Here are some of mine:

Telex A Belgian Electronic group who done a great cover of Plastic Bertrand's "Ca Plane Pour Moi" and many other great synth pop songs

British Electric Foundation Ex Human Leaguer's and early Heaven 17.

John Foxx Ex-Ultravox lead singer has done some great solo work

Cabaret Voltaire Another great late 70's and 80's group.

The Assembly  Vince Clarke and Fergal Sharkey.

Camouflage German synth group much like Depeche Mode

Classix Nouveaux Sal Solo and his group with great songs like "Guilty"

Groups I wish I heard more of:

Visage I had only heard of "Fade To Grey" but I have since heard a lot more and like them a lot.

A Flock Of Seagulls I only remember "I Ran" but they have a lot of other good songs.

I'll add some more later.

Good post.

"The Sundays". I had never heard anything from this band in the 80's. Was I under a rock??? I just discovered them in 1999. I wish I had earlier. Harriet Wheeler has such a sweet voice. The bands music and vocals remind me of a female Smiths.



SmithsGirl

BERLIN!!

British Electric Foundation Ex Human Leaguer's and early Heaven 17.
Any more info on these? I am a big fan of the early Human League stuff. I know Heaven 17 too. But I seem to have missed out on the British Electric Foundation (I like the name).
John Foxx Ex-Ultravox lead singer has done some great solo work
Now you are talking class. The first three Ultravox albums with Foxx as the principal writer and singer are great. Much less 'produced' than the later songs with Midge Ure. But much more edgy and interesting. Foxx released some terrific albums after splitting with Ultravox. Metamatic must be one of the alltime classics of really raw electropop. The Garden was another great album, much more melodic. Foxx still tours and is still making great music. He was one of the most significant innovators of '70s/'80s electronic music and is criminally undervalued.

all the best
Huw

British Electric Foundation Ex Human Leaguer's and early Heaven 17.
Any more info on these? I am a big fan of the early Human League stuff. I know Heaven 17 too. But I seem to have missed out on the British Electric Foundation (I like the name).

all the best
Huw


Here is some info. on B.E.F.: (Try finding their albums, I've been trying and haven't had much luck yet! :( )

B.E.F. (or British Electric Foundation) was formed by Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh just after their exit from the original lineup of the Human League. Ware and Marsh had formed the Human League in 1977 as a completely electronic synthesizer band. After adding vocalist Philip Oakey and Adrian Wright, the group released the seminal 1978 single "Being Boiled" and two LPs, 1979's Reproduction and the following year's Travelogue. Late in 1980 however, both Ware and Marsh left the band over disagreements about its musical direction. Eager to avoid repeating the mistakes they felt the Human League were making (and would continue to make), the pair incorporated British Electric Foundation as a production team instead of a band.
During 1980-81, B.E.F. released two instrumental mini-LPs, Music for Stowaways and Music for Listening To (both had several tracks in common). The only track on either release with any type of vocals (and those quite low in the mix) was "Groove Thang," which featured Glenn Gregory, a friend of the duo and a fellow Sheffield resident. By 1981, the three had formed Heaven 17, remade "Groove Thang" into a more vocal-led track named "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" and stormed the British charts — even though the single was banned by the BBC.

Though Heaven 17's success appeared to circumvent the necessity of B.E.F. as actual recording artists, Ware and Marsh returned in 1982 with the first proper B.E.F. full-length, 1982's Music of Quality and Distinction, Vol. 1. The LP featured synth-pop covers of soul standards with vocal contributions from Tina Turner, Gary Glitter, Sandie Shaw, Billy Mackenzie and Gregory himself. One year later, Heaven 17 really hit the big time with the single "Temptation" and their second album, The Luxury Gap. Ware and Marsh decided to work on Heaven 17 full-time, retiring B.E.F. except for production credits on Heaven 17 LPs.

Though Heaven 17's success appeared to circumvent the necessity of B.E.F. as actual recording artists, Ware and Marsh returned in 1982 with the first proper B.E.F. full-length, 1982's Music of Quality and Distinction, Vol. 1. The LP featured synth-pop covers of soul standards with vocal contributions from Tina Turner, Gary Glitter, Sandie Shaw, Billy Mackenzie and Gregory himself. One year later, Heaven 17 really hit the big time with the single "Temptation" and their second album, The Luxury Gap. Ware and Marsh decided to work on Heaven 17 full-time, retiring B.E.F. except for production credits on Heaven 17 LPs.


