New Wave: Dare to be Different

Overview

U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Blondie, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Clash, The Cure: Over half a billion records sold but you may never have heard of them if not for a small suburban radio station on Long Island, NY: WLIR. In August, 1982, a small group of radio visionaries knew they couldn't compete with the mega-stations in New York City. With one brave decision, they changed the sound of radio forever. Program Director Denis McNamara, the 'LIR crew and the biggest artists of the era tell the story of how they battled the FCC, the record labels, mega-radio and all the conventional rules to create a musical movement that brought the New Wave to America.

Directed by Ellen Goldfarb

Top cast

Debbie Harry

Self - Blondie - Singer / Songwriter

Joan Jett

Self - The Runaways, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - Singer / Songwriter

Billy Idol

Self - Singer / Songwriter

Nick Rhodes

Self - Duran Duran - singer / songwriter / keyboards

N

Nancy Abramson

Self - WLIR - DJ

M

M. King Adkins

Self

R

Ron Alexenburg

Self - record executive

S

Sam Ash

Self - Sam Ash Music - owner

Tom Bailey

Self - The Thompson Twins - lead singer

I

Ivan Baker

Self - Ivan Ivan - producer, manager, executive, DJ

Jeff Beck

Self - WLIR - production director / DJ

E

Eric Bloom

Self - Blue Oyster Cult - lead singer

D

Delphine Blue

Self - WLIR - DJ

G

George Cheyne

Self - APB

Vince Clarke

Self - Producer, Depeche Mode / Yaz / Yazoo / Erasure - keyboards

Miles A. Copeland III

Self - The Police - manager, IRS Records - founder

P

Paul Cramer

Self - WXXP, Pittsburgh - DJ

Cy Curnin

Self - The Fixx - lead singer

G

Gary Daly

Self - China Crisis

J

John De Bella

Self - WLIR / Greater Media Philadelphia - DJ

Details