov. 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter from Wichita, Kan., who emerged at the turn of the 1970s in hard-rockers the James Gang, appearing on the albums Yer’ Album, Rides Again, and Thirds. In 1972, he debuted as a solo artist with the ABC Dunhill release Barnstorm, named for […]
Expresso were an American jazz-rock band that released the album First Cup on Freight Records in 1981. Members: – Discography: First Cup (1981)
The Boomtown Rats are an Irish rock band that released six albums between 1977 and 1984 on Ensign and Mercury. Singer Bob Geldof was an outspoken new wave figurehead who later marshalled the all-star charitable projects Band Aid and Live Aid. Members: Bob Geldof (vocals), Johnnie Fingers (keyboards, vocals), Gerry Cott (guitar 1975-81), Pete Briquette […]
