Founding member of Modern English’s Michael “Mick” Conroy tells us about upcoming album, inspiration and thoughts on how performing has changed over the last 40 years
Modern English performed their classic hits and current songs at Space Ballroom on Friday night
In no small part, April 29th, 1983, was a pivotal day for the British new wave band Modern English. On that day, the cult feature film Valley Girl, starring Nicholas Cage and Deborah Foreman, was released in theaters throughout the US. The story is about a Hollywood punk who meets a girl from the other side of the hills… from the San Fernando Valley – a Valley Girl. An 80’s version of Romeo and Juliet, the movie featured an amazing soundtrack that included iconic songs from such musicians as The Pimsouls, Josie Cotton, Eddy Grant, The Psychedelic Furs, Men at Work, and the song “I Melt with You” by Modern English. Between the release of the movie and MTV featuring the music video of “I Melt with You,” the band that first formed in 1979 made it onto Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, reaching number 7 in the US that year.
“I Melt with You,” a love song about a couple making love during an atomic blast, is certainly the band’s most successful single to date. However, the band also found success with such songs as “Hands Across the Sea” and “Ink and Paper.” The band has been playing together actively on and off for over 40 years. With eight albums released and another on the way, this band still writes together, performs together, and still draws crowds of fans to their shows.
I caught up with the band in Hamden, CT, at the intimate venue Space Ballroom. It’s a great location to get up close and personal with the band. The general admission, standing-room-only venue beckons back to the punk days of shows at CBGB’s in New York and even Hartford’s Agora Ballroom. Decent sound and lighting, together with happy, dancing, alcohol-drinking fans are what to expect at this location. It’s hard to go wrong here.
A gig is what you would call a show – so show etiquette. Many musicians are complaining about how the audience is talking too much during concerts. And, it’s bothering other concertgoers. But one thing performers are becoming fed up with is being permanently recorded all the time. And when you get back to the hotel it’s already on YouTube. And when we and other musicians play, it’s for now – it’s not for posterity.
Michael “Mick” Conroy, co-founder of Modern English
Before the show, I had the unexpected opportunity to sit with one of the band’s co-founders, bassist Michael “Mick” Conroy, who was only 15 years old when the band began in Colchester, Essex, in the U.K. Now a resident of New York’s Hudson Valley, Mick spends his time touring, writing, recording, and restoring his home and barn with his own two hands, learning building and carpentry in the process – which he says is as rewarding as writing music. We discussed the band’s origins, today’s fans, and what the future looks like for him and the band.
KF: You co-founded Modern English at 15. What music were you listening to back then:
Mick: I always wanted to be a musician; I was obsessed with music. I was listening to David Bowie, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, and then punk rock started. The Clash and the Sex Pistols and bands like that. The punk bands changed things. David Bowie and Roxy Music were all very glamorous, but punk rock bands made us see things differently – those bands looked like us. And what they were playing looked quite easy – and incredibly loud and energetic as well. And when you’re a kid, that was us. And, our parents hated that music, so that made it even more fun.
KF: You’ve been writing and performing for over 40 years now. Has it changed for you?
Mick: You know, when you’re a singer, and you look out at the audience and see nothing but phones…people recording your show on these little screens rather than watching live. At the moment in the U.K. there is a big thing going off at the moment, what they call gig etiquette. A gig is what you would call a show – so show etiquette. Many musicians are complaining about how the audience is talking too much during concerts. And, it’s bothering other concertgoers. But one thing performers are becoming fed up with is being permanently recorded all the time. And when you get back to the hotel it’s already on YouTube. And when we and other musicians play, it’s for now – it’s not for posterity. You don’t go to the pictures, the cinema, and watch the film through your phone. Or go shopping and look at everything through the prism of the phone’s camera. But at gigs, it’s almost accepted that it’s normal. It’s weird. You know, in art galleries you can’t take photos. I get some people want to collect a memento, maybe to show their friends they were really there. But they are actually missing out on what the gig is all about.
KF: What’s the future look like for you? Will it always be about the music?
Mick: There have been times, some years when I haven’t played live. But the thing is when you do play live, It’s really good fun. I mean, sometimes things go wrong, like your peddles don’t work, and it’s all chaos, basically. But then, before you even get to that stage, you have to rehearse for like two weeks. And that’s always really good fun! I’ve been in a band with Robbie forever. And it’s super fun! Me and Robbie (Robbie Grey), Steve (Stephen Walker), and Gary (Gary McDowell) are recently on some kind of roll. You know, writing. So, we pretty much have the next album… and we haven’t even released this one yet (1,2,3,4). So, we are a bit ahead of ourselves. So there could be another four years or much, much more of Modern English. It’s really exciting. Even when I’m old and in a rocking chair, I’ll always have a guitar and my studio nearby. When you’re a musician, I don’t think you can ever retire.
As expected, when the band took the stage, it was an electrifying experience! The band’s energy on stage had the room dancing and singing along. Their timeless hits like “I Melt with You” sounded even better live, and they seamlessly blended their classic sound with a fresh, vibrant performance. Introducing a new song written by lead singer Robbie Grey, “Long in the Tooth,” off their upcoming album, “1,2,3,4” was met with very positive feedback from the audience. In fact, the connection they had with the audience was palpable, making the night unforgettable. Modern English delivered a euphoric night of music that left everyone buzzing with joy, nostalgia, and an eye to their continued future endeavors. If there was any disappointment, it was that the kilt-wearing, tattoo-covered, guitarist Gary McDowell wasn’t on the stage for this show. He is apparently absent due to some minor medical issues. We wish Gary a speedy recovery and we can’t wait to see them live again!
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