Labi Siffre (born 1945) is an English singer/songwriter, poet, and playwright who was initially active as a recording artist during the first half of the 1970s. Discography: Labi Siffre (1970) The Singer and the Song (1971) Crying Laughing Loving Lying (1972) For the Children (1973) Remember My Song (1975) Happy (1975) So Strong (1988)
The Mekons were an English post-punk band from Leeds that issued two singles on small-press Fast Product in 1978, followed by the album The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strnen on Virgin in 1979. After a pause in output, a reconstituted lineup issued a run of albums on Sin Record Company and Quarterstick during the […]
Red Box were an English art-pop duo from London that released a standalone single on Cherry Red in 1983, followed by a pair of singles on Sire circa 1984/85. In 1986, an augmented lineup of the band released the album The Circle & The Square on WEA, followed by a second album on EastWest in […]
RAH Band were an English studio-based space-funk project that released three singles and the album The Crunch & Beyond on Ebony circa 1977/78, followed by further singles and accompanying albums on DJM, TMT, and RCA between 1981 and 1985. The project was led by producer/composer/arranger Richard A. Hewson and featured a revolving cast of musicians […]
Mazarati were an American synth-funk band from Minneapolis that released a self-titled album on Paisley Park in 1986 and a second on Motown in 1989. Members: Sir Casey Terry (vocals), Romeo (bass, backing vocals), Tony Christian (rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Kevin Patricks [Blondie] (drums, percussion), Craig “Screamer” Powell (lead guitar, backing vocals), Aaron Paul […]
Blitzkrieg were an English metal band from Leicester that released the album A Time of Changes on Neat in 1985. Members: Brian Ross (vocals), Jim Sirotto (guitar, 1980-81, 1984-86), Ian Jones (guitar, 1980-81), Steve English (bass, 1980-81), Steve Abbey (drums, 1980-81), Mick Moore (bass, 1981, 1984-86, 1991), John Antcliffe (guitar, 1981), Sean Taylor (drums, 1984-86, […]
Billy Idol — aka William Broad (Nov. 30, 1955) — is an English vocalist from Stanmore, Middlesex, who emerged in the hard-rock/punk band Generation X during the late 1970s. Discography: Don’t Stop (EP, 1981) Billy Idol (1982) Rebel Yell (1983) Whiplash Smile (1986) Charmed Life (1990) Cyberpunk (1993) Devil’s Playground (2005) Kings & Queens of […]
Beltane Fire were an English symphonic-folk band that released the album Different Breed on CBS in 1985. Members: Clint Bradley (guitar, vocals), Mitchell D. Caws (bass, vocals), Carlo B. Edwards (guitar, vocals), Stef Edwards (drums, vocals), Nick Glennie-Smith (keyboards), Alan Shacklock (keyboards) Discography: Different Breed (1985)
Belouis Some — aka Neville Keighley (Dec. 12, 1959) — is an English dance-pop vocalist and songwriter who released two albums on Capitol between 1985 and 1987. Discography: Some People (1985) Belouis Some (1987)
National Pastime were an English pop-rock band from Sale, Greater Manchester, that released three singles on Spellbound Records in 1984, followed by the album Built to Break on Victor in 1985. A final single appeared on the Pop Eye label in 1986. Members: Oliver Sheen (bass, vocals), Mark Knott (drums), Steve Broomhead (guitar), Rupert Sheen […]
Arthur Blythe (May 7, 1940 — March 27, 2017) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer from Los Angeles who released a string of albums on India Navigation and Columbia/CBS between 1977 and 1988, followed by titles on Enja, Red Baron, Jazz House, and other labels during the subsequent two decades. Discography: The Grip (1977) […]
GTR were an English hard-rock supergroup that released a self-titled album on Arista in 1986. The band featured guitar legends Steve Howe (Yes) and Steve Hackett (Genesis) alongside vocalist Max Bacon (Bronz) and bassist Phil Spalding (Original Mirrors). Members: Steve Hackett (guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals), Steve Howe (guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals), Max Bacon (lead vocals), […]
George Clinton (born July 22, 1941) is an American R&B-funk singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer from Kannapolis, NC, who concurrently headed the super-bands Parliament and Funkadelic between 1970 and 1981. As a solo artist, he released four albums on Capitol Records between 1982 and 1986, followed by a pair of titles on Prince‘s Paisley […]
