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Big in the U.S.Small in the U.K

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Can anyone come up with a few British bands that went large in the States but did virtualy nothing on this side of the pond.I've come up with Bush,The Fixx,and maybe the Psychedelic Furs.

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Thought this thread was about Col :evil4:

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Morrissey's solo career? Other than that, the one's you listed are the only that come to mind.

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Modern English

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The Portions

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A Flock of Seagulls, thou just a "one hit wonder", i thought that never even had that in the U.K.

have there ever been any "good" examples?

Not sure if you would say that Morrisey was ever that big in the USA as far as hits or any airplay, but he had built up a fanbase... the Smiths were largely overlooked in their time, so they were slow to be discovered

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Were the Furs english? Wang Chung were big in US but did nowt here!

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By reading this board, I'm starting to believe Depeche Mode is one.

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The Cure

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"Steve" wrote: Were the Furs english? Wang Chung were big in US but did nowt here!

Yep, the Furs were definitely English. :nods:

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and here's me thinking it would be another complaint from someone getting a t-shirt far too big :laugh:

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pumped full of drugs wrote: A Flock of Seagulls, thou just a "one hit wonder", i thought that never even had that in the U.K.

have there ever been any "good" examples?

Not sure if you would say that Morrisey was ever that big in the USA as far as hits or any airplay, but he had built up a fanbase... the Smiths were largely overlooked in their time, so they were slow to be discovered

Bona Drag was pretty big when it came out with a bunch of singles hitting pretty big, at least here in Southern California (but I think a huge chunk of his fanbase is out here).

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Generally it's the other way around, with a band being huge in the UK but little-known stateside. Jimi Hendrix, for example, got his start in the UK, then came back home for the Monteray Music Festival in '67 and exploding. :shrug:

I hope the Brits were smarter than us when it came to Rick Astley, though :nonono: (what were we thinking? More importantly, what were we smoking?)

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Spotnick wrote: By reading this board, I'm starting to believe Depeche Mode is one.

:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

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Taboo # 7 wrote:

I hope the Brits were smarter than us when it came to Rick Astley, though :nonono: (what were we thinking? More importantly, what were we smoking?)

Jeez, don't tell me Rick was a hit over there..:nonono:

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Spotnick wrote: By reading this board, I'm starting to believe Depeche Mode is one.

Actually, DM first had hits in the UK but not in the US because of the fact they didn't use guitars. But, in the late '80s, when DM started catching on in the US, they weren't as popular in the UK. However, outside both countries, they were huge in Germany.

Unfortunately, a friend busts on me all the time because of this. He'll tell me, "Yeah, they were big in Germany, where they take David Hasselhoff's music career seriously." Maybe Germany had better musical in the '80s.

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I believe Matchbox Twenty are huge in the states, yet practically unheard of over here.

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Kiss

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"Steve" wrote: I believe Matchbox Twenty are huge in the states, yet practically unheard of over here.

Matchbox 20 are Americans, though, and they were huge here, about 6 or 7 years ago. At least in terms of rock acts, they, Blink 182, and New Found Glory were pretty big here back in 2000-01, but now it's been replaced by even worse crap called emo. Matchbox 20 has split up since and Rob Thomas went solo, but I don't think his album did very well.

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god so much bollox

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"Steve" wrote: Were the Furs english? Wang Chung were big in US but did nowt here!

Actually, I don't think the Furs were English; I believe they were Americans. I recall reading a while ago an interview with Roger O'Donnell (former Cure keyboardist, studio musician for Thompson Twins, touring musician for the Furs) that he didn't need to audition to tour with the Psychedelic Furs; they hired him right away because they wanted to have a British guy in their group, although he wasn't really part of their band.

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This blue-eyed boy that wants to be wrote:

"Steve" wrote: Were the Furs english? Wang Chung were big in US but did nowt here!

Actually, I don't think the Furs were English; I believe they were Americans. I recall reading a while ago an interview with Roger O'Donnell (former Cure keyboardist, studio musician for Thompson Twins, touring musician for the Furs) that he didn't need to audition to tour with the Psychedelic Furs; they hired him right away because they wanted to have a British guy in their group, although he wasn't really part of their band.

They were English. See their entry on Wikipedia. It surprised me cos i thought they were Yanks too.

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Um.. WHAT?

How did anyone ever think the furs were American?

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Chrissy says, 'RELAX'! wrote: Um.. WHAT?

How did anyone ever think the furs were American?

Cos they sound like americans trying to sound like brits, maybe thats why they were never big here...

Although Love My Way is a "top toon" as it were!

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