To understand the journey—or, to use the appropriate metaphor … flight pattern—of the British-born band A Flock of Seagulls, is to understand the violin. It’s also to understand the difference between “I Ran So Far Away” and “Say You Love Me,” as subtle as it might be at times.
Videos by American Songwriter
Let’s dive into the band’s story.
The Beginning: “I Ran (So Far Away)”
On the edge of the new ’80s decade, A Flock of Seagulls was formed in Liverpool by Mike Score in late 1979.
The band’s frontman said that the name came from the song “Toiler on the Sea” by the Strangers and from the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The perfect name for the feathery hair era of the ’80s.
[RELATED: Behind the Band Name: A Flock of Seagulls]
The group’s best-known lineup includes Score along with his brother Ali Score on drums, Frank Maudsley on bass, and lead guitarist Paul Reynolds. Their first breakout hit was “I Ran (So Far Away)” in 1982.
The Middle: “D.N.A.” and Beyond
A Flock of Seagulls won a Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for their instrumental song “D.N.A.” The track comes from the band’s self-titled debut LP. It includes heavy synths, multiple layered bass lines, and more space-aged vibes.
The song is an interesting moment for the band because it showcased a side outside of its lyrics and catchy choruses. The song showcased its knack for production, composition, and musicianship. It portends the band’s life in the 2020s.
But before we get to that chapter, it’s important to note Flock of Seagulls had other hits along the way in the ’80s, including “Space Age Love Song,” “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)” and “The More You Live, the More You Love.”
Where Are They Now?
Fast-forward about thirty years. Flock of Seagulls is back for more.
Since the late ’80s, the group went through many lineup changes. Dozens of members siphoned in and out. But in 1999, the group re-recorded Madonna’s hit, “This Used to Be My Playground” for the 2000 Madonna tribute LP, The World’s Greatest ’80s Tribute to Madonna. And in 2003, the group appeared in the VH1 series Bands Reunited.
Then in 2018, something big happened, the original lineup came together to record a new album with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Ascension. Then they did it again in 2021 for String Theory, the band’s seventh and most recent album to date.
The albums showcase the more elevated slice of the band, less the pop group and more the composer side. Both albums include new renditions of previous songs, but they’re richer, fuller, more nuanced, and boast beautiful violins and other strings, as opposed to the band’s signature ’80s synths.
It’s not a giant change but it is still somehow monumental for the group.
String Theory, which was recorded at Tokyorama Studio in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Loop Studio in Trieste, Italy, “[gives the songs] a new vibe,” says Score.
Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns
