A Flock of Seagulls

Former hairdresser Mike Score formed A Flock Of Seagulls with his drummer brother Ali, bass player Frank Maudsley and guitarist Paul Reynolds in 1979. Taking their name from a line in a Stranglers song Toiler On The Sea, the band played clubs in the north of England, issuing their first releases on Bill Nelson's Cocteau label, and they had a worldwide hit (a Number 1 in Australia) with I Ran (So Far Away). Their electronic-influenced second album Listen in 1983, produced by Bill Nelson, included the UK Top 10 hit Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) and their glam image gained a lot of publicity - with Mike Score's bizarre haircut a particular object of attention. The departure of guitarist Paul Reynolds led to a hiatus before they returned to concentrate on a heavy synth-pop sound for their 1985 album Dream Come True as the band relocated to Philadelphia after gaining considerable success in the US. However, the hits dried up and they effectively split after a fall-out between the Score brothers - although Mike Score continued to work with a number of other musicians under the Flock Of Seagulls banner. The original line-up reunited briefly for an appearance on the VH1 TV series Bands Reunited with a series of concerts in the US in 2003 and 2004. And Mike Score has continued to use the Flock Of Seagulls name in a fluid band line-up.