Forever Now: A Retrospective of The Psychedelic Furs
(UPDATED Dec 2022) Listen to the playlist as you read along. Click on the streaming service of your choice.
In the summer of 1984, I attended my first ever concert at the Kingswood Music Theatre, at Canada’s Wonderland amusement park north of Toronto. It was The Psychedelic Furs with Talk Talk as the opening act. My knowledge of The Psychedelic Furs going in was weak, and I had to bone up on their music via my brother’s record collection, which included their first two albums. I knew the band Talk Talk a little since the single from their current album, “It’s My Life,” was getting decent radio play in Toronto. So was the music from the current Furs LP, Mirror Moves, but not on the radio stations in which I was listening.
Richard Butler
The Playlist
India
Sister Europe
Imitation of Christ
Pulse
Wedding Song
Pretty in Pink
Dumb Waiters
She Is Mine
Into You Like A Train
So Run Down
Forever Now
Love My Way
Sleep Comes Down
President Gas
The Ghost in You
Heaven
Like A Stranger
Pretty in Pink (movie version)
Heartbreak Beat
All of the Law
All that Money Wants
Torch
House
Valentine
Until She Comes
There's A World
Alive (for Once in My Lifetime)
The Boy that Invented Rock & Roll
Come All Ye Faithful
No-one
Evergreen
The show was amazing, but as a first timer, how was I to know any different? However, later in that same week I’d see my next two shows: Springsteen at the CNE Grandstand and Simple Minds at Kingswood again (with Toronto’s own, The Tenants, opening) and it was The Furs that made the biggest impression. Watching this band – mysterious, artsy, new wave fashionable – and led by the enigmatic and graceful Richard Butler, whose voice of sandpaper made every song sound cool, made this band the most wonderful thing I had seen or heard. And while New Order was in the process of entrenching themselves as my favourite artist, The Psychedelic Furs were a strong second.
The Psychedelic Furs were the consummate post-punk band. Equal parts punk, new wave, rock, and pop they were one of many acts to build a new sound by leveraging the many genres breaking out during the early 1980s. The band was formed in 1977 in London around the brothers, Richard and Tim Butler. One of hundreds of punk bands forming during that seminal year, they gained interest as labels tried to cash in on this exploding music scene. Filled out with Duncan Kilburn on sax, Paul Wilson on drums, and Roger Morris on guitar (Tim played bass), the band played around England under the name ‘RKO’ and then ‘Radio.’ They eventually settled on ‘The Psychedelic Furs’ as a nod to the Velvet Underground song, “Venus in Furs.” In 1979, Vince Ely replaced Wilson on drums and John Ashton was added on guitar. The six-piece band entered the studio with producer Steve Lillywhite to record their first album.
“India”; “Sister Europe”; “Imitation of Christ”; “Pulse”; “Wedding Song” \ The Psychedelic Furs (1980)
What a debut! The band had evolved from the thrashing sounds of punk and developed a darker, more complex soundscape of guitar, bass, sax and that distinctive voice of Richard’s. The opening song, “India,” built from a quiet refrain into a raging, booming punk song. The album that followed ranged from the lush and broad melodies of “Sister Europe” and “Imitation of Christ” to the bass and sax propelled “Pulse” to the pounding rhythm of “Wedding Song” – there wasn’t a bad song on the album. The music was artistic and dangerous; something that drew you in, while suggesting caution, like a smooth, beautiful lake of dark water. The Furs joined with other acts like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees in establishing the dark wave sound.
After my awakening to The Furs in 1984 I taped their first two albums off my brother, with one on each side of a cassette tape that lived in my Sony Walkman for the better part of my grade nine year. I have fond memories of riding the bus home from school in the dark after hockey practice, listening to these albums over and over as houses flashed by in the snowy, flitting light of the streetlights. It was the perfect soundtrack for me, as an adolescent struggling to find his place in the world and establish his individuality while attending an all-boys school where uniformity was encouraged. No one at school listened to The Psychedelic Furs, and because of that I loved them all the more.
