The Romantics
Encyclopedia
The Romantics is an American
New Wave
band from Detroit, Michigan
, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day
, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S. United States
, Canada
, parts of Asia
, Australia
, Europe
, and Latin America
during the first half of the 1980s on the strength of the band's songs and music videos.
Influenced by 1960s British Invasion
rock (most notably the music of The Kinks
, The Who
, J. Geils Band
, The Beatles
, The Hollies
, and The Rolling Stones
.)
The Romantic's were considered the second wave of Punk Rock from Detroit, following in the footsteps of such bands as The MC5 and The Stooges.
The Romantics play a more power pop
/pop rock
-oriented variation of punk rock known as pop punk
. The band is also commonly classified into the category of "New Wave
" by pop music historians.
for Nemperor Records in 1980 with British producer Pete Solley
. The group's true debut was the single on Spider Records, "Little White Lies/"I Can't Tell You Anything" (1978), followed that year by the Bomp single "Tell It To Carrie"/"First In Line" (on the Bomp label). All of these were re-recorded later for the LP.
The album yielded the hit "What I Like About You
," which reached #49 in the US, #12 in the Netherlands
, and #2 in Australia
, where the band was especially popular.
Mike Skill left the band after the release of its second album, National Breakout, in 1981. He was replaced by lead guitarist Coz Canler. This lineup of the band recorded the album Strictly Personal in 1982, before Rich Cole left the band that year and was replaced by a returning Skill, who then became the band's bassist.
The Romantics achieved their greatest commercial success in 1983/84 with the release of the album In Heat. The first single taken from In Heat, "Talking In Your Sleep", rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent two weeks at #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play
chart. It was also a big international hit (#2 Canada
, #14 Australia
, #18 Germany
, #20 Netherlands
, #15 South Africa
, #5 Sweden
, #20 Switzerland
, etc.). A second single, "One In A Million", peaked at #37 during the following year. The Romantics' music videos were frequently shown on the cable television network MTV
during this period, solidifying the band's popularity. Also during 1983, the Romantics played well received U.S. and international concert tours in support of In Heat, and appeared on such pop music-themed television shows as Solid Gold, American Bandstand
, and Soul Train
.
In 1984, drummer Jimmy Marinos left the Romantics, and he was replaced by David Petratos, who would serve as the band's drummer until 1990. This lineup recorded one album, Rhythm Romance, in 1985.
In the late 1980s, the Romantics discovered that their managers had been misappropriating the profits earned by the band from its hit records and live performances. Additionally, the Romantics' best known song (the aforementioned "What I Like About You") had been licensed for use in television commercials without the band's knowledge or approval. Consequently, the Romantics filed a lawsuit against their management in 1987, and the legalities involved prevented the band from recording new music until the mid-1990s.
Former Blondie
drummer Clem Burke
replaced David Petratos as the Romantics' drummer in 1990. For much of the 1990s, the Romantics played obscure performances in small venues, largely forgotten and out of the public spotlight.
The Romantics' fortunes began to rise again in the middle of the 1990s, as the band's success in its lawsuit against its former management freed the band to record again (and ensured that future earnings from the licensing of Romantics songs would go to the band). The first fruit of the band's new recording activity was the 1993 EP Made In Detroit. Several Romantics greatest hits packages were issued during the 1990s, as was the live album The King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: The Romantics Live In Concert, a 1996 release of an October, 1983 recording of a Romantics concert in San Antonio, Texas
at the height of the band's popularity.
Jimmy Marinos, the Romantics' original drummer, temporarily returned to the band for a series of performances in 1996-1997 (with Clem Burke returning to the Romantics' drumstool after Marinos departed again), and late 1990s nostalgia for 1980s pop culture caused a minor resurgence of interest in the band. In 2003, twenty years after the release of their most commercially successful album, In Heat, the Romantics released 61/49 – a more roots rock and blues
-oriented record than the band's previous efforts. The album was not a great commercial success, but won the Romantics a newfound critical respect that they had not enjoyed during their popular and commercial heyday in the early 1980s. 61/49 also offered proof that despite the band's years out of the public spotlight, the Romantics remain a potent musical unit.
A fourth drummer, Brad Elvis, replaced Clem Burke as the Romantics' regular drummer in 2004 after Burke returned full time to a reactivated Blondie. Clem Burke
continues to perform with The Romantics when Brad Elvis is not available. Most recently, Burke played with The Romantics on March 6, 2010 at the Frisco Art Festival. During the encore, The Romantics were joined by students from The Paul Green School of Rock Music
, which was the basis for School of Rock
, the 2003
American
comedy film
from Paramount Pictures
, starring Jack Black
.
