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Modern English is a New Wave band best remembered for their song, "I Melt With You," which was an MTV staple in 1982, and has appeared in various commercials and movies over the years.
History
Modern English began as a punk band called the Lepers in 1979, with Robbie Grey (vocals and guitar), Gary McDowell (guitar), and Richard Brown (drums). Following the addition of Mick Conroy (bass), and Stephen Walker (keyboards) they changed their name to Modern English, and signed to 4AD Records. They released their first singles "Swans on Glass" and "Gathering Dust" in 1981, before coming out with their debut LP Mesh and Lace, a gothic record inspired by bands like Bauhaus and Joy Division.
The following year, the band had moved away from the art styling of their debut, and came out with the more pop album, After the Snow. A single from the album, "I Melt With You" soon became popular on MTV, thanks in part to its inclusion in the movie, Valley Girl. Even though the song didn't make the Top 40, the album performed fairly well, and a followup Ricochet Days was released in 1984. This time however neither album nor single(s) performed well. The band's lineup changed several times after Ricochet Days, leaving Grey as the only remaining original member soon after. Having gone on hiatus several times since 1991, Modern English still occasionall tours and records. Their career received a boost when "I Melt With You" was used in a Burger King commercial in the late 1990s. It was also covered in 2005 by Bowling for Soup for the film Sky High, and even used in a Ritz crackers commercial in 2006.
Discography
Main Albums
- Mesh and Lace (1981)
- After The Snow (1982)
- Ricochet Days (1984)
- Stop Start (1986)
- Pillow Lips (1990)
- Everything Is Mad (1996)
Compilations
- Life in the Gladhouse, 1980-1984: Best of Modern English
External links
Peel Sessions artists | British musical groups | New Wave groups | 4AD Records
"Modern English (band)"