Personalities | Culture Club | Eighties | Rock

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1982–86, 1998–99)

The larger-than-life George O’Dowd is better known as Boy George. His smooth pop tenor, his outlandish get-up and the band’s catchy tunes made them unmissable. Roy Hay (guitar), Mikey Craig (bass) and Jon Moss (drums) provided the music for the lilting ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’ which topped the UK chart in late 1982, and six smash hits ensued, including ‘Church Of The Poison Mind’, ‘Karma Chameleon’ (a transatlantic No. 1) and ‘The War Song’. Kissing To Be Clever (1982) was a good debut and 1983’s Colour By Numbers – a collage of pop styles – even better. But, as George’s relationship with Moss deteriorated and his drug habit grew, their next three outings sounded increasingly thin. They returned in 1998 with big hit ‘I Just Wanna Be Loved’ but this reunion was a one-off. Their time in the ‘new pop’ vanguard of the 1980s is their legacy.

Styles & Forms | Eighties | Rock
Personalities | The Cure | Eighties | Rock

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

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