THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS

'The Psychedelic Furs' are an English rock band founded in the late 1970s.

Contents

Biography

Trivia

Discography

Albums

Singles

Notes and references

External links

Biography

The Psychedelic Furs came together in England's emerging punk scene in 1977, where they were initially called "RKO," then "Radio." They then vacillated between calling themselves "The Psychedelic Furs" and "The Europeans", playing gigs under both names before permanently settling on the former name.^[1] The band initially consisted of Richard Butler (vocals) (initially using the name Butler Rep), Tim Butler (bass guitar), Duncan Kilburn (saxophone), Paul Wilson (drums)[1] and Roger Morris (guitars). By 1979, this line up had expanded to a sextet with Vince Ely replacing Wilson on drums and John Ashton being added on guitar.
Punk had dismissed psychedelic rock and was adamantly opposed to it. The Furs embraced punk's more liberating elements, but discarded such limitations and also embraced psychedelic rock. The outcome, a combination of droning guitars and sax, rhythm section in the deep end of the pool, and raspy biting vocals with a slightly more pop feel than punk, was progressively more pop and less punk with successive albums.
The Furs' initial self-titled album from 1980 quickly established the band on radio and was a top 20 hit in the UK. The album also found success in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Australia. The US version of the album was resequenced, but failed to have as strong a commercial impact.
Assisted by producer Steve Lillywhite, famous for his big drum sound, the Furs found success in the U.S. market with the 1981 release ''Talk Talk Talk'', which made its impact on the US album charts. In the UK, the album was a solid hit which spun off two charting singles, "Dumb Waiters" and the original version of "Pretty in Pink". The latter song served as inspiration for the 1986 John Hughes film of the same name, and was re-recorded for the platinum-selling soundtrack.
In 1982, the band was reduced to a four-piece with the departures of Morris and Kilburn.^[2]
The band's remaining members moved permanently to New York, where they recorded the album ''Forever Now'' with producer Todd Rundgren. This album contained "Love My Way", a breakthrough Top 40 hit in both the US and the UK. Ely left the band after this release, though he would return for the 1988 single "All That Money Wants" and the 1989 album ''Book of Days''.
The Furs' 1984 release ''Mirror Moves'' was produced by Keith Forsey, and featured the songs "The Ghost in You" and "Heaven". Both charted in the UK, and "Heaven" became the band's highest charting UK hit at the time -- but inexplicably, "Heaven" was never released as a single in America. Instead, Columbia Records opted for "Here Come Cowboys", despite both international success and heavy MTV airplay on "Heaven." "Here Come Cowboys" failed to chart, but "The Ghost In You" was a hit on the US pop charts. The band had become popular in Canada as well, CFNY, Toronto's new wave radio station, listed ''Mirror Moves'' as the #1 LP of 1984. ^[3]
By this time, the band had become somewhat of a staple on US college and modern rock radio stations. As well, they were building mainstream success, fairly consistently placing singles in the pop charts on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1986, the re-recorded version of "Pretty in Pink", which their biggest hit to that time in the US, and their biggest-ever UK hit.
Richard Butler later claimed that the success of "Pretty in Pink" caused the band to be pressured into entering the studio to record a follow-up release before they were ready. The result was ''Midnight to Midnight'', an album which Butler characterized as "hollow, vapid and weak". A more overtly commercial effort than the Furs had ever recorded before, the album also featured the single "Heartbreak Beat", which happened to be their highest charting top 40 US hit.
However, the Furs were dissatisfied with their new slickly commercial direction, and subsequently returned to a rawer sound with "All That Money Wants", a 1988 track especially recorded for a 'best-of' collection. 1989's ''Book of Days'' saw a return to the old-school style and the temporary return of Vince Ely. 1991's ''World Outside'' was similarly more of a "back to basics" approach.
From 1988 on The Furs' chart success continued with three #1 hits on the US Modern Rock chart between 1988 and 1991.
The band splintered in the early 1990s, with the Butler brothers going on to found Love Spit Love. After spending most of the decade apart, Butler, Butler and Ashton reformed The Psychedelic Furs in 2000, and released a live album ''Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live'', which also featured a new studio recording, "Alive (For Once In My Lifetime)." A DVD version of the performance included live versions of "Alive" and three other previously unreleased songs: "Anodyne (Better Days)," "Cigarette" and "Wrong Train."
Since then the Furs continue to tour the world along with former Love Spit Love drummer Frank Ferrer, ex-Information Society and World Party keyboardist Amanda Kramer and saxophonist Mars Williams who returned to the band after a stint in the late 80's.

