English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
s and two
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
label
A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...
. Members of the band would later go on to have successful careers in other notable bands and in music production.
History
The band were formed in 1979 and consisted of members
Ben Watkins
Juno Reactor is a multi-national musical and performing group, primarily based in Brighton, UK. Known for their cinematic fusion of electronic, global influences, and orchestral symphonic approach, collaborating with composer Don Davis and compo ...
(vocals, guitar),
Pete Glenister
Pete Glenister is an English guitarist, songwriter and producer, known for his work with Alison Moyet and Kirsty MacColl. He has also worked with a number of other artists including Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Bruce Foxton, Terence Trent D'Arby, Bros, ...
(guitar), Stan Shaw (keyboards),
Neil Brockbank
Neil Brockbank (February 1951 – 30 May 2017) was a British record producer, audio engineer and bass player. He is known for working in close collaboration with Nick Lowe spanning 25 years, producing all of Lowe's albums since 1994's ''The Impos ...
(bass) and Mike Gaffey (drums). Shaw and Brockbank were later replaced by
Alan Wilder
Alan Charles Wilder (born 1 June 1959) is an English musician, composer, arranger, record producer and former member of the electronic band Depeche Mode from 1982 to 1995. Since his departure from the band, the musical project called Recoil b ...
and John Jay (of Ian Mitchell Band), respectively.
In Australia, the band were known as The London Hitmen due to a naming conflict with the local band of the same name.
The band released two studio albums; ''Aim for the Feet'' in 1980 and ''Torn Together'' in 1981. The 1981 single "Bates Motel" became a minor hit, being played widely on UK radio and having its video featured on the newly-launched
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
channel in the United States.
After The Hitmen
Ben Watkins went on to join
Brilliant
Brilliant may refer to:
Music
* ''Brilliant'' (album), a 2012 album by Ultravox
*Brilliant (band), a British pop/rock group active in the 1980s
* "Brilliant" (song), a song by D'espairsRay
*Brilliant Classics, Dutch classical music record label
* ...
then later form the electronic bands
the Flowerpot Men
The Flowerpot Men were a British electronic music group active in the 1980s. This group featured electronic musician Ben Watkins (of Juno Reactor), Paul N. Davies (of Naked Lunch), and cellist Adam Peters.
Works
They recorded several EPs ...
and
Juno Reactor
Juno Reactor is a multi-national musical and performing group, primarily based in Brighton, UK. Known for their cinematic fusion of electronic, global influences, and orchestral symphonic approach, collaborating with composer Don Davis and compo ...
, as well as working with
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English rock music, rock band from Notting Hill, London, England, formed in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass).
Their first album, ''Ki ...
's Martin 'Youth' Glover in the duo The Empty Quarter.
Pete Glenister went on to play guitar, write and produce for other artists such as
Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was a British singer and songwriter, daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. She recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He ...
,
Alison Moyet
Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard ( ; born 18 June 1961) is an English singer noted for her powerful bluesy contralto voice. She came to prominence as half of the duo Yazoo (also known as Yaz), but has since mainly worked as a solo artist.
Her ...
,
Terence Trent D'Arby
Sananda Francesco Maitreya (born Terence Trent Howard; March 15, 1962), who started his career with the stage name Terence Trent D'Arby, is an American singer and songwriter who came to fame with his debut studio album, ''Introducing the Hardlin ...
,
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Princess Anni-Frid Synni Reuss, Countess of Plauen (born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad on 15 November 1945), also known by her nickname "Frida", is a Norwegian-born Swedish singer, songwriter and environmentalist, who is best known as one of the foun ...
,
Bruce Foxton
Bruce Douglas Foxton (born 1 September 1955) is an English singer, songwriter and musician.
Foxton's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as bassist and backing vocalist of mod revival band the Jam. ...
,
Fischer-Z
Fischer-Z are a British rock group and main creative project of singer, guitarist and poet John Watts. In 1982 Watts temporarily dissolved Fischer-Z and started a solo career under his own name. John Watts has gone on to release both solo and ...
and
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ' ...
, among many others.
Alan Wilder became the keyboardist for
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting).
Depeche ...
in 1982 then continued his solo project
Recoil
Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force requ ...
after leaving the band in 1995.
Neil Brockbank became an audio engineer and producer for many artists including
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and new wave,Mary Coughlan, Alison Moyet,
Tanita Tikaram
Tanita Tikaram (born 12 August 1969) is a British pop/folk singer-songwriter. She achieved chart success with the singles " Twist in My Sobriety" and " Good Tradition" from her 1988 debut album, ''Ancient Heart''.
Background
Tikaram was born i ...
, Bryan Ferry and
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene (often abbreviated to OCS) are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Solihull in 1989. They have had five top 10 albums including a number one in 1997. They have also achieved seventeen top 40 singles and six top 10 sin ...
. He died in 2017 of cancer.
Discography
Albums
*''Aim for the Feet'' (1980), Columbia/Urgent
*''Torn Together'' (1981), Columbia
Singles
*"Hold On to Her" (1980)
*"I Still Remember It" (1980)
*"She's All Mine" (1980)
*"O.K." (1980)
*"Bates Motel" (1981)
*"Ouija" (1981)
*"Bad Timing" (1981)