Here is yet another 80’s post-punk/ New Wave band that deserved much more attention and accolades than it received. It was called ”The Lucy Show” and was formed by Mark Bandola (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Rob Vandeven (vocals, bass), with Pete Barraclough (guitars, keyboards), and Bryan Hudspeth (drums). Bandola and Vandeven were two Canadian-born friends who had moved to England in the late 1970s.

In 1983, The Lucy Show released their first single, “Leonardo da Vinci,” on Shout Records. The legendary John Peel took notice of this track and gave it airplay. In 1984,  The Lucy Show was invited by R.E.M. to support them on their 1984 UK tour.

In 1985, the band’s debut album, …undone, was released. Even though the album enjoyed great critical acclaim and a meteoric rise up the charts, the band soon learned that they were being dropped from their current record label A&M UK. This put a serious crimp in their upward climb to success.

In 1986, the band released their second album, Mania on Big Time Records. This album garnered two major college-radio hits and a video for “A Million Things” which received airplay on MTV. However, Big Time Records went belly-up, again foiling the chances for the band to break through the music industry’s barriers in a memorable way.

The band disbanded, leaving Bandola and Vandeven to release one final single, “Wherever Your Heart Will Go”, in 1988 on Redhead Records. The single flopped and The Lucy Show faded into obscurity forever.

Fortunately for us, Mania was reissued on CD containing several bonus tracks. Unfortunately, …undone has not been re-released and to this day remains out of print. This is a shame because three excellent, moody, gorgeously lush songs are on this album: Ephemeral (This is No Heaven), The White Space, and Twister. Another blogger, Bubu from Musicalement Votre is a huge The Lucy Show fan. Visit his site and do a search for the band to find out more information.

 

“Ephemeral (This Is No Heaven)” via YouTube user tadeuz30:

 

“Part Of Me Now” via YouTube user rockcientounico:

 

“A Million Things” via YouTube user thewhitespace:

 

…undone (out of print)

 

 

 

 

 

Tracklist:

1.      Ephemeral (This Is No Heaven)

2.      Resistance

3.      Come Back To The Living

4.      The White Space

5.      Wipe Out

6.      Twister

7.      Undone

8.      Remain

9.      Better On The Hard Side

10. Remembrances

11. Dream Days

 

 Purchase Mania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracklist:

1.      Land And The Life

2.      View From The Outside

3.      Sojourn’s End

4.      A Million Things

5.      Sad September

6.      Sun And Moon

7.      Shame

8.      Melody

9.      Part Of Me Now

10. New Message

11. Jam In E

12. Invitation

13. Civil Servant

14. Sun And Moon (live)

15. View From The Outside (live)

16. New Message (basement demo)

17. A Million Things (original mix)

18. A Million Things [multimedia track]