80s | Musicosity

80s

Northern Lights

Northern Lights can refer to at least six different groups: (1) American hip-hop group from Bridgeport, CT. (2) Canadian supergroup who were gathered by the music talent manager Bruce Allen in 1985 to record the single "Tears Are Not Enough". (3) A folk and baroque group "Northern Lights", released two CDs: "Northern Lights" and "Vanishing Borders" (founded by Harris Moore and Steve Coulter).

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Sunnyboys

Sydney band Sunnyboys remain one of the most highly regarded and best-loved bands of the Australian post-punk era. Fronted by the enigmatic and youthful singer/songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Oxley, the band breathed some freshness and vitality into the Sydney music scene in the early 80s.

Essentially Sunnyboys wore their influences on their sleeve - The Remains, The Flamin' Groovies, The Kinks and The Beatles with a dash of Detroit muscle thrown in for good measure. They produced melodic power pop classics and were rewarded with an immediate positive response.

Between 1980 and 1984 they released their self-titled EP (1980) and 3 albums: "Sunnyboys" (1981), "Individuals" (1982) and "Get Some Fun" (1984).

However, Jeremy Oxley's battle with schizophrenia plagued the band and Sunnyboys announced their break-up in June 1984. Their farewell tour produced the album "Real Live" which was recorded over two nights in Sydney (29th and 30th June).

In 1985, the French label Closer combined The Sunnyboys' first two albums as a double set entitled "Days Are Gone" for the European market.

In late 1987, Jeremy Oxley attempted to revive Sunnyboys with a new line-up. The new band signed a deal with RCA and released an album entitled "Wildcat" (produced by ex-Sherbet keyboard player, Garth Porter). The album failed to convince old Sunnyboys fans and the band broke up again in 1990.

In July 1991, Mushroom released the compilation album "Plays The Best" and the original line-up reunited for a national tour.

Also "Shakin' - Live 1991" (1993, live cd + "Sunnyboys" EP) has been released by Phantom and "This Is Real" (2004, double-CD, Singles/Live/Rare) by Feel Presents.

The band:
Jeremy Oxley - Guitar, vocals
Peter Oxley - Bass
Richard Burgman - Guitar
Bill Bilson - Drums

For more info see the band's MySpace profile and this. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

Leo Sayer

At least two artists will get directed to this page if auto spelling correction is enabled in your profile, despite the fact that BOTH artists actually exist in the last.fm database... 1) Leo Sayer, pop star of the 70's. 2) Leo Slayer, experimental noise artist of the 00's. 1) Leo Sayer was born on May 21, 1948 in Shoreham, Sussex, England. He is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter and live entertainer whose successful performing career has spanned four decades.

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Morrissey

Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as Morrissey, is a British singer and lyricist of Irish descent born in Davyhulme, Manchester, United Kingdom on May 22, 1959.

He was the lead singer of The Smiths, one of the most influential alternative bands in the 1980s. The group split up in 1987 and Morrissey started a successful solo career.

His first solo album, Viva Hate was released only six months after The Smiths split, in March 1988. The album's first single "Suedehead" peaked at #5, a higher position than any Smiths single had ever achieved. In 1990, Bona Drag, a collection of his solo singles and b-sides, including popular songs such as "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" and "Everyday is Like Sunday" (which also appears on "Viva Hate")

His second album 1991's Kill Uncle was not as well received as his first, with neither single achieving the Top 20. In 1992, the Mick Ronson-produced Your Arsenal was released and included singles such as "Tomorrow" and "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful". A live album, Beethoven Was Deaf, followed in 1993.

In 1994, Morrissey released Vauxhall and I, which contained "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get", his biggest hit in the United States, where it peaked at #46. Later that year, Morrissey also recorded a one-off project with Siouxsie of Siouxsie and the Banshees: they sang in duet on the single Interlude.

After "Vauxhall and I", Morrissey released Southpaw Grammar (1995) and Maladjusted (1997), both of which failed to produce a UK Top 20 single.

A period of musical inactivity followed in the late 90s and early 2000s, which was due to failure in finding a suitable label, according to a 2004 interview with Jools Holland. After seven years without a new album release, You Are the Quarry was released on May 17, 2004 (but one day later in the USA). The first single, Irish Blood, English Heart, was released internationally on May 10, 2004. The single reached number three in its first week of sales in the UK singles chart. To date, this is the highest placing chart position for Morrissey in his entire career as both a solo artist and the lead singer of The Smiths (the 2006 release You Have Killed Me also debuted at number three in its first week in the charts). It has sold over a million copies, making the album his most successful, solo or with The Smiths.

