Power Station: Encyclopedia II - Power Station - History

Power Station - History

On February 16, 1985, the band performed "Some Like It Hot" and "Bang A Gong" on the Saturday Night Live TV show; this was Palmer's only live performance with the band.

In March of 1985, the band issued the album Power Station (originally released on vinyl and subtitled 33⅓ for the turntable speed). The album was produced by Bernard Edwards, with some informal assistance from Nile Rodgers.

The band had two hit singles. The first, "Some Like It Hot", reached number 14 on the UK singles charts and number 6 in the USA. (The music video featured the transsexual model Caroline Cossey, credited as "Tula".) The second single was "Bang A Gong (Get It On)", which went to number 22 in the UK and number 9 in the US, while competing against the Duran Duran single "A View to a Kill," which was a number one for Duran Duran. A third single, "Communication", was not as successful; it barely reached the Top 40 in the US, and disappeared after hitting a dismal number 75 in the UK.

The album itself reached number 12 in the UK and number 6 on the US album chart. Incidentally, the album's cover graphics and color scheme, which were also used in the videos, were based on sketches by John Taylor. Later he said about the rather sexy sketches that he had used all his phantasies and considered himself - self ironically - "an old pervert". (Source: Interview with German music magazine "Pop/Rocky, issue 3/1985.) The band also released a collection of the band's three music videos called "The Power Station Video EP".

The group's unexpected success led to two results: the band decided to do a summer tour in America, and Robert Palmer decided to record a new album (eventually produced by Edwards with Tony Thompson contributing some drum tracks) to take advantage of his sudden name recognition. This inevitably led to Palmer's departure from the band. Power Station went on to tour with singer Michael Des Barres (formerly of Silverhead and Checquered Past). Des Barres also performed with them at the enormous Live Aid charity concert in Philadelphia that summer.

Des Barres' friendship with actor Don Johnson led to the band's guest appearance on an episode of the TV drama Miami Vice. Similarly, his friendship with producer Joel Silver led to Power Station writing a song called "We Fight For Love" for the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film Commando (1985). The track was originally titled "Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay".

The band folded late in 1985, as its members turned to other projects: John Taylor returned to Duran Duran, while Andy Taylor left Duran Duran and started a solo career. Tony Thompson was to take the place of John Bonham in a re-formed Led Zeppelin, but he was nearly killed in a 1986 car accident before that reunion could get off the ground. Palmer went on to record a string of chart-topping hits, including "Addicted To Love", "Simply Irresistible", and "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On".

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki