A Flock of Seagulls

"AFOS" redirects here. For ankle-foot orthotics, see Orthotics. For AFOs as a plural, see AFO (disambiguation).

This article is about the British new wave band. For the band's self-titled debut album, see A Flock of Seagulls (album).

A Flock of Seagulls
Lead singer Mike Score performing in 2011
Background information
Origin	Liverpool, England
Genres	New wave synth-pop electronic rock
Years active	1979–1986 1988–present
Labels	Arista Jive I.R.S.
Members	Mike Score Pando Kevin Rankin Gord Deppe
Past members	Paul Reynolds Frank Maudsley Ali Score (see Personnel section for others)
Website	aflockofseagulls.org

A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s.

The group had a string of international hit singles including "I Ran (So Far Away)" (1982), "Space Age Love Song" (1982), "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" (1982), and "The More You Live, the More You Love" (1984). Their video for "I Ran (So Far Away)" received airplay on MTV during the Second British Invasion. The band won a Grammy Award in 1983 for their instrumental "D.N.A." (1982).

In 2018, the members of the original lineup assembled to record the album Ascension with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2021, the original lineup again reunited temporarily to record another album with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, String Theory.

History

1979–1982: Formation and debut album

The band A Flock of Seagulls was formed in Liverpool, England, in 1979 by Mike Score, Frank Maudsley and Ali Score. Mike was a hairdresser when he bought a second-hand Korg MS-10 synthesizer and invited his friends to form the band. Frank played bass and Ali drums, even without prior experience. After testing six guitarists, Willie Woo joined the band and brought in Mark Edmondson to replace Ali on drums. Later, the Score brothers had a falling out, and Mark Edmondson left. Ali returned to the band and shortly afterwards Woo left, being replaced by Paul Reynolds, a 17-year-old friend of Mark Edmondson. Initially, the band did not have a vocalist. Mike, who was the composer of the songs, sang just to show how he thought the song should sound. However, Frank suggested that he be the band's official lead singer. Mike was reluctant at first, but ended up accepting the suggestion.

The band began playing local clubs and eventually got a record deal with Jive Records. In 1981, they released their first single, "Talking", which was produced by Bill Nelson. The single was a moderate success in the United Kingdom. In 1982, the band released their second single, "Telecommunication", which was also produced by Bill Nelson. The single was an even bigger success than the first and became a club hit. The band's third release was the EP Modern Love is Automatic. Released in the US, it included the single "Telecommunication" as well as "I Ran (So Far Away)" — which became the band's biggest hit and was in heavy rotation on the new cable channel, MTV. The video for "I Ran" was low budget (even for the time), but it provided enormous exposure for the band, and it is well-remembered in part because MTV played it frequently.

The band's debut album, A Flock of Seagulls, was released in 1982. The album was a commercial and critical success, reaching number 1 in Australia and the Top 10 in the US and New Zealand. The album was praised for its new wave songs, which were influenced by styles such as synthpop, post-punk and new romantic. The band was also praised for their image, which was characterized by slicked-back hair and colorful clothing. The album was influential in pop music in the 1980s. The band was one of the pioneers of synthpop and helped popularize the style.

1983: Listen and the peak of popularity

In late 1982, A Flock of Seagulls finally achieved commercial success in their home country with the single "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)", which reached the top 10. The song was inspired by a short romance that vocalist Mike Score had with a girl on tour in the United States. The girl had a Polaroid camera, and Score asked her to take a picture with it. She said if he had the photo, he would leave and the romance would be forgotten. They broke up soon after, and Score wrote the song about how he wished he had a photo of her to remember her by.

The band began 1983 at the Palladium in New York playing the MTV New Year's Eve Rock n' Roll Ball with "Space Age Love Song" still climbing the charts in the U.S. following the top ten success of "I Ran".

Listen, the follow-up to band's debut album, was released at the end of April 1983 and also received positive reviews. AllMusic critic Tom Demalon praises the single "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" as "multilayered and hypnotic" and also has written favorably about the songs "Nightmares" and "Transfer Affection".

The band continued to enjoy commercial and critical success in 1983. They performed at the US Festival (in San Bernardino, California) in May and at Holleder Memorial Stadium (in Rochester, New York) in July. They also began touring with the band The Police.

Three more singles were released for Listen in 1983, but they were only moderately successful. The band began to lose popularity in the late 1980s, but they continue to perform and record.

1984: The Story of a Young Heart and Reynolds' departure

Following the commercial success of their debut album, A Flock of Seagulls decided to change direction on their third album, The Story of a Young Heart. The band ventured into a new style, wanting to make a concept album based on themes such as suicide and heartbreak. The album was produced by Steve Lovell and featured more accentuated guitars and a more polished sound. The song's lyrics were written by Mike Score, who had lost a close friend to suicide. The song "Remember David" was written in honour of his deceased friend.

