3 Great Forgotten Bands That Didn’t Survive The 1980s

The 1980s were a wild ride for rock music. Psychedelic sounds and flower power were out, and in came big hair, bold leather, and high-octane guitar riffs. Among the many bands that burst onto the scene, a few shined brightly—then disappeared just as fast. These three rock bands formed and faded all within the same decade, and chances are, you’ve forgotten about them. Let’s jog your memory.

GTR

Ring a bell? GTR was a short-lived prog rock supergroup made up of Steve Howe from Yes and Asia, and Steve Hackett from Genesis. They came together in 1985 and called it quits by 1987. Hackett later criticized the band’s music and how things were being handled behind the scenes.

Still, they left behind a single album—GTR (1986)—featuring two memorable tracks: “When The Heart Rules The Mind” and “The Hunter.” That was enough to score some chart success before they fizzled out.

The Firm

The Firm might be better known to classic rock diehards. This hard rock/blues rock supergroup featured some serious firepower: Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Chris Slade (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, AC/DC), and Tony Franklin (Blue Murder). They only lasted from 1984 to 1986.

The band released two solid albums—The Firm and Mean Business. According to Page and Rodgers, they always planned to keep the band to just those two records and nothing more.

The Power Station

Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve definitely heard their hit “Some Like It Hot.” This pop-rock supergroup was loaded with talent: Robert Palmer, Chic’s Tony Thompson, and Duran Duran’s John and Andy Taylor.

They briefly reunited in the ’90s, but John Taylor left midway through the reunion album. The record, Living in Fear, came out in 1996 with a different bassist, and the group disbanded for good the following year.