The Romantics continue to play live concerts today (with occasional guest performances by previous members Jimmy Marinos, Rich Cole, Clem Burke and David Petratos). The band is said to currently be working on a follow up to 61/49.
Sony was rumored to have had plans for the release of a special twelve-song CD/DVD during February, 2006 that would feature the Romantics' best songs, with the flip side of the CD/DVD featuring videos, recent interviews, and other clips. To date, this CD/DVD has not been issued and additional information about its release has not been publicized.
. While the game developers did secure appropriate rights to cover the song in the game, The Romantics claim that the cover is "virtually indistinguishable from the authentic version" and thus would "[confuse] consumers into believing that the band actually recorded the music and endorsed the product". The lawsuit requested the cessation of sales of the game and monetary damage.
A summary judgment
hearing was held on July 9, 2008, and the case was dismissed the next month, with U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds stating that Activision had obtained the proper licensing for the works and that the band itself no longer held the copyright on the work.
confirmed that Wally Palmar would be touring with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
during their summer 2010 tour. During April 2010, Palmar entered the studio to record harmonica tracks for a new release by The Beat
.
Note: since departing The Romantics, each former member has occasionally returned to make guest performances with the band.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band from Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S. United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, parts of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
during the first half of the 1980s on the strength of the band's songs and music videos.
Influenced by 1960s British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
rock (most notably the music of The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, J. Geils Band
J. Geils Band
The J. Geils Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Worcester, Massachusetts, best known for its 1981 single, "Centerfold" which charted #1 in the U.S. in early 1982. The band played R&B-influenced blues-rock in the 1970s before moving towards a more pop-influenced sound in the 1980s...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
, and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
.)
The Romantic's were considered the second wave of Punk Rock from Detroit, following in the footsteps of such bands as The MC5 and The Stooges.
The Romantics play a more power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
/pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
-oriented variation of punk rock known as pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
. The band is also commonly classified into the category of "New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
" by pop music historians.
Career
The Romantics' original lineup consisted of rhythm guitarist/harmonica player/singer Wally Palmar, lead guitarist Mike Skill, bassist Rich Cole, and drummer/singer Jimmy Marinos. All four band members made songwriting contributions to the group, but Palmar and Skill were considered the band's primary tunesmiths. After a few years of playing local and regional gigs in Detroit and the Midwest, this lineup of the Romantics recorded the band's self-titled debut albumThe Romantics (album)
The Romantics is the debut album by rock band The Romantics. It was released in 1980 on Nemperor Records. It includes the Billboard Hot 100 hit "What I Like About You".- Track listing :...
for Nemperor Records in 1980 with British producer Pete Solley
Pete Solley
Peter "Pete" Solley is a Hammond organ player, pianist and a Grammy-nominated record producer. He has recorded with Eric Clapton, Al Stewart and Whitesnake as well as producing records for Ted Nugent, Oingo Boingo, Motörhead, The Romantics, Peter Frampton, The Sports, Wreckless Eric and many...
. The group's true debut was the single on Spider Records, "Little White Lies/"I Can't Tell You Anything" (1978), followed that year by the Bomp single "Tell It To Carrie"/"First In Line" (on the Bomp label). All of these were re-recorded later for the LP.
The album yielded the hit "What I Like About You
What I Like About You (song)
"What I Like About You" is a song by American rock band The Romantics. The song, written by Romantics members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos is featured on the band's self-titled 1980 debut album, and was also released as a single. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on...
," which reached #49 in the US, #12 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and #2 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where the band was especially popular.
Mike Skill left the band after the release of its second album, National Breakout, in 1981. He was replaced by lead guitarist Coz Canler. This lineup of the band recorded the album Strictly Personal in 1982, before Rich Cole left the band that year and was replaced by a returning Skill, who then became the band's bassist.
The Romantics achieved their greatest commercial success in 1983/84 with the release of the album In Heat. The first single taken from In Heat, "Talking In Your Sleep", rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent two weeks at #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart. It was also a big international hit (#2 Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, #14 Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, #18 Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, #20 Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, #15 South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, #5 Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, #20 Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, etc.). A second single, "One In A Million", peaked at #37 during the following year. The Romantics' music videos were frequently shown on the cable television network MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
during this period, solidifying the band's popularity. Also during 1983, the Romantics played well received U.S. and international concert tours in support of In Heat, and appeared on such pop music-themed television shows as Solid Gold, American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, and Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
.