Ringleader Of The Tormentors, produced by former David Bowie producer Tony Visconti, was released in April 2006. The album went straight to the top of the UK Album charts.

Morrissey released a new Greatest Hits collection in February 2008, including two new songs: All You Need Is Me and That’s How People Grow Up, both released as singles. Morrissey is now signed to Decca Records.

In 2009, Morrissey released his latest album, Years of Refusal, which was produced by Jerry Finn, his final production credit before his death. Later in the year, Morrissey released the B-sides collection Swords.

2009 also saw the re-releases of Maladjusted and Southpaw Grammar, two of his most critically maligned albums. The Maladjusted re-release ditched two of its singles, Papa Jack and Roy's Keen, in favour of several other tracks from the period, such as I Can Have Both. Sorrow Will Come in the End, written about Morrissey's vicious legal battle with Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, was also re-instated to the UK edition. Southpaw Grammar retained all of its original tracks, albeit re-sequenced, but recieved the addition of other tracks from that time period, including the new album closer Nobody Loves Us.

Two other Morrissey releases came in 2009; The HMV/Parlophone Singles '88-'95 and Swords, the former a 3 CD compilation of singles and B-sides from Viva Hate through to Vauxhall and I, the latter a compilation of B-sides from You Are The Quarry, Ringleader of the Tormentors, and Years of Refusal.

A new Very Best Of collection was released in 2011, accompanied by a UK tour.

Morrissey's eleventh solo album, 'Low in High School', was released on November 17th, 2017. ' Low in high School' was produced by Joe Chiccarelli same producer as Morrissey’s ‘World Peace is None of Your Business’.

Morrissey's twelth studio album "California Son" is released on 24 May 2019 on the singer's label étienne and licensed on BMG, the album is a collection of cover versions. It is recorded in 2018 by Joe Chiccarelli, a frequent collaborator of Morrissey.

Morrissey's new studio album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain, is scheduled for March 2020 release by BMG. The album was recorded in St-remy, France, with producer Joe Chiccarelli. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

INXS

INXS (pronounced "In Excess") is a rock group formed in Sydney, Australia. The band formed in 1977 under the name The Farris Brothers. Original members included Michael Hutchence (lead vocals), Andrew Farriss (guitar and keyboards), Tim Farriss (lead guitar), Jon Farriss (drums), Garry Beers (bass), and Kirk Pengilly (saxophone and guitar). The band changed their name to INXS just prior to the release of their self-titled début album in 1980.

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Uncanny X-Men

Uncanny X-Men formed in Melbourne as a guitar pop band in 1981 and worked the pub rock circuit. Original line-up included Chuck Hargreaves on guitar, Steve Harrison on bass guitar, Brian Mannix as lead singer, Nick Manthandos on drums and Ron Thiessen on guitar. Mannix became known for his mischievous and comical send-ups of other artists. The band was signed by Mushroom Records early in 1982 and released their debut EP Salive One in November, which peaked at #15 on the Kent Music Report. They toured Australia in support of US rock act Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

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Samson

Multiple artists go by the name Samson. 1. Samson was a British hard rock band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. They are best known for their first three albums with future Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, then known as "Bruce Bruce", and drummer Thunderstick (real name Barry Graham), who wore a leather mask and performed on stage in a metal cage. Drummer Clive Burr was also member of the band, both before and after his tenure with Iron Maiden. Drummer Mel Gaynor also had a successful music career being a member of Simple Minds for over 20 years.

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Hoodoo Gurus

-- Not to be confused with the Spanish band The Gurus Hoodoo Gurus (sometimes just shortened to 'Gurus') are an Australian rock band which used influences from seventies power pop, bubblegum pop, Beatle-esque harmonies, psychedelia and grungy garage rock. They formed in Sydney in 1981. Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj and James Baker were originally from Perth. Baker and Radalj were original members of The Scientists, Faulkner and Baker were also members of The Victims in 1977-79.

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Heaven 17

Heaven 17 is a British synthpop band originating in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom formed in 1980. Taking their name from a fictional pop group mentioned in Anthony Burgess's novel A Clockwork Orange (where 'The Heaven Seventeen' are at number 4 in the charts with 'Inside' [1]), Heaven 17 formed when Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware split from their earlier group The Human League and formed production company British Electric Foundation (BEF). Shortly after, they recruited their good friend and photographer Glenn Gregory on vocals to complete their lineup for Heaven 17.