Wang Chung (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 in London, England |
| Founder | Nick Feldman, Jack Hues, Darren Costin |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Wang Chung is a British new wave group that originated in London in 1980, founded by Nick Feldman, Jack Hues, and Darren Costin. The band's name, Wang Chung, derives from the Chinese term (, ), which translates to "yellow bell," referring to the first note in the Chinese classical music scale. Between 1983 and 1987, they enjoyed considerable popularity in the United States, scoring five top 40 singles, such as "Dance Hall Days" (peaking at No. 16 in 1984), "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (No. 2 in 1986), and "Let's Go!" (No. 9 in 1987).
1977–1979: Formation and initial projects
In 1977, Jeremy Ryder—who would later adopt the stage name Jack Hues (vocals and guitar)—met guitarist Nick Feldman after responding to an advertisement Feldman placed in Melody Maker. Together, they created the band Intellektuals, which included Bud Merrick on bass and Paul Hammond on drums. However, this lineup lasted less than a year before disbanding. Subsequently, Hues and Feldman teamed up with drummer Darren Costin, bassist Leigh Gorman, keyboardist Simon Campbell, and singer Glenn Gregory to form 57 Men. This ensemble remained active for approximately eighteen months before dissolving. Notably, Gorman went on to join Adam and the Ants and Bow Wow Wow, while Gregory became the frontman for Heaven 17.
Following these developments, Hues, Feldman, and Costin continued working together under a new name: Huang Chung. Feldman discovered "Huang Chung," meaning "yellow bell" in Mandarin Chinese, within a book and chose it as their band’s title.
1980–1982: The Huang Chung era
During their early period as Huang Chung, all members adopted stage names: Jeremy Ryder became "Jack Hues," Nick Feldman took on "Nick DeSpig," and Darren Costin was known as "Darren Darwin," later shortened to "Darwin." The band secured a deal with 101 Records, contributing the track "Baby I'm Hu-man" to a 1980 compilation album, followed by three live recordings released in 1981.
In the same year, Rewind Records signed them for two single releases: "Isn't It About Time We Were on TV" and "Stand Still." Although neither single charted, their work attracted attention from Arista Records, who offered them a contract for two albums in early 1981. The group expanded their lineup by adding saxophonist Dave Burnand—who performed under the pseudonyms "Hogg Robinson" and later simply "Hogg."
Produced by Rhett Davies, Huang Chung released two singles through Arista in 1981; however, these failed to achieve commercial success. A third single produced by Roger Bechirian in early 1982 also did not chart. Their debut album—self-titled—compiled these singles along with six new songs but similarly did not enter the charts.
At this stage, Hues, DeSpig, and Burnand contributed musically to an album by the mysterious act Blanket of Secrecy; however, none were officially members of that group.
Toward the end of 1982, Huang Chung commenced work on their second album under Arista. The lead single from this project, "Dance Hall Days," produced by Tim Friese-Greene and released in October, failed to chart initially. Around this time, Feldman abandoned his pseudonym and began using his real name professionally. Following this disappointment, manager David Massey convinced Arista to release the band from their contract and subsequently secured a deal with Geffen Records. This move made them only the second UK-based act signed globally by Geffen after Asia. Shortly thereafter, Burnand departed due to creative disagreements.
1983–1985: Rebranding and Early Achievements
During 1983, the group continued to appear as "Huang Chung" on BBC 2's The Old Grey Whistle Test. Acting on advice from Geffen Records, they altered the spelling to Wang Chung to make pronunciation more accessible for English-speaking audiences.
Nick Feldman and Darren Costin adopted their full names for professional use, while Jack Hues remained the sole member using a stage name. The majority of 1983 was dedicated to producing their sophomore album, Points on the Curve. Released in July that year, it yielded two moderate charting singles: "Don't Let Go" (peaking at No. 38 in the US) and a revamped version of "Dance Hall Days" (reaching No. 16 in the US and No. 21 in the UK). The latter's popularity facilitated a two-month tour across the US alongside the Romantics and Berlin. In 1984, Wang Chung supported The Cars during their "Heartbeat City" tour; subsequently, Costin departed to establish Heroes, who released Here We Are via RCA Records in 1987.
Towards the end of 1983, Hues and Feldman worked with Dollar's vocalist David Van Day on a demo called "Ringing the Bell," which was eventually issued under the moniker Music Academy in 1985. After completing Points on the Curve, Wang Chung shifted focus towards composing soundtracks. Notably, director William Friedkin commissioned them to create music for his 1985 film To Live and Die in L.A, culminating in their third studio album. This soundtrack attained a top ten position on the US Billboard soundtrack charts. Additionally, they contributed "Fire in the Twilight" to John Hughes' The Breakfast Club and "There Is a Nation" to First Born. Following Costin's exit, Hues and Feldman continued recording sessions with producer Peter Wolf, who played drums without officially joining the band.
