Altered Images

Altered Images

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1979 in Glasgow, Scotland
Founder	Clare Grogan, Gerard "Caesar" McInulty, Michael "Tich" Anderson, Tony McDaid, Johnny McElhone
Headquarters	Glasgow , Scotland
Key people	Clare Grogan (vocals), Gerard "Caesar" McInulty (guitar), Michael "Tich" Anderson (drums), Tony McDaid (guitar), Johnny McElhone (bass), Jim McKinven (guitar), Steve Lironi (multi-instrumentalist)
Products	Music albums and singles

Altered Images is a Scottish band known for their new wave and post-punk style, which gained notable commercial recognition during the early 1980s. Led by vocalist Clare Grogan, the ensemble shifted towards mainstream pop, achieving six singles within the UK top 40 and three albums reaching the top 30 between 1981 and 1983. Among their prominent tracks are "Happy Birthday", "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and "Don't Talk to Me About Love".

Early career

The band was formed by former classmates from Glasgow who shared a passion for the UK's post-punk movement. The lineup included Clare Grogan on vocals, Gerard "Caesar" McInulty on guitar, Michael "Tich" Anderson on drums, Tony McDaid also on guitar, and Johnny McElhone handling bass duties. They were admirers of Siouxsie and the Banshees and managed to secure a supporting act position during the Banshees' 1980 UK tour after submitting a demo tape to the band's fan club manager. Their name originated from the design of a Buzzcocks single sleeve, which was influenced by Pete Shelley.

Supported by BBC Radio 1's John Peel, who invited them to record a session in October 1980, Altered Images garnered enough attention to sign with Epic Records. Their initial singles, "Dead Pop Stars" and "A Day's Wait," achieved modest chart success, peaking at number 67 and failing to enter the top 100 respectively. The track "Dead Pop Stars," which offered an ironic commentary on fleeting fame, stirred controversy due to its release shortly after John Lennon's assassination despite being written earlier. A dance remix titled "Disco Pop Stars" was released in 1982. Following these releases and two Peel sessions, guitarist Caesar departed to establish The Wake.

Chart success

With Jim McKinven, formerly of Berlin Blondes, joining as guitarist, Altered Images recorded their first album, Happy Birthday (1981), predominantly produced by Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees. They briefly collaborated with producer Martin Rushent on the title track, which became their third single and their highest-charting hit. This song climbed to number 2 on the UK charts for three consecutive weeks in October 1981, significantly elevating their profile. The band quickly established themselves as a leading figure in the new wave genre, earning accolades such as Best New Group at the NME Awards and Most Promising New Act in the 1981 Smash Hits readers’ poll.

After a successful tour as headliners, they retained Rushent's production expertise for their sophomore album, Pinky Blue, released in May 1982. The record reached the top 20 on the UK Albums Chart and produced three singles that entered the UK top 40: "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and "Pinky Blue". Despite its commercial performance, British critics considered the album somewhat underwhelming. The single "I Could Be Happy" marked their only entry on American charts, peaking at number 45 on the Billboard Dance Chart.

Later in 1982, following the departures of McKinven and Anderson—who were replaced by multi-instrumentalist Steve Lironi from Restricted Code—the group commenced work on their third album with producer Mike Chapman. This partnership yielded another Top 10 single, "Don't Talk to Me About Love", in spring 1983. The album Bite, released in June that year, was produced partly by Chapman and partly by Tony Visconti. Although it secured a position within the UK Albums Chart top 20, its sales did not match those of their previous two Silver-certified albums. Prior to disbanding later that year, Altered Images embarked on another tour which included their US debut at Huntington Beach’s Golden Bear on 11 August 1983.

Break-up

Following the band's dissolution, Lironi went on to establish Flesh. During the mid-1980s, Grogan and Lironi—who eventually married—collaborated on a project called Universal Love School, although no recordings were ever released. In 1987, Grogan embarked on a solo venture with London Records, putting out the single "Love Bomb" and contributing the track "Reason Is the Slave" to the label’s compilation album Giant. Due to the modest reception of "Love Bomb," the intended follow-up single "Strawberry" and the album Trash Mad were ultimately abandoned. Meanwhile, Johnny McElhone became a member of Hipsway before joining Texas, and McKinven entered the 1990s music scene as part of One Dove alongside Dot Allison.

Grogan brought Altered Images back for live appearances during the 2002 Here and Now Tour, sharing the stage with groups such as the Human League, ABC, and T'Pau, followed by additional concerts in 2004. She also transitioned into acting, featuring in productions like Gregory's Girl, the television series Red Dwarf—where she originated the role of Kristine Kochanski—alongside roles in EastEnders, Father Ted, and Skins. Beyond acting, Grogan established herself as a UK television presenter and authored novels aimed at children.

In 2012, Grogan once again performed as Altered Images at venues including Butlins Minehead and The Assembly in Leamington Spa. She later organized an all-female lineup for the Rebellion Festival. In December 2019, she led Altered Images during a session on BBC Scotland's The Quay Sessions.

In 2021, Grogan collaborated with Sharleen Spiteri on the duet "Look What You've Done," featured on Hi, which is Johnny McElhone’s band Texas’s tenth studio album. Later that year, she fronted a reassembled Altered Images as they supported the Human League on their 'Dare 40' tour across the UK.

Mascara Streakz

December 2021 saw Grogan announce Mascara Streakz, marking Altered Images’ first new studio album in over 38 years, slated for release in 2022. The record was produced under Cooking Vinyl Records and included collaborations with Bobby Bluebell of The Bluebells, Bernard Butler known for his work with Suede and McAlmont & Butler, alongside co-writing input from original bassist Johnny McElhone. Released on 26 August 2022, Mascara Streakz achieved a position within the Top 30 of the UK Albums Chart.

Discography

• Happy Birthday (1981)
• Pinky Blue (1982)
• Bite (1983)
• Mascara Streakz (2022)