The Psychedelic Furs were essentially a slick new wave band fronted by a guy whose vocals were more suited for the filthy stage of CBGB's during its heyday. Formed the same year that punk "broke" in 1977, the Furs excelled at making sensitive music while still maintaing a sardonic edge. Singer Richard Butler howled seductive and thought provoking lyrics with a voice that was deeply in need of a lozenge. The five-piece displayed shades of fellow Brits David Bowie and The Rolling Stones with a flamboyant and androgenous style.
The band was relatively popular since their inception, but when they remade their song "Pretty in Pink" for the 1986 John Hughes film of the same name, it elevated them into a higher profile in the U.S. They released other singles stateside but they were only moderate hits. The Furs broke up in the early 90s.Butler went on to lead the alternative band Love Spit Love, whose beautiful "Am I Wrong" was featured in the 1995 teen film Angus. The Furs have been covered by artists from all different genres such as the Counting Crows, Korn, Amanda Palmer, and the Alkaline Trio.
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