New Mullet on Monday - Culture Club

A flurry of controversy surrounded the band Culture Club, and who wouldn't find them controversial -- look at that mullet on guitarist Roy Hay! Okay, well, by the time Roy donned this tremendous mullet, Culture Club was in it's twilight years, and the band was no longer causing much commotion.

From the multi-platinum album Kissing to Be Clever, this is Church of the Poison Mind. Roy Hay did not sport a mullet in this video, but drummer Jon Moss had a little one.

The most recent Culture Club news (regarding the entire band, at least) is that they reunited and played some shows in 2002. In 2006, Moss and bassist Mikey Craig made an ill-fated attempt to reform the band with a different lead singer.

Culture Club Links:
The Culture Club Official Website
Culture Club on MySpace
I Am Boy George - The official website, under construction. This one also claims to be official.
100% Boy - Claims to be Boy George's one and only AUTHORIZED web site.
Boy George on MySpace

New Mullet on Monday - King

A few weeks ago, one of our Lost and Found Videos was from the British band King. After writing up the post, it occurred to me that Paul King had a pretty impressive mullet -- perfect New Mullet on Monday fodder. Fortunately, there are several King videos out there on the internets, enabling us to continue to celebrate Paul King and his mullet.

From the 1985 album Bitter Sweet, this is Alone Without You.

Click here to check out the Lost and Found Video post.

Lost and Found Video - The Primitives

From www.crashsite.org, a Primitives fan site:

1988's CRASH, was The Primitives most successful of their singles from their first album, LOVELY. It earned them a UK Top 5 hit (and made the U.S. Top 3). This was a great achievement for an indie band from Coventry, England. The album, Lovely is considered by many as one of the top Indie Pop albums of that era and has influenced many other commercial and indie artists.

The Primitives broke up in 1992. Unbeknown to them; Crash was remixed and showed up on the soundtrack for the film, Dumb and Dumber. The "95 Mix", as it was called, was given slicker, more commercialized production including additional guitars, percussion, organ and backing vocals. These additions were performed by faceless studio musicians and not by The Primitives.

Over the years, around a dozen cover versions have been made by various artists. Interestingly, the more indie artists cover the original version, while more commercial/younger artists are in reality, covering the "95 Mix", familiar to them from the Dumb and Dumber soundtrack.

From 1986-1992, The Primitives made three full-length albums, LOVELY, PURE, and GALORE and about 15 singles. Several collections are available containing singles, b-sides, radio sessions, alternate versions and other rarities.

Links:
A MySpace Page for the Primitives (likely fan-run)
Thru The Flowers - Another Primitives Fan Site

New Mullet on Monday - Real Life

The Australian New Wave band Real Life had a couple of hits in the US in the early '80s -- they also had spiffy little mullets...

From Real Life's debut album, Heartland, this is Catch Me I'm Falling.
Side Note: Those wondering about Count Scary should click here.

As an added bonus, from the same album, here's Send Me an Angel (the mullets were just budding at this point).

Band Update: Vocalist David Sterry and newer band members are still touring as Real Life, and have an interesting schedule of shows this summer: Salt Lake City, two House of Blues shows Southern California, Tijuana & Lima.

Links:
The Official Real Life Website
Heartland: The Unofficial Real Life Website

Briefly...

From Billboard:

• Stories on The Vaselines (who are reuniting), Blondie, The Police, My Bloody Valentine, and The Cure.
  

From NME:

• News on Billy Idol, Morrissey, and Perry Farrell.
  

New Mullet on Monday - The Icicle Works

Houston, we have a mullet (this week), and it belonged to Ian McNabb (pictured right) of The Icicle Works, a Liverpool band that, in two incarnations, released five albums from 1984-1990. Bassist Chris Layhe (pictured in the middle) was also, at times, seen with a mullet, although in this photo, seems to be hiding it.

In 1988, original members Layhe and drummer Chris Sharrock both left the band, at which point Sharrock took up with The La's. According to the band's Wikipedia entry, Sharrock ...would later be a member of The Lightning Seeds and World Party, and would also drum for Robbie Williams, Del Amitri and Eurythmics.

McNabb has, since the dissolution of the second incarnation of the band in 1990, released seven albums as a solo artist, and has recorded with other bands, including The Wild Swans and The Lightning Seeds. For more on McNabb's interesting career, check out his Wikipedia Entry.

From the 1984 album, The Icicle Works, this is Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream) also known as Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly).

Update (also from Wikipedia): In October 2006, after 15 years as a solo artist, McNabb unexpectedly revived the name "The Icicle Works" for a series of UK concerts. However, this new version of McNabb's old band did not feature any original Icicle Works members other than McNabb himself. In essence, McNabb seemed to be re-branding himself, using a somewhat more successful trade name in order to give his work increased exposure. Throughout 2007 and into early 2008, McNabb played dates as both a solo artist and with The Icicle Works.

Links!
An unofficial Icicle Works Web Page (the links at left still work)
Ian McNabb on MySpace
ianmcnabb.com

Lost and Found Video - Birdland

This week's Lost and Found Video is from Birdland, a Birmingham, UK outfit formed in 1989 by bleach blonde brothers Lee (guitar) and Robert (vocals) Vincent, who had previously been part of Zodiac Motel.

From Birdland's 1991 self titled album, this is Shoot You Down.

This video was submitted by CAB reader Paul (Thanks!), who recalls that Rodney on the Roq was ...by far their biggest (and probably ONLY) supporter in the states (although they were a smash in Japan!). He really bent over backwards to the point of "almost losing his job" (right... ) and even arranged their one and only U. S. appearance at the Roxy, where he opened the set!

Post-Birdland, Robert Vincent formed a band called Torn Bloody Poetry (not sure what the status of this band is) and is said to have been in some other bands. Lee Vincent is now a member of Psychic Drive.

Links:
Birdland Fan Site
Birdland history on tigerbomb.net
Psychic Drive Official Website
Psychic Drive on MySpace