Comsat Angels is an English group formed in Sheffield in 1978 and originally composed of Stephen Fellows, Mik Glaisher, Kevin Bacon and Andy Peake. Group whose name would be inspired by the News of the same name by JG Ballard.
Group which released a first single "Red Planet" in 1979, single which will unfortunately go somewhat unnoticed. Except for the Polydor label which detects in this group a certain potential and signs them for 3 albums.
Label which allows them to release their first album "Waiting for a miracle" a year later in 1980, album from which two singles will be extracted which are "Total war" and "Independence day". Album which in turn will go somewhat unnoticed ...
It was the turn of the album "Sleep no more" to be released in 1981, an album which paradoxically remained as the highest ranked of all the group's albums but did not produce any single. A year 1981 which will see all the same the release of 2 singles outside the album that are "Eyes of the lens" and "Empty house", two singles with the most limited success.
New album "Fiction" in 1982, album with less success and which will mainly produce the single "After the rain".
The year 1983 rhymes with change of label (Jive Records) and the release of the album "Land", album with three singles that are "Will you stay tonight ?","Island heart", but also, and above all, "Independence day", the same which had been released three years earlier. As much as the first version went unnoticed, this re-recorded version will make people talk to the point of becoming the biggest success of all the band's discography.
Two years passed before the release in 1984 of the new album "7 day weekend", album which will not be classified but which will all the same produce four high-caliber singles which are "You move me" and "Day one" the same year, as well as "Forever young" and "I'm falling" the following year in 1985. Only "I'm falling" will manage to painfully pull out of the game. A counter-performance which sees them once again eject of their label.
It was the providential help of singer Robert Palmer that would put them back a little bit by allowing them to sign with the Island Records label. Label which allows them to release their new album "Chasing shadows" in 1986, album on which the same Robert Palmer sings on one of the tracks. Unfortunately, the 'Palmer' effect wasn’t much of a game-changer and the album was only relatively successful.
Four years passed before the album "Fire on the Moon" was released in 1990, an album whose special feature was the fact that it was released under the group name Dream Command. A name change linked to pressure from the American firm Communication Satellite Corporation so that the group no longer uses its original name and thus avoids a lawsuit for plagiarism.
A temporary name change that will hardly change the situation since the album will be a relative failure. Just like the 2 other albums which will be released subsequently, namely "My mind's eye" in 1992 and "The glamor" in 1995.
Two successive failures from which the group will not recover, which will end up separating during 1995 ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Red planet 1979
Total war 1980
Eye of the lens 1981
(Do the) Empty house 1981
It's history 1982
After the rain 1982
Will you stay tonight ? 1983
Island heart 1983
Independence day 1984
You move me 1984
I’m falling 1985
Forever young 1985
The cutting edge 1986
Driving 1992
Shiva descending 1993
Clips :
1979 ... a style and sound typical of the end of the decade across the Channel. Not enough in any case to stand out from the crowd ...
1980 ... the transition to the 80s will unfortunately not change much. The group will have to raise its level of play damnably ...
1981 ... the best is obvious. The work begins to pay off and the group improves in quality, that's for sure. Rather a good omen for the future ...
1981 ... a year 1981 which really saw them evolve in the right direction. All that remains is to produce THE title that will make all the difference ...
1982 ... they really don't lack much to record a first notorious success. So let's be patient ...
1982 ... for the big take off, it will not yet be for this year 1982 but we are getting closer slowly but surely. There is better, for sure ...
1983 ... the year of the big takeoff, here it is ! Starting with this first title of more than certain quality. The group has finally found the style that goes well. It shows, especially it can be heard !
1983 ... a title notch below the previous one but which holds up, no matter what. And when you see what is on the horizon, no need to worry about them !
1984 ... then THIS title comes ! The title of recognition, the real one with a place among the best groups of the moment, well deserved. It was time !
1984 ... a BIG year 1984 with a succession of titles of very high caliber. The group is at its best and the result is consistent !
1985 ... a perfectly negotiated mid-decade that saw the group quietly unroll. He was sure their talent would pay off at one point or another !
1985 ... a good job once again. Nothing extraordinary but a quality title worthy of a group present among the Elite ...
1987 ... the group will not repeat the feat of 1984 but does not demerit, far from it. We still feel like a slight decline in inspiration ...
1992 ... then nothing very interesting for 5 years, astonishing thing from a group of this level. We therefore find them in this year 1992 in a certain form but not sufficient to return to the front of the race ...
1993 ... the last major title. The group did not know how to manage the end of the 1980s and paid a heavy price for it. Too bad because we would have liked the adventure to continue a little bit ...
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