Did you know that lead the Flock of Seagulls singer Michael Score owned a hair salon before his band hit the big time?
When we talk about fashion, the one decade that is known for it’s crazy, out-of-whack, and almost notorious style is the 1980’s.This decade showcased some legendary stars across the movie and music industry who made bold statements through their fashion choices. The ’80s was all about going big (and bright) or going home.
This was the era of leg warmers, white jeans, neon colors, and of course big hair.The ‘Yuppie Decade’ saw some insane hairstyles. Kudos to everyone – men and women alike – who dared to sport these ‘badass’ hairdos of those times (I wonder what they think about it when they look back on old pictures).The Whale Spout, permed crinkled hair, the mullet, the mohawk, the jheri curls, and ‘A Flock of Seagulls’ hair are some of the most iconic hairdos of the 80s. What Is ‘A Flock of Seagulls’ Haircut? And its Backstory‘A flock of seagulls’ hair is basically an over-the-top, dramatic hairstyle of Mike score (musician), which resembles the wings of a bird in flight on either side of the head with a downward facing swoop in the middle, that covers one eye. Although the hairdo does resemble a seagull in flight, that is not how it got its name.This is how the story goes (On the left: An image of Mike Score sporting the iconic hairstyle in his prime.
On the right: A recent image of Mike Score now)Image: magnetmagazine.comMike Score, was a hairdresser in Liverpool, England. In 1979 he quit his job and decided to put together a band with his brother and other friends, called ‘A Flock Of Seagulls’.One night while the band was dressing up for a show, Frank Maudsley (a member of the band – the bass player) and Score were fighting over the mirror while the latter was trying to recreate the David Bowie’s poof mullet.Their friendly scuffle for ‘mirror time’, led to Maudsley punching Score’s mullet right in the center, just seconds before they needed to make their appearance on stage, which led to Mike Score’s hairstyle looking like the picture above.
Those of you reading might think – DISASTROUS! Well, the audience at that time didn’t really think so.The crowd loved the hairdo and ever since it became Score’s signature style. Funny how this style became popular, isn’t it?
It took an entire decade for the craze to fade.How to do The ‘A Flock Of Seagulls’ Hair? (Hairstyle Tutorial)With all the backstory about the hairstyle in question, you might want to try it out. It is still a popular hair-do in pop-culture. You could put this look together quite easily, it is not rocket science. The good thing about this hair-do is that it is unisex and can be done by both, men and women.Here’s what you need:. A jar of hair mousse. A bottle of hair spray.
Hair powder/dry shampoo. A hair dryer. A hairbrushHere’s how to do it:1. Apply hair mousse to your short or medium hair generously.
Massage a palm full of mousse into your hair. Wait for a few seconds, and repeat.2. Using a hair dryer allow the mousse to settle in.3. Use a hairbrush and pull the top part of your hair, up, such that it is standing.4. Comb the two sides such that they slightly flop to the back and spray them so that they stay in place.5.
Flatten the center part and comb a flick such that it rests on your forehead and slightly covers the eye.6. Apply the hair powder and blow dry again to keep the style in place.Hairstyle Spotting – Who Wore ‘A Flock Of Seagulls’ Hair Apart From Mike Score?Well, however insane this hairstyle looks, and however much you wish it was left behind in the 80s, there are some who take inspiration from Mike Score, till date. Take a look:Elly’s Tribute. If F.R.I.E.N.D.S validates something it has got to be legit! A flashback episode of this very funny tv show had Chandler Bing sport the 80s iconic ‘A Flock Of Seagulls’ hairdo. Do you think he carries it off well?Not just celebrities.
Some Common People too tried this style. Have a lookBald Is BeautifulThis man took this signature hair-do and gave it his own twist. He shaved off the downward sweep and kept the wings.
He does carry this off with a whole lot of confidence.I ‘Wanna-Be’ Mike ScoreWhether it is his love for birds or love for the band ‘A Flock Of Seagulls’, there’s no stopping this guy! He doesn’t look too impressed though, does he? (Experiment failed.)A Chic Seagull MohawkHe definitely takes tons of inspiration from the 80s. An amalgamation of the mohawk and the seagull, this hairstyle does suit this man a lot.Parodies/Memes Surrounding this Big Seagull Hairdo:Well of course with a hairstyle like this you are bound to face some backlash too.While back in the day, Mike Score did get a little annoyed with all the attention his hair got, it is something that made his band memorable.In fact, all four boys in the band dressed dramatically, and that made them stand out. While they inspired many, they also managed to tickle a funny bone of a few. Here are some really funny memes doing the rounds on the internet:The Inside JokeBased on one of the bands chart-busting songs, called ‘I ran’, this one is truly an inside joke.
