The Brains were an American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band from

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, led by songwriter Tom Gray in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their 1980 debut album was entitled ''The Brains'', and was produced by

Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite, (born 15 March 1955) is a British record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts XTC, Big ...

for

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

. The album included "

Money Changes Everything "Money Changes Everything" is a song by American rock band the Brains from their eponymous debut studio album (1980). Originally released in 1978, the song was reissued as the lead single from the album in 1980, by Mercury Records. Frontman To ...

", originally released by the band in 1978, which became a hit single for

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when she covered it in 1983. After a second Mercury recording in 1981, '' Electronic Eden'' (also produced by Lillywhite) and then an independently released EP, '' Dancing Under Streetlights'', the band split up. A song from ''Electronic Eden'', "Heart in the Street", was covered by

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on their 1980 album ''Chance'' as "Heart on the Street." The band appeared many times at Atlanta's premier new wave/alternative rock venue,

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(named for its address, 688 Spring Street), referred to locally as simply "688." The video for '' Dancing Under Streetlights'' was filmed one night in Spring Street, out in front of the club. They were also the opening act for the August 3, 1980

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concert at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, an April 1981 headlining performance at J.B. Scott's in Albany, New York, and the May 22, 1982, headlining performers at the Milestone Club in

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, North Carolina. Drummer Charles Wolff (born Charles Emerson Wolff on October 12, 1951) died of pancreatic cancer on September 11, 2010 at age 58. Keith Christopher went on to join

The Georgia Satellites The Georgia Satellites are an American Southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They achieved mainstream success with their 1986 self-titled debut album, featuring their best-known single " Keep Your Hands to Yourself", which peaked at No. 2 o ...

, but was replaced as bass player in that band by Rick Price, guitarist for the Brains. The Brains' last drummer Mauro Magellan was the original drummer for the Satellites. Tom Gray also remained in the

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

and formed

Delta Moon Delta Moon is an American swamp blues, blues rock, and blues band. They originated in Inman Park, Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The group's name came to founder member, Mark Johnson, whilst on a pilgrimage to Muddy Waters' cabin near Clarksdale ...

in the late 1990s. Tom Gray later worked on remastering the old tracks and adding new ones according t
Creative Loafing
He died on October 16, 2021, aged 70, from cancer."Tom Gray led a musical life in two chapters, first new wave, then blues", ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', October 19, 2021
Retrieved October 16, 2021

Group members

The Brains Agora Ballroom Tom Gray 1979-4

Final lineup

* Tom Gray – keyboards, vocals * Keith Christopher – bass * Rick Price – guitar, vocals * Mauro Magellan – drums

Past members

* Charles Wolff – drums (died 2010) * Brian Smithwick – bass

Albums

*1980: '' The Brains'' *1981: '' Electronic Eden'' *1982: '' Dancing Under Streetlights'' (EP)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brains, The 1978 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 1982 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state) American new wave musical groups American alternative rock groups American pop rock music groups Musical groups from Atlanta Rock music groups from Georgia (U.S. state) Musical groups established in 1978 Musical groups disestablished in 1982