The Psychedelic Furs (GB)

About

Also known as: Psychedelic Furs, Psycheldic Furs, The Furs, The Psychadelic Furs, The Psychedelics Furs, The Psychedlic Furs

Few bands can claim their back catalogue literally inspired a John Hughes film, but The Psychedelic Furs can. The London post punk outfit built their reputation on a sound that blended punk rawness with psychedelic influences, setting them apart from their contemporaries from the very start. Their 1981 track 'Pretty in Pink' became so iconic that Hughes borrowed the title for his 1986 film, prompting the band to re record it for the platinum selling soundtrack. That commercial moment propelled them to chart success on both sides of the Atlantic, even as Richard Butler later described the follow up album, Midnight to Midnight, as 'hollow, vapid and weak'. After going quiet in the early 1990s, the Furs reformed in 2000 with the Butler brothers and guitarist John Ashton back in the fold. The reunion was not just nostalgia, either. Made of Rain, released in 2020, was their first proper studio album in nearly thirty years, preceded by singles including 'Don't Believe', 'You'll Be Mine' and 'Come All Ye Faithful'. The record was warmly received by critics and landed at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart. More recently, Richard Butler collaborated with Martin Gore on four tracks for Depeche Mode's 2023 album Memento Mori, including the lead single 'Ghosts Again'.