Wang Chung | |
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Wang Chung performing at Summerfest on 26 June 2010
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Background information | |
Also known as | Huang Chung |
Origin | London, United Kingdom |
Genres | Pop rock, new wave |
Years active | 1980–1990, 1997–present |
Labels | Arista, Geffen |
Website | Official Website |
Members |
Nick Feldman Jack Hues |
Past members |
Darren Costin Dave Burnand |
Wang Chung are a British new wave musical group formed in 1980. The name Wang Chung means "yellow bell" in Chinese (黃鐘, pinyin: huáng zhōng; Wade–Giles: huang chung), and is the first note in the Chinese classical music scale. The group found their greatest success in the United States, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" (No. 16 in the summer of 1984), "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (No. 2 in 1986) and "Let's Go!" (No. 9 in 1987).
Jeremy Ryder, known professionally as Jack Hues (vocalist/guitarist) and Nick Feldman (bassist) would eventually form the core of Wang Chung. They first met when Hues answered Feldman's advert for musicians in the classifieds section of the weekly British music magazine Melody Maker in 1977. They were joined by Paul Hammond (ex-Atomic Rooster) on drums, forming The Intellektuals. In less than a year, that band split up. Hues and Feldman then joined up with future Wang Chung drummer Darren Costin, bassist Leigh Gorman, keyboardist Simon Campbell and vocalist Glenn Gregory, to form 57 Men. This band lasted for about eighteen months before breaking up. Gregory went on to become the vocalist for Heaven 17, and Gorman later played in Bow Wow Wow. Costin first appeared on the group's debut album, Huang Chung, then on their second album Points on the Curve. Hues, Feldman and Costin stayed together and renamed themselves Huang Chung. According to Feldman, he came across the term "Huang Chung" meaning "yellow bell" in Mandarin in a book he was reading, and used it as the name for the band.