Oakdale's Steve Strange returns with new Visage release (From South Wales Argus)

Oakdale's Steve Strange returns with new Visage release

4:30pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Chris Wood, Reporter

NEWBRIDGE-born Eighties pop icon Steve Strange is back, and his band, Visage, will release their first album for nearly 30 years.

Mr Strange’s band was considered a founding father of the New Romantic genre and pioneer of the 1980s sound, with their self-titled album reaching number 13 in the UK album charts in 1980.

Oakdale Comprehensive-educated Mr Strange credited the Sex Pistols with changing his life after he saw them at Newport’s Stowaway club in 1976.

He moved to London and formed his group with Midge Ure, who left in 1982 to form Ultravox.

Visage dropped off the radar after its 1984 album, Beat Boy, which got to number 79 in the album charts.

The group has now reformed and their new album , Hearts and Knives, will be out in May before a European tour that includes a date in Cardiff.

The singer described the decision to reform being down to “the positive people I now surround myself with”, including members of Visage, helping to create an atmosphere where the album “started to happen”.

Details at www.visage.cc