Lloyd Cole and the Commotions were a popular British pop music act of the mid 1980s, based in Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1982 and signed to Polydor in 1984, the band was known for combining Clark’s twangy guitar style with Cole’s low-key singing style. Particularly notable were Cole’s literary lyrics (he was studying Philosophy at the University of Glasgow when the band started) and namedropping the likes of Norman Mailer, Arthur Lee, Grace Kelly, Truman Capote, Eva Marie Saint, Simone de Beauvoir, and Nancy Sinatra. For a period in the mid 1980s The Commotions were one of the most successful indie acts in Britain, vying with The Smiths. The band broke up in 1989 amid reports of personality clashes between members, and Cole moved to New York City to pursue a successful solo career. The band reformed in 2004 to perform a 20th anniversary tour of the UK and Ireland.
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