10 Forgotten 80s Bands Worth Rediscovering
1. Red Box
If you had to name one band on this list which posed the biggest puzzle as to their relative lack of success, it would have to be Red Box. Formed in the early '80s by duo Simon Toulson-Clarke and Julian Close, with an extensive cast of supporting musicians, Red Box's debut album, 1986's The Circle & The Square, spawned two UK hits with the singles, For America and Lean On Me.
Beyond that, however, lay an album packed full of polished, inventive and quirky numbers, fleshed out by a lavish sound. No other rock/pop outfit which springs to mind so easily and naturally incorporated brass and orchestral sounds into songs which remained nevertheless personal and up-close.
Effortlessly catchy and inventive, The Circle & The Square alone should have guaranteed Red Box superstar status for years to come. In reality, it barely managed to trouble the charts. Strained relationships between the band and their label, Warner, may well have contributed, as well as the group's decision to release For America as their US debut – a song critical of that country's politics and lack of substance.
A second album followed, then a lengthy hiatus until 2010. Since that time, Red Box have released two more long-players, both of which are deserving of attention. Neither, however, comes close to their astonishing debut.