Seek B.E.F. and ye shall find...sooner or later.  I have "Music of Quality and Distinction" burned from vinyl to CD-R.  Before hooking yourself up with B.E.F., ask yourself how loyal you are to H17, I warn you, those B.E.F. records are awfully cheesy! :D  The following Heaven 17 albums are absolutely fab:
Penthouse and Pavement
The Luxury Gap
How Men Are
Their self-titled American debut on Arista is a great collection, culling songs from both Penthouse and Luxury.  The singles are worth searching out.  They do some really cool remixes, plus many versions are the singles differ from the albums, even though the version may not be indicated.
Unfortunately, "Pleasure One" was unlistenable pap.  The 1989 album "Teddy Bear, Duke, and Psycho" I've never even heard.  Their comeback album "Bigger than America" has some good tracks, including "Dive," which rivals the best songs on their early albums.
Rush wrote

John Foxx Ex-Ultravox lead singer has done some great solo work

Cabaret Voltaire Another great late 70's and 80's group.

The Assembly  Vince Clarke and Fergal Sharkey.

Camouflage German synth group much like Depeche Mode

Classix Nouveaux Sal Solo and his group with great songs like "Guilty"

Groups I wish I heard more of:

Visage I had only heard of "Fade To Grey" but I have since heard a lot more and like them a lot.

A Flock Of Seagulls I only remember "I Ran" but they have a lot of other good songs.

I'll add some more later.
I'm love Ultravox, but there's still a bunch of Foxx I have yet to explore.  Cabaret Voltaire ranged from minimalist industrial music to straight-ahead funky disco.  They did release several electronica albums in the '90s, but I haven't heard much new stuff lately.  They've been re-re-releleasing a lot of their back catalogue and remixes.  If you've heard the "Never Never"/"Start Stop" 12," you've heard all the Assembly there is to hear!  I'm very found of Camouflage's "Voices and Images" album.  Are the subsequent Camouflage albums as good?  I recently listened to the Classix Nouveaux album (the one with "I'm Guilty"), I didn't care for it at all.  "Fade to Grey" is unequivocally Visage's best track, I also like "The Damned Don't Cry," and their cover of "In the Year 2525 (LOL!)"  I do recommend seeking out more from "A Flock of Seagulls."  Some you'll wish you had heard (and some you'll wish you hadn't!)

Here are some of mine:
Fad Gadget (I didn't actually get his early records until the '90s)
Care (w/ Ian Broudie)
Eyeless in Gaza (one of the best experimental pop groups)
Stephen Duffy (also as Tin Tin and Dr. Calculus)
The Sisterhood (Andrew Eldritch's Sisters of Mercy-style side project)
Tuxedomoon (another great experimental pop group)
Twice A Man (arty synth pop from Sweden)
DAF (and Robert Gorl's solo stuff)
Minimal Compact (aggressive angst-pop from Israel)
Colin Newman (the more experimental side of Wire, later married to Malka Spiegel of Minimal Compact)
Paul Haig (of Josef K)
Fiction Factory (song "Feels Like Heaven")
Richard Strange & The Engine Room (I have his "Damascus" ep, but who's heard of him anyway?  No, he's not Steve Strange's brother.)

Almost all the artists I liked in the '80s had material I didn't get to hear until the '90s, or later.

Anyone recall Our Daughters Wedding, a 3-piece synth-pop outfit ( from the U.S. I think ) and their single 'Lawnchairs' - Lawnchairs are everywhere, and my mind describes them to me, to mee-ee!
I saw them supporting OMD on tour, and at the time I thought they were going to be HUGE. Hmmm.

Also, does anyone remember 'Welcome to the monkey-house' by Animal Magnet, it was  popular at my local disco's Alternative Night  ( monday night at the Cherry Tree in Runcorn, all the girls and boys in New Romantic/futurist gear would get jeered at by the scallies hanging around outside ).

