Artist:The Psychedelic Furs
Song:Heartbreak Beat
Album:Greatest Hits
The Psychedelic Furs were a pioneering new wave band in the 80s. They had a strong fanbase but they never had the commercial success that other bands achieved. Most of their commercial success was in their native England. The 1987 single Heartbreak Beat was their biggest hit in the US. Lead singer Richard Butler and his bassist brother Tim Butler formed The Psychedelic Furs in 1977. By the time they recorded their 1980 debut album, the rest of the band was Roger Morris and John Ashton on guitar, Duncan Kilburn on sax and Vince Ely on drums. The 1981 album Talk Talk Talk is considered to be a classic today. But it didn't sell at the time. The song Pretty in Pink got some attention when John Hughes used it in his 1985 film Pretty in Pink. The Psychedelic Furs re-recorded the song for the film and that version charted. Morris and Kilburn left and the band recorded the 1982 album Forever Now with Todd Rundgren producing. Love My Way was their first US chart single. After Ely left, The Psychedelic Furs recorded the 1983 album Mirror Moves with producer Keith Forsey. He also played drums. The Ghost in You was their second US chart single. By 1985 The Psychedelic Furs were staples on college radio stations. They just weren't able to get that big hit. After Pretty in Pink became their biggest hit, Columbia pressured the band to record a more commercial album. They recorded the 1987 album Midnight to Midnight with Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey. Heartbreak Beat reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though this was their biggest success to date, Butler hated it. He described it as "hollow, vapid and weak". This led to The Psychedelic Furs demise and they split up in 1991. They reformed in 2000 and released a live album. They released an album of new music in July on Cooking Vinyl. This budget comp covers the Columbia years. The Psychedelic Furs musical influence is much greater than their commercial success. Here's the video for Heartbreak Beat by The Psychedelic Furs.
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