Vicious Pink

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Vicious Pink


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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = UK
Instrument =
Genre = Synthpop/Technopop/New Wave
Years_active = 1981 — 1986
Label = Parlophone Capitol Records
URL = [http://129.82.172.172/ Vicious Pink website]
Current_members =
Past_members = Josephine Warden
Brian Moss

Vicious Pink was a synthpop duo formed in Leeds, UK in 1981 and active until 1986. With a catchy sound and a penchant for highly provocative and sexualized lyrics, the band aimed for success in clubs rather than commercial hits. Vicious Pink consisted of two members, English/French singer Josephine Warden and keyboardist Brian Moss. The duo began as backing vocalists for Soft Cell, known as Vicious Pink Phenomenon.

Vicious Pink is chiefly remembered for three dance singles: "CCCan't You See", "Fetish", and "Take Me Now", produced by Tony Mansfield of New Musik fame. Vicious Pink is one of a few bands in the early 1980s that could be described as having a techno sound, and can be credited for coining the term for describing music on March 27, 1982, long before it was used by Detroit DJs in 1986.

Vicious Pink backed Soft Cell live at The Warehouse in Leeds. The American owner of The Warehouse, Mike Wiand, was their manager. Wiand was also a key factor in the success of the 80s dance track Let the Music Play (song) by Shannon which was produced by his Warehouse records label. Vicious Pink played live at The Ritz in New York City in December 1984.

Due to its limited success, Vicious Pink remains almost entirely unknown outside of the '80s underground dance scene, because their music was far more explicitly aimed at clubs than concerned with commercial success. As a result, their compositions were more spastic, more mature in content, and longer in length than would suit radio airplay.

Vicious Pink were able to briefly attain a cult-level of success without ever breaking into the mainstream. Although they had started releasing music professionally as early as 1982, Vicious Pink failed to attract much attention until the release of the single “Cccan’t You See” and its instrumental b-side “8:15 To Nowhere” in 1984. Over the next two years, both sides of this single accrued some substantial play in clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. A later single “Fetish” was similarly successful.

The duo recorded two unreleased demo albums in 1983, "Blue" and "The Tape Gallery", and a self-titled album released in 1986, after they had ceased recording. This album was a collection of previously released singles.

Warden later married a London music lawyer, and Moss continued his music career; he is now the keyboardist for artist Mirazma.

External links

* [http://129.82.172.172/ Vicious Pink website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/mirazma Brian Moss' current project]