Culture Club

The name Culture Club came about in 1981 but the story began a few years before that. It all began with a flamboyant cross dressing gentleman who went by the name of Boy George. born George O'Dowd in 1961 George was a fan of glam rock stars like David Bowie when he was a teenager. The Londoner had acquired quite a reputation in the London underground for his sense of fashion.

George spent a short stint as a member of the group Bow Wow Wow before leaving to become a part of In Praise of Lemmings with Mickey Craig. When Jon Sued joined the group George changed the name of the band to Sex Gang Children. In 1981 the band acquired former Adam and the Ants drummer Jon Moss. It was at this point that George changed the band's name again; this time to Culture Club. Jon Sued left the band and was replaced by Roy Hay.

As so frequently happens Culture Club fell pray to the drug and personal conflict problems that have plagued bands in the past. But before their breakup, the band had five short years of success with hit after hit - enough to fill a Greatest Hits album and every one be an actual hit single.

That success was not immediate; however. The first two singles released by Culture Club "White Boy" and "I'm Afraid of Me" were both flops. It wasn't until their third single that success hit with the breakout hit "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me". The single was the first of a string of hits for Culture Club.

When the debut album "Kissing to be Clever" was released the album reached number five on the United Kingdom music charts. The next hit single was the non album release of "Time (Clock of the Heart)".

US audiences weren't introduced to Culture Club until 1983 with the release of the single "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and the debut album "Kissing to be Clever" Both became hits as did "Time" The music of Culture Club was perfect for radio airwaves with their catchy tunes and memorable lyrics. The flamboyant attire and make up of the band's lead singer also helped to bring attention to the English rockers.

In the fall of 1983 Culture Club released their second album "Colour by Numbers". The album became by far the band's most successful release receiving a certification of four times platinum in the United States and three times platinum in the United Kingdom. While releasing a number of singles that became chart hits, it wasn't until the release of "Karma Chemeleon" that the band finally had a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It was the only hit single to be certified gold by the RIAA in the United States. Nineteen Eighty Three also brought Culture Club their only Grammy Award for the Best New Artist.

The year 1984 brought the band a few more hit singles and the album

Waking Up with the House on Fire". While it did reach platinum status with one million in sales, the album was considered not a success.

After a busy two years Culture Club spent 1985 on hiatus.

When the band returned in 1986 it was to see moderate success and numerous personal issues surrounding Boy George. Rumours of a strained affair with drummer Jon Moss and drug use were abound. Such rumours came to a head when keyboard player Michael Rudetski was found dead from a heroin overdose in Boy George's apartment. Rudetski's parents attempted to have Boy George charged with wrongful death but the attempts failed. Later that year the band finally broke up. It wasn't until 1987 that Boy George finally admitted an addiction to heroin; an issue that still plagues the singer.

The band may no longer be together but fans can see and here Culture Club as a part of the video rotation on the video music channel VH1 Classic.