How many of you out there know that Terry Bozzio, Warren Cuccurullo and Patrick O'Hearn from Zappa's late 70's lineups, formed the new wave band Missing Persons with Terry's wife Dale on lead vocals?
I love Missing Persons! Dale made her debut with Frank after being Mary in the "Joe's Garage" story (she was fresh off being a Playboy bunny, too--find that issue!)...She is such an original!...
Terry, Dale , Warren and Patrick formed the band in late 1980 and their uniqueness included Dale's hiccupping high -pitched accents in her vocals(sort of a Barbie version of Buddy Holly!)...
Dale also colored her hair white with pink and blue streaks in it...They shopped around for a record label and got turned down a lot, but Capitol eventually signed them in 1981....
In early 1982, they released a 4-song EP, which included the classsic "Words" ("what are words for?/When no one listens anymore?"), the soon to be hit "Destination Unknown", Dale's tribute to men "I Like Boys" and a cover of the Door's "Hello, I Love You"...Their videos for "Words" (where she's wearing a plastic box as her bottom bikini) and "Destination Unknown" got them plenty of notice..
But not just for Dale's wild look and hot body....Terry, as we all Zappaheads know, is a phenominal drummer and his playing got even better in Missing Persons, where he began to be compared to Keith Moon's wild -style...The band released their debut album "Spring Session M" in summer of '82 (when I was 16)...The title, when rearranged spells out "Missing Person"!....The album was flawless! ...The playing was cutting edge!
In 1984, they released "Rhyme and Reason" , which featured Terry now playing electronic drums more and had hits with "Give" (amazing aolo from Warren) and "Right Now"...In 1986, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers (of chic fame) produced their swan song album, "Colour In Your Life", which was more dance-oriented..They boke up after a tour in 1987 , when Terry and Dale got divorced...
Since then , Warren played with Duran Duran for a few years and Terry did some very interesting solo projects and is now part of Zappa Plays Zappa, with old cronie Steve Vai...Dale continues to front a new version of Missing Persons..I saw them in 2002 and they were very good..Dale said the drummer that night was Terry's drum teacher.(wish I could remember his name!)..He was very good!..Dale and Comapny toured this year as part of a revival of new wave bands...Even though Dale is in the group, it's not the same without Terry and Warren and Patrick (who now does solo work)...
They now live up to their name..They are missing persons ....
Great group though!
