Berlin

Biography

Berlin is an American new wave band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained commercial success in the 1980s with a series of synth-pop hits. The best-known lineup consisted of singer Terri Nunn, bassist and vocalist John Crawford, and keyboardist David Diamond, alongside guitarist Ric Olsen, keyboardist Matt Reid, and drummer Rob Brill.

History

The origins of Berlin trace back to the band The Toys, formed in 1976 by John Crawford. After several lineup changes, Terri Nunn joined in 1979, left briefly to pursue acting, and then rejoined. The band's first single, "A Matter of Time," was released in 1979. Their debut album, Information, was released in 1980 with Virginia Macolino on lead vocals as Nunn had temporarily left the band.

Breakthrough and Success

Berlin's breakthrough came with the 1982 EP Pleasure Victim, which featured the provocative single "Sex (I'm A...)." The song's controversial lyrics led to it being banned by some radio stations but also brought the band significant attention. Geffen Records re-released the album in 1983, and it became a commercial success, also spawning the hit single "The Metro." Their next album, Love Life (1984), continued their success with the single "No More Words."

"Take My Breath Away" and Disbandment

In 1986, Berlin reached the pinnacle of their commercial success with the single "Take My Breath Away," featured in the film Top Gun. The song, written and produced by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock, won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Despite this worldwide success, internal conflicts over the band's musical direction led to their disbandment in 1987.

Reunions and Later Years

Terri Nunn reformed Berlin with a new lineup in the late 1990s. The classic lineup of Nunn, Crawford, and Diamond has reunited on several occasions, including for the VH1 show Bands Reunited in 2004. In 2019, this core trio released the album Transcendance, their first studio album together in over 30 years. They followed it with Strings Attached in 2020, which featured orchestral re-recordings of their classic songs.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Information (1980)
• Pleasure Victim (1982)
• Love Life (1984)
• Count Three & Pray (1986)
• Voyeur (2002)
• 4Play (2005)
• Animal (2013)
• Transcendance (2019)
• Strings Attached (2020)