U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts Peak Position No. 32, Australian Singles Chart Peak Position No. 40
Backstory: This American New Wave/ Dark Wave/ alternative rock band was formed in Los Angeles in 1977 by Stan Ridgway. In 1980, they released a self-titled debut EP which Bubbled Under the Billboard Hot 200 Album Charts at No. 204, and then followed it up with 1981's, Dark Continent, which was a minor Billboard Album Charts success, peaking at No. 177. But it wasn't until the following two years that they had their first ever (and only) song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, "Mexican Radio" (No. 58 on the Hot 100.) It was a classic MTV staple off of their critically acclaimed album, Call of the West. Stan actually left the band sometime in 1983, leading Andy Prieboy to become their new lead singer in 1984. They had an Australian only hit in 1985 with, "Far Side of Crazy" before releasing this cover version of a classic 1968 Beach Boys' hit two years later in 1987, which only entered the U.S. Dance Club Play Charts and Australian Singles Chart and nowhere else. Soon after, they only released one more album (a live album) called, The Ugly Americans in Australia. Ridgway later went on to have a somewhat successful solo career, including even getting a surprise Top 5 U.K. hit single, "Camouflage". He even worked with the Police's Stewart Copeland on a 1983 song called, "Don't Box Me In". Nowadays Stan still performs with the band on occasion and keeps active on Instagram.
The review: Holy shit is this cover the BOMB! The production, synths, and hard rocking guitars are just absolutely awesome and fantastic, and the fact that Brian Wilson himself even appeared in the crazy music vid just shows how much of an impact this cover had on Wilson. Just underrated and brilliant. Shame it only ever entered the Dance Charts instead of the Hot 100.
Final rating: 10/10
