Vivabeat
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | vivabeat |
Vivabeat was a Los Angeles-originated techno-pop group established in 1978, remaining active through the mid-1980s. The band gained recognition after being discovered and signed through the endorsement of Peter Gabriel. They hold the distinction of being the first American act to join Tony Stratton Smith's UK-based label, Charisma Records. Vivabeat issued a single album under Charisma, titled Party in the War Zone, which included their most prominent single, "Man from China." This track achieved Top 20 status on dance club charts across the US, Europe, and Asia, and was featured on the Charisma compilation The Sounds Album Volume 6 (1980).
Formation
Marina Muhlfriedel (known as Marina del Rey), co-founder of Vivabeat, encountered Peter Gabriel during her tenure as a rock journalist. She later provided him with the band's demo tape containing "Man from China." Gabriel passed the tape to Charisma Records, which resulted in Vivabeat securing a contract and releasing their album. The distinctive whistled tune in "Man from China" notably inspired Gabriel’s song "Games Without Frontiers."
Before joining Vivabeat, guitarist Alec Murphy, an alumnus of Berklee College of Music, performed with Boston’s New Wave ensemble Human Sexual Response. Drummer Doug Orilio was part of Boston’s Reddy Teddy. Bassist and principal songwriter Mick Muhlfriedel managed Strawberry Records located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Keyboardist and vocalist Marina del Rey had previously co-founded the Los Angeles punk group Backstage Pass, alongside her work as a rock journalist and entertainment editor at Teen Magazine.
Career
Vivabeat’s follow-up release was a limited edition self-titled E.P., produced by Earle Mankey and featuring guitarist Rob Dean from the band Japan. This E.P. included the track "The House is Burning (but there’s no one home)," which was accompanied by a music video featured in Brian DePalma’s film Body Double. Directed by Derek Chang, this video earned an MTV award for Best Video by a New Band.
Dissolution
As Vivabeat disbanded around 1983, Terrance Robay relocated to Germany to co-star alongside Dennis Hopper in White Star, produced by Roger Corman and directed by Roland Klick. Marina Muhlfriedel shifted her career toward film production, contributing to projects such as The War of the Roses and Throw Momma from the Train. Mick Muhlfriedel pursued work as a composer for film and television, creating the score for Mark Lewis’s Emmy-winning documentary Natural History of the Chicken, while continuing to produce music under the name Buff Roshi.
Aftermath
Following Vivabeat's conclusion, Rob Dean worked with artists including Gary Numan, Sinéad O’Connor, Illustrated Man, Slow Club, and Light of Day. He currently resides in Costa Rica where he focuses on bird-themed artwork.
In 2001, Permanent Press Records released a compilation album titled The Good Life 1979-1986, showcasing Vivabeat’s highlights alongside tracks from See Jane Run—a side project featuring Marina Muhlfriedel, Cindy Hope, and Peggy Max.
In 2024, Rubellan Remasters issued two retrospective collections: a remastered CD edition of Party in the War Zone including 10 bonus tracks, and a vinyl-exclusive compilation called The House Is Burning: The Best of Vivabeat.
Liberation Hall scheduled two additional releases for 2025: a CD version of The House is Burning: The Best of Vivabeat (1979-1989), which expands upon the vinyl release with three previously unreleased songs (set for June 6), and an expanded edition of Party in the War Zone (due July 11).
Three original members—Alec Murphy (passed 1986), Connie DiSilva (1991), and Terrance Robay (1994)—succumbed to AIDS. Drummer Doug Orilio died in 2021 following complications related to an earlier motorcycle accident. Guitarist Jeff Gilbert has also passed away.
Founding Members
Terrance Robay – lead vocals, Marina del Rey (Marina Muhlfriedel) – keyboards and vocals, Connie DiSilva – keyboards and vocals, Mick Muhlfriedel – bass guitar, Alec Murphy – guitar, Doug Orilio – drums.
Subsequent Members and Substitutions
Rob Dean – guitar, Steve Lynch – guitar, Jeff Gilbert – guitar, Chris Schendel – drums, Don Romine – electronic drums and programming, Roger Mason – keyboards, Cindy Hope and Peggy Max – vocals.
External links
- Official website: vivabeat.net
- Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/442830-Vivabeat