Joe Cocker (May 20, 1944 — Dec. 22, 2014) was an English soul-rock singer from Sheffield who released back-to-back albums on A&M in 1969. That summer, he floored Woodstock attendees with his full-throated rendition of the Beatles‘ “With a Little Help From My Friends.” His 1970 live set Mad Dogs & Englishmen and third studio […]
Bob Geldof — aka Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (born Oct. 5, 1951) — is an Irish singer, songwriter, bandleader, and philanthropist from Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, who rose to prominence as the frontman of New Wave rockers The Boomtown Rats, which released six albums between 1977 and 1984. As an actor, he starred as Pink in […]
Public Image Limited — commonly truncated as Public Image Ltd. and acronymically known as Pil — are an English post-punk band from London. Vocalist John Lydon assembled the band following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The first five Pil albums feature guitarist Keith Levene, who played in a formative lineup of The Clash. Original […]
Prefab Sprout was an English sophisti-pop band that released five albums between 1984 and 1990 on Kitchenware Records. Members: Paddy McAloon (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming, bass), Martin McAloon (bass, 1978-2010), Michael Salmon (drums, percussion, 1977-83), Wendy Smith (vocals, keyboards, guitar, 1982-2000), Neil Conti (drums, percussion, 1984-92) Background Prefab Sprout evolved from The Dick Diver Band, […]
Lloyd Cole & The Commotions were a Scottish pop-rock band that released ten singles and the 1984–87 Polydor albums Rattlesnakes, Easy Pieces, and Mainstream. They charted in the UK and Ireland with “Perfect Skin,” “Brand New Friend,” “Lost Weekend,” “Cut Me Down,” and “My Bag.” Members: Lloyd Cole (vocals, guitar), Stephen Irvine (drums, percussion), Neil […]
APB were a Scottish art-punk/funk band from Ellon, Aberdeenshire, that issued five singles on Oily Records between 1981 and 1983, followed by two singles apiece on Albion and Red River Records circa 1984/85. Most of these sides were compiled on the 1985 Link Records compilation Something to Believe In. In 1986, the band released the […]
Cabaret Voltaire were an English electro/experimental band from Sheffield that released seven singles, four studio albums, and three live discs on Rough Trade between 1978 and 1982, followed by a trio of 1983–85 albums on Virgin/Some Bizzare. Members: Richard H. Kirk (guitar, synthesizer), Stephen Mallinder (vocals, bass, 1973-95), Chris Watson (tapes, 1973-81) Discography: Extended Play […]
New Order were an English electro/art-pop band from Manchester that released five albums and a compilation of non-album material on Factory between 1981 and 1989. The band comprised three-fourths of Joy Division with guitarist Bernard Sumner assuming vocal duties after the suicide of Ian Curtis. Soon after the name-change, drummer Stephen Morris invited his keyboardist-girlfriend […]
Marianne Faithfull (born Dec. 29, 1946) is an English singer from Hampstead who released three albums on Decca between 1965 and 1967, scoring early successes with the singles “Come and Stay With Me,” “This Little Bird,” “Summer Nights,” and a cover of the Rolling Stones ballad “As Tears Go By.” The early 1970s found her […]
Barclay James Harvest was an English symphonic-rock band from Oldham, Greater Manchester, that initiated EMI’s Harvest imprint, releasing four albums on the label between 1970 and 1972, followed by a lengthy run of albums on Polydor between 1974 and 1997. Members: Les Holroyd (bass, vocals), John Lees (guitar, vocals), Mel Pritchard (drums), Woolly Wolstenholme (keyboards, […]
Bananarama was an English vocal trio that released a string of singles in 1981 and 1982, including two with Specials-spinoff trio Fun Boy Three. Between 1983 and 1987, Bananarama released four albums on Decca-subsidiary London. Members: Keren Woodward (vocals), Sara Dallin (vocals), Siobhan Fahey (vocals, 1979-88, 2017-present), Jacquie O’Sullivan (vocals, 1988-91) Bananarama formed in September […]