The early Furs line-up
“Pretty in Pink”; “Dumb Waiters”; “She Is Mine”; “Into You Like A Train”; “So Run Down” \ Talk Talk Talk (1981)
The first album gained them attention in the UK, charting as high as 18th, but gained no attention across the ocean. The second album, also helmed by Steve Lillywhite, lessened the focus on the longer and broader sounding songs of the first album (though still held one, “All of this and Nothing”) in favour of tighter, more melodic and pop-oriented songs still driven with raw guitar and punk edge. The LP gained the band a minor breakthrough into the Billboard Top 100 in the US and their first singles to chart in the UK.
Launching with one of the most distinctive singles of the decade with “Pretty in Pink,” this pop-punk song established The Furs as a leader in writing rockier, darkly tinged songs absent of keyboards, unlike many others exploring similar boundaries in the post-punk landscape. There were so many catchy melodies and rhythms on the album, such as “So Run Down,” which rode along a rolling bassline and driving drum beat and combined pop sensibility with a murky, bottom end. Again, there wasn’t a bad song on the LP, launching The Furs career on a stellar, two-album combination that was establishing a fan base.
“Forever Now”; “Love My Way”; “Sleep Comes Down”; “President Gas” \ Forever Now (1982)
The band went through some changes leading into their third album in three consecutive years. Roger Morris and Duncan Kilburn departed, and the remaining quartet went to the US to record with producer Todd Rundgren. Missing their signature sax sound and a second guitar, The Furs added keyboards, which resulted in a less dark, more pop-oriented approach and a return to some of the larger sounds of the first album. Songs like “Forever Now” and “President Gas” had a big, wall-of-sound quality, though lacked the edgy guitars of the prior album. The smooth, new wave melody of “Love My Way” would deliver their first hit, reaching #44 in the US and almost equalling its success in the UK. Evolving their sound and experimenting did not diminish their song writing abilities, delivering a third consecutive impeccable album.
“Sleep Comes Down” had a lovely, psychedelic tone to it in the guitar and accompanying Beatle-esque strings that, ironically, given the band’s name, was generally absent their music. In fact, at that point the band felt the ‘psychedelic’ moniker was misleading and didn’t fit the band’s image and sound. They tried to reduce their name to just ‘The Furs’ but it appeared people were attached to the original name and both fans and the music press alike didn’t play along with the rebranding attempt. The band decided to stick with the full name after all.
Richard Butler, John Ashton, Vince Ely, Tim Butler
“The Ghost in You”; “Heaven”; “Like A Stranger” \ Mirror Moves (1984)
Vince Ely departed after the recording of Forever Now and the band continued as a trio of the Butler brothers and Ashton. Working with producer Keith Forsey on the fourth album, they relied on drum machines (or Forsey himself on drums) for beats. Mirror Moves was their highest charting LP to date, propelled by the success of the two lead singles, “Heaven,” and “The Ghost in You.” Another single, “Heartbeat,” got to #4 on the US Dance Chart.
Lacking the heavier drums, bringing back some sax on a few songs, using more keyboards, and smoothing out the guitar led the band to its purest pop sound yet. Lost was any of the feel of the darker, bass-driven songs of the early albums. “Heaven” was the consummate example of the band’s pop-punk sound, delivered in a palatable pop format with a catchy video of them performing in a downpour. “Ghost in You” and “Like a Stranger” were smooth pop songs, moving Richard Butler’s voice to the front more than ever before.
While it was another strong album, it had some weak spots as some dancier beats were explored in songs like, “Here Come Cowboys,” which also suffered from the watered-down guitars. However, I didn’t care as this was the first LP of theirs I bought, after having seen them in (my aforementioned first) concert while the accompanying tour. It was a dominant album in alternative radio as I also shifted my listening exclusively to radio station CFNY, where The Furs were in heavy rotation and Mirror Moves was named the station’s #1 album of the year, not to mention the band received plenty of airtime on MuchMusic due to the popularity of the “Heaven” video.
“Pretty in Pink” \ Pretty in Pink Soundtrack (1986)
After touring heavily and beginning work on their next album, The Furs had an unexpected boost to their career from John Hughes, the movie writer and director making a name for himself with teen angst flicks such as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and the National Lampoon Vacation series. Hughes filled his successive blockbusters with new wave music of the era, giving exposure to many lesser known (and mostly UK based) acts in America. In 1986, he would have a banner year with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Pretty in Pink, a movie titled after The Psychedelic Furs’ song.
