Kevin Dunn is an American New Wave/art-pop musician from Jacksonville, Fla., who first recorded with Athens garage-psych band The Fans, which issued three singles on Blue Beam and Albion between 1977 and 1980. As a solo artist, he issued a standalone single on DB Rec in 1979. He then assembled a backing band, the Regiment […]
Dark Day were an American coldwave band from NYC that issued a single on one-press Strike It From the Records in 1979, followed by the album Exterminating Angel on Infidelity in 1980. A second album, Window, appeared on the Dutch Plexus label in 1982. Two cassettes and one further album appeared on self-press Nigh Eve […]
Industry were an American New Wave/synthpop band from NYC, formed in 1978 as Industrial Complex by ex-Cathedral drummer Mercury Caronia. The initial combo released an eponymous EP on self-press Metro Records in 1980. After a lineup overhaul that roped-in fellow Cathedral alumnus Rudy Perrone, the band issued a second EP, Turning to Light, on self-press […]
Eardance were an American art-rock band from Chicago that released the album Seek Opposites on self-press Touch Records in 1982. The album is one of the earliest to feature extensive use of the Chapman Stick, played by multi-instrumentalist/bandleader Jim Jacobsen, who later became a soundtrack composer. Members: Jim Jacobsen (bass, guitar, Chapman Stick, clarinet, synthesizer, […]
The Method Actors were an American New Wave band from Athens, Ga., that released two albums and assorted shortplayers on Press Records (US) and Armageddon (UK) between 1980 and 1983. Members: Vic Varney (vocals, guitar, bass), David Gamble (drums, vocals, 1979-82), Michael Richmond (guitar, bass, 1982-83), Robert Schmid (drums, 1982-83), Stan Satin (saxophone, percussion, vocals, […]
Pylon were an American New Wave band from Athens, Ga., that debuted with a standalone single on DB Recs in 1979, followed by two albums with accompanying singles between 1980 and 1983. Along with local contemporaries The B-52’s and The Method Actors, Pylon’s scratchy/jerky/angular style served as a comedic counterpart to the similar yet more […]
Bush Tetras were an American No Wave/punk-funk band from NYC that released three shortplayers on the specialty labels 99 and Fetish in 1980/83. A live cassette, Wild Things, appeared on ROIR upon the band’s initial breakup in 1983. Guitarist Pat Place hailed from James Chance‘s Blacks/Contortions conglomerate and the ZE Records super-project Aural Exciters. Members: […]
Vector were an American New Wave/synthpop trio from Sacramento that released two albums on Exit Records between 1983 and 1985, followed by a third on Spark Music in 1989. The band were a guitar/synth/bass trio with a guest drummer on their first album Mannequin Virtue. After the departure of keyboardist Charlie Peacock, the band enlisted […]
Jeff & Jane Hudson are an American husband/wife coldwave duo from Boston that cut two singles as The Rentals on self-press Rent/Rental in 1979. Under their own names, they issued two shortplayers on Manhattan small-press Infidelity in 1981. A further single and the album Flesh appeared on eponymous-press J & J Records in 1983. Members: […]
Xex were an American coldwave band from South River, NJ, that released the album Group: Xex on self-press What’s That Music in 1980. Half the band regrouped in 2013 to cut retro material, issued with 1981 live recordings on the Dark Entries disc Change. Members: David Anderson, Alex Zander, Thumbalina Gugielmo, Waw Pierogi, Jon-Boy Diode […]
Scandal were an American New Wave/modern-rock band from N.Y.C. Members: Patty Smyth (vocals), Zack Smith (guitar, vocals), Ivan Elias (bass), Keith Mack (guitar, vocals), Benjy King (keyboards, vocals), Frankie LaRocka (drums), Thommy Price (drums, vocals) Discography: Scandal (EP, 1982) Warrior (1984 • Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth)
The Suburbs were an American New Wave band from Minneapolis. Members: Beej Chaney (guitar, vocals), Chan Poling (piano, vocals), Bruce Allen (guitar, vocals), Michael Halliday (bass), Hugo Klaers (drums, vocals) Discography: In Combo (1980) Credit in Heaven (1981) Love Is the Law (1983) Suburbs (1986)
Berlin were an American New Wave/synthpop band from Los Angeles. Members: John Crawford (bass, vocals, 1979-86), Rod Learned (drums, 1979-82), Chris Ruiz-Valesco (guitar, 1979-82), Daniel Van Patten (drums, 1979-82), Jo Julian (keyboards, 1979-80), Ty Cobb (lead vocals, 1979), Terri Nunn (lead vocals, 1979, 1981-87, 1998-present), Toni Childs (lead vocals, 1979), Virginia Macolino (lead vocals, 1980), […]
Our Daughters Wedding were an American New Wave/synthpop band from San Francisco. Members: Keith Silva (vocals, synthesizer, keyboards, guitar), Layne Rico (synthesizer, vocals, drums, drum machine), Scott Simon (synthesizer, saxophone, vocals, guitar, bass synth), Jim Nevius Discography: “Nightlife” / “Raincoats & Silverware” (1980) Digital Cowboy (EP, 1981) Moving Windows (1982)
Wall of Voodoo was an American New Wave band from Los Angeles that released a self-titled EP on Index in 1980, followed by four albums on I.R.S. between 1981 and 1987. In 1982, they scored an MTV hit with “Mexican Radio.” Members: Marc Moreland (guitar), Chas T. Gray (keyboards, bass), Stan Ridgway (vocals, harmonica, keyboards, […]
Drama were an American modern-rock band that released the album Scene from a Distance on RCA in 1985. Members: Suzanne Jerome Taylor (vocals), Pat Taylor (guitar, vocals), Jack Holder (guitar), Larry Klein (bass), Tony Humeke (drums) Discography: Scene from a Distance (1985)
Cee Farrow — aka Christian Frede Kruzinski (Sept. 4, 1956 — May 7, 1993) — was a German-born/U.S.-based singer who released the album Red and Blue on MCA in 1983. Discography: Red and Blue (1983)
Face to Face were an American New Wave/modern-rock band from Boston that released two albums on Epic in 1984 and 1985, followed by a third on Mercury in 1988. Members: Laurie Sargent (vocals), Stuart Kimball (guitar, keyboards), Angelo Petraglia (guitar, keyboards), John Ryder (bass), Billy Beard (drums) Discography: Face to Face (1984) Confrontation (1985) One […]
The Units were an American New Wave/synthpunk band from San Francisco. Members: Scott Ryser (synthesizer, vocals), Richard Driskill (drums, backing vocals, 1978-80), Tim Ennis (synthesizer, backing vocals, 1978-79), Rachel Webber (synthesizer, vocals, 1979-84), Alex Rudis (synthesizer 1979-80), Brad Saunders (drums 1980-81), Seth Miller (drums, 1981-83), David Allen, Jr. (synthesizer, vocals, 1983-84), Jabari Allen (synthesizer, vocals, […]
Skafish were an American New Wave/art-rock band from Chicago. Members: Jim Skafish (vocals), Lawrence Mazalan (guitar, bass, vocals, 1976-80), Greg Sarchet (bass, vocals, 1976-79), Roger Jones (drums, 1976), Larry Mysliwiec (drums, percussion, 1976-85), David Prochazka (keyboards, vocals, 1976-78), Karen Winner (guitar, vocals, slide guitar, 1977-79), Mark Winner (keyboards, vocals, 1978-79), Javier Cruz (synthesizers, keyboards, vocals, […]
