Naked Eyes were an English new wave and synth-pop band. Formed in 1982 by vocalist Pete Byrne and keyboardist Rob Fisher, the band had four US top 40 singles in the 1980s.
Naked Eyes are best known for their hit cover version of "Always Something There to Remind Me" (1982) & their hit song "Promises, Promises."
members: Shok, Peter Byrne, Rob Fisher, Mark Stacy
formed in: London
labels: EMI Records
genres: new wave
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Naked Eyes was formed by Pete Byrne (vocals) and Rob Fisher (keyboards), two college friends from Bath, England. They had both been members of Neon, a new wave band that also included future Tears for Fears members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.
Are you them, or do you know them? The mail slot is open.
"Promises, Promises" is a song by the English new wave and synth-pop band Naked Eyes, released in 1983 as the second single from their debut studio album Burning Bridges. The single went on to become a top-20 hit in the U.S. in October 1983, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, although it was re-recorded with lyrics differing from the original UK single.
The song was written by Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher, the core members of Naked Eyes. It follows the band's signature synth-pop sound, characterized by electronic instrumentation, layered melodies, and an upbeat rhythm.
The track's rhythm section was crafted using the Fairlight CMI, with each drum sound individually programmed and synchronized via a click track. Initially, the band used analog equipment like the Prophet-5 synthesizer and TR-808 drum machine for their demos. However, during studio production, they layered these with digital instruments such as the Fairlight, PPG Wave 2.2, and Synclavier to achieve a clearer and more defined sound. This approach minimized the muddiness often associated with multitracking analog synths, particularly in the bass frequencies. The meticulous integration of these technologies resulted in the distinctive sound of "Promises, Promises".