Ultravox
Visage
A Flock Of Seagulls
Go West

Berlin

I had already heard Take My Breath Away, but after watching thier episode of bands reunited I started listening to thier other songs, and I really like them!

Squeeze

Knew Tempted and always liked it, but only recently discovered songs like Pulling Mussels From The Shell, Black Coffee In Bed, and Another Nail For My Heart. 

Berlin

I had already heard Take My Breath Away, but after watching thier episode of bands reunited I started listening to thier other songs, and I really like them!

Squeeze

Knew Tempted and always liked it, but only recently discovered songs like Pulling Mussels From The Shell, Black Coffee In Bed, and Another Nail For My Heart. 


What about Cool For Cats?

OMD. i totally love their music. i only knew the obvious song from pretty in pink in the 80s. i'm making up for lost time by DLing songs and trying to find any album of theirs.

I wish I could've heard the album "Bleach" by Nirvana when it first came out in 1989.

There were a lot of groups that I'd heard some songs of in the 80's but never bought any of their albums, including two of my favourites: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Depeche Mode. I just didn't do a lot of record buying when I was younger. It was really only when I left home that I did a LOT of music shopping and bought albums by these bands I'd heard before. But the ONE band I wish I'd known the 80's that I've since gotten into in a major way is...

THE SMITHS

They would have helped me through a tumultuous childhood. I do find solace in them today! I love them!! ;D

Absolutely Vile

Definitely Steve 'Tin Tin' Duffy and Go West - Both had great songs.

Debarge and Jets would have been great to know back then along with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.

Anyone recall Our Daughters Wedding, a 3-piece synth-pop outfit ( from the U.S. I think ) and their single 'Lawnchairs' - Lawnchairs are everywhere, and my mind describes them to me, to mee-ee!
I saw them supporting OMD on tour, and at the time I thought they were going to be HUGE. Hmmm.

Also, does anyone remember 'Welcome to the monkey-house' by Animal Magnet, it was  popular at my local disco's Alternative Night  ( monday night at the Cherry Tree in Runcorn, all the girls and boys in New Romantic/futurist gear would get jeered at by the scallies hanging around outside ).

I loved "Lawnchairs are Everywhere."  I did find the ODW record in a used shop, but I didn't like the other songs.  They were too L.A. for me, as was Animotion and Berlin.  I never heard "Welcome to the Monkey House" or anything by Animal Magnet, but there's a song you should seek out.  "The Well-Tempered Monkey" by Six Finger Satellite was an '80s sounding spoof on something...I'm not sure what.  It has a synthy-Kraftwerkian faux-German angst sound.  It's about a guy who's little daughter gets seized by the Monkeys at the zoo.  It has this nervous refrain, "I can hear the monkeys laugh, I can hear the monkeys laugh!"

Lords Of The New Church


Just love "Russian Roulette"  :)

Berlin

I had already heard Take My Breath Away, but after watching thier episode of bands reunited I started listening to thier other songs, and I really like them. 


ME TOO!!  Exactly!

I just thought of another group I've sadly overlooked that I wish I'd known more of in the 80's (but unfortunately at the time, I only knew one song.)

ULTRAVOX!!!!!

Well, the two facets of the group: Ultravox! (John Foxx era) and Ultravox (without the exclamation point - Midge Ure era). I still haven't heard any U-Vox (when they started to fall apart). It took me many many years to finally hear other songs, and I totally love them now! I can thank Rush for converting me. ;D

Absolutely Vile

I just thought of another group I've sadly overlooked that I wish I'd known more of in the 80's (but unfortunately at the time, I only knew one song.)

ULTRAVOX!!!!!

Well, the two facets of the group: Ultravox! (John Foxx era) and Ultravox (without the exclamation point - Midge Ure era). I still haven't heard any U-Vox (when they started to fall apart). It took me many many years to finally hear other songs, and I totally love them now! I can thank Rush for converting me. ;D

Absolutely Vile


YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well I knew Ultravox back then but I did not know UltraFoxx  ;D until quite recently myself.

Fad Gadget and Nitzer Ebb are two more of mine that I missed earlier. 

