The Hustle

1987 was a great year for alternative blue-eyed soul music coming out of the UK. Bands like Breathe, Swing Out Sister, the Kane Gang and Hipsway brought a highly sophisticated sound to pop and dance music with a lot of funky horns and bass. My favorite of these groups was Curiosity Killed the Cat who did well in the UK, but had only one near-miss single in the states with "Misfit" which reached #42 that year. Part of CKTC's magic was the soulful voice of lead singer Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot. Unfortunately, the band only lasted a couple albums. Today, Ben is out there performing under the CKTC name to rapt crowds on the nostalgia circuit. In this conversation, we talk about the early club days, what he does now, and how Andy Warhol got involved with the band. Ben was one of the reasons I started this podcast and he wasn't easy to find, so I'm extremely grateful he talked to me. 

Does it get anymore "indelible" than maybe the most long-lasting hit of the 80s, "Walking On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves? This #9 hit from 1985 has continued to live on for decades thanks to its use in everything from movie trailers to commercials. Kimberley Rew is the man that wrote that song, as well as most other songs for Katrina and the Waves, as well as being their guitarist. What casual fans of the band may not know is that there are dozens of primo power pop gems in their catalog and Kimberley is a top-flight songwriter. Before the Waves, Rew was a founding member of the highly acclaimed and influential post-punk band The Soft Boys. That short-lived band was fronted by the great Robyn Hitchcock, who went on to have his own successful solo career as well. So, being a trendsetter is part of Kimberley's make-up. We also talk about BMG purchasing the rights to KatW's catalog for 10 million pounds in 2015, their out-of-nowhere win in the Eurovision song contest in 1997 and his noteworthy solo career. Get to know the man behind the song!

http://www.kimberleyrew.com/

Who can ever forget Musical Youth, those five cute black kids from Birmingham England who had a major worldwide smash with 1983's "Pass The Dutchie". The group, who it should be said wrote many of their own songs and played their own instruments, put out two albums before calling it quits while still in their teens. Unfortunately, some of the traps of life after child stardom crept in - financial problems, legal issues, death. Co-lead singer Dennis Seaton passes on to us some of his well-earned wisdom from those days. He also shines as an example of perseverance. Today, Musical Youth is back out there with Dennis and keyboardist Michael Grant, and they're even working on new music. As it should be!

https://www.facebook.com/musicalyouthofficial/

The Breakfast Club were a fun dance/pop group who put out one album, which included their one and only hit, "Right On Track" which reached #7 in 1987. Unfortunately, that's all she wrote for band. What makes them a fascinating bit of rock history is that they originated as a punk band in NYC in the laet 70s and their drummer was none other than Madonna! Bassist Gary Burke recounts those early days with pre-fame Madonna as well as how the Breakfast Club managed to change directions and become a solid 1-hit-wonder a few years later. It's a fascinating glimpe into a great band and one of the most famous women of all time. 

When talking about the indelible hits of the 80s, it doesn't get much bigger than "I Can't Wait" by Nu Shooz. Led by the husband and wife team of John Smith and Valerie Day, Nu Shooz finally hit the maintstream after years of plugging away on the Portland, OR club scene when "I Can't Wait" reached #3 on the pop charts (#1 on the dance chart) in 1986, embedding one of the most "iconic" basslines into the brains of music fans around the world. Their major label debut album, Poolside, also featured the #28 hit "Point of No Return", but sadly the follow up didn't perform as well and Nu Shooz releases slowed down from there. But the groove of "I Can't Wait" has never gone away from the numerous commercials, sampling, sporting events, and general background soundtracking of every day life. It remains a sample of funk and dance envelope pushing as well as studio wizardry. In here we talk about the effects of the song on their lives, what they do outside of music, their influences, and how they've kept a marriage together so long. They're maybe the most pleasant people on earth.

http://www.nushoozmusic.com/ 

No series on the indelible hits of the 80s would be complete without showcasing the enduring "Obsession" by new wavers Animotion. This week we talk to co-lead singer Bill Wadhams and learn about how their biggest hit came into being and how it effected his career for good and bad. Consider this - you've just achieved world-wide fame, but on very unique terms you weren't mentally prepared for. In the process, the song becomes bigger than you and your talent and abilities get overshadowed. This bittersweet tale has a redeeming end, however, now that Animotion has released their first album featuring Bill and Astrid Plane in almost 30 years, Raise Your Expectations. Plus, it's a home run, something you may not have believed could be possible in 2017. Bill's very honest about the ups and downs of his career and what it feels like to get a second chance at the career you always dreamed of.

Cutting Crew made a huge splash with their debut album Broadcast in 1986, which featured three top 40 hits including the #1 smash "(I Just) Died In Your Arms". Lead singer Nick Van Eede had the musical chops and hunky good looks to catapult a great band into the mainstream. Unfortunately, a long delayed second album cost the group the momentum it needed to stay there, and Nick's broader and more epic songwriting lost some pop sensibility in the process. They sadly never regained their stature. Over the years, Cutting Crew have released five albums in total, including 2015's Add To Favourites, and held a pleasurable spot on 80s Rewind-type tours throughout the world. Nick talks about his prog influences, the death of his musical partner Kevin Scott MacMichael, his involvement in the creation of Cher's global juggernaut "Believe", and how he nearly replaced Phil Collins in Genesis. Cutting Crew may have seemed gone to those not paying full attention, but Nick has never really gone away. 

http://cuttingcrew.biz/

2016 just couldn't go quietly, taking the legend George Michael away on Christmas day. To discuss his career and legacy, as well as his untimely death, we bring back Steve Spears of the popular Stuck in the 80s podcast to make sense of it all. 

The Tubes were revolutionary for their time, mixing rock music and theatricality in a way few others were doing. At the center stage stood Fee Waybill, one of the greatest frontmen in rock history and one of the most fascinating entertainers ever. Though the Tubes staged legendary performances, they didn't garner any hits until the early 80s when they teamed up with a young David Foster and released singles like "She's a Beauty" and "Don't Want to Wait Anymore" that still get played today. Unfortunately, with success came a splintering in the band. In this conversation, Fee candidly talks about what brought the band down, how he got them out of debt, and what he did after it ended, which included collaborating with best friend Richard Marx just as his career launched into the stratosphere. There are also acting jobs, a property management career, a Tubes comeback and the craziest David Bowie story you'll ever hear. 

There's no one like Fee Waybill. He's as good as it gets!

http://www.thetubes.com/

We're kicking off a series on the artists behind some of the indelible hits of the 80s with a legend, Wally Palmar of the Romantics! They are one of the most successful power pop bands ever and recorded a couple of hits that are still ubiquitous today like "Talking In Your Sleep" and, of course, "What I Like About You" (which was actually not a big hit when it came out in 1980). Despite some well-deserved success and a healthy touring schedule today, there were some lean years in the middle that the Romantics had to endure through, but came out the other end on top. We talk about the ups and downs of their career, the diversity of their albums, and how they've soldiered on for 40 years. We also discuss his wonderful side project The Empty Hearts, the supergroup he's in with guys like Clem Burke of Blondie and Elliot Easton of the Cars. Please enjoy!

http://www.romanticsdetroit.com/