Following up on their 2018 ‘Ascension’ album, the band returns with the second installment of their Orchestral Hits opus.
'String Theory', A Flock of Seagulls' new album, includes 11 new recordings of some of their classic hits and fan favorites. The album features the Prague Philharmonic and other orchestras and adds an extra orchestral backing to hits such as 'Messages', 'Say You Love Me', 'The More You Live, The More You Love', 'Remember David' and 'The Story of A Young Heart'. The album features appearances from all 4 original members Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds
A Flock of Seagulls may well be known for their bizarrely teased haircuts as much as their hit single ‘I Ran’. But the post-grunge anti 80’s prejudice left, initially, a generation of music fans alienated from enjoying the 80’s for what it really was, a time when art and fashion and design had an extraordinary explosion in creativity. There was an exciting landscape for music and for being able to create your own sound. Everyone was looking for their own identity, that was a badge of honor, and yes, there was some excess, but that is a side effect of breaking boundaries.
At the beginning of the 1980’s, A Flock of Seagulls was one of the prime movers in the new wave genre. Growing out of the synth-heavy and the ruthlessly stylish new romantic movement. Hairdresser Mike Score (lead vocals, keyboards) formed A Flock of Seagulls with his brother Ali (drums) and fellow hairdresser Frank Maudsley (bass) in 1980, adding guitarist Paul Reynolds several months later.
‘Telecommunication’ became an underground hit in Euro-disco and new wave clubs. The band signed a major-label contract with Jive by the end of the year, and their eponymous debut album appeared in the spring of 1982. ‘I Ran (So Far Away)’ was released as the first single from the album, and MTV quickly picked up on its icily attractive video, which featured long shots of Mike Score and his distinctive, cascading hair. The single climbed into the American Top Ten, taking the album along with it. In the UK, ‘I Ran’ didn't make the Top 40, but ‘Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)’ reached number ten later that year; in America, that single became a Top 40 hit in 1983, after ‘Space Age Love Song’ peaked at number 30. ‘Wishing’ was taken from the group's second album ‘Listen’ in 1983. The band released 1984's ‘The Story of a Young Heart’ which fielded the hit ‘The More You Live, The More You Love’.
But as time passed, references for the 1980’s started to grow in pop culture, even when they were poking fun, the truth is there was a nostalgia, there was a true fascination for the exuberance of that era, and A Flock of Seagulls were a staple: from TV (Ross's Haircut in Friends, Fez singing ‘I Ran” in That 70’s Show), Computer Games (‘I Ran’ was the standout track on Grand Theft Auto Radio), Film (The band and haircut are referenced in Pulp Fiction, X-Men and The Wedding Singer). This new exposure cemented the band's reputation and brought the band to a whole new legion of fans.
In 2003, the original line-up of Mike, Ali, Frank and Paul reunited for a one-off performance on the VH1 series Bands Reunited. In September 2004, they reformed again and did a brief tour of the United States. From 2004 to 2021 Mike was as busy as ever touring the band around the world.
Like, comment, share!
Related news:
The Jesus and Mary Chain sue Warner over copyright infringement: Jim and William Reid are asking for over $2.5 million in damages.
Song Machine | Gorillaz: New project is a series music videos with a wide array of guest artists.
Music for The Masses Part II- How Depeche Mode conquered the world: The Dark Side of the Force.