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well I knew Ultravox back then but I did not know UltraFoxx  ;D until quite recently myself.

Fad Gadget and Nitzer Ebb are two more of mine that I missed earlier. 


Hehehe...UltraFoxx...;D That reminds me, I hadn't heard John Foxx himself solo until recently either. :)

Fad Gadget and Nitzer Ebb I still need to hear more of.

Absolutely Vile

Tears for Fears
Talk Talk
Nena
Bananarama
Starship
Depeche Mode
OMD
Duran Duran
Spandau Ballet
Bon Jovi
U2
Paul McCartney
Guns 'n Roses
Billy Idol.....


.......

and many others.....

Well, I was Born in the 1990's (january 3rd 1990. so I'm 14) but one of my friends passed me some 80's music and I LOVED IT!!!! :-* :-* :-* :-* ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hehehe...UltraFoxx...;D That reminds me, I hadn't heard John Foxx himself solo until recently either. :)

Fad Gadget and Nitzer Ebb I still need to hear more of.

Absolutely Vile

FAD GADGET
Rules!
You can still find all of the late Fad Gadget's/Frank Tovey's material at the Mute site, mutebank.com.  Other than Daniel Miller/The Normal, Fad Gadget was the first artist release on Mute.

I liked Nitzer Ebb's early stuff, but I went back and listened to it a while back, and found I'd totally lost interest.  It's too sophomoric and aggressive.

none, i heard them all as they came out.   and if you didnt know the smiths in the 80's then somethings wrong with you.

none, i heard them all as they came out.   

Really, all of them?  I've made tons of new discoveries since the end of the '80s.  Like you mentioned B-Movie,  I didn't hear "Nowhere Girl" until I got the Just Say Yesterday compilation in the late '90s.

thats too way out there for me.  of course i only liked newwave/alternative music.  i dont know anything bout pop or soul etc.. of the 80's and i dont care to.

The only one I can think of at the moment is Danger Danger.I bought  Metal complitation cd and they had two songs on their by them and I liked them as soon as I heard them.I can't believe that back in the 80's I never heard of them and I was a big fan of hair metal.

thats too way out there for me.   of course i only liked newwave/alternative music.  i dont know anything bout pop or soul etc.. of the 80's and i dont care to.

A lot of these lesser-known New Wave artists I've discovered since the '80s were British, so they had less exposure in the States when they came out.

FAD GADGET
Rules!
You can still find all of the late Fad Gadget's/Frank Tovey's material at the Mute site, mutebank.com.  Other than Daniel Miller/The Normal, Fad Gadget was the first artist release on Mute.

Cool! I'll check him out and let you know what I think! :) I love The Normal/Daniel Miller. He only released two songs, right? ("Warm Leatherette" and "TVOD") Or am I wrong?

I liked Nitzer Ebb's early stuff, but I went back and listened to it a while back, and found I'd totally lost interest.  It's too sophomoric and aggressive.


I've since heard something from Nitzer Ebb, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was called. I'll have to agree with you though.

Absolutely Vile

P.S.: Love your avatar! :)

Really, all of them?  I've made tons of new discoveries since the end of the '80s.  Like you mentioned B-Movie,  I didn't hear "Nowhere Girl" until I got the Just Say Yesterday compilation in the late '90s.


Psssst...I think he's just trying to be pompous to make himself look good. ;) I don't know how it's even possible to have heard everything from the 80's as they came out! ::)

Absolutely Vile

Cool! I'll check him out and let you know what I think! :) I love The Normal/Daniel Miller. He only released two songs, right? ("Warm Leatherette" and "TVOD") Or am I wrong?



I've since heard something from Nitzer Ebb, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was called. I'll have to agree with you though.

Absolutely Vile

P.S.: Love your avatar! :)

Daniel Miller as "The Normal" only released that single, and a one-sided 25-minute record, "Robert Rental and the Normal Live at West Runton Pavillion 6/3/79."  The latter was released on Rough Trade, not sure if it's on CD anywhere.  The collaboration with Robert Rental is primitive electronic noise, not much fun unless you're really into it.
Don't forget The Silicon Teens was also Daniel Miller.  The album "Music for Parties" is available on CDs.  It's mostly electronic covers of rock 'n' roll hits from the '50s and '60s, though there are a few good originals.  His version of "Memphis Tennessee" was released on 7" (b/w "Judy in Disguise") and his version of "Red River Rock" is on the soundtrack to Plains, Trains, and Automobiles.  It's good novelty stuff, a lot of fun, but I'm very grateful he focused more on producing Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Fad Gadget, Erasure, etc.

