It was back in 2015 that Altered Images featured in the Sunday Singles series. I actually wasn’t sure about doing a full series on them or not, but my mind was then made up after a fair number of positive reactions to this post.
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They began as a post-punk band championed by John Peel and Siousxie Sioux but within a relatively short period of time their move into pure pop music saw them conquer the singles charts before all of a sudden they fell spectacularly out of fashion and breaking up before the lead singer had reached her 22nd birthday after which she moved into acting.
I loved Altered Images. They were great fun. And Clare Grogan was, and still is, gorgeous.
The band were mere teenagers when they formed in 1979. Their first two singles were released to almost complete indifference in early 1981 but seemingly out of nowhere Happy Birthday hit the #2 spot in the UK on its release in August 1981. Over the next nine months, they were rarely out of the singles charts thanks to the success of I Could Be Happy and See Those Eyes with Clare’s ‘little-girl on helium’ vocals and persona making them stand out just that bit more than most.
The age-old issue of failing to deliver a decent follow-up LP to the debut in 1982 was a setback and led to two-fifths of the band leaving on less than amicable terms and a whole change in direction in both sound and look. Veteran producer Mike Chapman was brought in to bring a more polished and mature sound while Clare turned overnight into an Audrey Hepburn lookalike. It did bring initial success through the outstanding 45 Don’t Talk To Me About Love, but it wasn’t sustainable and before 1983 was out the band were no more.”
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The band’s fourth single highlighted, more than any other, the two distinct sides to the band.
mp3: Altered Images – I Could Be Happy
It’s pop at its most disposable. Great wee eardrum of a tune with nonsense, almost nursery-rhyme lyrics. It got to #7 in January 1982.
The b-side is quite different – it’s still pop music but with a harder-edge and a nod to the sounds of early Banshees, Cure, Bauhaus etc.
mp3: Altered Images – Insects
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Happy Birthday came out when I was fourteen. Well, you can imagine. There was the appearances on Swap Shop. Then Gregory’s Girl.
they brought out an EP of their greatest hits years ago which I bought in remembrance of them days. I don’t think I’ve ever played it, mind.
WinterInMaypark
“Clare’s ‘little-girl on helium’ vocals” were a big no-no for me back then but later on I had a sneaking regard for See Those Eyes and Don’t Talk To Me. Biggest problem was John Peel’s frankly creepy obsession with Grogan. Also, their ‘Song Sung Blue’ was a nadir in the history of recorded music.
Yep. It’s disturbing that Clare likes Nabokov’s “Lolita” and Peel and Rushent were far too enthusiastic to play their roles in that psychodrama! But I’m happy that Clare and Stephen reformed Altered Images after their daughter grew up. I really enjoyed the fourth Altered Images album, “Mascara Streakz.” But I have a large collection of Altered Images singles and vinyl that’s taking up to much space in my tiny home. It needs to go for space reasons. I need to cut loose at least a third of my collection. And I hope it will happen this year! If I ever get the time to see to it!
chaval – Oh, I forgot to mention this but you are spot on regarding “Song Sung Blue!”
Oh boy, I would need a local anaesthetic to listen to “Song Sung Blue” to the end. Until just now I thought that “Psycho Killer” by Wet Leg was the worst cover version of all time. [sk]