25 years later, The Fixx still reaching

In the 80s, it wasn't unusual to see bands that enjoyed great success in their own countries but gained little appreciation overseas. But the reversal was quite rare. Just look at The Fixx.

In the early 80s, the London-born new wave band took their music to MTV, building a huge fan base and catalog of hits that charted higher in the U.S. and Canada than back home. Their 1983 album -- "Reach the Beach" -- would prove to be their opus, hitting No. 8 on the album charts and featuring their signature hit, "One Thing Leads to Another."

"Reach the Beach" should have ranked higher, but hey, it was 1983. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and The Police's "Synchronicity" ruled for much of the year (not to mention runs by Quiet Riot, Lionel Richie and even the soundtrack to "Flashdance.")

These days, with founding members Cy Curnin and Adam Woods still on board, The Fixx tours on, celebrating the 25th anniversary of "Reach the Beach" this year. Rumor has it another album is in the works for next year as well. The band plays St. Petersburg's Jannus Landing on Friday, June 27. (Check their official website to find a date near you.) Need five good reasons to catch them live?

Comments

I'm still entranced by the 12" Mix of Saved By Zero. It's got different Lyrics and the mix is in your face. Lots of heavy bass and driving guitar.
It funks like a cool thing. (for some reason the 'Reach The Beach' version was diluted to dis-include the funk...I think mainly cause Agius was replaced and something just changed....) Even though most radio sucks, back in 1982 some stations played extended mixes and this one was on WROQ in Charlotte NC. That station long since gone. Lucky enough I found it again through the net.

[DoTheNeurotic1987]

Yes, indeed, Bassnote! Good call. I've loved that track since picking it up as a b-side back in '86.

Just by way of explanation, the 1987 part of my screen name refers to that great year when I graduated HS and headed off to college; terrific summer that year too. (Wouldn't want anyone here on this great forum to think I was born in '87 and didn't actually live our favourite decade.)

And I'm with you, John - love "The Brazilian." Now if we could just get a new album out of the guys and/or a reunion with Peter.

I am not a big blog guy, but, like I said above, I think this one is great. I hope to join in on the chats sometime. And I'd love to hear from any fellow '80s freaks in Indy.

[John Hays]

Genesis has another instrumental b-side besides The Brazilian? That song is brilliant!

[Bassnote]

DoTheNeurotic1987, does your name come from the instrumental b-side by Genesis? If so, great choice!

[DoTheNeurotic1987]

"A Letter to Both Sides" is a terrific deep cut of theirs. Off the top of my head, I believe it appears on the "Fletch" soundtrack and a Fixx greatest hits I have.

By the way, this is a rad blog. I am a very hardcore '80s fan in the Indianapolis metroplex who has been reading/lurking here for a while. Keep up the good work!

[Boe]

I saw them at Jannus Landing about a year and a half ago and it was one of the better concerts I have seen in a long time. Like the fellow above said the band is virtually all original members so they play tight. They put on a very good show.

[wingo395]

Some updates!

Thanks for your interest in the band, please go see them live if you can, they are one of the tightest rock bands you're likely to see. Stick around after the show, they usually come out and meet'n'greet.

First, check out the official band site at http://www.thefixx.com/ and join the Fixxtures on the forums at http://www.thefixx.net/ !

The last paragraph in the article says, "..with founding members Cy Curnin and Adam Woods still on board.." Let it be known that the band never broke up, and now with Danny K. Brown on bass rejoining the fold, the RtB/Phantoms lineup is 100% original Fixx, baby! They *did* take a short hiatus to attend to family, but have continued recording new studio and live albums, with a new studio effort in the works.

Comments on the comments:

Cy did (and still does) design CyWear hats - nab one at http://www.cycurnin.com/ - he *never* gave up songwriting or singing.

Several songs from the "Better Off Dead" OMPST featured Cy on vocals and Jamie West-Oram on guitar. The soundtrack was done by Rupert Hine (aka Thinkman on the soundtrack), who also produced those awesome Fixx albums (and many other top-selling artists in the 80s).

Cy wasn't the only one from The Fixx in Tina Turners' "Better Be Good to Me" - that's Jamie on guitar there, too.

chase, very interesting! Which tiny bar in Denver (I'm from Aurora)?

Rick in Scottsdale, did you catch The Fixx at Anderson's Fifth Estate the last coupla times they were there? They also played at the Scottsdale New Year's Eve Block Party 2006.

