The Psychedelic Furs

The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band founded in London in February 1977.

Career

Early days (1977–1980)

Richard Butler stated that the Psychedelic Furs began rehearsing in his family's front room but were soon banished because of the noise. The band was initially called RKO, then Radio. They later vacillated between calling themselves the Europeans and the Psychedelic Furs, playing gigs under both names before permanently settling on the latter. The word psychedelic was chosen to separate the band from punk rockers who ostentatiously scorned the legacy of 1960s rock music.

The band initially consisted of Richard Butler (vocals), Tim Butler (bass guitar), Duncan Kilburn (saxophone), Paul Wilson (drums), and Roger Morris (guitars). By 1979, this line-up had expanded to a sextet with Vince Ely replacing Wilson on drums and John Ashton joining as a second guitarist.

In 1982, the band was reduced to a quartet with the departures of Morris and Kilburn and moved to the U.S. in search of a producer. The band recorded their next album, Forever Now, with record producer Todd Rundgren in Woodstock, New York. Released in September 1982, this album contained "Love My Way", which became another UK chart entry, and also their first US Billboard Hot 100 single. A more overtly commercial effort than their prior recordings, the album also featured the single "Heartbreak Beat", the Furs' biggest Top 40 hit in the US. The album also featured drummer Paul Garisto and saxophonist Mars Williams, both of whom toured with the band.

In the wake of Midnight to Midnight, Ely returned, and the Furs issued the single "All That Money Wants", a track recorded for the 1988 best-of compilation album All of This and Nothing. 1989's Book of Days, produced by the band and David M. Allen, featured the singles "Should God Forget" and "House". Produced by the band and Stephen Street, 1991's World Outside included the single "Until She Comes" and was the Furs' final studio album for nearly three decades. From 1988 on, the Furs' singles had steady chart success with three No. 1 hits on the newly established US Modern Rock Tracks chart between 1988 and 1991. "All That Money Wants" was a No. 1 hit in 1988, while "House" topped the chart in 1990 and "Until She Comes" was No. 1 in 1991.

Hiatus and reunion (2000–present)

thumb|right|upright|[[Tim Butler in 2006]]

The band took a long break in the early 1990s, with Richard and Tim Butler going on to found Love Spit Love with Richard Fortus and Frank Ferrer (both of whom would later join Guns N' Roses). In 2000, Richard Butler, Tim Butler, and Ashton reformed the Psychedelic Furs. The touring lineup also included Fortus and, later, Ferrer. They released a live album, Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live , which included a new studio recording, "Alive (For Once in My Lifetime)".

In 2006, Richard Butler released a solo album, Richard Butler. Since re-forming in 2001, the band continued to tour worldwide. The current Psychedelic Furs touring line-up includes Richard Butler, Tim Butler, Zack Alford, Amanda Kramer, and Rich Good.

In 2017, the band's 1984 single "The Ghost in You" was featured in the second season of Netflix hit series Stranger Things and was included on the Sony Music soundtrack companion to the season, Stranger Things: Music from the Netflix Original Series, released in October 2017. That same year, the band's 1982 single "Love My Way" was played several times in the Oscar-nominated film Call Me by Your Name.

The Psychedelic Furs released their eighth studio album Made of Rain on 31 July 2020 to positive reviews. This release marked the first full-length studio album by the band since 1991's World Outside. It became the band's second-highest charting UK Album ever and featured at the end-of-year Best Albums roundup in Mojo, Uncut, Classic Pop, ABC's Good Morning America, and Vive Le Rock among others.

Richard Butler co-wrote songs with Martin Gore for Depeche Mode's fifteenth studio album Memento Mori (2023), including the lead single "Ghosts Again".

Saxophonist Mars Williams died on 20 November 2023, with his final performance being October 14, 2023, at the Pearl Concert Theater, Las Vegas.

Members

File:Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs live in Manchester 2010.jpg|R. Butler

File:TButler.jpg|T. Butler

File:Amanda Kramer Wikipedia Picture.jpg|Kramer

File:RichGood(by Scott Dudelson).jpg|Good

File:President Bill Clinton speaks with David Bowie and his band (cropped) B.jpg|Alford

</gallery>

Current

Richard Butler – vocals (1977–1992, 2000–present)
Tim Butler – bass (1977–1992, 2000–present)
Amanda Kramer – keyboards (2002–present)
Rich Good – guitars (2009–present)
Zack Alford – drums (2021–present)

Former members and Touring musicians

Duncan Kilburn – saxophone, keyboards (1977–1982)
Roger Morris – guitars (1977–1982)
Paul Wilson – drums (1977–1978)
John Ashton – guitars (1979–1992, 2000–2008)
Vince Ely – drums (1979–1982, 1988–1990)
Phill Calvert– drums (1982–1983)
Ann Sheldon – cello (1982–1983)
Gary Windo – saxophone (1982–1983)
Ed Buller - keyboards (1982–1985)
Mars Williams – saxophone (1983–1989, 2005–2023; his death)
Mike Mooney – guitars (1984–1985)
Paul Garisto – drums (1984–1988, 2009–2020)
Marty Williamson – guitars (1986–1987)
Roger O'Donnell – keyboards (1986–1987)
Joe McGinty – keyboards (1989–1991)
Knox Chandler – guitars, cello (1990–1991)
Don Yallech – drums (1990–1992)
Richard Fortus – guitars (2000–2002, 2024–2025)
Earl Harvin – drums (2000–2001)
Frank Ferrer – drums (2001–2008)
Peter DiStefano – guitars (2025)

Timeline

Discography

The Psychedelic Furs (1980)
Talk Talk Talk (1981)
Forever Now (1982)
Mirror Moves (1984)
Midnight to Midnight (1987)
Book of Days (1989)
World Outside (1991)
Made of Rain (2020)