Crucial Three
The Crucial Three were a short-lived band that existed for approximately six weeks in early 1977.
They are nevertheless notable on account of the individual success of all three founding members: Julian Cope formed The Teardrop Explodes and has enjoyed a long and successful solo career as an author, photographer and singer, Ian McCulloch formed the very successful Echo & the Bunnymen, while guitarist Pete Wylie formed Wah!
Heat (and various subsequent incarnations of Wah!) and enjoyed major chart success with "The Story of the Blues".
In those early days, McCulloch sang, Cope played bass, and Wylie played guitar.
A drummer, Stephen Spence, also joined at some point in their brief life.
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978.
Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward" (which is still a staple of 1980s alternative pop compilations), the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s.
The group also launched the career of group frontman Julian Cope as well as that of keyboard player and co-manager David Balfe (later a record producer, A&R man and founder of Food Records).
Other members included early Smiths producer Troy Tate.
Along with other contemporary Liverpudlian groups, The Teardrop Explodes played a role in returning psychedelic elements to mainstream British rock and pop, initially favouring a modernised version of lightly psychedelic late '60s-influenced beat-group sound (sometimes described as "bubblegum trance") and later exploring more experimental areas.
In addition to their musical reputation, the band (and Cope in particular) had a reputation for eccentric pronouncements and behaviour, sometimes verging on the self-destructive.
These featured strongly in contemporary press accounts and were later expanded on in Cope's 1993 memoir "Head On".
The Times (band)
The Times are a British indie band, the brainchild of Ed Ball, co- founder member of the Television Personalities, Teenage Filmstars and' O' Level.
The Wild Swans (band)
The Wild Swans are a post -punk band from Liverpool, England, which originally formed in 1980 shortly after Paul Simpson( ex- keyboards) left The Teardrop Explodes.
The band's personnel has been subject to regular turnover, with vocalist Simpson being the only constant member.
The original incarnation of The Wild Swans lasted until 1982, issuing one single.
A reconstituted version of the band issued two albums from 1988 to 1990 before dissolving again.
More recently, Simpson put a new lineup together and the group played numerous live dates from 2009 – 2011, and issued a new studio album in 2011.
The Wild Swans have not to date had any mainstream chart hits, but they have enjoyed a degree of success and/ or cult status in Germany, Japan, the UK, the US, and especially the Philippines.
The Wild Swans also spun off two charting splinter projects; Care and The Lotus Eaters.
Members of The Wild Swans have also been members of Echo& The Bunnymen, The Icicle Works, The Woodentops and The Lightning Seeds.
Care (band)
Care were a new wave band formed by Paul Simpson and Ian Broudie in 1983 in Liverpool, England.
Care was created after the split of The Wild Swans when singer Paul Simpson( also ex-keyboardist for the Teardrop Explodes) came together with guitarist Ian Broudie( previously of Big in Japan and Original Mirrors).
The first single was released in June 1983.
Monsoon (band)
Monsoon was an early 1980s UK world/ pop trio that consisted of singer Sheila Chandra, record producer Steve Coe, and bass guitarist Martin Smith.
Their song" Ever So Lonely" was a number 12 hit single in the UK Singles Chart in 1982.
Midge
Ure directed the video for Monsoon's second single," Shakti", which just missed out on the top 40 in the UK.
Monsoon's third single," Tomorrow Never Knows"( a cover of the Beatles' 1966 song), featured guest appearances from Bill Nelson, Preston Heyman, Dave Balfe( The Teardrop Explodes) and Merrick( Adam and the Ants).
Due to differences with their label, Phonogram, Monsoon dissolved in 1982.
Sheila Chandra started a solo career, Steve Coe continued writing and producing her albums, as well as Martin Smith, but often under the name Ganges Orchestra.
Phonogram" posthumously" released" Third Eye" in 1983.
A compilation of Monsoon recordings including several previously unreleased tracks was released on CD in 1995 by Phonogram's partner label Mercury Records.
The M's
The M's is an American indie rock band from Chicago.
Welcome (band)
Welcome is a band from Seattle.
Radio Blank
Radio Blank was a short- lived R&B and punk band formed on the Wirral Peninsula, in November 1976, by Alan Gill( guitar), Keith Hartley( vocals), David Balfe( bass) and Steven Brick( drums).
In mid 1970s, Gill, Hartley and Balfe, who lived in Thingwall, Wirral, were in a band called Mr. McKenzie.
In November 1976, the band changed their name to Radio Blank, and were inspired by punk and popular Liverpool band Deaf School, playing only fifteen times, five of those at the Eric's Club, in Liverpool.
The band were playing their own material, and also covers such as The Kinks'" You Really Got Me" and" Peaches"( originally by The Stranglers).
At the end of 1977, Gill and Balfe felt punk was not interesting, and they decided to disband Radio Blank.
They went on to form Dalek I Love You in December 1977, alongside keyboardist Dave Hughes and Chris Teepe.
After leaving Radio Blank, Brick went on to work with several other bands and produce music in the studio but never toured with any of them.
He continued to work as a session musician and worked with several local bands during the 1980s.
He later went on to roadying and was making more money roadying than playing.
He continued roadying until 1989.
Today, he is happily married with 3 children and is an athletics coach at Wirral Athletic Club he has coached many county and northern champions, but has vowed to come back and play the drums again one day.
Balfe quit Dalek I Love
You to join Big In Japan and The Teardrop Explodes, who, in 1980, included Gill.
He released three singles and an album called" Compass Kumpas", between 1979 and 1980, with Dalek I Love You, without Balfe, and, after being in The Teardrop Explodes, he revived the band, and included singer Keith Hartley to sing in the eponymous" Dalek I Love You" album in 1983.
Before joining Dalek I Love You, Hartley formed Godot, alongside Hughes.
2018 saw the band's first release on vinyl through Love Child Records- a four track 7" vinyl E.P. entitled" The Mary Whitehouse E.P.".
China Crisis
China Crisis are an English pop/ rock band.
They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby, near Liverpool, Merseyside with a core of vocalist/ keyboardist Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon.
China Crisis were part of a wave of new Liverpool acts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, led by OMD and also including Echo and the Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, A Flock of Seagulls and Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
China Crisis had moderate success in the United Kingdom in the 1980s with five Top 40 singles and three Top 40 albums.
The band also achieved a modest level of commercial success in Western Europe and Australia, and some minor chart successes in the Americas.

Question: Are The Teardrop Explodes and The Times (Band) from the same country?