The first Nitzer Ebb album is called "That Total Age."  His vocal delivery is like that of a drill sergeant, and the music sounds like some of the harder remixes of Depeche Mode.  I like it, but it's sophomoric, as I say.  The guy was only 19 when they made that album.  The subsequent albums have a few good tracks each.  I don't recommend "Ebbhead," even though it was produced by Alan Wilder and Flood.  Whatever they were trying to do, they botched it!

Since I just joined the Ultravox forum, I figured I might as well pick an Ultravox avatar for here!

Daniel Miller as "The Normal" only released that single, and a one-sided 25-minute record, "Robert Rental and the Normal Live at West Runton Pavillion 6/3/79."  The latter was released on Rough Trade, not sure if it's on CD anywhere.  The collaboration with Robert Rental is primitive electronic noise, not much fun unless you're really into it.
Don't forget The Silicon Teens was also Daniel Miller.  The album "Music for Parties" is available on CDs.  It's mostly electronic covers of rock 'n' roll hits from the '50s and '60s, though there are a few good originals.  His version of "Memphis Tennessee" was released on 7" (b/w "Judy in Disguise") and his version of "Red River Rock" is on the soundtrack to Plains, Trains, and Automobiles.  It's good novelty stuff, a lot of fun, but I'm very grateful he focused more on producing Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Fad Gadget, Erasure, etc.

Thanks, I'll have a look for those! :) They might be interesting to hear.

Since I just joined the Ultravox forum, I figured I might as well pick an Ultravox avatar for here!


That's my favourite album (of the Midge-era anyway)!!! :) I'm trying to resist temptation to play it. I've been playing it a lot...;D

Absolutely Vile (and Mrs. X!)

OK, I've caved. The temptation was too great!!!!!!! ;D

Absolutely Vile

I had heard of quite a few of these artists already but here are some great tunes I've discovered in recent years that I didn't catch the first time around (thanks to some online friends, Art Of Mix and Razormaid  ;) ) :

Talk Talk - "Life's What You Make It"
Peter Schilling - "The Different Story (World Of Lust And Crime)"
Vicious Pink - "Cccan't You See"
Danielle Dax - "Jehovah's Precious Stone"
Cabaret Voltaire - "Hypnotized"
Visage - "The D@mned Don't Cry"
Ultravox - "White China"
Voyou - "Houseman (Germany Calling)"
Moses P - "Twilight Zone"
Icehouse - "Great Southern Land"
Hubert Kah - "So Many People"
Cube - "Love's Taboo"
Section 25 - "Looking From A Hilltop"

"Your love gives me such a thrill, but your love won't pay my bills, I want money."
--The Flying Monkeys remake of "Money (That's what I want)"

The Metro by Berlin. The only one I'd heard was "Take My Breath Away".

"Your love gives me such a thrill, but your love won't pay my bills, I want money."
--The Flying Monkeys remake of "Money (That's what I want)"

I think you mean Flying Lizards...as opposed to other flying things, like Pickets. :)

Absolutely Vile

I think you mean Flying Lizards...as opposed to other flying things, like Pickets. :)

Absolutely Vile


You're right...I'm sorry. I'd never heard of them in the 80s, only from a compilation.

One of the defining things about the 80s, talking about cassettes rather than CD's, eh?

You're right...I'm sorry. I'd never heard of them in the 80s, only from a compilation.

One of the defining things about the 80s, talking about cassettes rather than CD's, eh?


No, LP's! I talk about them all the time! We have almost 700 of them! :)

Absolutely Vile

Thanks, I'll have a look for those! :) They might be interesting to hear.



That's my favourite album (of the Midge-era anyway)!!! :) I'm trying to resist temptation to play it. I've been playing it a lot...;D

Absolutely Vile (and Mrs. X!)

