As a child of the
eighties you remember a time before the internet and mobile phones, dvds and
cds. We've all seen those emails 'you know you're a child of the 80s
when......' On this page I've got another selection for you, please add your
own at the end.
You Knew
You Grew Up in the 80s if........
You know
all the words to Bon Jovi - Shot Through the Heart.
You remember when mullets were cool........you even had a
mullet.
You owned a banana
clip........maybe you still do.
You remember when
Neil Patrick Harris was a doctor.
You
remember ending your sentences with not..........and you still sometimes do!
You also used to say Bonus!
You remember when Alyssa Milano
was Tony Danza's daughter
You remember cassette tapes and
you used to record the top 40 off of the radio every week.......some of you
would've made mix tapes or at least received a mix tape off of a member of the
opposite sex. (I still have the only one I was ever given, I no longer have a
cassette recorder though!)
Are you still singing Shot Through the Heart??
If you were also from the UK - you know who the father of Michelle's baby is
You remember when Michael Jackson looked 'normal' and was just a great
performer.
You remember when Madonna first
started out, maybe you even took some of her fashion ideas - lace gloves anyone?
You had a pair of
Jelly Shoes..........I worked in a shoe shop during the summer holidays and we
couldn't keep up with the demand, I think I personally had every color they
made.....even orange!
You wore legwarmers as a fashion
statement......."Fame, I'm going to live forever, baby remember
my name....."
If you didn't want to wear legwarmers there was always......slouch socks!!!
You had big hair and
you looked F A N T A S T I C !
You used to say 'What cha talkin'
bout Willis'.....maybe you still do?
You know who shot JR.
You know the words to the theme song of The Fresh
Prince of Bel Air
Bow Wow Wow were formed by former Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren. The line up consisted of Leigh Gorman, Dave Barbarossa, Matthew Ashman and Annabella Lwin.
Bow Wow Wow were heavily influenced by tribal beats. Groups such as Red Hot Chilli Peppers and No Doubt cite Bow Wow Wow as a strong influence.
Scandal also followed Bow Wow Wow as McLaren and Annabella's mother squared off over a naked picture of the underage songstress. The scandal added to the allure of the band and they hit the charts with songs such as Go Wild in the Country and I Want Candy.
The Beginnings
Bow Wow Wow owe their start, in part, to Adam Ant. Adam Ant was disappointed with his group Adam and the Ants' first album. Having met Malcolm McLaren when McLaren was managing the Sex Pistols he asked him for some advice. McLaren gave him some image advice - he is credited with helping to achieve the dandy highwayman look that Adam and the Ants became famous for.
Malcolm McLaren also decided to lure the Ants away from Adam. He offered the Ants' bass guitarist (Leigh Gorman), drummer (Dave Barbarossa) and guitarist (Matthew Ashman)the chance to start a new group. That group was Bow Wow Wow. All that they needed now was a singer.
Myant Myant Mye was discovered singing along to the radio in a London dry cleaners. Malcolm McLaren persuaded her to change her name to Annabella Lwin and made her the lead vocalist for the band. Annabella was only 14 years old at the time.
Myant Myant Mye is Burmese for Cool Cool High
The Music
The band's signature was a tribal beat that caused controversy when they were accused of stealing it from Zulu songs and turning the original lyrics into English. In their defense the band agreed that their sound was influenced by the Zulu's, but claim to have fused it with a mixture of West African beats, Brazilian pop and conventional rock and roll.
Groups such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers claim that Bow Wow Wow were a big influence in them. In fact mention is made of the group in two of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' songs. In the song "Suck My Kiss" one of the lines is "swimming in the sound of bow wow wow." The song "Right on Time" includes the line "Holy cow bow wow wow," in homage to the group.
See Jungle Police Called In
In 1981 Bow Wow Wow released their first album which was called "See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah! City All Over! Go Ape Crazy!"
The proposed album cover caused controversy, something that Malcolm McClaren was very good at. It showed the now 15 year old Annabella posing naked as the cover. The cover was meant to be a copy of Manet's "The Luncheon on the Grass" painting.
