In the late 70s, The Village People became synonymous with disco thanks to their classic dance hits "Macho Man" (#25), "Y.M.C.A." (#2), and "In The Navy" (#3). They had two additional chart appearances after these impressive hits: "Go West" landed at #45 and "Ready For The 80's" reached #52 in 1979. Despite proclaiming to be ready for the 80s, the charts did not agree. The Village People couldn't crack the charts again, despite some strong cuts on their 1981 LP, "Renaissance." Included on "Renaissance," "5 O'clock In The Morning" is an atypical track from the group that deserved greater attention. Slower and moody, this one lets the vocal talents shine and adds a new dimension to the group that is refreshing to hear.
Donnie Vie was the lead singer for one of the most underrated power pop and rock bands of the 80s and 90s: Enuff Z'Nuff. While he has scored a couple minor hits with the band back in the day, he has yet to crack the charts with his solo material, much of which is just as underrated. "Plain Jane" comes from Vie's latest effort, 2019's "Beautiful Things." Simply pure pop bliss.
Victory Group was a Canadian AOR band that deserved more attention with their brand of 80s melodic rock. "Tomorrow" is just a sample of many highlights from this overlooked band's one and only release from 1982.
The Vibrations had a string of minor hits through the 60s but should be remembered as much as their contemporaries like The Four Tops and The Temptations. They first hit the charts in 1961 when "The Watusi" landed at #25 and hit again in 1964 when "My Girl Sloopy" reached #26. The latter became a #1 hit for The McCoys a year later as "Hang On Sloopy." The group managed two additional chart appearances before their career was over: "Misty" peaked at #63 in 1965 and "Love In Them There Hills" stalled at #93 in 1968. It should be added that these guys originally recorded under the moniker of The Jayhawks, scoring a hit with "Stranded In The Jungle," which reached #18 in 1956. And in 1961, The Vibrations recorded another hit, "Peanut Butter" (#20), but the record label they recorded under called them The Marathons. It's a complete mystery way something as amazing as "'Cause You're Mine" failed to reach the charts.
When most people hear The Verve Pipe, they usually remember one of two things. They correctly remember their monster hit called "The Freshman," which graduated to #5 in 1997, or they mistakenly remember the Verve's hit, "Bitter Sweet Symphony." Both are one-hit wonders from the 90s with similar names, but very different bands! Led by a masterful singer and songwriter, Brian Vander Ark, The Verve Pipe hails from Michigan and scored a lesser-known chart appearance before "The Freshman." Their single, "Photograph," reached #53 in 1996. Both come from their most successful album, "Villains." The Verve Pipe could not maintain their momentum, and their follow-up singles floundered. The group retooled a bit with 2001's record, "Underneath." It's a shame this record did not spark a comeback for the band. Produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), "Underneath" was considerably lighter, energetic, and radio-friendly. "Happiness Is" serves as a fine example. In 2004, Brian Vander Ark struck out on a solo career, but reunites with the band to beef up their catalogue with more records, two of which were family-friendly and geared towards children.
In 1997, an English band called The Verve was taking the US by storm with their breakthrough release, "Urban Hymns." Bolstered by the epic single "Bitter Sweet Symphony," which reached #12, The Verve seemed poised for longterm success. Instead, they became a one-hit wonder. Despite some other incredibly strong cuts from the record, like "Lucky Man" and "The Drugs Don't Work," nothing else charted. My biggest surprise was not seeing the beautiful "Sonnet" hit the charts. The band fell apart soon after, but reunited to release a long-awaited follow-up called "Forth" in 2008. Perhaps it was too long a wait; the album received little attention in the US. Lead singer Richard Ashcroft enjoyed success as a solo artist in the UK in-between his work with The Verve.
Named after the spoiled brat from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Veruca Salt sweetened up the charts a bit in the 90s with their brand of alternative rock. Mixing grungy guitar with confectionary harmonies helped propel "Seether" and "Volcano Girls" to #53 and #59, respectively. One of the lead vocalists and guitarists, Nina Gordon, left to pursue a solo career in 1998, but failed to get anything on the chart. The other vocalist and guitarist, Louise Post, attempted to carry on the band, releasing "Resolver" in 2000 and "IV" in 2006. The new records went nowhere. The original lineup resolved their differences and reunited to record "Ghost Notes" in 2015. The record marked a welcomed return to form, but failed to gain any traction. "Laughing In The Sugar Bowl" should have been a comeback single for the band.