Trivia

★ The band Fall Out Boy has a song titled "Pretty In Punk", an obvious reference to the Furs' song.

★ The band Korn covered the song "Love My Way" as a b-side on the sessions for the 2005 album "See You On the Other Side". The song has been played on radio stations during interviews, and the MP3 circulated on the internet shortly after. It has been mentioned that Elijah Blue Allman from the band Deadsy appears to have provided backup vocals on the track. The band has confirmed that the song will be featured on their upcoming cover album.

★ ''Love My Way'' is featured in the 2002 PlayStation 2 videogame .

★ In early 2006, ''Pretty In Pink'', was used by Cingular Wireless in a television advertising campaign for the Motorola "pink Razr" cellphone.

★ Foo Fighters covered the song "Sister Europe" and included it on their "One by One" (bonus version) album.

★ Polyphonic Spree, a self-described "choral symphonic" group, did a cover version of "Love My Way" on their critically acclaimed EP "Wait" in 2006.

Discography

Albums

★ ''The Psychedelic Furs'' 1980 Columbia (U.S. #140)

★ ''Talk Talk Talk'' 1981 Columbia (U.S. #89)

★ ''Forever Now'' 1982 Columbia (U.S. #44)

★ ''Mirror Moves'' 1984 Columbia (U.S. #43)

★ ''Midnight to Midnight'' 1987 Columbia (U.S. #29)

★ ''All of This and Nothing'' (compilation) 1988 Columbia (U.S. #102)

★ ''Book of Days'' 1989 Columbia (U.S. #138)

★ ''World Outside'' 1991 Columbia (U.S. #140)

★ '' (compilation) 1994 Sony

★ ''In the Pink'' (compilation) 1996 Sony Special Products

★ '' (compilation) 1997 Sony

★ ''Radio 1 Sessions'' 1999 Strange Fruit

★ ''Greatest Hits'' (compilation) 2001 Sony

★ '' 2001 Sony

★ ''Superhits'' (compilation) 2003 Sony

Singles

Year	Song	UK	U.S.	U.S. Modern Rock	Album
1979	"We Love You"	-	-	-	''The Psychedelic Furs''
1980	"Sister Europe"	-	-	-	''The Psychedelic Furs''
1980	"Mr. Jones"	-	-	-	Later re-recorded for ''Talk Talk Talk''
1981	"Dumb Waiters"	59	-	-	''Talk Talk Talk''
1981	"Pretty in Pink"	43	-	-	''Talk Talk Talk''
1982	"Love My Way"	42	44	-	''Forever Now''
1982	"Run and Run"	-	-	-	''Forever Now''
1984	"Heaven"	29	-	-	''Mirror Moves''
1984	"The Ghost in You"	68	59	-	''Mirror Moves''
1984	"Here Come Cowboys"	-	-	-	''Mirror Moves''
1986	"Pretty in Pink" ''(re-recording)''	18	41	-	''Pretty in Pink soundtrack''
1987	"Heartbreak Beat"	79	26	-	''Midnight to Midnight''
1987	"Angels Don't Cry"	85	-	-	''Midnight to Midnight''
1987	"Shock"	-	-	-	''Midnight to Midnight''
1988	"All That Money Wants"	75	-	1	''All of This and Nothing''
1989	"Should God Forget"	-	-	8	''Book of Days''
1990	"House"	90	-	1	''Book of Days''
1991	"Until She Comes"	-	-	1	''World Outside''
1991	"Don't Be a Girl"	-	-	13	''World Outside''
2001	"Alive (For Once in My Lifetime)"	-	-	-	''Greatest Hits''

★ 'Note:' Billboard's U.S. Modern Rock chart was established in 1988.

Notes and references

1. What's in a Name?: The Book of Bands, , John, Darling, Xlibris Corporation, 2000, ISBN 0-595-09629-8
2. Grande enciclopedia rock, , , , Giunti, 2002, ISBN 88-09-02852-X
3. http://www.spiritofradio.ca/

External links

★ Burned Down Days Psychedelic Furs fansite

★ Sony Music: Psychedelic Furs

★ Arcadia Group Management

★ All Music Guide: Psychedelic Furs

★ Richard Butler Online

★ From Forever to a Cosmic Joke (Interview with Richard Butler) Sacha Molitorisz

★ Psychedelic Furs tabs