1980

- Out of the ashes of "57 Men", Jack Hues, Nick Feldman (aka "Nick De Spig"), and Darren Costin (aka "Darwin") re-grouped and started out again as a three-piece family, becoming "Huang Chung". The band recorded four live tracks for 101 Records, all of which appeared on a pair of compilation albums in 1980 and 1981.

- Finally landing a small record deal, the independent record company Rewind Records signed the band up for a two single deal. Huang Chung's first single for Rewind Records was Isn't It About Time We Were on Television? (Real Audio). Huang Chung's second single was Stand Still (Real Audio). Saxophonist David Burnand (aka "Hogg" Robinson) joined the band just after the Rewind singles.

- August 16, 1980 - Music Machine Camden London.

- August 28, 1980 - Greyhound Pub , Fulham, London.

- September 4, 1980 - Greyhound Pub, Fulham London.

- September 10, 1980 - 101 Club South London.

- September 18, 1980 - Clarendon? Club London.

- September 29, 1980 - The Rock Garden at Covent Garden, London.

- September 30, 1980 - The Rock Garden at Covent Garden, London.

- October 6, 1980 - Greyhound pub Fulham London.

- October 11, 1980 - London (place unknown).

- October 14, 1980 - THE MARQUEE, Wardour Street London.

- October 18, 1980 - Dingwells Camden London.

- October 23, 1980 - Film Co-op London.

- October 25, 1980 - 101 Club London.

- November 18, 1980 - North London Poly.

- November 24, 1980 - The Rock Garden at Covent Garden, London.

- November 25, 1980 - The Rock Garden at Covent Garden, London.

- December 6, 1980 - Thames Poly London.

- December 9, 1980 - L.S.E. London.

- December 10, 1980 - the Venue London.

- December 12, 1980 - North East Poly London.

- December 15, 1980 - A Club in Southend Essex.

1981

- May 1981 - Huang Chung signs to Arista Records for a 2 album deal.

- July 1981 - Hold Back The Tears (Real Audio) single is released.

- August 29, 1981 - Gateshead, UK. Gateshead International Stadium. August Bank Holiday weekend 1981 saw an unprecedented line up for the very first ‘Rock on the Tyne’ festival. Two days of the best rock acts of the time: Day 1 (Aug 29): Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Pauline Murray, Doll By Doll, Huang Chung, The Polecats, and an almost unknown (at the time) Irish band called U2. Headlining bands on day 2 (Aug 30) were: Rory Gallagher, Doctor Feelgood, Ginger's Nutters (featuring Ginger Baker from Cream), Diamond Head, Trimmer & Jenkins, and Lindisfarne.

- Huang Chung played three UK dates in support of Joe Jackson's 1981 "Jumpin' Jive Tour":

- August 31, 1981 - St Austell, UK - Cornish Coliseum.

- September 1, 1981 - London, UK - Woolwich Tramshed.

- September 2, 1981 - Brighton, UK - Top Rank.

- The band also supported the group Toyah on tour. One show was recorded by the BBC, then was transmitted two weeks later by Radio 1, and was called "IN CONCERT".

1982

- January 1982 - China (Real Audio) single is released.

- March 1982 - Ti Na Na (Real Audio) single is released.

Huang Chung is released. It was produced by Rhett Davies of "Roxy Music" fame, and Roger Bechirian from "The Undertones". Throughout 1982 the band toured extensively in Europe, where they gained valuable experience and honed their musical skills. In early '82, saxophonist David "Hogg" Burnand amicably left the band over "musical differences".

- Music group Blanket of Secrecy released the synth-pop masterpiece album "Walls Have Ears" in 1982. It was released on F-Beat Records in the UK (as Walls Have Ears) and on Warner Brothers in the U.S. (as Ears Have Walls). Not much is known about this mysterious band, but one of the tracks on Walls Have Ears, "Lovers", was written and arranged by Jack Hues. Plus, Huang Chung saxophonist 'Hogg' also plays on the album.

- May 1982 - David Massey took over as the band's Manager.

- July 4, 1982 - Den Haag, The Netherlands - Zuiderpark. Huang Chung performed at the 2nd annual Parkpop festival, along with The Fixx, Boomtown Rats, Comsat Angels, and others. Known songs performed: 1) Dancing. 2) Chinese Girls. 3) Even If You Dream. 4) The Ornamental Elephant Element. 5) Rising In The East. Note the early versions of two soon-to-be Wang Chung tracks!