In 1984, drummer Jimmy Marinos left the Romantics, and he was replaced by David Petratos, who would serve as the band's drummer until 1990. This lineup recorded one album, Rhythm Romance, in 1985.
In the late 1980s, the Romantics discovered that their managers had been misappropriating the profits earned by the band from its hit records and live performances. Additionally, the Romantics' best known song (the aforementioned "What I Like About You") had been licensed for use in television commercials without the band's knowledge or approval. Consequently, the Romantics filed a lawsuit against their management in 1987, and the legalities involved prevented the band from recording new music until the mid-1990s.
Former Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
drummer Clem Burke
Clem Burke
Clem Burke is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band through its first stage and later returned for its late 1990s reunion and then its extensive 2009 tour.Following...
replaced David Petratos as the Romantics' drummer in 1990. For much of the 1990s, the Romantics played obscure performances in small venues, largely forgotten and out of the public spotlight.
The Romantics' fortunes began to rise again in the middle of the 1990s, as the band's success in its lawsuit against its former management freed the band to record again (and ensured that future earnings from the licensing of Romantics songs would go to the band). The first fruit of the band's new recording activity was the 1993 EP Made In Detroit. Several Romantics greatest hits packages were issued during the 1990s, as was the live album The King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: The Romantics Live In Concert, a 1996 release of an October, 1983 recording of a Romantics concert in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
at the height of the band's popularity.
Jimmy Marinos, the Romantics' original drummer, temporarily returned to the band for a series of performances in 1996-1997 (with Clem Burke returning to the Romantics' drumstool after Marinos departed again), and late 1990s nostalgia for 1980s pop culture caused a minor resurgence of interest in the band. In 2003, twenty years after the release of their most commercially successful album, In Heat, the Romantics released 61/49 – a more roots rock and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-oriented record than the band's previous efforts. The album was not a great commercial success, but won the Romantics a newfound critical respect that they had not enjoyed during their popular and commercial heyday in the early 1980s. 61/49 also offered proof that despite the band's years out of the public spotlight, the Romantics remain a potent musical unit.
A fourth drummer, Brad Elvis, replaced Clem Burke as the Romantics' regular drummer in 2004 after Burke returned full time to a reactivated Blondie. Clem Burke
Clem Burke
Clem Burke is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band through its first stage and later returned for its late 1990s reunion and then its extensive 2009 tour.Following...
continues to perform with The Romantics when Brad Elvis is not available. Most recently, Burke played with The Romantics on March 6, 2010 at the Frisco Art Festival. During the encore, The Romantics were joined by students from The Paul Green School of Rock Music
The Paul Green School of Rock Music
School of Rock is a performance-based music program for those between the ages of 8 and 18. This for-profit educational company operates and franchises after-school music instructional programs in the United States and Mexico...
, which was the basis for School of Rock
School of Rock
School of Rock, also called The School of Rock, is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black...
, the 2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
American
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
from Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, starring Jack Black
Jack Black (actor)
Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black is an American comedian, actor and musician. He makes up one half of the comedy and satirical rock duo Tenacious D. The group has two albums as well as a television series and a film. His acting career is extensive, starring primarily as bumbling, cocky, but internally...
.
The Romantics continue to play live concerts today (with occasional guest performances by previous members Jimmy Marinos, Rich Cole, Clem Burke and David Petratos). The band is said to currently be working on a follow up to 61/49.
Sony was rumored to have had plans for the release of a special twelve-song CD/DVD during February, 2006 that would feature the Romantics' best songs, with the flip side of the CD/DVD featuring videos, recent interviews, and other clips. To date, this CD/DVD has not been issued and additional information about its release has not been publicized.
Lawsuit
On November 21, 2007, The Romantics filed a lawsuit against Activision, RedOctane, Harmonix, and Wavegroup Sound over the cover of the song "What I Like About You" used in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80sGuitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is a music video game and the third installment in the popular Guitar Hero series...
. While the game developers did secure appropriate rights to cover the song in the game, The Romantics claim that the cover is "virtually indistinguishable from the authentic version" and thus would "[confuse] consumers into believing that the band actually recorded the music and endorsed the product". The lawsuit requested the cessation of sales of the game and monetary damage.
A summary judgment
Summary judgment
In law, a summary judgment is a determination made by a court without a full trial. Such a judgment may be issued as to the merits of an entire case, or of specific issues in that case....
hearing was held on July 9, 2008, and the case was dismissed the next month, with U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds stating that Activision had obtained the proper licensing for the works and that the band itself no longer held the copyright on the work.
