thumb|Modern English in 2012, left to right: Michael Conroy, Richard Brown, Steven Walker
Modern English are an English new wave/post-punk band formed in 1979 in Colchester, Essex, England. They are best known for their songs "I Melt with You", "Hands Across the Sea" and "Ink and Paper". The group disbanded in 1987, but re-formed two years later and then disbanded again in 1991.
After a single on their own 'Limp' label (not to be confused with America's Limp Records) in 1979, the band signed to 4AD the following year; with two further singles released, and a session for John Peel of BBC Radio 1 recorded before the band's debut album, Mesh & Lace, in 1981. In the band's early days, they showed a strong Joy Division influence. A second Peel session was recorded in October 1981. The second album, After the Snow (April 1982), was more keyboard-oriented and was compared to Simple Minds and Duran Duran. The second single from the album was also a hit in the US, "I Melt with You" reaching number 76. The album was recorded, produced and mixed by Martyn Young from Colourbox and MARRS, who also adds additional keyboards. They also toured the Mesh & Lace album in the US in 2016.
The band performed at SXSW in 2017 and toured in support of Take Me To The Trees in the same year. In 2019 they toured the U.S. with The Alarm and Gene Loves Jezebel. In 2022 the band toured the U.S. celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1982's After The Snow album and performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and NBC's Today show. In late 2022 the band recorded 10 new songs.
The band played at Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, California, US on 20 May 2023. They toured the U.S. in 2023, and did a number of radio sessions to preview songs from the new album titled 1 2 3 4 which was released on 23 February 2024.
The current line-up includes original members Grey, Conroy, McDowell and Stephen Walker, with Gabriel Sullivan on guitar and Richard Chandler on drums.
Members
Discography
- Mesh & Lace (1981)
- After the Snow (1982)
- Ricochet Days (1984)
- Stop Start (1986)
- Pillow Lips (1990)
- Everything's Mad (1996)
- Soundtrack (2010)
- Take Me to the Trees (2016)
- 1 2 3 4 (2024)