When you run with the big hair, this is how your hair is ought to become. Have you ever faced a situation like this?That Bugs Him BunnyWell, this cute little bunny has definitely got his 80s groove on. He closely resembles our man – Mike Score – or at least the hair certainly does!And many more.Jokes aside, A Flock Of Seagulls is legendary, no one can take that away from them.
They were a pioneering act that truly captured the essence of those times.People might joke about the ‘seagull hair’, but it is iconic and will always be fondly remembered. Here’s to the brave Mike Score and his signature hairstyle without which this article wouldn’t have been written:).Would you dare to try this hairstyle? Tell us in the commentscover image: bbci.co.uk.
Mike Score today.(Splash)He’s currently gearing up for the tour this summer, which features popular acts from the time, including Men Without Hats, Boys Don’t Cry and Bow Wow Wow, among others.And one song audiences will expect to hear from Score is his 1982 hit, “I Ran,” one that he initially didn’t suspect would ever become an overnight sensation.“We were rehearsing and we did have a kind of instrumental that was going to turn into ‘I Ran’ later,' Score recalled. “But we didn’t have the lyrics. So one day we went to a local record company in Liverpool called Zoo Records They had a picture from the ‘50s, a flying saucer with a man and a woman running away.' It was one of the best pictures I’ve ever seen in sci-fi. So when we went to rehearse, I put myself in the position of those people, running away from the flying saucer As I remember it, ‘I Ran’ basically kind of wrote itself.”. When it came for the music video, which resembled a small room covered wall-to-wall with aluminum foil and surrounded by mirrors, Score said not as much thought was put into that creation.“We didn’t have an incredible amount of money,” Score explained.
“I think we had four hours to make a video It was made for a couple thousand pounds in England. MTV had just started so our record company was desperate to get something across to them.' So it was literally going to the label and being told, ‘You’re going to make a music video.
Go get fancy clothes. Make your image.’ We’d come in the afternoon, make the video, saw it that night and then it was on a plane to MTV in New York City in a day or two. It was instant.”The fame came just as fast and A Flock of Seagulls, originally willing to make heads turn, was not prepared for the ravenous fandom that would unfold. “Really, it was a bit much,” said Score.
“We went from playing colleges to playing with The Go-Go’s and The Police for 20,000 to 100,000 people in less than nine months. For us, it was kind of mind-bending and quite scary. It’s still quite scary to look back on it.
I remember thinking, ‘Wow, we’re growing so fast. I hope we don’t fall off the edge.' 'A Flock of Seagulls found themselves on stage at the Hollywood Bowl where played, as well as on Madison Square Garden. Listeners from both sides of the pond were emulating the hairstyle that attempted to defy gravity.But when cameras weren’t around, Score said his bandmates were experiencing different kinds of emotions while attempting to cope with fame.“I think that was the problem with the original band,” he said. “We never learned how to deal with it properly.”Then the ‘90s came. And along with it, an army of bands from Seattle producing darker, heavier tracks that would be labeled grunge. Many groups from the decade of decadence disappeared as quickly as they arrived.Score was relieved.“The industry basically collapsed,” he said.
“ I didn’t expect it to last as long as it did. We had a good four, five years. Now I could go play little gigs and be a musician, be myself and try to enjoy it. Part of the problem when you’re getting big is you’re not really allowed to enjoy it because every moment of your time is taken up with interviews, traveling shows, parties, recovering from parties.
We had about three years where really, I don’t know what happened.”. As for Score’s relationship with “I Ran”? It’s complicated.“I love it and I hate it all at once,” he said.
“I love it because it was a big hit and I like playing it to people who love it. I hate it because I don’t think it’s the best song we’ve ever written.
'Wishing' and 'Space Age' are both better than 'I Ran.' They were hits as well, but I just think they were better songs. When we finished writing 'I Ran,' we kind of put away.“It wasn’t until we went to record the album that we were told this was going to be a huge hit. We thought 'Fine, whatever.' I think they knew the markets better than we did. We were thinking sci-fi, they were thinking America. We were just a band doing our thing, but they were the ones that had to make it and sell it.”And while he still looks back at the past and laughs, he said there aren’t really plans to reform the original lineup.
In May, reported they recorded music for the first time since 1984.“We just made a new album and a video together,” said Score. “It was good to hang out with the other guys. And I can only tell you from my point of view. It was nice to see them and talk to them I wouldn’t mind say recording with them.