CHAD, you said, "the fixx were a pretty good group". :) They still are and always have been - they never left. Go catch 'em live and be prepared to be rocked. Cy and Jamie were in Tina's video because they performed on the album.

Allright everyone, see you on The Fixx forums! Go see them live!

wingo395

[CHAD]

the fixx were a pretty good group. i liked all the reach the beach singles. mtv used to play the hell out of their videos. are we ourselves and the ones from their previous record were pretty good as well. werent they touring with tina turner on her private dancer tour, maybe thats why they were in her video.

[Rick in Scottsdale]

Bassnote, I spent 5 years in the Arlington Hts. area after graduating. Blasted INXS, Erasure, and The Cure through the sunroof of my yuppie mobile many Saturdays on my way to the various malls, until I finally pulled to the side of Golf Rd. to puke over the direction my life had taken me. (A reflection on me, not the 'Burbs.)

So, I saved up, packed my bags, and moved West to start over. Thru a twist of fate I ended up in ritzy Scottsdale. How's that for irony?

[jane]

Chase, that is so cool you met Debora Lyall -- I always loved her voice.

And I always thought Cy Curnin had the BEST hair -- so cool and swoopy.

[Big Tex]

Deeper and Deeper is a great song, maybe my fav by that group. I saw The Fixx at the now defunct Astroworld theme park in the Summer of '84. It seems like I won some tickets from a local radio station. I remember buying the obligatory, ubiquitous, sleeveless concert tee. Good times, good times.

[Bassnote]

I'm in the western burbs of Chicago. SIU is 3 hours south of me.

[chase]

Saw them with the Police and the Flock of Seagulls at Foxboro Stadium ... I think 1983 ... rock on.

Hey, guess who I met in a tiny bar in Denver last night? Debora Lyall, lead singer of Romeo Void ("I might like you better if we slept together ...") ...

she's very cool and is now an art teacher.

[I Was A Teenage Duranie]

I saw the Fixx at Vandy my freshman year (87-88). (I think they were there for Homecoming.) Great concert. Definitely better than the Simply Red concert the next year.

[Benji]

Ah...Reach the Beach. One of my all time favorite album covers...only second to Gary Numan's The Pleasure Principle.

[Rick in Scottsdale]

Hey Bassnote, I'm sure everyone else is up on their geography, but where are you from that you'd envy your brother's roadtrip "down to SIU"?

For my part, I'm from Kankakee and went to Eastern....

[Rick in Scottsdale]

God, Spears! Thanks for playing the role of my failing long-term memory!

I hadn't heard Stand or Fall in at least a dozen years. What an amazing song.

Since the conversion to digital, even pre-iTunes, my vinyls have been relegated to a box that I move from place to place but never open. Someday I'll related to my kids how horrible vinyl albums were. Kellogg's Rice Krispies have nothing on the snap, crackle, and pop of the LP.

[Miguel]

"One Thing Leads to Another".Great song.

[Miguel]

Loved it.I only knew very few songs from The Fixx.Very enjoyable.

[John Hays]

Here's a 30 second clip of Are We Ourselves from imeem:

http://www.imeem.com/people/bTwu0g/music/QMIKMGeW/the_fixx_are_we_ourselves/

[Bassnote]

"Deeper And Deeper" is a great song. I'll one up you though: "A Letter To Both Sides" from the Fletch Soundtrack? Yes?

[Marissa]

I must be on a soundtrack fixx-ation this morning. "Deeper and Deeper" Streets of Fire? yes?

[Tom]

Bassnote, I remember Cy in the Tina Turner video. I always thought he looked out of place in it though.

[Spears]

Truth be told, I couldn't find "Sign of Fire" or "Are We Ourselves" on IMEEM.com. So enjoy "Cameras in Paris" instead.

[Marissa]

I just looked up the soundtrack. It's Cy Curin singing, "With One Look" at the end of BOD.

[Bassnote]

No "Sign Of Fire" or "Are We Ourselves?" I love the "Reach The Beach" album, but I also dig the follow-up, "Phantoms." I remember being so jealous of my older brother and his friends, who drove down to Southern Illinois University to see the Fixx on the "Phantoms" tour. Anyone else remember Cy's cameo in Tina Turner's "Better Be Good To Me" video?

[Marissa]

This is groovy. On one of the VH1 'where are they now?' specials they stated that Cy was a hat designer and no longer writing music. That was a few years ago. I guess they realized the devotion of the 80s nation.

Didn't a Fixx song play at the end of "Better off Dead"? haven't had more than a sip of java this morning. Forgive me if I say that in error.