Modern English

Modern English are an English new wave band from Colchester, Essex, England. Formed in 1979, the band is best known for their 1981 hit single, “I Melt with You”.

The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Robbie Grey, bassist Gary McDowell, keyboardist Stephen Walker, and drummer Richard Brown. The band released their debut album, Mesh & Lace, in 1981, which included the single “I Melt with You”. The song peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and went on to become an iconic song of the 80s.

Their second album, After the Snow, was released in 1982 and was a critical success, earning them a nomination for Best New Artist at the 1983 Brit Awards. The album spawned the hit singles “Hands Across the Sea” and “Life in the Gladhouse”.

In 1983, the band released their third album, Ricochet Days, which featured the singles “Ink and Paper” and “Carry Me”. The band’s fourth album, Stop Start, was released in 1986 and was the last album to feature the original lineup.

In 1988, the band reunited and released their fifth album, Pillow Lips. The album spawned the hit single “Ricochet”, which peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. The band’s sixth and most recent album, Take Me to the Trees, was released in 2016.

Modern English’s standout albums include Mesh & Lace, After the Snow, Ricochet Days, and Pillow Lips. Their standout songs include “I Melt with You”, “Hands Across the Sea”, “Life in the Gladhouse”, “Ink and Paper”, and “Ricochet”.

An interesting fact about Modern English is that the band was initially named The Lepers, but changed their name after their first single, “Modern English”, was released.