The System Almost Grown (1983)
Most people outside England don't know which is the second largest city in the country—it's Birmingham, by the way—and hardly anyone knows that two of the most internationally successful English bands come from there: UB40 and Duran Duran. What these two bands also have in common is that Bob Lamb—a drummer, producer, and audio engineer—wrote and produced songs for both of them. One of Lamb's few attempts to establish himself as an artist was with the band The System—not to be confused with the US band of the same name. Logic, the album the new wave group released in 1983, went completely unnoticed. The re-release of four tracks as an EP in 2016 also did not bring late success. The System's commercial failure seems mysterious. Because anyone who listens to "Almost Grown", something like the lead single of both releases, will hear all the ingredients of an 80s new wave hit.
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