The Flying Lizards
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | David Cunningham |
| Headquarters | England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Flying Lizards emerged in 1976 as an English new wave ensemble with an experimental edge, gaining recognition chiefly for their unconventional rendition of Barrett Strong's "Money." This track, featuring Deborah Evans-Stickland as the lead vocalist, achieved chart success across the UK and North America in 1979. Their eponymous debut album, released the same year, peaked at number 60 on the UK Albums Chart.
Career
Under the leadership of record producer David Cunningham, the band functioned as a flexible collective comprising avant-garde and improvisational artists such as David Toop and Steve Beresford. The principal vocalists included Deborah Evans-Stickland, Patti Palladin, and Vivien Goldman.
In August 1979, The Flying Lizards made two appearances on BBC's Top of the Pops, performing "Money," followed by a second appearance in February 1980 to showcase their subsequent single, "TV." The commercial triumph of "Money" led Virgin Records to renew their contract. Their 1979 debut album featured compositions and vocals by Goldman. Among their singles were postmodern reinterpretations like Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues," alongside their hit "Money."
Although their 1981 release Fourth Wall garnered positive critical attention, it failed to achieve significant sales. The 1984 album Top Ten, issued through Statik Records and featuring vocalist Sally Peterson, consisted solely of cover songs rendered in a deliberately mechanical style, including James Brown's "Sex Machine" and Leonard Cohen’s "Suzanne." Following this period, Cunningham and Peterson collaborated on producing music for films and commercials, which included a re-recorded version of "Money."
The Flying Lizards' adaptation of "Money" sustained its cultural relevance through inclusion in various films such as The Wedding Singer, Empire Records, Charlie's Angels, and Lord of War. It also appeared in television series like Nip/Tuck, People's Century, and Ashes to Ashes, as well as episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati and Family Guy. Additionally, it featured in a Taco Bell advertisement aired in 2011.
An album consisting of dub-style instrumentals titled The Secret Dub Life of the Flying Lizards, primarily recorded by Cunningham in 1978, was eventually released in 1995. In 2010, RPM reissued their first two albums. Notably, "Money" remains their sole single to enter the UK top 40 charts.
Band members
- David Toop
- Steve Beresford
- Michael Upton
- Julian Marshall
- Michael Nyman
- David Cunningham
- Vivien Goldman
- Robert Fripp
- Bob Black
- Deborah Evans-Stickland
- Patti Palladin
- Peter Laurence Gordon
- Sally Peterson
- Rory Allam
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | CAN | US | |||
| 1979 | The Flying Lizards | 60 | 37 | 80 | 99 | Virgin |
| 1981 | Fourth Wall | — | — | — | — | |
| 1984 | Top Ten | — | — | — | — | Statik |
| 1996 | The Secret Dub Life of the Flying Lizards | — | — | — | — | Piano Records |
"—" indicates that the release did not chart.
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | CAN | US | |||
| 1978 | "Summertime Blues" | — | 75 | — | — | |
| 1979 | "Money" | 5 | 11 | 7 | 50 |
|
| 1980 | "TV" | 43 | — | — | — | |
| "The Laughing Policeman" (credited as The Suspicions) | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Move On Up" | — | — | — | — | ||
Note: "—" indicates tracks that either did not enter the charts or were not issued in the respective country.