Wang Chung, The Motels take us on a nostalgic ride back to the 1980s ahead of spring tour

August 25, 2024

Get ready to step back in time and immerse yourself in the MTV age of the 1980s.

Wang Chung have joined forces this spring with hitmakers The Motels, Naked Eyes and Men Without Hats for the "Abducted by the 80s" Tour, which is guaranteed to be filled with a ton of hits and memories from one of the most unforgettable decades in music history.

With a combined 28 Billboard Top 100 hits, including eight top 10 hits, these legendary artists are ready to give the crowd an incredible experience with hits including "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," "Dance Hall Days," "Let's Go," "To Live and Die in L.A.," "Safety Dance," "Pop Goes The World," "Only The Lonely," "Suddenly Last Summer," "Take The L," "Always Something There To Remind Me," and "Promises, Promises."

I think it's a good mix of bands that we all get along well," said Wang Chung's Nick Feldman during a recent interview with Sinclair Broadcast Group. "I think our music kind of complements each other. It kind of takes you on a journey back to the 80s. We're really looking forward to abducting all the audiences and having a nice trip.

POINTS ON THE CURVE

The "Abducted by the 80s" Tour will also give Wang Chung a chance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their breakthrough album "Points on the Curve," which featured their smash hit "Dance Hall Days," as well as the hit singles: "Don't Let Go", "Don't Be My Enemy" and "Wait."

Feldman, who has been partners with bandmate Jack Hues for over 45 years, says the turning point in the band was making the move from Arista to Geffen Records on the strength of "Dance Hall Days."

I think 'Arista Records' was starting to doubt us and maybe we should start writing songs with other writers," he said. "And that's when Jack came up with 'Dance Hall Days.' And I thought that this was an amazing song. Our manager played it for Geffen Records and they loved it. So he persuaded Arista Records to let us out of our contract. And thank God they let us go. We signed immediately with Geffen and suddenly our career was off on a whole new trajectory.

That trajectory took the band into the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, which Feldman says for a bunch of Beatles fans was a "magical experience and very inspiring."

"I think working with (producers) Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum allowed us to be more experimental with new technology, so we added more synths and drum programming and drum machines," he said. "Our musical pallet was expanding and it was exciting to explore new areas. We really had a great time making that album"

And with the massive influence that MTV (Music Television) had on American public, the video for "Dance Hall Days" was snatched up by the network and put into heavy rotation, launching it into the Billboard Top 20 where it reached No. 16 and No. 1 on the Dance Club charts.

"I'll never forget those days before 'Dance Hall Days' because they were really difficult," he said. "We had a few minutes of almost fame with our first album and some thought that was going to be it. But then suddenly 'Dance Hall Days' was racing up the charts and our lives were never going to be the same. It was a massive lesson for me that you have to believe in what you're doing. I mean having a hit all over the world was not lost on us. It was quite incredible"

ONLY THE LONELY

Much like the guys in Wang Chung, Martha Davis had similar doubts if she and her band The Motels would gain the success that so many other bands from the vibrant Los Angeles music scene were enjoying.

The Motels' first two albums - 1979's Motels and 1980s Careful - were more successful in Australia than in the States, but producer John Carter, who Davis said booked expensive studio time before even signing the band to a record deal, had faith that the band's songwriting was on an upward trajectory.

And in late 1981, Davis said she picked up a guitar her later father had given her and the song that would change her life came out almost effortlessly.

I just picked up my guitar, starting playing and it came out," she said during a recent interview with Sinclair Broadcast Group. "I mean sometimes I never know what stream of consciousness is going to come spewing out of my little noodle. It has taken me a long time to figure out what this song is about. I think it sort of depicts the double-edged sword of fame. We go from getting signed, going to Europe, getting roses, driving in limos and supposedly living the dream, but being really unhappy.

The song was originally recorded for "Apocalypso," the band's then unreleased third album, but had a much different instrumentation. In an interview, Davis said in a 2001 interview with Virgin Mega Magazine that "The record company heard it and they hated it and refused to release it."

