A message to my fellow countrymen: We have always been told a Flock of Seagulls were solely an American phenomenon, created by MTV, and that the Brits were far too smart to fall for this schlock. I have subscribed to this theory for 35 years, but I just checked the charts... not really the case. We did take to early single "I Ran (So Far Away)" with much more zeal, but the UK stuck with the band longer. As for "Wishing," the song peaked at No. 10 in their home country and No. 26 here in America. That was more or less the end of the line for the folicly-confused band in these parts.
Back next week with another UK band from the letter F, and this one actually was a bigger deal in this part of the world.
"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" (Long Version)
13 comments:
I remember a Saturday morning kid's TV show which one week, quite bizarrely, had the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was reviewing the week's new singles. (Yes, that really is one of the strangest concepts you can imagine, but I swear it was true...)
She didn't seem to like much of what she was played, but did state a fondness for the Flock Of Seagulls track (I think it may have been the follow-up to Wishing...) Needless to say, from that moment on, they were doomed. The record flopped and they were never heard of again.
I'd never even heard that song 'I Ran' before 'La La Land...!' (true story) whereas 'Wishing' transports me immediately (and uncomfortably) into my teenage years...
Would be tough to get over a positive review from Maggie. I bet the fellas had their faces in their hands after that one.
The song was huge here. Not one of our finer moments. Tough to defend this lot. I throw myself at the mercy of the court.
I can't help but admire your candour Brian!
That's what Misstep Mondays is all about, my good man.
I saw the programme that the Robster mentions. Totally put me off FOS, if the milksnatcher liked it it must be shit.
Just listened to it now, yes dated but nowhere near as pish as Duran Duran or Spandau's Ballet. I actually quite liked it.
I'm with your first instinct Brian. Pish. Shite. Was then and is now.
Drew, Their best moment, but not sure that's saying much. I had just turned 13 when it came out. Ticked my boxes... synths, British, looked weird. That this single was never sold off in 35 years tells me I like it more than I should, but I think Adam more or less sums it up. Can Misstep Mondays stoop lower? I think I can, I think I can...
Drew, I disagree, I prefer Duran Duran's Planet Earth to FOS. And Spandau Ballet's To Cut A Long Story Short to FOS.But it is better than Kajagoogoo. And Howard Jones. Does that bloke in FOS still sport the same bizarre hair style? I hope so. So Brian, it's the mighty Fall next???
George, I could conceivably do every band mentioned in these comments. Sad but true. Fall excluded, obviously.
I always thought Wishing was a pretty good single but I have no memory of I Ran being played on the radio in the UK at all and only discovered it quite recently. I presumed it was only ever a hit in the States.
I'll hold my hands up.
The news on this band being stars in the States but not back home was interesting. It was announced they were going to undertake a UK tour of student venues, including the one I frequented in Glasgow. I bought a few 12" singles to familiarise myself with some songs and found myself liking them.
The gig, however, was just abysmal. They couldn't sing or play to save themselves. The packed hall emptied very quickly and they remain one of the few lead acts I've ever seen booed-off stage.
I still have the 12" singles but never played them again in what is now well over 30 years.
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