80's Pop & New Wave

Most who lived in the 80's probably still fondly recall the days where lighthearted pop, new wave and pop-rock ruled the radio, pumping endless amounts of juicy synthesizer goodness through the airwaves. Sure, maybe some of the music was cheesy. Sure, maybe some of it was even shallow. But it was also fun, and that's what matters most, darn it!

So whether you want to join everyone as they "Wang Chung" tonight or you want to enjoy the sentimentality of the decade's best power ballads, sit back and relax as you relive the glory days of music.

Band Spotlight - Wang Chung

Wang Chung was a London-based band that enjoyed a long and impressive career during the 1980's. Their 1984 album Points On The Curve was the first introduction most Americans had to this British trio consisting of Jack Hues, Nick Feldman and Darren Costin, thanks in large part to their highly successful track Dance Hall Days. What many pop fans don't realize is that this album was actually their second full-length album, with their first having been released in 1982.

There are a couple reasons why their debut album is often forgotten even among fans of the band. First was the name of the band itself; when they debuted they were called Huang Chung, but they decided to change their name to Wang Chung before the release of their second album. The first self-titled album was also released under the Arista label, whereas for their second album they switched to the large Geffen label.

Huang Chung featured a more organic sound. Rather than relying on the synthesizers that would become the trademark of their future work, they incorporated the saxophone work of David Burnand. The end result wasn't always remarkable, but there were some memorable tracks on their debut album very much worth listening to.

Their first album under the Wang Chung name, Points On The Curve, scored them two Top 40 hits, the most memorable of which is Dance Hall Days. Wang Chung released another album, To Live And Die In L.A., just one year later when they were approached by William Friedkin to create a soundtrack for his crime-thriller. Although this album managed to slip under the radar of many Wang Chung fans, it also happens to be their moodiest, most atmospheric and most consistent work.

Shortly after the release of their third album, Darren Costin left the band, but Hues and Feldman weren't the type to rest on their laurels. In 1986 the band released the third album in a three year period entitled Mosaic, which was to be their most popular and successful album ever since it featured the smash hits Everybody Have Fun Tonight and Let's Go.

After the success of their 1986 album the band took a three-year hiatus until they released The Warmer Side Of Cool in 1989. Wang Chung attempted to update their sound by emphasizing rock rather than their previous synth-pop, but fans of the band wanted no part of their new sound and rejected the album. Although there are some solid tracks on The Warmer Side Of Cool, (which would end up being their last album) as a whole the album was largely unspectacular when compared to their previous album.

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