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| September 06, 2010 |
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| '80s SummerBASH - Saturday, June 13 - March 11, 2009 |
Spectra Records present an all-evening festival of '80s-style rock and pop Saturday June 13. With a mix of '80s bands and a high-dollar costume contest (there's a $1,000 grand prize!). Spectra Records calls it "the concert event of the year." Here's the run-down:
The Romantics:
Who: Led by singer/guitarist Wally Palmar, Detroit power-pop rockers The Romantics are guitar-driven, hand-clappin', jivin' and twistin' British Invasion fanatics who have more in common with '60s garage and surf rock than the '80s synth-pop movement. Remember those catchy tunes, "What I Like About You," "Talking in Your Sleep," and "One in a Million?" Featured on Little Steven's Underground Garage tour and the hit video game Guitar Hero.
Most Famous on MTV For: Those red leather jackets, skinny ties, vintage guitars, and original drummer Jimmy Marinos' yelpy lead vocals, whispers, and "bbbbbrrrrrrr's" on the grainy "live on the studio stage" video for "What I Like About You."
Naked Eyes
Who: British synth-pop band Naked Eyes are best remembered for their first rendition of the bouncy Burt Bacharach/Hal David tune, "Always Something There to Remind Me." Singer Pete Byrne and keyboardist Rob Fisher formed the group in Bath in 1981. Their second single, "Promises, Promises" — a funky 1983 hit very much in the vein of Howard Jones, Paul Young, Chic, and Duran Duran — appeared in an episode of TV show Knight Rider. Sadly, Fisher died in 1999, but Byrne has resurrected the Eyes with a surprisingly solid new album of originals, remakes, and covers titled Fumbling with the Covers.
Most Famous on MTV For: The church bells, beefy synth sounds, drum machines, and ascending melody lines of "Always Something There to Remind Me," which featured Byrne looking cool in his dark tie and jacket, singing the chorus into a pay phone receiver.
A Flock Of Seagulls
Who: Out of Liverpool, synth-rock quartet A Flock of Seagulls epitomized the stylish, über-modern, keyboard-driven, makeup-heavy New Wave coming out of Britain at the dawn of MTV. Brothers Mike Score (keyboards, vocals) and Ali Score (drums) formed the band in 1979 with tall-standing Frank Maudsley and bespectacled guitarist Paul Reynolds. Known best for the dancey hit "I Ran (So Far Away)," their trance-y "Wishing" (I Had A Photograph of You)" and the poppier "Space Age Love Song" and "Telecommunication" were winners, too.
Most Famous on MTV For: Mike Score's shock of blond hair — the most memorable New Wave hair-do ever.
Survivor
Who: Led by original members, this macho guitar-rock outfit started out in Chicago in 1977. After the release of a few moderately successful albums, the band rocketed to fame with the 1982 release of the thumping, Grammy-winning anthem, "Eye of the Tiger" — expressly written by Sullivan and singer Jim Peterik as the title song for Rocky III. Following hits included "Caught in the Game," "I Can't Hold Back," and "High on You," “The Search is Over,” “Burning Heart.”
Most Famous on MTV For: one of the biggest rock anthems ever and bringing the theme song to one of the largest movie franchise ever…Rocky.
Tommy Tutone
Who: A melodic and tough power-pop band led by stuffed-up-sounding vocalist and main songwriter Tommy "Tutone" Heath, best known for the 1981 hit "867-5309/Jenny," which, fortunately for the band debuted exactly the same year as MTV. Their style was more of a jangly, skinny-tie guitar-rock sound akin to Tom Petty, Huey Lewis & The News, and The Knack than their synth-heavy pop counterparts. These days, Heath is touring more than ever and his hit phone number is currently being auctioned off to the highest bidder on eBay (currently the bidding is at $50k).
Most Famous on MTV For: Heath's and guitarist Jim Keller's "I got it!" chorus and hilariously hammy performance in the frequently aired video for "867-5309/Jenny."
Police Academy’s Michael Winslow
MC HOST OF THE NIGHT
Who: You might remember his role as Sgt. Larvell "Motor Mouth" Jones in the Police Academy series of movies and TV shows. Michael Winslow is known as the man of 10,000 voices and has appeared in Police Academy and Spaceballs among many other 80’s hit movies. Currently Michael Winslow is the voice in “Family Guy” and “Robot Chicken.” Most recently you can catch Michael driving an imaginary car in the latest Geico commercial.
Did You Know: Michael Winslow was the voice of “Stripe” in the blockbuster movie “Gremlins.”
For more info, log onto 80ssummerbash.com.
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