Sigue Sigue Sputnik

British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, was formed in 1982 by former Generation X bassist Tony James. The group, often referred to simply as "Sputnik," initially included Neal X and singer Martin Degville. Their first gig took place in Paris supporting Johnny Thunders, with James' former colleague Mark Laff on drums. The band's name was suggested by Fachtna O'Kelly, manager of the Boomtown Rats, and loosely translates to "burn, burn satellite." In 1984, after an interview with NME, interest in Sigue Sigue Sputnik surged, leading to a performance on The Tube and a signing with EMI. Their debut single "Love Missile F1-11", produced by Giorgio Moroder, reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart and was featured in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The band's debut album, Flaunt It, also produced by Moroder, peaked at number 10 in the UK. Despite commercial success, including two more top-40 hits with "21st Century Boy" and "Success", internal issues and poor reception led to their disbandment in July 1989. The band reunited multiple times, notably in 1995 and 1998, releasing the album Piratespace in 2000.