Oh, so yoooou're Mrs. X.  I've seen your posts on the Ultravox forum!

No, LP's! I talk about them all the time! We have almost 700 of them!

That reminds me of C'est La Vie by Chuck Berry:
They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

DJ Midas wrote
Talk Talk - "Life's What You Make It"
Cabaret Voltaire - "Hypnotized"
Visage - "The D@mned Don't Cry"
Ultravox - "White China"
Section 25 - "Looking From A Hilltop"
These are great songs!  I didn't think anyone else knew about Section 25.

Oh, so yoooou're Mrs. X.  I've seen your posts on the Ultravox forum!

Hee hee! ;D It's about bloody time!!! I post all over the place that I'm losing track a bit! But I like it there. Much better than the Depeche Mode forum. The only thing is it's not very busy. I think it only really seems to pick up when people realise that Warren Cann's been around.

Wish me luck in the Ultravox Covers Competition! I'm going to need it! ;D

Mrs. X...er...Absolutely Vile

To say I wish I knew any band then would be to alter my universe and reality entirely... I feel I have discovered things when I am supposed to discover them.  Many things I knew then I didn't have an appreciation for then, but do now... vice-versa is true as well.

All I can say is thanks to ebay and the internet, I can get ahold of many things I hadn't considered getting ahold of before... even reading the suggestions here is more for me to consider. 

To post what I think is a cool band from that period and even until today that everyone ought to check out is YELLO.  :)

Really, all of them?  I've made tons of new discoveries since the end of the '80s.  Like you mentioned B-Movie,  I didn't hear "Nowhere Girl" until I got the Just Say Yesterday compilation in the late '90s.

I heard that song for the first time in 1996, I think. It has a very long instrumental intro (about 2 minutes 54 seconds) until you finally hear some vocal. It's a cool song. 8)

Anyway, I can think of a number of 80's bands/artists (mostly from the U.K.) that I've heard for the first time within the past ten years or so.

I wish I could have known about Tears For Fears and The Cure, I was born in July of 1991 and my parents knew about these bands, and no I was not introduced to these bands, I found them on my own! I, as a 13 year old got so sick of the many mundane and sappy music acts that there had been since 1999 and in 2002-2003, found British music from the 80's so refreshing I started buying records by Tears For Fears, Thomas Dolby and The Cure. All of them , they are such good and original groups. People at my school, they all like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan, but even though they are nice enough I have something to say to them:

"You can scream your heads off and jump up and down because you like SP or GC and that you think those bands are better than my faves and because I dress differently from you that I should be taking up something "cool" by having my pants at the waist. In my mind, I believe that I should be able to think that Tears For Fears is pure rock and be able to think that Roland from TFF is 100% hot. I think I should be able to attract a guy or have popularity by being just myself and not trying badly to look like a 13 year old who being depicted in people's minds as a teenage whore or a slut. Quote Robert Smith from The Cure 25 years back in the lyrics of "Jumping Someone Else's Train",

It's latest wave
That youv'e been craving for
The old ideal
was getting such a bore
now you're back in line
going not as quite as far
but in half the time
everybody's happy
they're finally all the same
Cause everyone's jumping
everyone else's train

I hated *all* 80s pop and new wave, as I was a rocker (Rainbow, April Wine, and Triumph were among my favs). Now I have a nice big collection of 80s pop and new wave that I love :)

In 1989 I was only listening to Depeche Mode, New Order, JAMC, Cure and Smiths, and I missed the work from really good bands:
-Alphaville (their 1st. album is a masterpice)
-Camouflage (a really great band still working)
-Ultravox
-Men Without Hats (perfect pop)
-Front 242
-Blancmange (so fun)
It's so strange, but now (thanks to MP3) I'm discovering bands from 20 years ago.

In 1989 I was only listening to Depeche Mode, New Order, JAMC, Cure and Smiths

And what's wrong with that? :)

-Camouflage (a really great band still working)

I've just discovered them myself recently. Great band! Certainly one I'd like to find absolutely everything from!

