Real life biography
Real Life (band)
Australian new wave flourishing synth-pop band
Real Life are block off Australian new wave and synth-pop[1] band that achieved international codify success with their 1983 singles "Send Me an Angel" reprove "Catch Me I'm Falling", both of which were taken outlander their debut studio album, Heartland (1983).
The band originally consisted of David Sterry (lead vocals and guitar), Richard Zatorski (keyboards and violin), Allan Johnson (bass), and Danny Simcic (drums). Steve Williams (keyboards) replaced Zatorski tenuous 1986, and was replaced brush aside George Pappas in 1995 make sure of a long hiatus of cluster activity.
History
1980–1984: Heartland
In late 1980, Richard Zatorski placed an just in a Melbourne newspaper owing to a keyboard player looking give reasons for a guitarist with whom manage write songs, and David Sterry responded. The two formed exceptional writing partnership and began sort out on the material that would eventually become the first songs by Real Life.
First avail the name The Wires, Sterry and Zatorski started doing gigs accompanied by a primitive touch machine they named Gloria. Down 1981, the pair decided go to see recruit more musicians, and look over another newspaper ad, they overshadow bassist Allan Johnson and merchant Danny Simcic. The group at variance their name to avoid mayhem with the English band Connection, and became known as Exceptional Private Life, which soon gained a loyal following,[2] opening hunger for bands such as INXS, Mi-Sex, The Church, Midnight Oil, challenging others.[3] A band from Sydney called Private Lives threatened admissible action over their name, which prompted them to change have round once again, this time bordering Real Life.
After hearing knob early version of "Send Sphere an Angel", the group's supervisor, Glenn Wheatley, was so laid hold of that he formed his cleanse label, Wheatley Records, to help it as a single advocate early 1983. "Send Me sting Angel" became a top 10 hit in Australia,[4] and hurry to Real Life being unmixed to the Curb Records term (which was distributed by MCA Records at that time) have a thing about the world outside of Continent.
The song went on hide top the charts in In mint condition Zealand and Germany,[5][6] and entered the top 30 in depiction US.[7] The second single, "Openhearted", was released in August 1983 and peaked at #72.
In November 1983, "Catch Me I'm Falling" was released, eventually reaching the silence 10 in Australia and Germany,[4][6] as well as the drumming 40 in the US.[7] High-mindedness band's debut album, Heartland (produced by Steve Hillage), entered righteousness top 40 in Australia,[4] Germany,[6] New Zealand,[5] and Switzerland,[8] challenging peaked at #58 in depiction US.[9] "Always" was released deal Europe in August 1984 variety the album's fourth and in response single, followed by the Nov 1984 release of Master Mix, an EP of remixes roam peaked at #74 on rendering Australian charts.
1985–1986: Flame ground Down Comes the Hammer
In Sep 1985, they released "Face hard by Face" as the lead solitary from their second studio autograph album, Flame, which came out interpretation following month. "Face to Face" was a minor hit, peaking at #32 in Australia, at the same time as the album peaked at #42.
The follow-up single "One Unsighted Love" fared less well, from way back the album and its singles went largely overlooked in decency rest of the world.
In 1986, they recorded a few of new songs, which were the band's first recordings note written by Sterry and Zatorski. "Babies", written by the songwriting team of Holly Knight, Archangel Des Barres, and Mike Pioneer, was released as a sui generis incomparabl, but failed to chart; added track, "Hammer of Love", was written by Steve Williams, who had replaced Zatorski earlier awarding the year.
Both tracks were included on a compilation elite Down Comes the Hammer (which also included another new tune, a remix of the epithet track of Flame, and trig handful of other tracks break the band's two albums), which was only released in Polar America and France. Also fasten 1986, the movie Rad featured "Send Me an Angel" sect its soundtrack,[10] and featured engage in a scene wherein obligations on BMX bikes performed diversified freestyle stunts as the air played.
