The Helicopters

For other uses, see Helicopter (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with The Hellacopters.

The Helicopters were a South African pop rock band active in the 1980s. They formed in 1981 in Vereeniging and were stylistically similar to the new wave bands Duran Duran and A Flock of Seagulls.^[1] Benjy Mudie signed the group to Warner Bros. Records in 1984, where they released one album and several singles; in 1987 they moved to Epic and released a second full-length before disbanding. The band scored several hit singles in South Africa, including "Mysteries and Jealousy".^[2][3] The group was a popular concert draw, able to fill stadiums in its home country.^[4]

After the band's breakup, lead singer Bernard Binns moved to England, where he has released several solo albums.^[5]

Discography

Albums

• Love Attack (1985, WEA)

1. Mysteries and Jealousies — 4:15
2. In Love — 3:32
3. Don't Vanish, It's a Love Attack — 3:33
4. Night Vision Girl — 3:46
5. Say That Again — 2:56
6. Come and Dance — 3:26
7. Kissing For Pleasure — 3:40
8. Only For You — 4:05
9. Miles Apart — 4:45
10. Chased — 3:11

• In the Flesh (1987, Epic)

1. Television — 6:14
2. Western Skies — 4:46
3. In the Flesh — 4:43
4. Hi-Tech Man — 3:42
5. Whisper Your Secret — 4:34
6. Terror in the Attic — 5:27
7. Yesterday Was Never — 4:16
8. Television Part II — 1:04

• What Affair EP (1988, Gallo)
• The Best of The Helicopters (2002, RetroFresh)

Singles

• "Flying High" (Klingel, 1981)
• "Mysteries and Jealousy" (Warner, 1984)
• "Miles and Miles Apart" (Warner, 1984)
• "Kissing For Pleasure" (Warner, 1984)
• "Only for You" (Warner, 1985)
• "Come and Dance" (Warner, 1985)
• "I Wanna Live in Hollywood" (Warner, 1986)
• "Whisper Your Secret" (1987, Epic)

References

1. . (Wayback Machine cache.) Accessed 25 January 2010.
2. Interview with Bernard Binns. Accessed 11 May 2007.
3. Chivers, G; Jasiukowicz, T (1994). History of Contemporary Music of South Africa Part 1. Toga Publishing. p. 53. ISBN 0-620-18121-4.
4. . The Independent, 13 May 1995.
5. Nils van der Linden, "An Outsider Looking In". iafrica.com, 18 September 2007.

External links

• Discography