The Psychedelic Furs

New wave standard-bearers the Psychedelic Furs forged their path through enigmatic pop tracks anchored by Richard Butler’s signature weary delivery and a restless sonic evolution that began in austere post-punk before veering into synth pop, dance rock, and broad alternative territory. En route they issued the landmark 1981 album Talk Talk Talk, which married punk drive to new-wave luster, and a run of singles including “Love My Way,” “Heaven,” and “Heartbreak Beat” that left lasting commercial and cultural marks. Their signature track “Pretty in Pink” directly inspired the film of the same title, while additional cuts appeared frequently on screen and television. After the group foundered in the early nineties, they resurfaced ten years later as a steady live attraction and, with the 2020 release Made of Rain, reaffirmed their ability to produce substantial, ambitious records.

Taking their name from the Velvet Underground’s 1966 song “Venus in Furs,” the band coalesced in England in 1977 around brothers Richard Butler on vocals and Tim Butler on bass, together with saxophonist Duncan Kilburn and guitarist Roger Morris. Persistent performances and a notable John Peel Radio 1 session secured a deal with Epic Records. By then the lineup had expanded to six members with the addition of guitarist John Ashton and drummer Vince Ely. This configuration recorded the 1979 debut single “We Love You,” followed by “Sister Europe” and, in 1980, the self-titled first album largely shaped by Steve Lillywhite. The Furs’ brooding blend of punk edge, post-punk melancholy, and melodic craft propelled the LP into the U.K. Top 20 and earned an American release.

On the second album, 1981’s Talk Talk Talk, the group lightened its palette for a more buoyant, pop-driven approach that climbed into the U.S. Top 100 while spawning the U.K. charting singles “Dumb Waiters” and “Pretty in Pink.” Capitalizing on transatlantic momentum, the Furs—now without Kilburn and Morris—relocated to the United States and enlisted Todd Rundgren for the follow-up. The resulting 1982 album Forever Now adopted a polished, densely arranged sound enriched by Rundgren’s keyboards, augmented horns, and backing vocals from Flo & Eddie, edging into synth-pop terrain and delivering the band’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “Love My Way.” The record itself reached the U.K. Top 20 and earned gold certification in the States.

Before sessions for the fourth album, Ely departed. The remaining trio of the Butlers and Ashton recruited saxophonist Mars Williams and producer Keith Forsey to fashion the sleek, refined sound of 1984’s Mirror Moves. Featuring the hit singles “Heaven” and “The Ghost in You,” the LP became their second consecutive gold-certified release. Their visibility climbed further in 1986 when director John Hughes released the hit film Pretty in Pink, titled after and inspired by the earlier Furs song; the band supplied a newly recorded, smoother version for the soundtrack. Seeking still broader appeal, the group enlisted Rolling Stones veteran Chris Kimsey to helm 1987’s Midnight to Midnight, aiming for a massive, contemporary production across a set of radio-friendly tracks. The strategy yielded results: “Heartbreak Beat” reached the Billboard Top 30 while the album charted strongly in both the U.S. and U.K.

Richard Butler later expressed dissatisfaction with the mainstream direction, prompting a shift toward a rawer, guitar-centric approach on 1989’s Book of Days. With Ely reinstated on drums, the record predictably found a smaller audience. The band pressed forward, releasing 1991’s World Outside, produced by Stephen Street and containing the charting modern-pop ballad “Until She Comes,” yet the album failed to restore widespread attention.

Following that release the members scattered, Richard and Tim Butler forming the alternative-rock outfit Love Spit Love, which issued Love Spit Love in 1994 and Trysome Eatone in 1997. Eventually the Butlers revived the Psychedelic Furs, bringing aboard John Ashton plus Love Spit Love alumni Richard Fortus on guitar and Frank Ferrer on drums. The reconstituted lineup joined the Go-Go’s for a co-headlining tour in 2000. The following year they headlined across North America and issued the live collection Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live, which introduced their first new song in nearly a decade, the reflective ballad “Alive.”

Over the subsequent two decades the Furs maintained an active touring schedule with rotating personnel while Richard Butler issued a self-titled solo album in 2006. New studio material remained absent until the late 2010s, when the Butlers assembled their current road unit—guitarist Rich Good, drummer Paul Garisto, keyboardist Amanda Kramer, and returning saxophonist Mars Williams—to record with longtime associate Richard Fortus producing. The sessions combined fresh compositions with previously road-tested material, culminating in the July 2020 Cooking Vinyl release Made of Rain.