Bad Company were an English hard-rock supergroup that released six albums on Swan Song between 1974 and 1982, followed by four further albums on Atlantic/Atco between 1986 and 1992. Members: Simon Kirke (drums), Mick Ralphs (guitar, 1973-2000, 2008-present), Paul Rodgers (vocals, keyboards, guitar, 1973-82, 1998-present), Boz Burrell (bass, 1973-86, 1998-99), Brian Howe (vocals, 1986-94), Steve […]
Annabel Lamb (born 1958) is an English vocalist and songwriter from Surrey who released two albums on A&M in 1983 and 1984, followed by three further titles on RCA, BGM, and Metronome during the late 1980s. Discography: Once Bitten (1983) The Flame (1984) When Angels Travel (1986) Brides (1987) Justice (1988)
The Alan Parsons Project (APP) was an English symphonic/art-pop band led by the production/multi-instrumental team of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. The project began with the album Tales of Mystery and Imagination on 20th Century in 1976, followed by nine albums on Arista between 1977 and 1987. Members: Alan Parsons (vocals, synthesizer, bass, acoustic guitar, […]
Phil Collins (born Jan. 30, 1951) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the frontman and drummer of Genesis and for his string of pop solo hits during the 1980s. He shot to fame in 1981 with “In the Air Tonight” and scored more than 20 transatlantic chart hits over the ensuing […]
Phenomena were an English symphonic/hard-rock project headed by producer Tom Galley and his guitarist brother Mel Galley. The project yielded a self-titled album on Bronze in 1985, followed by a second on Ariola in 1987. Both albums feature assorted big-name vocalists and instrumentalists, including Glenn Hughes, John Wetton, Don Airey and Kyoji Yamamoto. Members: Mel […]
Pet Shop Boys are an English electro-pop duo that released four proper albums on Parlophone between 1986 and 1990, followed by more than a dozen further titles on the label over the subsequent quarter-century. Members: Neil Tennant (vocals), Chris Lowe (keyboards, vocals) Background Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in 1981 at a King’s Road […]
Pentangle was an English folk-rock band from London that released six albums between 1968 and 1972 on Transatlantic–Reprise. After a twelve-year absence, they reemerged with a trio of albums on Spindrift, Transmedia, and pläne during the second half of the 1980s. Members: Jacqui McShee (vocals), Bert Jansch (guitar, vocals), John Renbourn (guitar, sitar, vocals, 1967-73, […]
Paul Young (born Jan. 17, 1956) is an English soul-pop singer from Luton, Bedfordshire, who first recorded with Streetband, which released one album and scored a U.K. novelty hit with “Toast” in 1978. In 1980, he fronted R&B septet the Q-Tips for one self-titled album on Chrysalis. As a solo artist, he released four albums […]
Paul Roland (born Sept. 6, 1959) is an English chamber-pop/psych musician from Kent who headed the combo Midnight Rags on two small-press singles in 1979/80, followed by the Armageddon Records album The Werewolf of London in 1980. In 1985, he reemerged with the album Burnt Orchids on Aftermath Records, followed by Danse Macabre on Bam-Caruso […]
Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942) is an English pop-rock singer, bassist, and songwriter from Liverpool who rose to fame as one-fourth of The Beatles, which he co-founded in the late 1950s and played with until their disbandment in 1970. Between 1963 and 1969, the band recorded 11 proper studio albums and numerous non-album sides […]
Arcadia were an English art-pop trio that released the album So Red the Rose on Capitol in 1985. The project comprised three-fifths of Duran Duran and was initiated during a brief pause in activity by the parent band. Members: Simon Le Bon (vocals), Nick Rhodes (keyboards), Roger Taylor (drums) Discography: So Red the Rose (1985)
Anne Clark (born May 14, 1960) is an English poet, songwriter, and musician from Croydon who released the album Changing Places on Red Flame in 1983, followed by a round of titles on Ten during the mid-to-late 1980s. Discography: The Sitting Room (EP, 1982) Changing Places (1983) Joined Up Writing (EP, 1984) Pressure Points (1985) […]
Van Halen were an American hard-rock band from Pasadena, Calif., that released six albums on Warner Bros. between 1978 and 1984 with original vocalist David Lee Roth, followed by four albums on the label with ex-Montrose singer Sammy Hagar. Members: Eddie Van Halen (guitar, piano, keyboards), Alex Van Halen (drums), David Lee Roth (lead vocals, […]