- August 27-28, 1982 - Wakefield, UK. Nostell Priory. The Theakston Music Festival, supporting Jethro Tull. Jack Hues recalls: "I know we used to have a reel to reel tape of the keyboard part for 'Ornamental' and I recall doing an outdoor festival in England (with Jethro Tull!) where the power came off an AC generator which made the speed of the motor of the tape recorder oscillate up and down. The low keyboard note that starts it off was rising and falling by about a fifth! One of those moments in front of a few thousand people where you wonder why you ever contemplated life as a musician."

- Late 1982 - Huang Chung goes back into the studio to start work on their second album for Arista Records. During this brief time, the band managed to record an early version of Dance Hall Days (Real Audio). Sensing the band's future potential, and Dance Hall Days becoming a possibly big hit, David Massey convinces Arista to close their contract with Huang Chung. Opting not to persue a second album from the band, Arista frees Huang Chung from it's contract, and also releases the rights to the song Dance Hall Days. For a few weeks, Huang Chung goes without a record contract while David Massey searches for a new record deal. Finally, the band changed record companies upon being spotted by John David Kalodner at a live gig. Switching from Arista to Geffen Records in America, the band also changed their name to Wang Chung and immediately went back to the studio to record. Wang Chung becomes the very first UK act to be signed to Geffen Records in America. The band again consisted of Jack Hues, Nick Feldman, and Darren Costin.

1983

- They met Ross Cullum and Chris Hughes (ex Adam and the Ants, and producer of Tears for Fears, Gene, and Howard Jones). All of 1983 Wang Chung spent with Chris and Ross, recording their first album for Geffen Records, entitled Points On The Curve. CLICK HERE for more information on Ross Cullum and Chris Hughes.

Geffen A&R mogul John Kalodner tips his hat to Wang Chung!!

"Wang Chung was really great to work with and a pleasure both as musicians and people. Their greatest achievement was writing the music to the movie “To Live and Die in LA” because it required a great body of music to be tailored to very specific visuals by director William Friedkin. They also really stand out in my memory for the Dance Hall Days sessions, when they were at their creative pinnacle with producer Chris Hughes."

- FOR THE RECORD: When Wang Chung went into Abbey Road Studios to record "Dance Hall Days" for the new album, they knew they had a good song, and they knew they had a good arrangement. The one thing they were lacking that day was a working, fretted bass guitar for southpaw Nick Feldman to lay the basic track with. "We're both sort of avid Beatles fans," Feldman explained. "I needed a left handed, fretted bass for that particular track. Paul McCartney was recording next door and he very kindly lent it to me." So the song featured Paul McCartney's bass-played by Feldman.

The Story Behind "Dance Hall Days"

The name Wang Chung is strange, so it's no surprise that the inspiration for this English group's first top 20 hit, Dance Hall Days, was a little out of the ordinary. Jack Hues was struck by a certain aspect of Lolita: the way the internal struggles progressively led to self-degradation. "I'd just read Nabokov's book Lolita", Wang Chung's Jack Hues stated. "'Dance Hall Days' and Delores Hayes, who is the central character in the book, are all sort of interlinked." The phrase "dance hall days" and the name "Delores Hayes" sound alike. But there are other connections. The book deals with a man's lust for a young girl, and the growing paranoia this brings into his life. The song's lyrics also degenerate from innocence to degradation. "There are three verses," Hues says. "The first one is 'Take your baby by the hand,' which is a very innocent gesture. Then it ends up with stuff like 'Grab your baby by the ears.' The song is about growing up and the growing neurosis and paranoia about your relationships with other people."

1984

- January 1984 - Points On The Curve was released, which charted at #30. Dance Hall Days (Real Audio) was a small hit in Britain, yet the band hit the Top 40 twice in America -- Don't Let Go (Real Audio) made it to number 38, while Dance Hall Days peaked at number 16 on Billboard's "Hot 100" chart. From this point on, Wang Chung ignored the U.K. market, choosing to concentrate on America, such as making TV appearances on "Solid Gold". Dance Hall Days and Don't Let Go were both hit singles in the U.S.A., but by summer 1984 Dance Hall Days was a world-wide hit. Wang Chung spent two months touring the U.S.A. (on their own, and also with The Romantics and Berlin). Check out the front and back of their 1984 tour shirt. Here's another 1984 tour shirt front and back, just like Nick is wearing in the photo!

- March 9, 1984 - Don't Let Go peaks at #38 on the U.S. Pop Charts.

- April 14, 1984 - Hollywood, CA - The Palladium.

- April 28, 1984 - Hollywood, CA - The Palace performance was featured on an "In Concert" Westwood One Radio Program (Show 84-12).

