32 Years With Boy George & Culture Club

In the Fall of 1982, the world, and especially the United States, were abuzz about the a new band coming out of England. Culture Club was made up by bassist Mikey Craig, Roy Hay on guitar and keyboards, and drummer Jon Moss. But the person everyone was talking about was lead vocalist Boy George, who sported braids and heavy makeup, bringing the term "gender bender" to the mainstream. He came out of the club scene, where daring costumes and larger-than-life personalities made his stand out. He formed the band, and was a strong part of the New Romantic movement.

In 1982, Culture Club released their first album, 'Kissing to be Clever'. Aside from the talk of Boy George's appearance, people were also noticing that great music the band was making. The first single off the album was "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?", which made it to #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was an engaging love song that showed off the best of George's voice, allowing him to show strength, softness, and to deliver his truth on in. There is a hypnotic quality to the song, and 32 years later, when I hear the opening, I can't hep but smile. This is Culture Club with the music video for "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"

With the great success of the first album, Culture Club quickly followed it up with the second, 'Colour By Numbers', in 1983. The first single off the album was one of my favorites, "Church of the Poison Mind", a soulful song that brings a bit of Gospel to the plate. The song did well, earning a #!0 on the Billboard Hot 100. But it was the second dingle that earned Culture Club their first #1 song on the Billboard charts. Also released in 1983, "Karma Chameleon" was upbeat and filled with charm, and the undeniable talent of Boy George. Set on the Mississippi River over a century prior, the three band members donned costumes of Riverboat gamblers, while Boy George was anachronistically featured as himself. This is the music video for Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon".

A few years later, the band was not getting along, and the sales were definitely slowing up, so Culture Club decided to call it a day. By George was not on the sidelines for very long, as he went on to a solo career. Most of his success was in the UK and Europe, for his solo material didn't seem to really gel with the American audience. But the one song that did was the 1992 release "The Crying Game", the theme song for the movie 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective', starring Jim Carrey. It went to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song had a real retro feel, which should not be surprising, considering it was written in 1964. It was also produced by the great Pet Shop Boys. This is Boy George with his hit cover of "The Crying Game".

The new millennium has been a mixed bag for George. It began with his great success with 'Taboo', a huge hit in London's West End. The American version didn't repeat this, as rewrites and other issues caused the production to close after just 100 performances. George also battled his demons, entering rehab on several occasions. He also had other legal issues stemming from drug addiction to false imprisonment of a rent boy. By 2010, Boy George had committed to living a sober life, and to put his time in prison behind him. "Amazing Grace" was his first post-prison single, a track off the album 'Ordinary Alien'. I loved the song, and this the music video is cool. This is Boy George with "Amazing Grace".

It has been a blast being a fan of Boy George over the past 32 years. It has been great to see the musical progression of this talented performer, from one decade to the next. To learn more about Boy George, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook. You can purchase 'At Worst: The Best of Boy George and Culture Club' from iTunes and Amazon. It includes three out of the four songs mentioned here (not "Amazing Grace"). You can also find his latest album, 'This is What I Do' on iTunes and Amazon.

Worth Another Listen - Boy George

Inspired by a recent post from David of Dave's Daily Dilemmas and how much he enjoyed a live concert, and knowing my friend David Dust was a fanatic about him/them, I sought out recent footage of Boy George performing. Boy George, of course, first shot to fame as part of the group Culture Club in the 80s. It was 1982 when the strains of Do You Really Want To Hurt Me flowed through the radio, and when the video hit, confused a generation beyond belief. Boy George was referred to as 'androgynous' and gender-bending by some, and a drag queen by others. Part of the 'New Romantic movement coming out of Great Britain, the band looked like several other groups out there. But George, with his hats and turbans, long braids, heavy makeup, and flowing frocks was like no one before him, and set a standard few have even tried to reach.



George and the band continued to put out music together until 1986, when declining sales and his surfacing drug problems prompted a need for a change. It was said his relationship with bandmate Jon Moss [photo below, to the left of George] did not end well, adding to the stress. An arrest for heroin possession and a fatality at a party in his house pretty much quieted the talented George in the US market, until 1993/s The Crying Game, theme song for a movie of the same name. While he continued to have hits elsewhere worldwide, it was not to be in the US.



Recently, there have been more run-ins with the law, including a trial and jail time for an incident with a rent-boy, or male prostitute that involved handcuffs, chains, and a prolonged stay. by the time of his release in May of 2009, George was said to be clan and sober, and tried to regain his career in music. He has recently started touring again, as well as performing as a guest on shows in the UK. One such show is the Jools Holland 17th Annual Hootenanny. Jool Holland was a founding member of the rock group Squeeze, and has been hosting a musical TV program in the UK since 1992. On New Year's Eve, Boy George appeared.

One song he performed was Pentonville Blues, written while in prison at Pentonville. It has an interesting ska feel, an odd choice, I think, for a pasty white, gender-busting, Irish gay guy, but as long as it works for him.



He also performed his Culture Club hits, Karma Chameleon and Church of the Poison Mind. At 48, George doesn't have quite the range he displayed 28 years ago, but is still in great voice. His voice nestles in a slightly deeper register, and there might be a bit of gravel where there once was pure silk, but it only seems to add depth to the songs.

Karma Chameleon


Church of the Poison Mind


From all reports, it sounds as though Boy George is in the best place he has been in during his career, both mentally and with his health. That is great news, and I certainly hope he keeps it moving in that direction. You can find out more about Boy George on his official website here. Here is a link to a new video released recently. It is called Amazing Grace.