Scotland Yard were called in by Annabella's mother as she tried to bring charges against Malcolm McLaren. "Hello, hello what do we have here then?" Exploitation of a minor for immoral purposes officer.
Luckily for Bow Wow Wow fans an agreement was reached as Annabella's family nearly made her leave the band.
The Agreement
The agreement that Malcolm McLaren made with Annabella's family included not publishing the album cover. The cover was used, however, on an EP a year later when she was 16.
The controversy certainly didn't hinder the album sales and the track "Go Wild in the Country" was a big hit in the UK.
The Last of the Mohicans Want Candy
Last of the Mohicans was an EP released in 1982, this featured the song that was to also be the name of their next album - I Want Candy.
I Want Candy became Bow Wow Wow's biggest hit. Last of the Mohicans was also the EP that spawned the infamous cover.
I Want Candy was recorded because the record label did not like the direction that Malcolm McLaren was taking Bow Wow Wow. With Kenny Laguna helping the group out they made the wise move of remaking the Strangegloves song I Want Candy.
After the success of I Want Candy, Bow Wow Wow carried on with another album, When the Going Gets Tough. They were still without Malcolm McLaren and Annabella said in an interview at the time that they were now concentrating more on the music than the image. Unfortunately Bow Wow Wow's fans loved the image and when the songs seemed to be too polished and lacking a certain je ne sais quoi.
One of the singles on the album was Aphrodisiac, but the fans decided to move on and this single was not a hit.
It was during the tour promoting their When The Going Gets Tough in the US that Matthew Ashman broke his hand. The tour had to be cut short, with the band members also suffering from exhaustion it was time to disband.
How did Matthew Ashman break his hand?
In the words of Annabella Lwin -
“He was wearing dark shades and couldn't see, so he fell off of the stage!”
What Happened Next?
Bow Wow Wow members do other things
It seems to be a little hazy about how the band split up, according to Annabella Lwin she read that they had split up in the New Musical Express! The record label wanted her to do a solo record and everyone went their own way.
What Did The Band Members Do Next?
Matthew
Ashman became
the frontman of a band called Chiefs of Relief alongside the other former
members of Bow Wow Wow, except Annabella. The others drifted away and after
five years the band had disbanded. Matthew Ashman ended up dying of diabetes
complications in 1995, you can read about his life here - Matthew Ashman
Leigh Gorman initially joined his former bandmates in a new band
called Chiefs of Relief, but left after only a few months, by 1989 Gorman had
turned to record production and even worked with Malcolm McLaren again in the
early1990s. Gorman and Lwin have also reformed Bow Wow Wow together since and
toured. Find out more about Leigh Gorman here - Leigh Gorman
David Barbarossa initially joined his former bandmates in forming a
new band called Chiefs of Relief, but left shortly afterwards. Barbarossa also
had some more chart success in the mid 90s when he was in the band Republica.
More about David Barbarossa here - David Barbarossa
Bow
Wow Wow's Reformation
In 1997
Annabella Lwin and Leigh Gorman reformed Bow Wow Wow and embarked on the
"Barking Mad" reunion tour. Matthew Ashman had died from
complications arising from diabetes so they needed a new guitarist. Dave
Calhoun took over as the guitarist.
Dave Barbarossa was also unable to tour with Bow Wow Wow as he had commitments
with his current band - Republica. He did however take time out to work with
Eshan Khadaroo from Blue Man Group. Eshan Khadaroo then performed on the drums
for the whole tour.
After the 'Barking Mad' tour the band members did their own thing again before
another reunion in 2003. In 2003 Adrian Young from No Doubt joined Bow Wow Wow
as a guest drummer. Dave Barbarosa was again unable to perform as he had
commitments with the band Cicane.
Share
Your Thoughts & Memories of Bow Wow Wow
Did
you like Bow Wow Wow? My favorite single was I Want Candy, I know that's a very
cliched favorite of theirs, but what can I say?
remember
my name....."
were heavily influenced by tribal beats. Groups such as Red Hot Chilli Peppers and No Doubt cite Bow Wow Wow as a strong influence.
