The Brains
The Brains were a rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, led by songwriter Tom Gray in the early 1980s. Their 1980 debut album was entitled The Brains, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite for Mercury Records. The album included "Money Changes Everything", which became a hit single for Cyndi Lauper when she covered it three years later. After a second Mercury recording in 1981, Electronic Eden (also produced by Lillywhite) and then an independently released E.P., Dancing Under Streetlights, the band split up. A song from Electronic Eden, "Heart in the Street", was covered by Manfred Mann's Earth Band on their 1980 album Chance as "Heart on the Street."
The band appeared many times at Atlanta's premier New Wave/alternative rock venue, 688 Club, referred to locally as simply "688." The video for Dancing Under Streetlights was filmed one night in Spring Street, out in front of the club. They were also the opening act for the July 1980 Devo concert at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, an April 1981 headlining performance at JB Scotts in Albany, New York, and the May 22, 1982, headlining performers at the Milestone Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Drummer Charles Wolff died of cancer on September 10, 2010. Keith Christopher went on to join The Georgia Satellites, but was replaced as bass player in that band by Rick Price, guitarist for the Brains. The Brains' last drummer Mauro Magellan was the original drummer for the Satellites.
Group members
- Tom Gray - keyboards, vocals
- Keith Christopher - bass (Dancing Under Street Lights)
- Charles Wolff - drums
- Rick Price - guitar, vocals
- Brian Smithwick- Bass (Mercury sessions)
- Mauro Magellan- Drums (Last 8 Months)
Albums
- 1980: The Brains
- 1981: Electronic Eden
- 1982: Dancing Under Streetlights (EP)
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