-Ultravox

I'm sure everyone is sick to death of me talking about Ultravox, but I don't care! I love them!!!! My avatar and sig line depicts the Ultravox of the 70's. You should really check that out. Fantastic stuff. :) Oh, and have a listen to John Foxx (their singer at that time) while you're at it. His solo material is stellar. :)

-Men Without Hats (perfect pop)

Being from Canada, I pretty much knew Men Without Hats from day one. They were extremely popular and their songs (especially "Safety Dance") were played to death!

It's so strange, but now (thanks to MP3) I'm discovering bands from 20 years ago.


You know...it must be me getting old, but in the beginning when I first discovered mp3's, I never even thought of downloading songs to check bands out. I'm still getting used to the concept! For example, in the case of Ultravox (oh here I go!), it took me getting married to a fan who introduced me to more of their music to become the obsessive, dribbling fanatic that I am today! If only I thought of downloading mp3's years before that. I wish I had!

Absolutely Vile

The Clash- I know they're more 70's, but never mind...
The Stranglers
Spear of Destiny
The Smiths

Pixies came out in the late 80s, but only recently I have listened to much of their stuff.  Great band!

The Clash- I know they're more 70's, but never mind...


Well, they formed in the 70's, and released their debut album then, but in the U.S. they had more hits during the 80's than in the 70's. I never even heard of them until sometime during the 90's though, being that I was in the single digits during the 80s.

My internet radio station "Generation 80s (Alternative) Retro Radio" plays 98% of the artists mentioned in this thread. Check it out on my website or in the iTunes Radio tuner. Glad to see so many folks still discovering this great music!

DJ Java Jane :)

Bow Wow Wow were a bit of a recent discovery for me. I had only heard the very catchy pop cover, "I Want Candy". I bought they're "Best Of...." and discovered that they were an exciting and very original act and that Malcom Mac did NOT write all their songs are I had assumed. Given that their lead singer was just 14 at the time, her voice was nothing short of incredible. Her parents would have turned in their graves, no doubt and mine would not have let me listen to such lyrics, back in the day.
I discovered Bow Wow Wow when I re-discovered Culture Club. Sure, I'd had their most popular album, Colour By Numbers, the one that begins with "Karma Chameleon" and my best friend and I had danced around her lounge room to the same, back in the 80s. I wasn't until 2001 that I read Boy George's autobiography, fell head over heals in love and went out and bought everything of his that I could get my sweaty hands on. Boy George was actually a member of Bow Wow Wow "for about five minutes" but was sacked for being too effeminate. Now I look at videos of the screaming girls at culture Club gigs, circa 1984 and wished I could have been there. Oh well!
Cheers,
Dee  :-*

Thomas Dolby.
He had some really good hits over in the UK that didn't make it to the US.
I wish I could have seen him preform live. From what I've read, his shows were pretty cool.

Here are some of mine:

Telex A Belgian Electronic group who done a great cover of Plastic Bertrand's "Ca Plane Pour Moi" and many other great synth pop songs

British Electric Foundation Ex Human Leaguer's and early Heaven 17.

John Foxx Ex-Ultravox lead singer has done some great solo work

Cabaret Voltaire Another great late 70's and 80's group.

The Assembly  Vince Clarke and Fergal Sharkey.

Camouflage German synth group much like Depeche Mode

Classix Nouveaux Sal Solo and his group with great songs like "Guilty"

Groups I wish I heard more of:

Visage I had only heard of "Fade To Grey" but I have since heard a lot more and like them a lot.

A Flock Of Seagulls I only remember "I Ran" but they have a lot of other good songs.

I'll add some more later.

check out www.thepushband.net these guy's are from detroit and they toured with some great grops in the 80's through out the u.s. and canada

Two that I can think of right now are:

Depeche Mode
The Cure

Urgent - They were one hit wonders in 1985 with a song called "Running Back".

  1. Yngwie Malmsteen
  2. Warlock
  3. Zodiac Mindwarp
  4. Flotsam & Jetsam
  5. Hanoi Rocks
  6. Any of those bands that start with the word "white"
  7. D.R.I.
  8. S.O.D.
  9. Frehley's Comet
  10. Vinnie Vincent Invasion
  11. Voivod
  12. Agent Steel