“DANCE HALL DAYS”
WANG CHUNG came out of the post-punk, New Wave scene in the UK, going on to achieve global success, selling millions of records. Throughout their 40-year career, they have released 6 albums and 2 Greatest Hits compilations. They have had 6 US Top 40 hits including a number 1 and other international smash hits including ‘Dance Hall Days’ and ‘Let’s Go’, and achieved cult status with their soundtrack and score for legendary director of ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘French Connection’, William Friedkin’s movie ‘To Live and Die in LA’, as well as their original song contribution to John Hughes’ legendary movie, ‘The Breakfast Club’.
In the process of all of this (and somewhat unintentionally), Wang Chung became part of the contemporary culture of North America. Their huge smash ‘Everybody Have Fun Tonight’, with its now famous line ”Everybody Wang Chung Tonight” saw the invention of a new US verb: ”to Wang Chung”, the band being name-checked by everyone from Homer Simpson, Austin Powers, Two and a Half Men’s Charlie and Alan Harper, Top Gear’s James May and Richard Hammond, to Frasier Crane to name just a few. See in short clips below…
Can you tell me what a Wang Chung is? Part 1… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kS_RdjLpZM
Can you tell me what a Wang Chung is? Part 2…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DgboI7eXk0
More recently, their music has featured in TV shows The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, South Park, Glee, This is Us, SNL, and The Goldbergs, Everybody’s in LA, amongst many others…as well as in movies like The Idea of You, Bumblebee, Deadpool, and The Fighter. They have also featured in various huge video game titles like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and in many big commercials.
On the live front, they have toured extensively to great acclaim and continue to successfully ‘Wang Chung’ audiences all over the world.
In 2012 they ventured back into the studio to record an album of new material, called ’Tazer Up!’ and in 2019 they released a newly recorded album of orchestral reinterpretations of their biggest songs…performed with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. It is called ‘Orchesography’ and is available on August Day Records.
Dancehall Days (Orchestral): https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=49&v=rUWPctuaXzA
2025 will see the release of a retrospective album that includes their greatest hits and rare unreleased tracks called ‘Clear Light, Dark Matter’ and also a double live album recorded in 2024 at the legendary El Mocambo in Toronto. Later in 2025, they will be marking the 40th anniversary of their OST and album To Live and Die in LA….watch this space for news.