In the early ’80s, if you loved Duran Duran, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, and other new wave bands, you may have been compelled to seek out various compilation tapes of similar UK groups released on the heels of their American chart stardom.
I sure did. And upon listening to those complication tapes, I discovered amazing artists that I never otherwise would have heard — artists like new wave queen Lene Lovich, who was a popular feature on compilation series like Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the ’80s and Sedated in the Eighties, where I first heard her songs “New Toy” and “Lucky Number,” respectively.
Although Lene toured the USA regularly in the 1980s, I personally never had the opportunity to see her live. And so it’s absolutely thrilling that she’s headlining American tour dates in conjunction with opening for Devo and The B-52s over the next month or so. Locally, Lene Lovich headlines Rams Head on Stage on Wednesday, Oct. 1!
In 1978, Lene released Stateless, her debut album, which featured the irresistible “Lucky Number,” a UK singles chart hit. Containing “Lucky Number” and other perennial Lene favourites including “Home,” “Say When,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” and the celebrated ballad “Too Tender to Touch,” Stateless was an immediate success when it was first released by cult post-punk label Stiff Records, and it has held its place in fans’ affections for more than four decades.
Watch the official music video for “Lucky Number” by Lene Lovich on YouTube:
In 1980, Lene released Flex, her sophomore album — and by then she had recruited a young Thomas Dolby to her band. Dolby played keyboards and synthesizers for Lovich, most notably during her 1980 North American tour in support of Flex. She followed Flex with the EP New Toy, featuring a title track written by Dolby. “New Toy” became a hit on the US dance charts in 1981, and Dolby shifted to writing his own material.
Watch the official music video for “New Toy” by Lene Lovich on YouTube:
Lene produced No Man’s Land, one last album for Stiff Records, in 1982. She followed that up with the albums March (1989) and Shadows and Dust (2005). But Lene largely retired from public performances in 1990, deciding to raise a family on the English countryside. But with her daughters grown up, Lene returned to regular live performances in 2012, when she and guitarist Jude Rawlins formed the Lene Lovich Band to take her classic material back on the road. The band garnered huge acclaim across the UK and Europe, where they have toured consistently ever since.
Now finally, America has the chance to see what they’ve been missing for so long — the iconic and unique Lene Lovich at full volume. Don’t miss her appearance at Rams Head on Stage!
Lene Lovich
Rams Head on Stage
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Doors @ 7pm
$30-$50 + fees
All ages