That's when the band went back into the studio and re-recorded six of the songs from "Apocalypso," while writing four new tracks, including the hit single "Take the L." Producer Val Garay gave the songs a more polished, radio-friendly sound, which also got a thumbs up from studio executives.

The album "Apocalypso" would finally get released in 2011.

The song "Only the Lonely" was The Motels' first foray into the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 9 where it stayed for three weeks and lifting the album "All Four One" to Gold status, selling over 500,000 copies. The album also launched the band into a new stratosphere of fame that saw them playing bigger venues and being recognized by fans all over the world due to the success of the music video, which was directed by legendary Australian filmmaker Russell Mulcahy, who was known for directing videos for Elton John, Duran Duran, and Def Leppard.

The music video, which features Davis in a vintage 40s-style bar that goes from her being alone to a crowd that seemingly has all their eyes on her. She refuses the romantic offerings of one man as the crowd becomes a bit unstable. In the end, Davis is alone again lying on a bar table as the video ends.

It was one of the first videos that had a more theatric theme to it, which was a hallmark of Mulcahy's music videos.

But with the new network MTV launching in 1981, The Motels' video was in heavy rotation and along with all the adulation also came the trappings of fame that Davis says she's happy to have made it through during the excess of the 1980s.

I think fame is very hollow. I don't think fame is good for people," she said. "I thank God that I didn't stay famous-ish. I wasn't famous like Madonna or something. But even for that short time, fame was not really good for me. For one thing, you stop doing human stuff, like, you have your business manager, you don't pay any bills, you don't live in the real world. It's not healthy. So I'm very happy to go back to being a poverty stricken musician that tried to keep the mortgage on my house paid. That's fine. That's how I should live.

TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA

With the success of "Dance Hall Days" and their breakthrough album "Points on the Curve," Feldman and Hues were enjoying their new found success, as Wang Chung toured around the States with The Cars in 1984, their music videos were playing nearly every hour on MTV and Canada's Much Music and their album sales were scaling upward.

But the thought of a follow-up wasn't far from their minds.

"You can't plan inspiration," Feldman said. "I remember being in the studio and getting a whole bunch of pressure from Geffen Records telling us that they don't hear a single from all the stuff we were sending them. We were putting a lot of pressure on ourselves."

Then a phone call came in from filmmaker William Friedkin changed everything.

Friedkin, best known for directing the crime drama "The French Connection" and the horror classic "The Exorcist," had heard the song "Wait" off "Points on the Curve" and called the band, asking for them to score his new film "To Live and Die in LA."

That was absolutely inspirational and key episode for Wang, Chung," Feldman said. "We were in the studio and not knowing what we were going to do when suddenly Friedkin is on the phone asking us if we'd do the score for the film. Not just a song but the score. He didn't want vocals. He wanted long form, gritty, spontaneous dark kind of stuff like that the atmosphere of the track 'Wait.' He said he had been using as a template track, just to get the feel. And so I guess he thought I'm gonna go to the source and see if they'll do something specific for me. So said just go into the studio, be spontaneous send me 45 minutes of music. And this I love Wait, this is the atmosphere, you don't even need to, you know, read the script or anything, just do. I did read the script. But you didn't have to do that. So we did that went in the studio, very spontaneous, very intense, in a really good way. It was very liberating, and very creatively exciting for us. And we sent freaking the music. And he just completely loved it. I mean, he was blown away. But we were so amazed really. And he started to cut some of the movie to the music, as opposed to the other way around. It was really exciting.

But the guys weren't done. After seeing some rough cuts of the movie, Hues went and wrote what would become the title track to the film and soundtrack, even though Friedkin had specifically said he didn't want vocal songs.

"We couldn't help ourselves," Feldman said. "We went to Friedkin's editing suite and it was a mind-blowing experience for us to hear the music that we sent him placed into the movie. It was just incredible. And I think that really inspired us to take it further, so Jack went away and wrote 'To Live and Die in LA.' We sent that and another song to him and he just absolutely loved it. He even shot a whole sequence in the movie just for 'To Live and Die in LA.'"

That spark of inspiration also gave Feldman and the band a whole new idea.