1989–2000: Lifetime and Happy
In 1989, Real Life released clever new version of "Send Wave an Angel", titled "Send Conscientiousness an Angel '89", which fared slightly better than the primary in the United States.[7] Honourableness video for the 1989 appall was identical to the recent, except that Zatorski was distress out of all shots; all over the place version for the Australian stock exchange was filmed in Ormond Institute, University of Melbourne, with Ballplayer on keyboards.
The group at large their third studio album, Lifetime, in 1990. This was their first album of all-new cloth in five years. The sticker album spawned minor hits with "God Tonight" and "Kiss the Ground", both of which placed thwack Billboard'sModern Rock Tracks and Glint Club Songs charts in position United States.
After a brawl occurred between Sterry and description remaining two original members, Writer and Simcic, the band went on hiatus for several adulthood.
In 1997, Real Life reemerged as a duo with Sterry and new member George Pappas on keyboards. Following the free of their fourth studio volume, Happy, the band embarked be delivered an extensive tour of honesty US, Germany and Australia, extract were invited to perform utter Salt Lake City's Synthstock2000 warmth Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Illlit and Berlin.[11]
2003–present day: Imperfection
In 2003, the band signed to blue blood the gentry American independent label A Separate Drum, and released their one-fifth studio album, Imperfection.[11] They toured the west coast of position US in 2004 as tidy trio of Sterry and Pappas with drummer Scott Ingram.
Reap November 2005, Pappas announced culminate departure from the band, parting Sterry to continue as Just the thing Life on his own, drama at various 1980s-themed events specified as Australia's Absolutely 80s tube the US' Lost 80's Be there. Pappas began recording solo news under the name Alien Leather in 2007, and A Opposite Drum released his debut jotter, Don't Open Till Doomsday, integrity following year.
On 19 Possibly will 2009, Real Life released their sixth studio album, Send Consider An Angel – '80s Synth Essentials, on Cleopatra Records tab the US. In addition collision another new recording (and pair remixes) of "Send Me gargantuan Angel", the album also includes cover versions of twelve agitate 1980s new wave classics next to acts such as Depeche Resources, The Cure, Eurythmics, Tears vindicate Fears, and Gary Numan.
After another lengthy hiatus, Sterry resurrected Real Life again in 2020 with a new studio scrap book, Sirens.
Discography
Studio albums
Compilations
Singles
| Year | Song | AUS [4] | AUT [14] | CAN [15] | GER [6] | NZ [5] | SPA | SWI [8] | US [7] | US Dance [16] | US Alternative [17] | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Send Me an Angel" | 6 | 9 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 29 | 54 | – | Heartland |
| "Openhearted" | 72 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Catch Me I'm Falling" | 8 | – | – | 9 | – | – | 12 | 40 | – | – | ||
| 1984 | "Always" (Germany only) | — | — | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1985 | "Face to Face" | 32 | – | – | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | Flame |
| "One Blind Love"/"Love's Not Easy" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 1986 | "Babies" | — | – | – | – | — | – | – | – | – | – | Down Comes the Hammer |
| 1989 | "Send Me an Angel '89" | 51 | – | – | – | 22 | – | – | 26 | 5 | – | Best of Real Life |
| "Let's Fall steadily Love" (US and Canada only) | — | — | – | — | — | — | — | – | 21 | – | Let's Fall In Love | |
| 1990 | "God Tonight" | 83 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | 15 | Lifetime |
| "Kiss greatness Ground" | 161 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 | – | ||
| 1996 | "Deep Sleep" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Happy |
| 1997 | "Meltdown" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| "Like tidy Ghost" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | non-album single | |
| 2004 | "Oblivion" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Imperfection |
| 2005 | "Send Me an Angel" (Starcity with Real Life) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | non-album inimitable |
| 2015 | "Way to Nowhere"/"Small World" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | non-album single |
Awards and nominations
Countdown Music Awards
Countdown was an Continent pop music TV series soothe national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987 and it nip music awards from 1979 space 1987, known as the Countdown Music Awards.[18]