DESCRIPTION:
Good quality video recorded live from Top Of The Pops 1983. Altered Images were an early 1980s Scottish New Wave / post-punk band. Led by lead singer Clare Grogan, the band branched into mainstream pop music and had a string of chart hits between 1981 and 1983.
With additional guitarist Jim McKinven, they recorded their debut album, Happy Birthday (1981) seeing them continue their link with Siouxsie and the Banshees, as the band's bassist Steve Severin produced several tracks on it. Top producer Martin Rushent (fresh from his success with The Human League at that time) also produced several tracks including the title track which became the band's third single and their biggest hit. The song reached number 2 in the UK (for three weeks) in October 1981, catapulting the band to fame. They quickly became established as one of the biggest New Wave acts around, and were subsequently voted "Best New Group" at the NME awards. Meanwhile, Grogan, with her quirky candy-floss voice and energetic stage persona, became something of a pin-up at the time.
After a successful headlining tour, the band retained Rushent as their producer and released their second album, Pinky Blue, in May 1982. The album ventured further into a pop style than their earlier punkish recordings. It reached the UK Top 20 and provided three more Top 40 hit singles with "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and the title track. However, many critics who had previously supported the band had begun to turn sour.
Later that year, after McKinven and Anderson left to be replaced by multi-instrumentalist Steve Lironi (formerly of the band Restricted Code), the band began working on their third album with producer Mike Chapman. The collaboration provided them with another Top 10 hit, "Don't Talk To Me About Love", in spring 1983 and the subsequent album, Bite, was released in June. The album, half-produced by Chapman and half by Tony Visconti, exhibited a slightly glossier pop sound in comparison to the band's previous works, with heavier use of keyboards and even strings. The polished sound was exemplified by its front cover, an elegant black and white "movie star" shot of Grogan wearing a Audrey Hepburn-style dress. However, despite charting in the Top 20, the album sold less than the band's two previous offerings and, following another concert tour, the band broke up.
After the break up of the band, Grogan attempted a solo career, signing to London Records in 1987 and releasing a single, "Love Bomb". Grogan was also included on a London Records compilation titled Giant, contributing the track "Reason is the Slave". After "Love Bomb" failed, plans for a follow up single release, titled "Strawberry", and the full length album, Trash Mad, were shelved by London Records. There are rumors that promotional copies of Trash Mad were sent out in 1987. Grogan also became a film and television actress, appearing in productions such as Gregory's Girl, Red Dwarf (in which she originated the role of Kristine Kochanski), EastEnders, and Father Ted. In recent years she has also become a presenter on UK television. Recorded from Top Of The Pops 1981. Please visit my other Channel. Keep Rockin!.
Grogan and Steve Lironi (who eventually married) formed Universal Love School, performing together but never releasing any recordings. Johnny McElhone went on to perform with Hipsway and eventually Texas. Grogan sang live under the name Altered Images in 2002 for the Here and Now Tour, showcasing a revival of popular bands of their era alongside the likes of The Human League, ABC, and T'Pau, and again for some separate shows in 2004.
Please visit my other Channel. Keep Rockin!.
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