Big in Romania

[Jah Womble]

There were quite a few, in fact. A Flock Of Seagulls, given that they had more hits here, is a sort of debatable example but they definitely sold more records in the USA: Leisure Process were briefly popular on the NY club scene despite being barely recognised here. (We did indeed 'do this before', and nobody else on here had heard of them, as I recall.)

Daniel 'Bauhaus' Ash's last notable band, Love & Rockets, somehow managed a #3 Billboard hit with So Alive in 1989.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Daniel 'Bauhaus' Ash's last notable band, Love & Rockets, somehow managed a #3 Billboard hit with So Alive in 1989.

That wasn't completely out of the blue either, their two previous albums had done well on the college/alternative scene in the US and again they'd be heard a bit on TV and movies (and IIRC their poster appeared in some teenager's bedroom wall on a movie, the ultimate nod of recognition back then). Used to like them back in the day, though they were seen as a bit of a joke over here.

[ad hoc]

Previous thread https://www.onetouchfootball.com/sho...eign-musicians

[Jah Womble]

If you look at the galacticos L&R were up against - Prince, Madonna, Bon Jovi et al - it'd have been something of a 'leap' from the college scene, tbh...

http://www.umdmusic.com/default.asp?...90812&ChMode=P

[WOM]

Outfield had a Billboard Top Ten hit called Your Love in 1986 that I don't think I've ever knowingly heard in my life. (Their debut album apparently went 3x platinum in the US.)

They never scraped the Top 75 here, so feel free to file alongside Naked Eyes, The Fixx, Wang Chung and After the Fire under 'Early 80s UK Faux-New Wave Bands That Could Barely Get Arrested At Home'.
\

Just played 'Your Love', which I think I've probably heard as vanilla background music a few times. I can't connect it with the '80s in any meaningful way, but certainly can with 'Hits of the '70s / '80s / '90s' radio playlists.

The Fixx could probably fill a stadium here, still. They were Toronto-huge for some reason. After The Fire had one song, which was a cover, so...meh.

And oddly, my Flock of Seagulls greatest hits (!) is chock full of great songs that I'd never heard before buying it.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

If you look at the galacticos L&R were up against - Prince, Madonna, Bon Jovi et al - it'd have been something of a 'leap' from the college scene, tbh...

http://www.umdmusic.com/default.asp?...90812&ChMode=P

Oh sure enough, it was a big leap, I'm just pointing out they'd had a degree of success already and crossed over from that scene into the mainstream, unlike some of the others who came pretty much from nowhere and quickly went back there. There was a bit of this at the time, 'alternative' singles being picked up on mainstream radio and taking flight, e.g. a year or two later, Right Here Right Now by Jesus Jones and Unbelievable by EMF - not that they were particularly edgy songs of course, but they both started on 'alternative' stations.

[Jah Womble]

Indeed, by the nineties, this kind of crossover was far rarer. Jesus Jones, however, even managed another Top Five hit in America with Real, Real, Real.

(Such was their impact that I can remember a female country singer covering Right Here, Right Now in a Grand Canyon bar when I was over there in 1996.)

The Fixx could probably fill a stadium here, still. They were Toronto-huge for some reason. After The Fire had one song, which was a cover, so...meh.

It was, but more Americans were familiar with their version than Falco's. Strangely, neither rendition troubled the UK charts at all, although I can remember ATF's cover receiving a shedload of airplay. Same thing happened (or 'didn't happen') with One Thing Leads to Another by The Fixx: they were one of those bands that the UK music press absolutely loathed and sadly for them, this also translated to British sales indifference.

[hobbes]

Never Enough was Jesus Jones' only good record. It was a cracker, mind.

[Jah Womble]

I quite liked The Devil You Know.

By the nineties, this kind of crossover was far rarer. Jesus Jones, however, even managed another Top Five hit in America with Real, Real, Real.

(Such was their impact that I can remember a female country singer covering Right Here, Right Now in a Grand Canyon bar when I was over there in 1996.)

The Fixx could probably fill a stadium here, still. They were Toronto-huge for some reason. After The Fire had one song, which was a cover, so...meh.

It was, but more Americans were familiar with their version than Falco's. Strangely, neither rendition troubled the UK charts at all, although I recall ATF's cover receiving a shedload of airplay. Same thing happened (or 'didn't happen') with One Thing Leads to Another by The Fixx: they were one of those bands that the UK music press absolutely loathed and sadly for them, this also translated to British sales indifference.