Lene Lovich

by Chris Woodstra
One of the more offbeat and memorable figures in new wave, Lene Lovich certainly drew much of her widely varied approach from her unconventional early experiences. Born of a Yugoslavian father and British mother, she spent much of her childhood in Detroit, MI. At age 13, she moved to Hull, England, with her mother. She ran away to London shortly thereafter, where she worked several odd jobs ranging from bingo caller to go-go dancer to street busker. Around this time, she developed an interest in art and theater, enrolling at the Central School of Art. She took up the saxophone and, after a brief stint in a soul-funk band (with future collaborator Les Chappell), Lovich wrote a string of songs for French disco star Cerrone. In 1978, Stiff Records signed her after hearing her first recording, a remake of I Think Were Alone Now. She quickly became one of Stiffs brightest stars, headlining package tours and earning several U.K. hits over the next three years with the unforgettable Lucky Number, Say When, Bird Song, and New Toy. Unfortunately, her theatrical quirkiness didnt translate well into LP length, and as new wave dissolved, she disappeared from the music scene. After an eight-year absence, she returned in 1990 with March. It failed to ignite any further interest and she again went into retirement.