Unfortunately, the band went into the studio and re-recorded the song, stripping it of its post-punk guitar and structuring it along the lines of their recent, watered down sound. The new version of “Pretty in Pink” that accompanied the movie was a pale imitation of the original, but of course its greater accessibility made the band’s highest charting single yet.
“Heartbreak Beat”; “All of the Law” \ Midnight to Midnight (1987)
The Furs issued the next LP in 1987, their fifth album in seven years. Musically it was the weakest yet, though still featured some great melodies. Richard Butler explained that the album was rushed due to pressure to release new music on the heels of their “Pretty in Pink” success, and even he described the album as “hollow, vapid, and weak.”
Their line-up gained a drummer again in Paul Garisto and the return of a regular sax player in Mars Williams (who had played on Mirror Moves), making the band a quintet again. Midnight to Midnight was not a bad album but was more commercial sounding and lacked the inventiveness and distinction of their prior work. “Heartbreak Beat” became their most successful single in North America but their weakest in the UK. The album was their highest chart success, buoyed by their newly established profile. However as new wave and the post-punk era died off and rock music started to assert itself again, The Furs were losing their core audience and relevance as an influential and compelling act in the ‘80s music scene. The audience that was supporting their chart ascension was fleeting.
“All that Money Wants” \ All of this And Nothing (1988)
Despite the best success of their career, the band seemed to be losing steam and musical direction. It was timely to release a greatest hits compilation, All of This and Nothing, taking the title from the song on the Talk Talk Talk album. Aside from reminding people what a splendid accumulation of songs they had, it offered the chance to release a new single, “All that Money Wants.” Very consistent in sound to the Midnight to Midnight LP, the song failed to chart aside from a low placing in the UK, but did get to #1 on the new US Modern Rock chart.
“Torch”; “House” \ Book of Days (1989)
The late ‘80s were a moribund period for alternative and new wave music, and many artists such as The Furs faded. Despite releasing Book of Days in 1989, the band largely disappeared from view and the album did nothing to stop that. Filled with largely forgettable songs the singles and albums received minor attention and chart success. Vince Ely returned on drums and they were once again without a sax player, now delivering as a four-piece. The album, like its predecessor, lacked the power of a star producer (for the first time, the band assisted in producing), which perhaps left them without a proper guide. At this point I wonder if they also were suffering from so many line-up changes and the lack of cumulative contributions from steady band members?
Book of Days was still a Furs album and thus had Richard’s wonderful vocals carrying them through, so as a fan of the band the album cannot entirely be dismissed. The songs were decent and in some respects they returned a little to the darker elements of their early albums. The problem was that compared to their discography, the results just didn’t compare favourably to their prior work.
Valentine; Until She Comes; There’s a World \ World Outside (1991)
Although only two years later, the difference in timing and output for the next album was enormous. I had largely forgotten about the band, swept up like everyone else in the musical explosions of grunge and Madchester and having left the ‘80s behind. Book of Days had come and gone with nary any notice from me – in 1991, I didn’t even know it existed. Then one night I saw The Furs on The Late Show with David Letterman performing, “Until She Comes.” Perhaps aided by it being a Friday night and I was well into the intoxicated weekend of a club-going 21-year-old, I was knocked over by a wave of nostalgia and love for my long lost teenage crush.
I rushed out and bought the cd, the only Furs album I’d buy in that format, and quickly bought tickets to see them at the Toronto club, RPM. This was a fantastic album and it was as if the band had rediscovered their musical mojo – holding on to their impeccable melodies but maturing their sound to a modern, lush, well-produced finish. “Until She Comes” was the most beautiful song of their career, layering a lovely cello over an intoxicating melody to accompany Butler’s as-always perfect vocal. “There’s a World” likewise was another big, bold song that pulled elements of their entire career into a perfect mix.
It was great seeing them in concert again (even if the opener, Tribe, nearly stole the show). As a yesteryear act the album did nothing and was completely ignored by record buyers and radio. It charted in the UK but did next to nothing in the US (though “Until She Comes” would reach #1 on the Modern Rock Chart, which was meaningless if it did nothing to actually help them get airplay and sales). For the band, now essentially back to the Butlers and Ashton, along with helping hands, the LP’s lack of success dealt a death blow to the idea of The Psychedelic Furs. They had released their best album since Mirror Moves, possibly even since Forever Now in terms of consistency and musical quality, yet failed to reinvigorate their fan base or win new adherents.
