Blancmange (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Blancmange | ||
|---|---|---|
 Promotional photograph from the Mange Tout era.
(Left) Neil Arthur, (Right) Stephen Luscombe. |
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  Harrow, England |
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| Genre(s) | Synthpop Alternative dance New Romantic New Wave |
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| Years active | 1979–1986 | |
| Label(s) | London Records, Sire | |
| Associated acts |
The West India Company Neil Arthur |
|
| Members | ||
| Neil Arthur Stephen Luscombe |
||
| Former members | ||
| Lawrence Stevens (1979) | ||
Blancmange were a synthpop band in the 1980s.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Blancmange was formed in Harrow, London in 1979 by vocalist Neil Arthur (born 15 August 1958, in Darwen, Lancashire) and instrumentalist Stephen Luscombe (born on 29 October 1954, in Hillingdon, Middlesex). The duo released their first EP "Irene and Mavis" the following year, but had their first real exposure via a track on the seminal Some Bizarre compilation album, alongside fellow acts Soft Cell and Depeche Mode. This led to them signing a deal with London Records.
Their first success was a single reminiscent of the Talking Heads, "Feel Me", a minor hit in 1982, but later that year they broke through with the single "Living on the Ceiling" (below), which made Number 7 in the UK singles chart. Arguably their seminal moment arrived in 1984, when they elected to cover ABBA's single "The Day Before You Came" - a brave move, as ABBA were then unfashionable. The single reached No 22 in the UK. They were one of the New Romantic's biggest propagating machines for the movement emanating out of London and Essex. Eventually as synthpop became less fashionable, the band's fortunes declined, with the 1985 single "What's Your Problem" only reaching No. 40, and the same year's album Believe You Me spending only two weeks in the British album chart. Blancmange split up in 1986.
Luscombe later released an album of Indian influenced music, New Demons, with Pandit Dinesh, under the name 'The West India Company', in 1989. Arthur meanwhile released his solo album Suitcase, in 1994.
As stated on the band's official MySpace page, Blancmange have recently reformed and are writing material for a new album.
[edit] Audio samples
- Blancmange - Come On Now excerpt (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- An excerpt from Come On Now, a track from the new Blancmange album.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
- Blancmange - Coffee excerpt (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- An excerpt from Coffee, a track from the new Blancmange album.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
[edit] Discography
[edit] EP
- "Irene & Mavis" (1980)
33rpm 7" vinyl released on Blaah Records
[edit] Singles (with chart position)
- "God's Kitchen / I've Seen The Word" (1982) UK #65
- "Feel Me" (1982) UK #46
- "Living On The Ceiling" (1982) UK #7
- "Waves" (1983) UK #19
- "Blind Vision" (1983) UK #10
- "That's Love That It Is" (1983) UK #33
- "Don't Tell Me" (1984) UK #8
- "The Day Before You Came" (1984) UK #22
- "What's Your Problem?" (1985) UK #40
- "Lose Your Love" (1985) UK #77
- "I Can See It" (1986) UK #71
[edit] Studio albums (with chart position)
  #30 |
 #8 |
 #54 |
[edit] Compilation albums
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[edit] Session tracks
- "I Would"
- "Living on the Ceiling"
- "Waves"
- "Running Thin"
Recorded for the BBC Radio 1 John Peel show and transmitted in February 1982.[1]
[edit] Trivia
- The sleeve of the album Happy Families is a painting in the style of Louis Wain.
- Blancmange supported Nash the Slash on a London club tour in October and November 1980. Nash introduced the band to the Virgin subsidiary record label Dindisc, but they were subsequently signed by London Records, in 1982.
- Before forming Blancmange, Luscombe was a member of the West Middlesex group, 'Miru Music Club'. Luscombe also recorded with the 'Spontaneous Music Orchestra' and the 'Portsmouth Sinfonia'.
- The music video for their song "Lose Your Love" was briefly shown during a scene in the 1986 Disney film Flight of the Navigator.
- Although many British bands of their era were highly successful in the U.S., commercial success there eluded Blancmange. They never charted an album or single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, although several of their British hits made the dance-club play charts.
- According to a Smash Hits interview done by Chris Heath, Neil Arthur attended the University of Birmingham at the same time that Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon did. Years later, when the two met up backstage at a Top Of The Pops taping, Le Bon recognized Arthur from university days and the two met up for a drink and some friendly chat.
[edit] Notes
- ^ BBC John Peel Sessions - Blancmange. Retrieved 29 August 2006.
[edit] External links
- All Music Guide Band Biography - Blancmange
- Trouser Press Guide Band And Album Review - Blancmange
- Blancmange Fan site
| Blancmange |
| Neil Arthur | Stephen Luscombe Lawrence Stevens |
| Discography |
|---|
|
Studio albums: Happy Families (1982) | Mange Tout (1984) | Believe You Me (1985) Compilation albums: Second Helpings (1990) | Heaven Knows (1992) | The Third Course (1994) | Best of Blancmange (1996) | The Platinum Collection (2006) EP & Singles: Irene & Mavis (1980) | God's Kitchen / I've Seen The Word (1982) | Feel Me (1982) | Living On The Ceiling (1982) | Waves (1983) | Blind Vision (1983) | That's Love That It Is (1983) | Don't Tell Me (1984) | The Day Before You Came (1984) | What's Your Problem? (1985) | Lose Your Love (1985) | I Can See It (1986) |
| Videography |
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Videos: The Video Singles (1986) | Live at the Haçienda (2005) | Hello Good Evening (2006) |
