Sunday, December 10, 2006

Bone Symphony

Songwriter Scott Wilk wrote a number of successful pop tunes before releasing his 1980 album Scott Wilk and the Walls on Warner. The eponymous debut was an Attractions-like power pop record. In fact, the album sounded so much like Costello that many people either thought it was or dismissed Wilk as a copy cat artist. Those overlooking the album missed a rather nice, though straight edge, slice of tight pop.



Wilk added two members to the band in 1983 and switched gears entirely. His new creation, Bone Symphony, was a mash up of new wave, electro dance and Oingo Boingo/Devo-esque bizarro. He ditched the power pop sound, added synths and hair gel and released an eponymous EP. The Capitol 5-track EP contained the songs, “It’s a Jungle Out There” (see video), “Everything I Say is a Lie”, “I’ll Be There for You,” “Piece of My Heart” and “Dome of the Spheres.” “It’s a Jungle out There” received a fair amount of airplay but most collectors know the band for the stand out track “Dome of the Spheres.”



In 1984 Bony Symphony appeared (fittingly) on the soundtrack to Revenge of the Nerds with “One Foot in Front of the Other” - a track that proved quite popular. But not popular enough to keep Bone Symphony afloat, they disbanded shortly afterwards.

In 2003, Scott Wilk replied to a post on the New Wave Outpost about his activities post Bone Symphony: “…I worked with Charlie Sexton on an album for MCA, and as his "MD" for a world tour that included MTV New Year's Eve. Charlie and I were also lucky enough to write and perform the end title song to "Beverly Hills Cop II". Charlie is on the road with Bob Dylan these days. I also made an album with Harold Faltermeyer, and scored films like "Valley Girl" and TV shows such as "Duckman" (70 episodes), which is still on Comedy Central. "Duckman", an animated series, starred Jason Alexander of "Seinfeld" fame.”

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