Bryan Ferry (Sept. 26, 1945) is an English vocalist and songwriter from Washington, Tyne & Wear, who rose to fame as the self-styled frontman of Roxy Music, which he steered through two periods of activity between 1972 and 1983. During the Roxy’s initial run, he released two solo albums of mostly covers on Island Records […]
Robert Plant (born Aug. 20, 1948) is an English vocalist and songwriter from West Bromwich who shot to global fame as the frontman of hard-rock legends Led Zeppelin, which released eight studio albums between 1969 and 1979. As a solo artist, he debuted with the 1982 album Pictures at Eleven on Zeppelin-imprint Swan Song, followed […]
Flotsam and Jetsam are an American metal band from Scottsdale, Ariz., that released the album Doomsday for the Deceiver on Metal Blade in 1986, followed by No Place for Disgrace on Elektra in 1988 and a round of titles on MGM during the following decade. Members: Kelly David-Smith (drums, 1982-97), Jason Newsted (bass, 1982-86), Eric […]
James Brown (May 3, 1933 — Dec. 25, 2006) was an American soul singer who was active as a performer and recording artist for more than five decades, issuing his first singles on King Records-subsidiary Federal in 1956. For the ensuing 12 years, he was backed by the Georgian R&B instrumental group The Famous Flames. […]
Intimate Strangers were a Scottish sophisti-pop duo that released the album Charm in 1986 on IRS. They preceded it with the EP Deliverance, released in 1984 under the name Raise the Dragon. Musician Sean Lyons hailed from Metro. Members: Richard Spellman (vocals), Sean Lyons (guitar) Intimate Strangers formed in 1984 as Raise the Dragon. Discography: […]
Allan Holdsworth (Aug. 6, 1946 — April 16, 2017) was an English guitarist from Bradford, West Yorkshire, who emerged in the jazz-psych band ‘Igginbottom in the late 1960s. During the 1970s, his profile rose with stints in Nucleus, Tempest, Gong, Soft Machine, UK, and Bruford. As a solo artist, he released the album Velvet Darkness […]
The Smiths were an English pop-rock band from Manchester that released four albums and two compilations of non-album material on Rough Trade between 1984 and 1987. Members: Morrissey (vocals, piano), Johnny Marr (guitar, keyboards, mandolin, bass, harmonica, 1982-87), Steven Pomfret (rhythm guitar, 1982), Dale Hibbert (bass, 1982), Mike Joyce (drums, backing vocals, 1982-87), Andy Rourke […]
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 […]
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 […]
Madhouse were an American jazz-funk band from Minneapolis that released two albums on Paisley Park in 1987. Members: Eric Leeds (saxophone), Sheila E. (drums), Dr. Fink (keyboards), Levi Seacer Jr. (bass) Discography: 8 (1987) 16 (1987)
The Armoury Show was a British new wave rock band that released the album Waiting for the Floods on Parlophone in 1985. They were a supergroup comprised of ex-members of the Skids and Magazine. Members: Richard Jobson (vocals), Russell Webb (bass), John McGeoch (guitar, 1983-86), John Doyle (drums, 1983-86), Ray McVeigh (guitar, 1986), Ray Weston […]
All About Eve were an English art-pop band that released four singles on self-press Eden between 1985 and 1987, followed by a self-titled album in 1988 and the sophomoric Scarlet and Other Stories in 1989, both on Mercury. Members: Julianne Regan (vocals), Tim Bricheno (guitar), Andy Cousin (bass), Mark Price (drums), Marty Willson-Piper (guitar), Toni […]
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 […]
Racer X were an American metal band from Los Angeles that released three studio albums and two live discs on Shrapnel between 1986 and 1999, followed by four titles on Universal during the early 2000s. Members: John Alderete (bass), Jeff Martin (vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar, 1985-88, 1999-2002), Harry Gschoesser (drums, 1985-86), Bruce Bouillet (guitar, 1986-89), […]
Shona Laing (born Oct. 9, 1955) is a Kiwi singer/songwriter who rose to fame in her native New Zealand with a pair of teen-prodigy albums on Vertigo and Philips in 1973 and 1974. During the 1980s, she gained renown in the Northern Hemisphere with the hi-tech political numbers “(Glad I’m) Not a Kennedy” and “Soviet […]
