Blancmange

Blancmange, an English synth-pop band, was formed in 1979 in Harrow, London. The group initially consisted of Neil Arthur (vocals), Stephen Luscombe (keyboards), and Laurence Stevens (instrumentalist). After Stevens' departure, Arthur and Luscombe continued as a duo, releasing their first EP, Irene and Mavis, the following year. Their breakthrough came with the inclusion of "Sad Day" on the compilation album Some Bizzare Album in 1981. This led to their signing with London Records and minor success with the double A-side single "God's Kitchen"/"I've Seen the Word". Blancmange achieved significant chart success with hits like "Living on the Ceiling" and "Waves", both from their debut album Happy Families (1982), which charted at number 7 and 19, respectively. The band released three more studio albums during this period: Mange Tout (1984), which featured a cover of ABBA's "The Day Before You Came", and Believe You Me (1985). After declining fortunes, Blancmange announced their breakup in 1986. They reunited in 2011 with the album Blanc Burn, though Luscombe left due to health issues. Arthur continued performing under the Blancmange name, releasing several new albums including Commuter 23 (2016), Unfurnished Rooms (2017), Wanderlust (2018), Mindset (2020), Comercial Break (2021), and the Nil by Mouth I-VI series from 2015 to 2024. On September 13, 2025, Stephen Luscombe died at the age of 70.