Sometime in the late-1990s, when I worked at KXLU, I became a fan of Sunshine Blind, a heavy goth rock outfit reminiscent of Fields of the Nephilim fronted by a girl whose voice could rival that of Beth Ditto or Lisa Kekaula. Sunshine Blind released a cover of "I Ran," a dead-on, guitar-powered rendition of A Flock of Seagulls' classic, that I played often on my show. One day, I got a phone call from one of those cranky 40-something rock dudes who never got the memo that punk went mainstream years before and that it's time to stop calling in to the local college station to complain about "you kids" not really "understanding the message." Punk Rock Dude started hollering at me over the phone for playing such a "reverent" cover of a song from a band that "KXLU never would have touched in the 1980s". It would be okay if this were an "ironic" cover, but, no, he could tell that this band "seriously loved" A Flock of Seagulls.
"Yeah, and irony is just for people who are too chicken to admit that they like stuff that isn't indie rock approved," I answered.
In the years that have passed, very serious people have managed to justify the existence of scads of artists that might previously be considered unhip. However, while it is now suddenly cool to admit liking American Idol winners, the new wave bands who topped the pop charts in the 1980s have yet to receive their due. In the case of A Flock of Seagulls, the band remains something of a punchline at the end of a nostalgia-filled commercial or one of those VH1 shows where terribly unfunny commentators flashback to their Flashdance youth.
Oh, dear reader, there is so much more to AFOS than gravity-defying hairstyles, turquoise jumpsuits and "I Ran." "Space Age Love Song," from the self-titled debut that spawned the band's signature track, is a good place to start with its celestial vocals and Moroder-style synths. "Telecommunication," though, might be my favorite off this debut, a perky, headbobbing synthpop piece similar to what one might find in the early work of OMD or Depeche Mode. You might also want to try "D.N.A.," winner of the Best Rock Instrumental Grammy in 1983.
Today, I spent a good chunk of my afternoon with Listen, the band's follow-up album, playing in the background. If you remember one slice of this album, it might be "Wishing (If I had a Photograph of You)," the ultimate beginning-of-the-party 1980s club jam with it's slow, steady beat and forlorn vocals. If you ever pick up this album (and I highly suggest you do), though, pay close attention to "Nightmares." Where many a band might go overboard with the horror-movie possibilities brought about by a song entitled "Nightmares," AFOS uses restraint with somber electronics and Mike Score's vocals conveying a dread of sleep without relying on overly dramatic phrasing. If you never thought to give AFOS more than a solitary cheer for "I Ran" now is your time to check out the early albums.