In 1992, Richard Butler formed Love Spit Love with Richard Fortus and Frank Ferrer and eventually brought his brother on board as well. The new band managed to gain some attention among alternative and college radio and released two albums in 1994 and 1997 before disbanding in 2000. During that time, it appeared The Psychedelic Furs were a thing of the past.
“Alive (For Once in My Lifetime)” \ Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live (2001)
It wouldn’t be the case, as upon the break-up of Love Spit Love the trio of the Butlers and John Ashton reformed as The Psychedelic Furs and began touring again. In 2001, they recorded a live album and DVD titled, Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live, which included four previously unreleased songs. “Alive (For Once in My Lifetime)” was the only new studio recording, their first in ten years. It was a good song, similar in style to World Outside, and showed the band could still produce solid music.
After that, the band continued to tour, playing the hits and the odd deeper, album tracks. Ashton moved on, replaced with former members Paul Garisto and Mars Williams and joined by new members Amanda Kramer and Rich Good. They put on a solid show and for old fans like me, it was really nice to see them up close in places like the cozy club, Lee’s Palace, where I saw them in 2005 and 2010, or at The Danforth Music Hall where I caught them in 2017 (interestingly, the largest venue in Toronto of their recent shows and it sold out at that). They came around about every two years but without new music, the need to see them lost urgency. Richard put out a solo album in 2006, which I am yet to hear, so perhaps that’s it right there?
“The Boy that Invented Rock & Roll”; “Come All Ye Faithful”; “No-One” \ Made of Rain (2020)
“Evergreen” \ non-album single (2021)
In the original posting of this profile in 2018, the paragraph above was full of lament for a band with a great legacy, touring on its past glory and showing no prospects of new music. All that pleasantly changed in 2019 when the band started performing a new song, “The Boy that Invented Rock & Roll.” Not long after it was advertised that a new LP was on its way, which was Made of Rain, released in the summer of 2020. It provided renewed interest for me to see them again, now with new music to play, and caught their 2022 shows at the Cruel World festival in Los Angeles and later on, back in Toronto (of course, they’d been unable to accompany the LP’s release with a tour due to the COVID pandemic). The new album came across great live and blended well with their older material.
Indeed, the new album carried the ol’ swagger of post-punk Furs layered into the deeper, melodic, expansive sounds of their later career. The album was rife with great moments and every song had something to catch the ear. Though not issued as a single – the album would feature four singles – “The Noy that Invented Rock & Roll” kicked off the album with edgy guitar and sax accents that felt drawn from the DNA of the 1981 Talk Talk Talk LP. I preferred the album cuts rather than the singles. “Come All Ye Faithful” had a fantastic dance beat behind middle eastern horns and an undeniable rhythm. “No-One” mixed their bombastic elements with some punk edge and a catchy melodic line. And though on tour it’s been clear for years that Richard’s voice is no longer as strong as its heyday, out of the studio he still sounded great.
To show the LP was, hopefully, not a one-off, the band followed up with a new single in 2021, “Evergreen,” a solid ballad that carried on the vibe of the previous year’s album. Given how often the efforts of legacy acts can come up short late in their careers, the strength of the new Furs material has been thrilling to hear, both on the stereo and live.
The new material, tours featuring shows at large festivals and headlining shows in larger venues, are encouraging evidence that The Psychedelic Furs are finally get the attention and tribute their career has earned them. Their first four albums rank among the greatest of the 1980s and they helped form a new sound that bridged the gap between the first generation of punk and the later eras of modern rock. Richard Butler was of the Bryan Ferry and David Bowie mold, mixing style, presence, and a unique vocal style that gave his band distinction and a prominent place in the modern rock landscape. Victim to the changing moods of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s it was a shame the band couldn’t maintain their success and capitalize on their maturing sound, but now as a legacy act in an age that is paying tribute to the ‘80s, they are getting their due. For me, and despite them being a band in my brother’s record collection, they were the first that I claimed as my own and not one fed to me by my older sibling, and it started with that first concert. I will always have a close personal bond with The Psychedelic Furs, and am thrilled there is now a new, musical chapter to explore thanks to the new music.
The Psychedelic Furs in recent times
