Diving back to the 80s this lunch hour with a set by Wang Chung, during their second night at The Roxy in West Hollywood and recorded on April 14, 1987 by KLOS-FM in L.A.
Wang Chung were probably the quintessential 80s band – they embraced just about all the attributes which became synonymous with that period of time; going from Punk straight into New Wave – making stops at Dance-Pop, straight pop, techno pop and Uptown Pop.
After many fits and starts – changing names (both of the bands and themselves), Wang Chung eventually emerged, landing in the middle of the MTV revolution and began to score mainstream success with songs like “Dancehall Days” becoming anthems for the mid-80s.
But like everything, times and tastes change and music evolves into the “next big thing”. New Wave, along with the hair and the clothes, fell by the wayside in favor of Grunge and Brit Pop and Wang Chung called it quits – not entirely breaking up, but adapting that stance of committed non-committal by going on hiatus in 1990 for the next seven years.
By the early 2000’s a wave of 80s revival bands started filling clubs and playlists, and Wang Chung came back together, seeing possibilities of reviving a catalog and offering a direct connection to that period which some were just discovering while others were wondering why it ever left.
The 80s revival continues, even now – with tours and festivals dedicated to those bands and artists who have kept the flag flying lo, these past 40 years.
But to get some idea of what the actual period was like – the actual audience reaction and the actual blast of energy this new genre was exhibiting, this is what Wang Chung were up to, that second night of sold out shows at The Roxy and broadcast by KLOS to everyone who missed it.
Grab a sandwich and dial in.