1986–1989: Peak Commercial Success in the US
The band's fourth album, Mosaic, released in 1986, delivered their most significant hits: "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (which climbed to No. 2 on US charts) and "Let's Go!" (reaching No. 9 in the US). The former single featured the iconic line "Everybody Wang Chung tonight" alongside a music video directed by Godley & Creme, distinguished by its frequent jump cut editing technique. In mid-1987, Wang Chung served as an opening act for Tina Turner during her Break Every Rule World Tour.
Their final US Top 40 hit, "Hypnotize Me" (No. 36), also from Mosaic, appeared on the soundtrack for the 1987 movie Innerspace. In 1989, their fifth studio album, The Warmer Side of Cool, was released featuring the single "Praying to a New God", which reached No. 63 on US charts but achieved only modest success. Due to disappointing sales, Hues and Feldman shifted focus toward individual projects, leading to Wang Chung's effective dissolution by 1990.
1990–1997: Hiatus
Throughout the 1990s, Feldman joined forces with drummer Jon Moss of Culture Club to create the band Promised Land, which issued their debut album bearing the same name in 1992. Concurrently, Hues worked on film soundtrack projects including The Guardian (1990) and secured a solo contract with Sony Records, although his intended album The Anatomy Lesson was ultimately not released. Subsequently, he collaborated with Tony Banks from Genesis to form Strictly Inc., releasing one self-titled album in 1995.
1997–2016: Reformation
Wang Chung reunited in 1997 with Hues and Feldman, unveiling the greatest hits compilation Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits, which included the fresh track "Space Junk". To support this release, they embarked on a North American tour. By 2000, the touring lineup featured only Hues, as Feldman was engaged elsewhere; this incarnation performed across the US and took part in the Club 80s Flashback Tour alongside groups such as A Flock of Seagulls and Missing Persons.
In March 2005, Hues and Feldman came together once more to record "Akasha" for the tsunami relief compilation Of Hands and Hearts. That June, they appeared on the reality competition show Hit Me Baby One More Time, delivering performances of "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and a rendition of Nelly's "Hot in Herre".
Starting in June 2009, Wang Chung participated in the Regeneration '80s tour alongside ABC, Berlin, Cutting Crew, and Missing Persons. They followed this with the June 2010 release of a digital "double EP" titled Abducted by the 80s, which combined four re-recorded classics and four new compositions; this project was later issued as a two-disc CD set in mid-2011. The band supported the release with a US tour from June through July 2010.
On 21 September 2010, Wang Chung contributed a ukulele cover of The Beatles' "Rain" for The Beatles Complete on Ukulele project. Their track "Space Junk" was featured in the pilot episode of AMC's The Walking Dead and appeared in the 2010 Mark Wahlberg film The Fighter.
In mid-2012, Wang Chung performed at the Rewind Festival events held in Perth and Henley-on-Thames. December of that year saw the release of Tazer Up!, their first studio album in over two decades. This album incorporated all four original songs from Abducted by the 80s—some remixed or altered—alongside a remix of "Dance Hall Days" plus six new tracks. In 2013, original member Darren Costin rejoined for a special live appearance in England.
2016: Jack Hues on hiatus
During 2016, live performances by Wang Chung featured Gareth Moulton from Cutting Crew taking over lead vocal duties.
2017–present
Jack Hues resumed live shows with Wang Chung in 2017. In 2019, they released Orchesography, a greatest hits collection recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, including orchestral reinterpretations and remixes of "Dance Hall Days" and "Everybody Have Fun Tonight". This album was made available on CD and digital formats starting 10 May 2019.
In 2024, Wang Chung headlined the Abducted by the 80's tour throughout the United States and Canada, sharing billing with fellow 1980s artists Men Without Hats, The Motels, and Naked Eyes.
March 2025 saw them leading the Australian leg of the 80's Mania festival tour alongside performers such as Katrina from Katrina & The Waves, The Escape Club (marking their first Australian tour), Scott Carne of Kids In The Kitchen, Brian Mannix from Uncanny X Men, and The Chantoozies. In May 2025, Wang Chung unveiled a retrospective double-disc compilation entitled Clear Light / Dark Matter - Greatest Hits & Near Misses.
Discography
Studio albums
- Huang Chung (1982)
- Points on the Curve (1983)
- To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
- Mosaic (1986)
- The Warmer Side of Cool (1989)
- Tazer Up! (2012)
- Orchesography (2019)
Extended plays
- Abducted by the 80's (2010)
Compilation albums
- Clear Light / Dark Matter (2025)
External links
- Interview with Jack Hues featured on The Marketplace of Ideas
- [1] Huang Chung performing "Rising in the East" on The Old Grey Whistle Test, 1983