Recent events
On March 12, 2010 a spokesperson for Ringo StarrRingo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
confirmed that Wally Palmar would be touring with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
To date, Ringo Starr has toured with eleven versions of his All-Starr Band where "everybody on stage is a star in their own right." Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band is a concept that was created by producer David Fishof...
during their summer 2010 tour. During April 2010, Palmar entered the studio to record harmonica tracks for a new release by The Beat
The Beat (US)
The Beat , were an American rock and power pop group from Los Angeles, California that formed in the late 1970s. The Beat resurfaced in the 1990s and continues to tour and record new material as Paul Collins' Beat...
.
Current members
- Wally Palmar – vocals, guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
(1977–present) - Mike Skill – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1982–present); guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1977–1981) - Coz Canler – guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1981–present) - Brad Elvis – drums, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(2004–present)
Former members
- Clem BurkeClem BurkeClem Burke is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band through its first stage and later returned for its late 1990s reunion and then its extensive 2009 tour.Following...
– drums, percussion (1990–1996, 1997–2004) - Jimmy Marinos – drums, percussion, vocals (1977–early 1985, 1996–1997)
- David Petratos – drums, percussion, vocals (1985–1990)
- Rich Cole – bass guitar (1977–1982)
Note: since departing The Romantics, each former member has occasionally returned to make guest performances with the band.
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
SWE Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
||
| 1980 | The Romantics The Romantics (album) The Romantics is the debut album by rock band The Romantics. It was released in 1980 on Nemperor Records. It includes the Billboard Hot 100 hit "What I Like About You".- Track listing :... |
61 | — |
| National Breakout National Breakout National Breakout is the second album by The Romantics. It was released in 1980 on Nemperor Records.- Track listing :# "Tomboy" - 2:28# "Forever Yours" - 2:52# "Stone Pony" - 2:37# "New Cover Story" - 3:02# "A Night Like This" - 5:05... |
176 | — | |
| 1981 | Strictly Personal Strictly Personal (The Romantics Album) Strictly Personal is the third album by The Romantics. It was released in 1981 on Nemperor Records.- Track listing :# "In the Nighttime" - 3:41# "Look at Her" - 2:58# "No One Like You" - 3:08# "Bop" - 2:03# "Why'd You Leave Me" - 3:27... |
182 | — |
| 1983 | In Heat In Heat (The Romantics Album) In Heat is the fourth album by The Romantics. It was released in 1983 on Nemperor Records. It was the Romantics' most commercially successful album, and featured the Romantics's biggest hit single: "Talking in Your Sleep", peaking at #3, and a second top 40 hit, "One in a Million", charted #37.-... |
14 | 33 |
| 1985 | Rhythm Romance Rhythm Romance Rhythm Romance is the fifth album by power-pop band The Romantics, released on Nemperor Records in 1985.- Track listing :# "Let's Get Started"# "Mystified"# "Be My Everything"# "Test Of Time"# "I Got It If You Want It"# "Rhythm Of Romance"... |
77 | — |
| 2003 | 61/49 61/49 -The Romantics:* Wally Palmar – vocals, guitar, harmonica* Mike Skill – bass guitar, vocals* Coz Canler – guitar, vocals* Clem Burke – drums on tracks 8-9-Additional musicians:* Jimmy Marinos – drums on tracks 1-3, 5-6... |
— | — |
| "—" denotes releases that failed to chart | |||
EPs
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Tell it to Carrie/Runnin' Away//First in Line/Let's Swing |
| 1993 | Made in Detroit |
Live albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1996 | The King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: The Romantics Live in Concert |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Main Rock | US Dance Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
SWE Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
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| 1977 | "Little White Lies" | — | — | — | — | Single Only |
| 1978 | "Tell It to Carrie" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1980 | "What I Like About You What I Like About You (song) "What I Like About You" is a song by American rock band The Romantics. The song, written by Romantics members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos is featured on the band's self-titled 1980 debut album, and was also released as a single. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on... " |
49 | — | — | — | The Romantics |
| "When I Look in Your Eyes" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Tell It to Carrie" (re-release) | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Forever Yours" | — | — | — | — | National Breakout | |
| 1981 | "A Night Like This" | — | — | — | — | |
| "No One Like You" | — | — | — | — | Strictly Personal | |
| 1983 | "Talking in Your Sleep" | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | In Heat |
| "Rock You Up" | — | 49 | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "One in a Million" | 37 | 22 | — | — | |
| 1985 | 'Test of Time" | 71 | 44 | — | — | Rhythm Romance |
| "Mystified" | — | — | 42 | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that failed to chart | ||||||