Despite the band's efforts, The Story of a Young Heart was not as commercially successful as their debut album. The singles "The More You Live, The More You Love" and "Never Again (The Dancer)" reached the top 40 on the US and UK charts, but "Remember David" was not as popular and had moderate success.

During the album's tour, the band's guitarist Paul Reynolds became involved with drug abuse. His drug problems worsened, resulting in his exit from the band mid-tour. The tour ended early. The band was without a guitarist. Reynolds' departure was a blow to A Flock of Seagulls. The band never again managed to achieve the same success as their early years.

1985–1986: New lineup, Dream Come True and hiatus

After Paul Reynolds' departure, A Flock of Seagulls underwent a revamp. Gary Steadman, former Classix Nouveaux guitarist, was hired to replace Reynolds. Chris Chryssaphis, keyboardist, also joined the band. With the new lineup, the band recorded their fourth album, Dream Come True. The album was released in 1985 in the UK and in 1986 in the US.

Dream Come True was a commercial failure. Reviews were negative, with some critics calling the songs "lifeless" and "ineffective". The band dissolved in 1986 after the album's failure.

1988–1998: Various formations and The Light at the End of the World

In 1988, Mike Score formed a new band with local Philadelphia musicians. This lineup released the single "Magic" in 1989.

In 1994, Score formed a new band with Ed Berner, A.J. Mazzetti and Dean Pichette. This lineup recorded the album The Light at the End of the World, released only in the US in 1995. The album was a commercial and critical failure. Critics called it "tedious" and "embarrassing", while fans claimed it was "misinterpreted". Score said the album was an unsuccessful attempt to bring the band into the grunge era, which dominated popular music at the time.

1998–2018: Touring and Ascension years

In 1998, Mike Score formed a new band with Joe Rodriguez, Darryl Sons and Rob Wright. The band re-recorded Madonna's song "This Used to Be My Playground" in 1999 for Madonna's 2000 tribute album, The World's Greatest 80s Tribute.

A Flock Of Seagulls live, 2012.

In November 2003, the band's original lineup reunited for a one-off performance on the VH1 series Bands Reunited. In September 2004, they reformed again and went on a brief tour of the United States.

In 2013, Mike Score launched a solo career. He released the singles "All I Wanna Do" and "Somebody Like You".

In 2016, Kevin Rankin replaced Michael Brahm on drums. In December 2017, Gordon Deppe (from the Canadian band Spoons replaced Joe Rodriguez.

A Flock of Seagulls performing in Columbia, South Carolina in 2024

In 2018, the band's four original members reunited to record a new album, Ascension. The album was released in July 2018 and received positive reviews. Since the album's release, Mike Score expressed a desire to reunite the original lineup for a tour.

2019—: Inflight and String Theory

In 2019, the original members of A Flock of Seagulls reunited to record a new album, Inflight (The Extended Essentials). The album was released on July 12, 2019 and featured extended versions of some of the band's biggest hits, such as "I Ran (So Far Away)", "Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)".

In the same year, Mike Score revealed in an interview with Classic Pop magazine that he was working on a new solo album, Space Boy. However, the album has yet to be released.

In 2021, the band announced that they would release a new orchestral album, String Theory. Scheduled for release on August 20, 2021, the album features orchestral versions of some of the band's hits, such as "Messages", "Remember David" and "Say You Love Me". The album's first single, "Say You Love Me", was released on July 23, 2021. The single was released in seven different versions and featured a music video released on YouTube.

On August 9, 2024, the band announced their first album of new songs since The Light at the End of the World, releasing the single "Some Dreams". According to the band, the album, still untitled, is scheduled for release in 2025, featuring Mike Score on vocals, Pando on bass, Gordon Deppe (the Spoons) on guitar and Kevin Rankin on drums.

Legacy

Owing to their memorable and unusual style and appearance, A Flock of Seagulls are sometimes referred to with ironic appreciation. The New Musical Express wrote: "Of course, everyone remembers this group now for singer Mike Score's ridiculous back-combed haircut and the fact that they are mentioned in Pulp Fiction. So now they're kind of cool, but in the early 1980s it was a different story."

The band was featured on Viacom's VH1 and Sony's BMG Legacy Recordings' 2006 revival CD series and multi-platform marketing campaign, "We Are the 80's". In a 2007 article for The Guardian, Alfred Hickling described the group as "dreadful", and unfavourably compared them to new wave peers OMD and other Liverpool acts of the time.

The band is also noted for creating their debut album, a successful concept album which alludes to an alien invasion of earth. Billboard writer Robert Christgau applauded their "mechanical lyrics, about a mechanical end of the world," while noting the "aural pleasure" of both the band's debut album and the follow-up.

