# Long Shot - Identify this band from the 80s who was not Alphaville? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719 "2012-08-16T22:22:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/21 "2012-08-16T23:31:39Z")
After The Fire? (Of Der Kommissar fame) The Alarm? The Art of Noise? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/22 "2012-08-16T23:34:15Z")
The Sugarcubes ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/23 "2012-08-16T23:36:59Z")
Anthrax! ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/24 "2012-08-17T00:24:33Z")
Lightning round. . . OMD? Thomson Twins? Psychedelic Furs? Modern English? Flock of Seagulls? Mission UK? Icicle Works? Gary Numan? Communards? Caberet Voltaire? Bronski Beat? ABC? Howard Jones? Pet Shop Boys? Human League? Echo and the Bunnymen? ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/25 "2012-08-17T00:33:56Z")
Guadalcanal Diary? Dream Academy? ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/26 "2012-08-17T00:46:03Z")
Amazulu? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/27 "2012-08-17T01:04:43Z")
Echo and the Bunnymen? ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/28 "2012-08-17T01:15:01Z")
Aztec Camera? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/29 "2012-08-17T01:22:14Z")
None are right so far. Now I am second guessing myself and wondering if it was in fact alphaville. Argh. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/30 "2012-08-17T01:24:54Z")
a-ha was my first choice. I would have also offered up Ultravox, or maybe even Asia (kind of merging rock with synthpop). I would offer up Altered Images, though I think they’re a little more guitar based, and the singer is female - I think the OP would have mentioned that. I need more info. I think the Swedish band Aqua came out after 1986… ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/31 "2012-08-17T01:46:31Z")
Do you remember anything about the music, a song or two of theirs? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/32 "2012-08-17T01:50:28Z")
I’m guessing it wasn’t Roxette. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/33 "2012-08-17T01:50:41Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > How about Ultravox? I know it’s not an A, but I could see confusing the names. Reap the Wild Wind! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/34 "2012-08-17T01:52:43Z")
Kajagoogoo? Baltimora? Stranglers? Roxy Music? Icehouse? ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/35 "2012-08-17T02:09:03Z")
I so hope you find it! Oingo Boingo? Beloise Some? Go West? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/36 "2012-08-17T02:18:57Z")
I despair. Nothing right so far. Doubting my memory of it not being Alphaville. Sob. Going to bed now. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/37 "2012-08-17T02:23:11Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I feel kind of foolish even posting this question, because I have so few details to share. > > Backstory - I am putting together a playlist of songs for an upcoming weekend - all the songs are going to be ones loved by my sister who passed away 5 years ago. The upcoming (September) weekend is the 5-year anniversary of her death and some of her (and my) friends are visiting and I have a set of activities planned that were her favorite things to do. So of course we need a playlist, right? > > Any way… my sister went away to college in 1986, and discovered a band that I can’t remember the name of. It would have been a band currently putting out music in 1986, but I don’t know if 1986 was near the beginning, middle or end of their career. > > I used the get them mixed up with Alphaville, which annoyed my sister. I am almost 100% sure their name also began with A. They were probably kind of synth-poppy and soft. Maybe some variety of Scandinavian? > > If I think of more details I will share them. > > Anyone have any ideas? Sigh. > **[A-ha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-ha)** > > A-ha (often stylised as a-ha; .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Norwegian pronunciation: \[ɑˈhɑː\]) is a Norwegian synth-pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. Founded by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), and Morten Harket (lead vocals), the band rose to fame during the mid-1980s. > A... A-ha is from Norway, their best known hit is Take On Me which has been featured in numerous films/TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/38 "2012-08-17T02:48:44Z")
Going through my iTunes by year under “A” for 1986, the only act I can think of that might vaguely fit your criteria that hasn’t been mentioned is Age of Chance. Though they sound nothing like Arcadia, really. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/39 "2012-08-17T15:00:12Z")
Applarama? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719/40 "2012-08-17T15:03:59Z")
Ay? (canadian band…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-shot-identify-this-band-from-the-80s-who-was-not-alphaville/631719.md?page=3)