- May 12, 1984 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theater.

- May 19, 1984 - Made TV appearance on ABC's "American Bandstand".

- May/June, 1984 - Dance Hall Days peaks at #5 in Germany.

- June 30, 1984 - Wang Chung played Wembley stadium as a support act for Elton John's "The Summer Of '84 Concert".

- July 6, 1984 - Dance Hall Days peaks at #16 on the U.S. Pop Charts.

- July to September, 1984 - Wang Chung performed as the opening act, supporting The Cars on their elaborate and successful "Heartbeat City" tour.

- July 13, 1984 - Greensboro, NC - Coliseum.

- July 14, 1984 - Richmond, VA - Coliseum.

- July 15, 1984 - Norfolk, VA - Scope.

- July 16, 1984 - Philadelphia, PA - Spectrum.

- July 18, 1984 - Forest Hills, NY - National Tennis Center.

- July 20, 1984 - Hartford, CT - Civic Center.

- July 21, 1984 - New Haven, CT - Coliseum.

- July 23, 1984 - East Rutherford, NJ - The Meadowlands Arena.

- July 24, 1984 - Harrisburg, PA - City Island Amphitheatre.

- July 25, 1984 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavillion.

- July 27, 1984 - Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena.

- July 28, 1984 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob.

- July 29, 1984 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob.

- July 31, 1984 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Performing Arts Center.

- August 1-2, 1984 - Worcester, MA - The Centrum.

- August 4, 1984 - Toronto, Ont - CNE Grandstand.

- August 6, 1984 - Hoffman Estates, IL - Poplar Creek.

- August 7, 1984 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center.

- August 8, 1984 - Lexington, Ky - Rupp Arena.

- August 10, 1984 - Indianapolis, IN - Market Square Arena.

- August 11, 1984 - St. Louis, MO - The Arena.

- August 12, 1984 - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley.

- August 14, 1984 - Minneapolis, MN - Met Center.

- August 15, 1984 - Omaha, NE - Civic Auditorium.

- August 16, 1984 - Kansas City, MO - Kemper Arena.

- August 18, 1984 - Denver, CO - McNichols Arena.

- August 19, 1984 - Salt Lake City, UT - Salt Palace.

- August 21, 1984 - Seattle, WA - Seattle Coliseum.

- August 22, 1984 - Portland, OR - Coliseum.

- August 24, 1984 - San Francisco, CA - Cow Palace.

- August 25, 1984 - Fresno, CA - Selland Arena.

- August 26, 1984 - Reno, NV - Lawlor Events Center.

- August 29, 1984 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum.

- August 30, 1984 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum.

- August 31, 1984 - Costa Mesa, CA - Pacific Amphitheatre.

- September 2, 1984 - Phoenix, AZ - Coliseum.

- September 3, 1984 - Las Vegas, NV - Thomas & Mack Center.

- September 4, 1984 - San Diego, CA - Sports Arena.

- September 6, 1984 - Austin, TX - South Park.

- September 7, 1984 - San Antonio, TX - Convention Center.

- September 8, 1984 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center.

- September 10, 1984 - Dallas, TX - Reunion Arena.

- September 11-12, 1984 - Houston, TX - The Summit.

- September 14, 1984 - Baton Rouge, LA - LSU Assemble Center.

- September 22, 1984 - Don't Be My Enemy peaks at #86 on the U.S. Pop Charts.

- October 1984 - Following their tour with The Cars, drummer Darren Costin left the band, making an "amicable departure". Darren later persued another band project called Heroes: a group consisting of former Wang Chung member Darren Costin and ex-Shilts member Michael Casswell. It also included 'Right Said Fred' drummer Chuck Sabo.

- December, 1984 - Magazine article: What's in a name? An exclusive interview with Wang Chung.

- Points On The Curve was voted by the very prestigious RMS MUSIC SOCIETY in America, an HONOURABLE MENTION BEST ALBUM OF 1984. (Hundreds of albums are evaluated for the RMS awards. Albums are judged on sound quality, musicianship, originality, and production style).

- Wang Chung continued to gain further popularity by moving into movie music. In 1984, Wang Chung contributed a song entitled There Is A Nation (Real Audio) to the "First Born" Motion Picture Soundtrack (EMI America ST-17144). At the end of 1984, Wang Chung also recorded and contributed a song to "The Breakfast Club" Motion Picture Soundtrack (A&M Records SP 5045) titled Fire In The Twilight (Real Audio). The film and soundtrack appeared early in 1985.

(Jack Hues and Jeff Naideau)