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Blancmange (band)

From Alfawiki
Blancmange
Company typeMusic group
IndustryMusic
Founded1979 in Harrow, London, England
FounderNeil Arthur, Stephen Luscombe, Laurence Stevens
Headquarters
London
,
England
ProductsSynth-pop music, albums, singles

Blancmange () is a synth-pop group originating from Harrow, London in 1979, initially formed as a duo featuring Neil Arthur on vocals and Stephen Luscombe on keyboards. They rose to fame during the early 1980s with four singles reaching the UK top 20: "Living on the Ceiling", "Waves", "Blind Vision", and "Don't Tell Me". Throughout that decade, Blancmange issued three studio albums: Happy Families (1982), Mange Tout (1984), and Believe You Me (1985).

After parting ways amicably in 1986, the duo reunited in the late 2000s and released their fourth studio album, Blanc Burn, in 2011. Following this, Luscombe departed due to health issues, and Arthur has since continued Blancmange as a solo project, producing nine studio albums along with a reimagined version of their debut entitled Happy Families Too... (2013). Additionally, Arthur has collaborated on three albums under the projects Fader (with Benge) and Near Future (with Jez Bernholz). Luscombe passed away in 2025.

Formation

The band Blancmange was established in Harrow, London, in 1979 by vocalist Neil Arthur (born 15 June 1958 in Darwen, Lancashire), keyboardist Stephen Luscombe (born 29 October 1954 in Hillingdon, Middlesex), and Laurence Stevens. Shortly after forming, Stevens exited the group, leaving Arthur and Luscombe as a duo. Their name was inspired by the dessert of the same title. Their initial release was the EP Irene and Mavis in 1980; however, their breakthrough came with "Sad Day" featured on the compilation Some Bizzare Album (1981), alongside acts such as Soft Cell and Depeche Mode. This exposure secured them a deal with London Records. In December 1981, they supported Japan during the UK leg of the "Visions of China" tour.

Success

Blancmange first gained attention with their 1982 double A-side single "God's Kitchen"/"I've Seen the Word", which reached number 65 on the UK charts, followed by "Feel Me" peaking at number 46. Their major breakthrough arrived with "Living on the Ceiling", which climbed to number 7 on the UK Singles Chart and earned them international acclaim. Their debut album, Happy Families, noted for its unique cover art influenced by Louis Wain and Enid Blyton, made it into the top 30.

They maintained commercial success with singles such as "Waves" reaching number 19, "Blind Vision" at number 10, "That's Love, That It Is" at number 33, and "Don't Tell Me" securing number 8. Their sophomore album, Mange Tout (1984), peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and featured a rendition of ABBA's "The Day Before You Came", which surpassed ABBA’s original by attaining number 22. Despite this, their commercial momentum diminished; the 1985 single "What's Your Problem" reached only number 40, while their album Believe You Me (1985) remained on the charts for just two weeks with a peak position of number 54. The partnership concluded in June 1986 following a Greenpeace concert at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Following the split, Luscombe delved into Indian-inspired music with West India Company, releasing New Demons in 1989 alongside artists including Pandit Dinesh and Asha Bhosle. Meanwhile, Arthur embarked on a solo career with his album Suitcase in 1994, which yielded singles such as "One Day, One Time" peaking at number 80 UK and "I Love I Hate" reaching number 50 UK. In 2008, Edsel re-released their three studio albums as expanded editions.

Reformed

After a quarter-century break, Blancmange reunited and unveiled their fourth studio album, Blanc Burn, in March 2011. Following Luscombe's exit due to health concerns, Arthur carried on the project with the support of session musicians.

In November 2013, Blancmange embarked on a UK tour where they performed their debut album Happy Families in its entirety and released Happy Families Too..., which featured refreshed interpretations of those original tracks. Initially available only during the tour, this release was subsequently distributed digitally and on CD, including remixed versions.

On 23 March 2015, the band issued Semi Detached through Cherry Red Records, preceded by the singles "Paddington" and "Useless." That May, they introduced an instrumental collection titled Nil by Mouth, first sold at concerts and later made accessible online. Additionally, a limited-edition single covering Can's "I Want More" was launched for Record Store Day.

Their following studio effort, Commuter 23, was released in March 2016, with Unfurnished Rooms arriving in September 2017. During this period, Arthur collaborated with Benge on the Fader project, releasing First Light in June 2017 and announcing the subsequent album In Shadow for October 2019. Edsel Records also issued an extensive 9-CD box set named The Blanc Tapes, which expanded upon their initial three albums with additional content.

In February 2018, Arthur teamed up with Jez Bernholz to produce Near Future’s debut album, Ideal Home. Later that year, Blancmange announced their new studio album Wanderlust alongside a UK tour scheduled for November.

An instrumental sequel to Nil by Mouth, titled Nil by Mouth II, was initially released as a limited edition in November 2019 and later widely distributed on CD in June 2020. Their most recent album, Mindset, accompanied by its lead single of the same name released in February, was launched in June 2020.

Discography

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