| Culture Club was a popular 1980s pop group,
perhaps most noticeable for their gender-bending frontman
Boy George. The other members of the band were Roy Hay on
guitars and keyboards, Mikey Craig playing bass and Jon
Moss (ex Damned, London, Adam and the Ants) on drums. Their
first album, 1982's Kissing to Be Clever, became
a major international hit, spawning the hit singles
"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (which went
'all the way' in the BBC Charts in late 1982), "Time
(Clock of the Heart)", and "I'll Tumble 4 Ya".
Unique in his eccentric manner of dress and androgynous
look, Boy George became a worldwide celebrity.
Their second album, 1983's Colour By Numbers
also did extremely well, giving the band its second
number one hit in the UK with "Karma Chameleon."
However, trouble was brewing within the Culture Club camp.
Unknown to the public, George was having an affair with
drummer Jon Moss. The affair (which lasted over four
years) was often problematic and the pressure to hide the
relationship started to take its toll.
The band also started to lose its place musically.
Their next album, 1984's Waking Up With the House on
Fire was a major disappointment. Though the band
gained a small comeback with 1986's From Luxury to
Heartache (thanks to the hit "Move Away"),
both George's and Jon's fights created much tension,
eventually leading to the breakup of the band. Around
this time, George also became addicted to heroin, which
created a frenzy with the tabloids. Eventually, George
would let go of the habit and begin his solo career. A
minor hit from the Hiding Out soundtrack called
"Live My Life" peaked at US #40. While George
scored several hits in Europe and finally hit the US top
20 with 1992's "The Crying Game", he was never
able to reach the success he achieved with Culture Club.
In 1998, the band put their issues aside and decided
to do a reunion tour. Kicked off with a performance on VH1
Storytellers, the tour was a major success. Shortly
after, Culture Club recorded a new album titled Don't
Mind If I Do. Though never released in the U.S., the
first single, "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (UK #4),
was featured on a compilation based around the Storytellers
performance.
The band went on to tour for a few more years.
Recently, however, Culture Club has been inactive,
largely due to Boy George's concentration on his
successful career as a DJ.
Discography
Albums
| Year |
Album |
UK |
U.S. |
| 1982 |
Kissing to Be Clever |
2 |
14 |
| 1983 |
Colour By Numbers |
1 |
2 |
| 1984 |
Waking Up With the House on
Fire |
2 |
26 |
| 1986 |
From Luxury to Heartache |
10 |
32 |
| 1987 |
This Time: the First Four
Years |
8 |
- |
| 1993 |
At Worst... The Best Of Boy
George and Culture Club |
- |
169 |
| 1998 |
VH1 Storytellers - Greatest
Moments (Live) |
15 |
148 |
| 1999 |
Don't Mind If I Do |
3 |
- |
| 2005 |
Greatest Hits |
- |
- |
Singles
| Year |
Song |
UK |
U.S. |
Album |
| 1982 |
"Do You Really Want To Hurt
Me?" |
1 |
2 |
Kissing To Be Clever |
| 1983 |
"Time (Clock Of the Heart)" |
3 |
2 |
Kissing To Be Clever |
| 1983 |
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" |
- |
9 |
Kissing To Be Clever |
| 1983 |
"Church Of the Poison Mind" |
2 |
10 |
Colour By Numbers |
| 1984 |
"Karma Chameleon" |
1 |
1 |
Colour By Numbers |
| 1984 |
"Miss Me Blind" |
- |
5 |
Colour By Numbers |
| 1984 |
"Victims" |
3 |
- |
Colour By Numbers |
| 1984 |
"It's A Miracle" |
4 |
13 |
Colour By Numbers |
| 1984 |
"The War Song" |
2 |
17 |
Waking Up With the House On
Fire |
| 1984 |
"The Medal Song" |
32 |
- |
Waking Up With the House On
Fire |
| 1984 |
"Mistake No. 3" |
- |
33 |
Waking Up With the House On
Fire |
| 1986 |
"Move Away" |
7 |
12 |
From Luxury to Heartache |
| 1986 |
"God Thank You Woman" |
31 |
- |
From Luxury to Heartache |
| 1998 |
"I Just Wanna Be Loved" |
4 |
- |
Greatest Moments |
| 1999 |
"Your Kisses Are Charity" |
25 |
- |
Don't Mind If I Do |
| 1999 |
"Maybe I'm a Fool" |
27 |
- |
Don't Mind If I Do |
| 1999 |
"Starman" |
31 |
- |
Don't Mind If I Do |
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