And that's when we thought you know what, why don't we make this our next album. The next Wang Chung album," he said. "It was a slightly more unusual trajectory of album releases. And so one side was all songs and the other side was all instrumental stuff. And it was a kind of really good solution. Once we'd written a song called 'To Live and Die in LA,' the record company then started to get bit more enthusiastic. And it became one of our most successful records. So it was a wonderful experience, it was creatively very rewarding and, it's something brand new that we've never done. And I think it cleansed our palate to go on to the next record.

SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER

Coming off the rocket ride that was the success of "Only the Lonely," Davis and The Motels continued the hit parade with the album "Little Robbers" in 1983, which featured the timeless classic "Suddenly Last Summer," an ode to summer. Davis said that "you're never the same before the summer. You can't go back. It's that loss of innocence."

"Suddenly Last Summer" also hit No. 9 in November 1983 on the Billboard charts, with "Remember the Nights" and "Shame" from the 1985 album "Shock" gaining extensive airplay for the band. That is until St. Patrick's Day 1987 when Davis took each of her bandmates into a local bar and told them she's going solo.

It started out as a Motels album, but our spirit was broken," said Davis. "It had a lot to do with record company shenanigans where they were trying to make me the star and put in other musicians and taking out my guys. I don't blame the guys for being brokenhearted. But to make them feel better, I took them across the street on St. Patrick's Day, bought them a drink and fired them all. So Michael (Goodroe) still refers to it as the St. Patrick's Day Massacre.

Davis began working on what would become the album "Policy," with an who's who of the best musicians around, including Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and Austin-based guitarist Charlie Sexton. Capital Records also brought in some outside songwriters for Davis to work with, including hitmaker Diane Warren, who was riding high with several No. 1 singles like "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship.

The music video for the album's lead single "Don't Tell Me the Time" was directed by David Fincher, who would later best be known for directing the films "Se7en," "Fight Club" and who got his start in music videos. Davis mentions that this is one of her favorite song's she written.

But after the release of the album, Davis decided to step away from the limelight, purchase a sprawling ranch in Oregon, with her musical output relegated to the occasional song on a film soundtrack. That is until 1998 when she formed a new lineup of The Motels and has been touring and releasing songs ever since.

Now, Davis is leading The Motels on the "Abducted by the 80s" Tour and she says she's excited to get back out with her musical friends and can't wait to see the fans, who still hold her songs dear to their heart.

It is so great. The songs are still getting played and I'm so humbled by that," she said. "That means you wrote something that has some legs, you know. You see the fans sing right along with you and you can see the emotion on their faces. You can see how much it means to them. As a songwriter, that's what you hope to have happen after writing a song. That connection is so precious.

EVERYBODY HAVE FUN TONIGHT

After "cleansing their palate" on "To Live and Die in LA," Feldman and Hues jumped back into the studio to record what would become their best selling album and helped further define their place in music history.

This journey was the creation of their album "Mosaic." This was not just another album; it was a period of evolution, artistic experimentation, and personal growth for Hues and Feldman, who decided that "Mosaic" should be a multifaceted album, reflecting various styles and influences—much like the pieces of a mosaic coming together to form a complete artwork.

The process began in a small, eclectic recording studio in London, filled with synthesizers, drum machines, and various other instruments. The ambiance of the studio, with its dim lighting and walls covered in vintage posters, served as the perfect creative sanctuary for the band. They were joined by producer Peter Wolf, not the J. Geils Band frontman but the Austrian maestro known for his work with Starship and Go West. His fresh perspective was crucial in shaping the sound of "Mosaic."

One of the defining moments in the making of "Mosaic" was the creation of "Everybody Have Fun Tonight."

The lead-off single would not only become their biggest selling single, but also the band's anthem, with quiet an interesting backstory.

