Altered Images | |
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| Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
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Altered Images are a Scottish new wave/post-punk band who found success in the early 1980s. Fronted by singer Clare Grogan, the group branched into mainstream pop music, having six UK top-40 hit singles and three top-30 albums from 1981 to 1983. [1] Their hits include "Happy Birthday", "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and "Don't Talk to Me About Love".
Former schoolmates in Glasgow with a shared interest in the UK post-punk scene, Clare Grogan (vocals), Gerard "Caesar" McInulty (guitar), Michael "Tich" Anderson (drums), Tony McDaid (guitar), and Johnny McElhone (bass guitar), were all members of the Siouxsie and the Banshees official fan club. When they learnt the Banshees were going to play in Scotland, they sent a demo tape to Billy Chainsaw, who managed the official Siouxsie fan club, with a note asking "can we support them on tour?" [2] The Banshees gave the band a support slot on their Kaleidoscope British tour of 1980. Altered Images's name referred to a sleeve design on the Buzzcocks' single "Promises", and was inspired by Buzzcocks vocalist Pete Shelley's constant interfering with the initial sleeve designs. [3]
After being championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, for whom they recorded a radio session in October 1980, [4] they garnered enough attention to be offered a recording contract with Epic Records, [5] but mainstream success was not immediate; their debut single, "Dead Pop Stars", reached only number 67 in the UK Singles Chart, while its successor, "A Day's Wait" stalled outside the top 100. [1] "Dead Pop Stars" was particularly controversial at the time, sung from the viewpoint of a "has-been" icon with irony, but badly timed in its release shortly after John Lennon's death, even though the song was written and performed before his death. A dance remix of it with different lyrics was recorded and released as the 1982 single "Disco Pop Stars". (Both were absent from their studio album releases, but made it onto later anthologies.) After these singles and their first two sessions for John Peel, Caesar left and formed The Wake. [5]
With additional guitarist Jim McKinven (formerly of Berlin Blondes), they recorded their debut album, Happy Birthday (1981), largely produced by Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees. [5] The band also worked briefly with producer Martin Rushent for the title track, which became the band's third single and their biggest hit. [6] The song reached number 2 in the UK (for three weeks) in October 1981, [1] catapulting the band to fame. They quickly became established as a major new wave act, and were subsequently voted Best New Group at the NME Awards and Most Promising New Act in the 1981 Smash Hits readers poll. [7]
After a successful headlining tour, the band retained Rushent as their producer and released their second album, Pinky Blue , in May 1982. It reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart and provided three more top-40 hit singles with "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and the title track, [1] but was perceived as a disappointment by the British press. [6] [8] "I Could Be Happy" was the group's only foray onto the US charts, with the single peaking at number 45 on the Billboard Dance Chart. [9]
Later that year, after McKinven and Anderson left to be replaced by multi-instrumentalist Steve Lironi (formerly of Restricted Code), [5] the band began working on their third album with producer Mike Chapman. The collaboration provided them with another Top 10 hit, "Don't Talk to Me About Love", in spring 1983 and the subsequent album, Bite , was released in June. [5] Half of the album was produced by Chapman, and half by Tony Visconti. [6] [8] Although it reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart, the album sold less than the band's two previous offerings (which had both earned a Silver disc). Before breaking up later that year, Altered Images went on another concert tour that included the band's American debut at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, California, on Thursday, 11 August 1983. [10] [11]
Lironi formed Flesh after Altered Images split up. [5] Grogan and Lironi (who eventually married) [12] formed Universal Love School in the mid-1980s, performing together but never releasing any recordings. [5] Grogan then attempted a solo career, signing to London Records in 1987 and releasing a single, "Love Bomb". [5] Grogan was also included on a London Records compilation album titled Giant, contributing the track "Reason Is the Slave". After "Love Bomb" failed, plans for a follow-up single release, titled "Strawberry", and an album, Trash Mad, were shelved by London Records. Johnny McElhone went on to perform with Hipsway and eventually Texas, [5] while McKinven became part of the 1990s group One Dove with Dot Allison. [5]
Grogan sang live under the name Altered Images in 2002 for the Here and Now Tour, showcasing a revival of popular bands of their era alongside the Human League, ABC, and T'Pau, [12] and again for some separate shows in 2004.
Grogan also became a film and television actress. Prior to finding fame with Altered Images, she had appeared in the 1981 film Gregory's Girl . Afterwards she appeared in Red Dwarf (in which she originated the role of Kristine Kochanski), EastEnders , [12] Father Ted , and Skins . [6] [12] In recent years, she has also become a presenter on UK television, as well as a children's novelist. [5] [13] Grogan performed again in 2012 under the name Altered Images at Butlins Holiday Resort in Minehead on 11 May and at The Assembly in Leamington Spa on 12 May 2012.[ citation needed ] Also in 2012, Grogan put together a new all-female version of Altered Images and performed at the Rebellion Festival. [14] She again fronted Altered Images in Series 5 Episode 5 (December 2019) of The Quay Sessions on BBC Scotland. [15]
In 2021, Grogan duetted with Sharleen Spiteri on the track "Look What You've Done", from Hi, the tenth album released by Johnny McElhone's band Texas. [16] [17] [18]
In late 2021, Grogan led a reformed line-up of Altered Images, supporting the Human League during their 'Dare 40' UK Tour 2021. [19]
In December 2021, Grogan announced that the first Altered Images album in over 38 years would be released in 2022, titled Mascara Streakz. [20] [21] The album has been recorded for Cooking Vinyl Records [22] Grogan and Lironi recorded the album with Bobby Bluebell from the Bluebells and Bernard Butler, formerly of Suede and McAlmont & Butler, and it will have tracks co-written with Texas member Johnny McElhone (who was the band's original bass player). [23] Mascara Streakz was released on 26 August 2022 [24] and reached the UK Top 30.
Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. The Times called the group "one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventurers of the post-punk era".
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation; BBC journalist Mark Savage called him "one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists". He was voted the 24th greatest guitarist of the last 30 years in a national 2010 BBC poll and is often seen performing with a 1961 cherry red Gibson ES-355 TD SV with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece.
Nocturne is a live double album and video by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 25 November 1983 by Polydor Records. Co-produced by Mike Hedges, Nocturne features performances recorded at two shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on 30 September and 1 October 1983, featuring Robert Smith on guitar.
Susan Janet Ballion, known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She came to prominence as the leader and main lyricist of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, who were active from 1976 to 1996. They released 11 studio albums, and had several UK Top 20 singles including "Hong Kong Garden", "Happy House" and "Peek-a-Boo", plus a US Top 25 single in the Billboard Hot 100, with "Kiss Them for Me".
Texas is a Scottish rock band from Glasgow, founded in 1986 by Johnny McElhone, Ally McErlaine, and Sharleen Spiteri. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at the University of Dundee. They took their name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas.
Claire Patricia Grogan, known professionally as Clare Grogan or sometimes as C. P. Grogan, is a Scottish actress and singer. She is best known as the lead singer of the 1980s new wave music group Altered Images, as well as for supporting roles in the 1981 film Gregory's Girl and the science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf as the first incarnation of Kristine Kochanski.
Steven Severin is an English songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He is best known as the bassist of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees which he co-founded in 1976. He was also a member of the short-lived band the Glove. He took the name "Severin" from the Leopold von Sacher-Masoch character who is mentioned in the Velvet Underground song "Venus in Furs". Severin had earlier considered "Steve Spunker" for his stage name. After the split of Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1996, Severin created his own label RE: and released several instrumental albums via his official website. In the late 2000s and the early 2010s, he regularly performed live in solo, playing music over footage of silent films.
John Alexander McGeoch was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977–1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980–1982).
Once Upon a Time/The Singles is Siouxsie and the Banshees's 1981 compilation album featuring the band's UK single releases to date. The album featured several songs that had been released as singles yet had not appeared on any of the Banshees' four albums. Once Upon a Time/The Singles spent twenty six weeks in the UK albums chart. The sleeve was designed by Stylorouge.
Sharleen Eugene Spiteri is a Scottish singer and guitarist, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Texas. She has a contralto vocal range. In 2013, Texas's worldwide album sales were counted at 40 million records.
Juju is the fourth studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was recorded at Surrey Sound studio with Nigel Gray as co-producer, and was released on 19 June 1981 by Polydor Records. Two singles were released from Juju: "Spellbound" and "Arabian Knights".
A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is the fifth studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 5 November 1982 by Polydor Records. The record marked a change of musical direction, as the group used strings for the first time and experimented in the studio. Guitarist John McGeoch played more instruments, including recorder and piano. For Julian Marszalek of The Quietus, the release proved the Banshees to be "one of the great British psychedelic bands."
James Prime is a Scottish musician best known as the keyboard player for rock band Deacon Blue. Prime also lectures at the University of the West of Scotland. Known as a Hammond/piano player, his talents have been sought after by John Martyn, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Cunningham, Eddi Reader and Little Richard..
"Happy House" is a song written by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin and recorded by their band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a single in March 1980 by record label Polydor, then later included on the band's third album, Kaleidoscope. "Happy House" was the group's first record made with guitarist John McGeoch and drummer Budgie.
"Israel" is a song by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released as a stand-alone single in 1980 by Polydor Records.
Pinky Blue is the second album by British new wave band Altered Images. It was released in May 1982 and featured the hit singles "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes" and "Pinky Blue".
Bite is the third studio album by Scottish new wave band Altered Images, released on 17 June 1983 by Epic Records in the UK, and Portrait Records in the US. Produced by Mike Chapman and Tony Visconti, it features the UK top ten single "Don't Talk to Me About Love" as well as other singles: "Bring Me Closer", "Love to Stay" and "Change of Heart". It would be the band's last album for almost 40 years.
"Happy Birthday" is a song by Scottish band Altered Images, released as a single from their 1981 album of the same name. The song entered the UK charts in September 1981 and peaked at number two the following month, holding that position for three weeks. It was the 15th-best-selling single in the UK in 1981 and has been certified silver by the BPI for sales in excess of 250,000 copies.
"I Could Be Happy" is a song by Scottish new wave band Altered Images, released as the first single from their second album, Pinky Blue. Their second top-10 hit in the UK, the song peaked at number seven in December 1981, and remained on the chart for 12 weeks. It also reached the top 40 in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand and was their first and only single to chart in the United States, on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart at number 45 in April 1982.
Hi is the tenth studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Texas, released on 28 May 2021 through BMG. Hi was originally intended to be based on "lost" outtakes from the recording sessions of their 1997 chart-topping White on Blonde album, but this was eventually shelved and ultimately led the band to create new material.
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