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Vivabeat
Vivabeat members, left to right (top row); Marina Muhlfriedel, Mick Muhlfriedel left to right (bottom row); Terrance Robay, Rob Dean
Vivabeat members, left to right (top row); Marina Muhlfriedel, Mick Muhlfriedel
left to right (bottom row); Terrance Robay, Rob Dean
Background information
GenresTechno-pop
Years active1978–1983
LabelsCharisma - 1980
Websitevivabeat.net

Vivabeat was a Los Angeles-based techno-pop band founded in 1978 and active into the mid-1980s. It is best known for being discovered by and signed to its first record deal at the request of Peter Gabriel.[1][2] It became the first American band on Tony Stratton Smith's British label, Charisma Records.[3][4][5] The band released one album for Charisma Records, Party in the War Zone.[6][7] The album included one of the band's most successful songs, "Man from China." The song became a Top 20 charted dance club hit in the United States, Europe, and Asia. "Man from China" also appears on the Charisma Label/Various Masterpieces album – The Sounds Album Volume 6, released in 1980.

History

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Formation

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Co-founding member, Marina Muhlfriedel (Marina del Rey) first met Peter Gabriel while working as a rock journalist. She later gave Peter a copy of the band’s demo tape, which included the song “Man from China.” Peter shared the demo with his label, Charisma Records, which released one album by Vivabeat, Party in the War Zone.[8] The song "Man from China" contains a whistled tune that inspired the recording of Games Without Frontiers which also has a whistled melody.[9][10]

"Man from China"
Sample of Vivabeat's "Man from China" from Party in the War Zone album (1980).
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"The House Is Burning"
Sample of Vivabeat's "The House Is Burning" from an E.P produced by Earle Mankey (1981).
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"What We Talk About"
Sample of Vivabeat's "What We Talk About (when we talk about love)" from The Good Life album (2001)
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Prior to Vivabeat, guitarist Alec Murphy, a Berklee College of Music graduate, played with the Boston New Wave band Human Sexual Response.[11] Drummer Doug Orilio performed in another Boston band, Reddy Teddy. Bass player and primary songwriter, Mick Muhlfriedel managed Strawberry Records in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Keyboard player and vocalist Marina del Rey (Marina Muhlfriedel) was previously a founding member of the seminal L.A. girl punk band Backstage Pass, a rock journalist, and entertainment editor of Teen Magazine.[12][13]

Career

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Vivabeat’s second release was a limited edition, eponymous titled E.P., featuring the production work of Earle Mankey and guitarist Rob Dean who had previously played in the band Japan.[14][15] The E.P. contained the song "The House is Burning (but there’s no one home)," which was featured, along with the music video, in Brian DePalma’s film, Body Double.[16][17][18] The video directed by Derek Chang, won an MTV award for Best Video from a New Band.[19]

Dissolution

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As Vivabeat began to wind down in 1983, Terrance Robay went to Germany, to co-star with Dennis Hopper in White Star, a feature film produced by Roger Corman and directed by Roland Klick (released in the US as Let It Rock).[20] Marina Muhlfriedel, veered into the film business and served as a producer on the War of the Roses, Throw Momma from the Train, and other projects.[21] Mick Muhlfriedel became a film and television composer, including the score for the Emmy-winning documentary Natural History of the Chicken by Mark Lewis.[22] Mick continues to produce other artists and compose and release songs under his Buff Roshi moniker.[23]

Aftermath

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Post-Vivabeat, Rob Dean played with Gary Numan, Sinead O’Connor, Illustrated Man, Slow Club, and most recently, Light of Day.[15][24] He now lives in Costa Rica and is an artist specializing in bird paintings.[25]

In 2001, Permanent Press Records issued a best of Vivabeat album titled The Good Life 1979-1986. The volume also included several tracks from See Jane Run, a side project featuring Marina del Rey (Marina Muhlfriedel), Cindy Hope, and Peggy Max on vocals.[18]

Three original members of Vivabeat died of AIDS — Alec Murphy in 1986, Connie DiSilva in 1991, and Terrance Robay in 1994.[26] Original drummer Doug Orilio died in 2021 from complications related to a motorcycle accident, years earlier.[27]

Members

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Original Band Members

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Terrance Robay – vocals, Marina del Rey (Marina Muhlfriedel) – keyboards and vocals, Connie DiSilva – keyboards and vocals, Mick Muhlfriedel – bass guitar, Alec Murphy – guitar, Doug Orilio – drums.

Later Additions and Replacements

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Rob Dean – guitar, Steve Lynch – guitar, Jeff Gilbert – guitar, Chris Schendel – drums, Don Romine - Drums - Electronic Drums - Programing Roger Mason – keyboards, Cindy Hope and Peggy Max – vocals.

References

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  1. ^ "Music Blog of Saltyka and His Friends: Vivabeat "One of the great lost bands of the 80's."". Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  2. ^ "Vivabeat – Nostalgia Central". nostalgiacentral.com. 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  3. ^ "Europe's Leading Music Business Paper -A Morgan -Grampian Publication" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Backstage Pass Reunites and Releases Compilation Cassette 'Backstage Pass 77'". US Rocker. 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  5. ^ "Charisma Records - Vivabeat". The Famous Charisma Blog. 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  6. ^ "The Famous Charisma Label". www.charismalabel.com. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  7. ^ "Albany Student Press 1980-10-10 - University at Albany Libraries". yumpu.com. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  8. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 1980-07-05.
  9. ^ "Robert Dean - Falling Into Place". Innerviews: Music Without Borders. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  10. ^ "Scavenged Luxury: L.A. Post-Punk, Art Rock and Power Pop (c. 1977-1987)". scavenged56.rssing.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  11. ^ "The Dead Rock Stars Club - The 1980s". thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  12. ^ "The Rad Women Who Crashed the 70s LA Punk Scene". www.vice.com. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  13. ^ "Marina Del Rey and Backstage Pass – The Bad Girls Book Club". rockchix.canalblog.com (in French). 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  14. ^ "Newspaper Record World - Vivabeat" (PDF).
  15. ^ a b "Japan - Biography". www.lifeintokyo.net. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  16. ^ "Body Double (1984) Soundtrack and Movie Music - The 80s Movies Rewind". www.fast-rewind.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  17. ^ Bouzereau, Laurent (1988). The DePalma Cut: The Films of America's Most Controversial Director. Dembner Books. ISBN 978-0-942637-04-5.
  18. ^ a b "1979 - 1986". Vivabeat. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  19. ^ "Recording Engineer Producer" (PDF).
  20. ^ Kupecki, Josh (October 4, 2019). "Dennis Hopper Is Totally Not on Drugs in Eighties Gem White Star". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  21. ^ "Celebrating the Latinx women of LA's punk scene". Dazed. 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  22. ^ Salamon, Julie (2001-07-13). "Even Unfried, They're So Easy to Love". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  23. ^ "Buff Roshi - Devil, You're a Liar".
  24. ^ Power, Martin (2012-04-10). David Sylvian: The Last Romantic. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-820-1.
  25. ^ "Missing In Action: Rob Dean". electricityclub.co.uk. 2019-06-18. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  26. ^ "Vivabeat – Nostalgia Central". nostalgiacentral.com. 2014-06-29. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  27. ^ "Boston Groupie News - Boston premier Punk Rock Magazine". bostongroupienews.com. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
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