I'd come up with this idea called Everybody Have Fun Tonight and it was quite a slow tempo, but almost funky," said Feldman. "And one day, I played it for Jack, just the chorus. I thought he'd really hate that idea, but he just loved it. I love that. And so we demoed it, and played it for Peter Wolf, who was going to produce the the 'Mosaic' album. He said that's brilliant, but it's so slow. So he said let's speed it up. And so when we were in recording the album, I was busy trying to come up with a new framework for it, which I eventually did. And then we sort of filled in all the gaps and finished off the song. And it came together really spontaneously. We knew it was either absolutely awful or it's brilliant. We didn't know what it was. We couldn't tell. So it was only when our manager turned up and heard it. And he loved it. That's when we realized that we weren't gonna be in trouble for wasting studio time. Everyone loved it.

The song also had the phrase "Everybody Wang Chung tonight!"— originally a quirky, spur-of-the-moment line —caught on, encapsulating the band’s ethos and humor.

As they developed other tracks like "Let's Go" and "Hypnotize Me," it became clear that "Mosaic" was turning into a dynamic mix of rock, pop, and dance elements. The album's title itself reflected the diversity of sounds and ideas that Wang Chung were integrating into their music. Each track, with its distinct style, represented a piece of the band's musical influences and tastes, pieced together into a coherent whole.

Months of hard work culminated in the completion of "Mosaic," and upon its release, it became clear that Wang Chung had not only met the expectations set by their previous work but had also surpassed them. The album’s eclectic mix and the infectious energy of its hit singles captured the imagination of a generation.

"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" would reach No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 where it spent two weeks, only kept out of the top spot by "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles. "Let's Go" would hit No. 9, while "Hypnotize Me" would break the Top 40 and be featured in the 1987 movie "Innerspace."

Years later, looking back on the making of "Mosaic," Jack and Nick would reminisce about the creative battles, the breakthroughs, and the camaraderie. "Mosaic" was more than just an album; it was a testament to their evolution as artists and as a band, capturing a pivotal moment when everything seemed possible, and the music they made invited everyone to have fun tonight.

For Hues and Feldman, the core duo behind Wang Chung, they would take a break during most of the 1990s, reforming in 1997 for the greatest hits package "Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits." They would continue to tour the world for their millions of fans that continue to enjoy not only their music but their energetic live show.

The "Abducted by the 80s" tour represents not just a return to the road but a heartfelt reconnection with the fans who had never stopped listening.

It's amazing. And then these days of social media, and it just seems so much easier to interact with the fans," said Feldman. "They can testify to you sort of much more directly. And so you get a real sense of what your stuff means to them directly from their mouths. And how can you not be touched by that. That you'e actually a part of people's lives and they still love it. And you know, we're not getting any younger. We're sort of old guys, but it does give you a bit of a puts a spring in your step. I feel very blessed and very lucky that we can still be doing this to an enthusiastic audience. And that their kids are enjoying it too.

The tour will not just be a series of concerts; it will be a celebration of their enduring music, the joy of performing, and the timeless connection between them and audience.

For Jack and Nick, Wang Chung is more than a band—it is a lifelong journey that continues to unfold, note by nostalgic note.

CLICK HERE for more information on the Abducted by the 80s Tour.

ABDUCTED BY THE 80S TOUR DATES

Check the date for artist lineup

May 17 - Kyle, Texas
(Wang Chung, The Motels and Naked Eyes)

May 18 - Katy, Texas
(Wang Chung, The Motels and Naked Eyes)

May 19 - Dallas, Texas
(Wang Chung, The Motels and Naked Eyes)

May 23 - St. Louis, Missouri
(Wang Chung)

May 24 - Oak Grove, Kentucky
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, Animotion and Naked Eyes)

May 25 - Louisville, Kentucky
(Wang Chung and Naked Eyes)

June 6 - Marion, Illinois
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

June 7 - Des Plaines, Illinois
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

June 8 - Decatur, Illinois
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

June 9 - Fort Wayne, Indiana
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

June 13 - Morristown, New Jersey
(Wang Chung, The Motels and Naked Eyes)

June 14 - Syracuse, New York
(Wang Chung, The Motels and Naked Eyes)

June 15 - Elmira, New York
(Wang Chung, The Motels and Naked Eyes)

June 16 - Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
(Wang Chung and Naked Eyes)

June 21 - Jacksonville, Florida
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

June 22 - Clearwater, Florida
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

June 25 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
(Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes)

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