UK post-punk band formed in 1977, London, by brothers Tim Butler and Richard Butler. The band released eight studio albums to date and have been produced by a variety of producers, such as Steve Lillywhite, Todd Rundgren, Keith Forsey, Chris Kimsey, David M. Allen and Stephen Street.
Their 1981 song "Pretty In Pink" was picked by director John Hughes (17) as the title of his 1986 teen movie and the re-made version of the song became their biggest hit until then. Other highlights of their catalogue are "Love My Way", "Sister Europe" and their biggest US hit "Heartbreak Beat".
In 1991 they went on hiatus while Richard Butler and Tim Butler launched a new group, Love Spit Love that lasted for two albums (1991 & 1997). In 1996, singer Richard Butler released his self-titled solo album.
The Furs reformed in 2000 for the release of a live album and, since then, the band continue to tour. They released a new studio album in 2020, the first since 1991.
Their 1981 song "Pretty In Pink" was picked by director John Hughes (17) as the title of his 1986 teen movie and the re-made version of the song became their biggest hit until then. Other highlights of their catalogue are "Love My Way", "Sister Europe" and their biggest US hit "Heartbreak Beat".
In 1991 they went on hiatus while Richard Butler and Tim Butler launched a new group, Love Spit Love that lasted for two albums (1991 & 1997). In 1996, singer Richard Butler released his self-titled solo album.
The Furs reformed in 2000 for the release of a live album and, since then, the band continue to tour. They released a new studio album in 2020, the first since 1991.
maxal
June 24, 2022I'm going to be predictable again. For me, it is the first three albums which are truly worth having. And they made it BIG in America with the fourth (YipPEE!?) oooooooooo. Mirror Moves. It is still a good album (My Time), but for me has the marks of a more mainstream sound, with sometimes too-ploddingly tiring one-beat drums marking the demise, and the shout of Heartbeat that got everybody dancing in the US.
Pretty in pink, well OK, it was from the older period, but not their best track, yes, it had their sarcastic tone, but not the real charm, whatever . . . obviously, it irritated me, I found it twee, not representative of what I had found special with PF. But on the scale of things, what does it matter, also obviously, many thousands more thought me wrong.
So a good dividing line could be the third album. Then, if you like something less predictable, more indie-Eighties: go backward. And, if you like polished pop: go forward in time, you'll probably love the fourth album. But then it is pretty marshy . . . where did they go?
Interestingly, the self-titled Richard Butler album (2005), is Richard doing his own thing - quite different from anything PF did together, displaying his talents as a consumate musician, it is a beautiful album, certainly worth a listen. The album still hasn't made it to vinyl (because of its birth in the Vinyl Is Dead years), so is a project desperate to be pressed into the black plas.