Cryptic Rock writer Alfie Mella praised the band as the "poster band of new wave music" due to the flamboyant hairstyle of its members, particularly the so-described "waterfall bangs" of its frontman. He also noted the band's "flanger and reverb-heavy, angular guitar strums; melodic keyboard lines and synth washes; dancey drumbeats; groove-driven bass lines; and icy, low-register vocal styling" as defining the genre.

Personnel

Current members

• Mike Score – vocals, guitars, keyboards (1979–1986, 1988–present)
• Pando – bass (2004–present)
• Kevin Rankin – drums (2016–present)
• Gord Deppe – guitars (2017–present)

Former members

• Frank Maudsley – bass, backing vocals (1979–1986, 2003, 2004, 2018, 2021)
• Ali Score – drums (1979–1986, 2003, 2004, 2018, 2021)
• Paul Reynolds – guitars, backing vocals (1980–1984, 2003, 2004, 2018, 2021)
• Willie Woo – guitars (1980)
• Mark Edmondson – drums (1980)
• Chris Mars Chryssaphes – keyboards (1984–1985)
• Gary Steadman – guitars (1984–1985)
• Ed Berner – guitars (1988–1998)
• Dave Maerz – guitars (1988–1989)
• Kaya Pryor – drums, percussion (1988–1994)
• Mike Radcliffe – bass (1988–1994)
• Mike Railton – keyboards (1988–1994)
• Jonte Wilkins – drums (1988–1989)
• Mike Marquart – drums (1989)
• Shavin Duffy – bass (1990)
• A.J. Mazzetti – drums (1994–1998)
• Dean Pichette – bass (1994–1998)
• Joe Rodriguez – guitars (1998–2017)
• Lucio Rubino – bass (1998–2002)
• John Walker – drums (1995–1998)
• Darryl Sons – drums (1998–2004)
• Rob Wright – bass (1998–2004)
• Robbie Hanson – bass (1999–2006)
• Albert Cruz – drums (2001–2006)
• Michael Brahm – drums (2004–2016)

Timeline

Line-ups

1979	1980	1980	1980
Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Ali Score – drums	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Ali Score – drums Willie Woo – lead guitar	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Willie Woo – lead guitar Mark Edmondson – drums	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Willie Woo – lead guitar Ali Score – drums
1980–84 (Reunions: 2003, 2004, 2018, 2021)	1984–85	1985–86	1986–88
Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Ali Score – drums Paul Reynolds – lead guitar	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Ali Score – drums Chris Mars Chryssaphes – keyboards Gary Steadman – lead guitar	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Frank Maudsley – bass guitar Ali Score – drums	Disbanded
1988–89	1989	1989–94	1994–98
Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Ed Berner – lead guitar Dave Maerz – lead guitar Kaya Pryor – drums, percussion Mike Radcliffe – bass guitar Mike Railton – keyboards Jonte Wilkins – drums	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Ed Berner – lead guitar Dave Maerz – lead guitar Kaya Pryor – drums, percussion Mike Radcliffe – bass guitar Mike Railton – keyboards Jonte Wilkins – drums Mike Marquart – drums	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Ed Berner – lead guitar Kaya Pryor – drums, percussion Mike Radcliffe – bass guitar Shavin Duffy – bass guitar (1990) Mike Railton – keyboards	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Ed Berner – lead guitar A.J. Mazzetti – drums John Walker – drums (1995-1998) Dean Pichette – bass guitar
1998–2004	2004–2016	2016–2017	2017–present
Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Joe Rodriguez – lead guitar Darryl Sons – drums Albert Cruz – drums Lucio Rubino – bass guitar (till 2002) Rob Wright – bass guitar Robbie Hanson – bass guitar	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Joe Rodriguez – lead guitar Michael Brahm – drums Albert Cruz – drums (till 2006) Pando – bass guitar Robbie Hanson – bass guitar (till 2006)	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Joe Rodriguez – lead guitar Pando – bass guitar Kevin Rankin – drums	Mike Score – lead vocals, keyboards Pando – bass guitar Kevin Rankin – drums Gord Deppe – lead guitar

Discography

Main article: A Flock of Seagulls discography

• A Flock of Seagulls (1982)
• Listen (1983)
• The Story of a Young Heart (1984)
• Dream Come True (1986)
• The Light at the End of the World (1995)
• Ascension (2018)
• String Theory (2021)

See also

• List of bands named after other performers' songs
• List of new wave artists
• List of Peel sessions
• List of synth-pop artists

External links

• Official website
• A Flock of Seagulls discography at Discogs
• A Flock of Seagulls at IMDb