Re-Flex

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English new wave band (1981–1985)

title: "Re-Flex" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["english-new-wave-musical-groups", "english-synth-pop-groups", "english-synth-pop-new-wave-groups", "musical-groups-established-in-1981", "musical-groups-disestablished-in-1985", "musical-groups-from-birmingham,-west-midlands"] description: "English new wave band (1981–1985)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-Flex" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English new wave band (1981–1985) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

Field	Value
name	Re-Flex
background	group_or_band
origin	Birmingham, England
genre
years_active	1981–1987
label
website
past_members	* John Baxter
::

Paul Fishman
François Craig
John Hodges
Phil Gould
Mark King
Roland Vaughn Kerridge
Nigel Ross-Scott Re-Flex were an English new wave band formed in Birmingham in 1981. They are most notable for their hit "The Politics of Dancing", the title track from their debut studio album released in 1983. The band stopped actively working together in 1985, but occasionally collaborated on individual members' solo projects in the years following.

History

Formation and early years (1981–1982)

Re-Flex were formed in 1981 by musicians John Baxter on vocals and lead guitar and Paul Fishman on keyboards and backing vocals. The band's earliest line-ups also included François Craig on bass and vocals, John Hodges on guitar, and two successive drummers: Phil Gould and Mark King, who would both go on to form jazz-funk band Level 42. Following King's exit, Roland Vaughn Kerridge took over on drums. Later, after Craig's departure, musician Thomas Dolby introduced the band to ex-Gloria Mundi bass player Nigel Ross-Scott, as he had previously worked with him in the post-punk band Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club, alongside Bruce Woolley and Dave Birch. Hodges departed at some point before their first album was recorded and his vacancy was not filled, thus making the band a 4-piece. Re-Flex's final and best-known line-up consisted of Baxter, Fishman, Kerridge and Ross-Scott.

International success (1983–1984)

In late 1982, the band recorded their debut album, The Politics of Dancing, which was released in November 1983 by EMI Records. The album, produced by John Punter of Roxy Music fame, was a moderate success, peaking at No. 53 in the United States, No. 58 in Germany and No. 34 in New Zealand. It was later re-released in 1993, in CD format for the first time, by One Way Records.

The album's title track, released as a single in late 1983, was met with much greater success, and became a big international hit in 1984, reaching the top 40 (and in some cases the top 20) in numerous countries: No. 24 in the United States and No. 8 on the U.S. dance chart, No. 28 in the UK (with a chart run of 9 weeks), No. 9 in Canada (with a chart run of 9 weeks in the Canadian top 30), No. 25 in West Germany, No. 11 in Australia, No. 12 in New Zealand, and was also a success in Switzerland, South Africa, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy. Five other singles were released from the album and achieved various international success. The band toured Europe and the United States, where, on their first visit, they supported the Police.

"The Politics of Dancing" was featured in the 1998 film Edge of Seventeen and can also be found on numerous compilation albums of 1980s hit singles. It also appeared in the trailer and film Atomic Blonde, starring Charlize Theron (2017). Re-Flex also recorded the song "Cut It" for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Breakin' which was released by Polydor Records.

''Humanication'' and hiatus (1985–1987)

Released: November 1983 (reissued 18 September 2010)
Label: EMI, Capitol Records, One Way Records (CD reissue, 1993)
Formats: LP, cassette, CD | align="center"| — | align="center"| 53 | align="center"| 77 | align="center"| — | align="center"| 58 | align="center"| — | align="center"| 34 | align="center"| — |- ! scope="row" | 1985 | Humanication
Released: (originally planned for February 1985) 18 September 2010
Label: EMI, Capitol Records, Jambo Music
Formats: LP, cassette, CD |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |- ! scope="row" | 2010 |
Released: 18 September 2010
Label: Jambo Music
Formats: CD |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |- ! scope="row" | 2010 | Music Re-Action
Released: 18 September 2010
Label: Jambo Music
Formats: CD |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |- ! scope="row" | 2010 | Jamming the Broadcast
Released: (recorded in 1986–1987) 18 September 2010
Label: Jambo Music
Formats: CD |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |- ! scope="row" | 2010 | Re-Fuse (Box Set)
Released: 18 September 2010 (includes Movement of the Action-Fraction, The Politics of Dancing, Humanication, Music Re-Action, Jamming the Broadcast and the exclusive Re-Fuse CD)
Label: Jambo Music
Formats: CD |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |- ! scope="row" | 2022 | Vibrate Generate
Released: 24 June 2022 (is a remixed album from their career, include various rare and unreleased tracks)
Label: Cherry Red Records - Jambo Music
Formats: CD, digital download |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |}

Singles

::data[format=table] | Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | UK | US | US Dance | AUS | GER | SWI | SA | NL | NZ | CAN | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1983 | "The Politics of Dancing" | 28 | 24 | 8 | 12 | 25 | 28 | 19 | 43 | 12 | 9 | The Politics of Dancing | | | "Hitline" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | "Hurt" | — | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | 1984 | "Praying to the Beat" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 50 | — | | | | "Couldn't Stand a Day" | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | "Sensitive" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | 1985 | "How Much Longer" | — | — | — | — | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | Humanication | | ::

References

[{{AllMusic
"Official Charts Company - Re-Flex - The Politics of Dancing". [[Official Charts Company]].
"the politics of dancing". Amazon.com.
"Featured Content on Myspace".
"Re-Flex Connect - Html/Flash Portal". Re-flex.com.
[http://oldschool.tblog.com/post/1970117535 Back to the 80s: Interview with Paul Fishman from Re-Flex - Kickin' it Old School. tBlog.com 08 September 2012.] {{Webarchive. link. (13 December 2013 Retrieved 12-7-2013.)
"Re-Flex".
Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
"The Politics of Dancing".
"Re-Flex".
"((( Re-flex - Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". [[AllMusic]].
"Re-Flex".
"dutchcharts.nl - Discografie Re-flex". dutchcharts.nl.
"charts.nz - Discography Re-flex". charts.nz.
"The Politics of Dancing single".
"How Much Longer?".

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