80s Music A-Z: F

Okay, you know what this one is going to be, right?
After using the haircuts as a main reason for featuring a couple of the other letters, it has to be the one band whose name has become synonymous with 80s pop culture and music. That band of course, is Flock of Seagulls. I mean, come on, look at these guys.

They epitomize the 80s so much that when Samuel L. Jackson's character in Pulp Fiction called another character by the name of the band, everyone knew exactly what he meant. (WARNING. The clip in the link contains Samuel L. Jackson. In a movie that is not The Avengers. And it was rated R. I trust that you get the point. Go to the 1:57 mark to see the above mentioned reference.)

So, it has to be Flock of Seagulls.

But it isn't.

Hey, nothing against them, but they're a bit obvious. They're the first band you thought of, right?

So, other 80s acts starting with F. There's Fine Young Cannibals, who everyone may have been driven crazy by their song "She Drives Me Crazy". They also have a connection to another prominent 80s band as members David Steele and Andy Cox were also in the English Beat (or The Beat, depending on where you live. See the letter B for more on that.) But, I don't want to drive anyone crazy, so no.

Which brings us to The Fixx.

The Fixx formed in 1979, but didn't release their first album until 1982. Shuttered Room contained several hits for the band, including "Stand Or Fall" and "Red Skies". But it was the album Reach the Beach, released the following year which put The Fixx in the 80s pop culture pantheon.  It became their biggest selling album, and remains so today. The songs "Saved By Zero" and "One Thing Leads to Another" were big hits for them. The latter actually reaching #4 on the US charts.

 They had some success with their next album, Phantoms, which had the songs "Are We Ourselves" and "Sunshine In the Shade." And they've gone on to release 7 more albums since then! The latest, Beautiful Friction, just last year. They still sound pretty good. Click here for the first single from that album, "Anyone Else."

Although much of The Fixx's catalog is great, and any of the tunes from that era would be representative, I chose "One Thing Leads to Another" as the featured song. The reason. Cy Curnin's weird semaphoric gyrations. He flails about like he's swatting flies through half the video.I couldn't resist sharing.  If someone knows how to translate the "sign language" that he's using, please let me know.

 
Coming up next, the letter G. But, I guess you knew that. Check back to see who it'll be. 
And, of course, thanks for playing.