The Psychedelic Furs

The Psychedelic Furs
The Psychedelic Furs performing live in 2008
Background information
Origin	London, England, United Kingdom
Genres	Post-punk new wave alternative rock
Years active	1977–1991, 2001–present
Labels	Columbia Sony Music Legacy
Associated acts	Love Spit Love Guns N' Roses
Website	thepsychedelicfurs.com
Members	Richard Butler Tim Butler Paul Garisto Rich Good Amanda Kramer Mars Williams
Past members	Duncan Kilburn Roger Morris Paul Wilson John Ashton Vince Ely

The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band founded in London in February 1977. Led by singer Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from the British post-punk scene. Their music went through several phases, from an initially austere art rock sound, later touching on new wave and hard rock.

The band scored several hits in their early career, but were launched to international attention in 1986 when the film director John Hughes used their song "Pretty in Pink" for his movie of the same name. The band went on hiatus after they finished touring in 1992, but later regrouped in 2000 and continue to perform around the world.

According to Richard Butler, the Psychedelic Furs began rehearsing in the Butlers' front room, but were soon banished because of the noise. They became prominent in England's emerging punk scene in 1977, where they auditioned for Essex Kennedy's record label Manfactory Wave Punk. Kennedy signed the band, hoping to cash in on the punk scene that was sweeping the UK and believing that a more produced studio sound would appeal to a larger market. The band was initially called 'RKO', then 'Radio'. They vacillated between calling themselves "The Europeans" and "The Psychedelic Furs", playing gigs under both names before permanently settling on the latter name.

The band initially consisted of Richard Butler (vocals), Tim Butler (bass guitar), Duncan Kilburn (saxophone), Paul Wilson (drums) and Roger Morris (guitars). By 1979, this line-up had expanded to a sextet with Vince Ely replacing Wilson on drums and John Ashton being added on guitar. The Psychedelic Furs' debut, a self-titled album from 1980, was produced by Steve Lillywhite. The LP quickly established the band on radio in Europe and was a No. 18 hit in the UK Albums Chart. The album also found success in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Australia. The US version of the album was re-sequenced, but failed to have a strong commercial impact.