Where 80s pop stars are now – from The Specials’ Terry Hall’s tragic death to car smash and unrecognisable heartthrob
TRIBUTES are pouring in following the death of The Specials’ lead singer Terry Hall.
The ska musician, 63, who rose to fame with hits including Ghost Town and Too Much Too Young, passed away after a brief illness.
Terry, who left The Specials in 1981, was described as “one of the kindest, funniest and most genuine of souls” in a statement from his former band.
In the wake of his death, we look back at the other stars of the Eighties and reveal where they are now.
Simon Le Bon
Duran Duran’s lead singer Simon Le Bon was considered the epitome of cool during his heyday and for a time sported a then-fashionable mullet.
In recent years, fans say they barely recognise the musician after he was snapped in tiny black speedos on a beach in the Cayman Islands and on holiday in Italy.
Simon, now 64, has been married to supermodel Yasmin Parvaneh for 37 years and has three daughters – after his wife suffered two miscarriages.
The singer famously wooed the English beauty by calling up the modeling agency she was signed to after spotting her in a magazine.
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde rose to fame with her debut single Kids In America and was the most charted British female solo act during the Eighties.
In a surprising twist, the musician, 62, won the Best Show Garden award at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show back in 2001.
Her interest in gardening was sparked during her first pregnancy and since then she’s written two books about the hobby and fronted TV shows Better Gardens and Garden Invaders.
‘Barely aged’
American pop-rock band The Bangles made a name for themselves with hits including Eternal Flame, Walk Like an Egyptian and Manic Monday.
Susanna Hoffs, 63, who sang and played guitar, recently released her first novel titled The Bird Has Flown, and the film rights have been snapped up by Universal Pictures.
The musician doesn’t appear to have aged a day since the band’s heyday in the Eighties, sporting a trim figure, youthful skin and flowing brunette hair.
Gary Numan
Gary Numan has sold more than 10 million records during his career and alongside his lyricism was noted for his unusual look.
The singer, now 64, was famed for dressing like a character from a cyberpunk story – often seen with make-up and android-inspired gear.
Away from music, he’s an aviation enthusiast and used to perform flight acrobatics as part of a team until 2005 when he quit after several colleagues died in accidents.
Morten Harket
Norweigan band A-ha topped the charts with their breakthrough hit Take On Me, which had an equally impressive cartoon-inspired music video.
Fans of the band were treated to a performance from lead singer Morten Harket, 63, last year when he appeared on The Masked Singer.
He was the performer beneath a giant Viking costume and admitted that he only took the gig because it would take him out of his comfort zone, which he knew he “would hate”.
Peter Buck
REM guitarist Peter Buck landed himself in hot water in 2002 when he was accused of going on a drunken rampage on a plane.
He was charged with being drunk on an aircraft, two counts of assault against and damaging British Airways crockery, but was later cleared by a judge.
Peter, who did not deny his behaviour, blamed his actions – including yelling at staff and spraying them with yoghurt – on mixing a sleeping pill with alcohol.
Peter, who married his third wife in 2013, has continued to continue work on new music – including with Joseph Arthur, under the name Arthur Buck.
Curt Smith
Earlier this year, Tears For Fears delighted fans as they announced they were to reunite and go on tour.
But unfortunately, they were forced to cancel UK and US dates after co-founder Curt Smith, 61, was involved in a car accident.
The musician, who suffered four broken ribs, was initially said to have died in the collision, but it was latest exposed as another online celebrity death hoax.