Boy George & Culture Club

Boy George & Culture Club

Boy George & Culture Club is an English pop group from London, active from 1981 to the present. The group is made up of Boy George, Mikey Craig, Roy Hay, Jon Moss and John Suede. It is associated with blue-eyed soul, dance-pop, new romantic, new wave, pop and pop soul, and is also linked with 1980s synth-pop.

Formation and line-up

The group is centred on George O'Dowd, who performs as Boy George. He becomes known for his androgynous image and distinctive style, and he is the band's best-known figure. Roy Hay plays guitars and keyboards, Mikey Craig plays bass, and Jon Moss plays drums. Moss is described as having previously played with the Damned, London and Adam and the Ants.

Early success

The band's first album, Kissing to Be Clever (1982), becomes an international hit. It produces the singles "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", "Time (Clock of the Heart)" and "I'll Tumble 4 Ya". "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" reaches the top of the BBC charts in late 1982.

The second album, Colour By Numbers (1983), is also a major success and gives the group a second UK number one with "Karma Chameleon". The song reaches number one in many countries, and the band appears on the UK television programme Top of the Pops in September 1983.

Later albums, split and reunion

The group’s next album, Waking Up With the House on Fire (1984), is a disappointment commercially and critically in comparison with its predecessors. From Luxury to Heartache follows in 1986 and brings a smaller comeback through the hit "Move Away".

During this period, tension grows within the band, including the long affair between Boy George and Jon Moss, which adds to the strain of keeping the relationship private. These pressures contribute to the group’s breakup. Boy George also becomes addicted to heroin around this time before later moving into a solo career.

The group reunites in 1998 for a tour that begins with an appearance on VH1 Storytellers. It later records Don't Mind If I Do, with "I Just Wanna Be Loved" reaching number 4 in the UK and appearing on a compilation tied to the Storytellers performance. The band continues touring for several more years.

Boy George beyond the band

After the breakup, Boy George scores solo hits in Europe and reaches the US top 20 with "The Crying Game" in 1992. He also has a minor hit with "Live My Life" from the Hiding Out soundtrack, which reaches number 40 in the United States. Later, Culture Club becomes inactive for a period as Boy George focuses on his work as a DJ, although the group remains active in line with its long-running status.