Released in 1986, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was a teen comedy hit starring Matthew Broderick as the lead character Ferris Bueller. The film was written, co-produced and directed by John Hughes – best known to this point as Director of hit films Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Weird Science. One common theme for all of those movies was his understanding and connection to teens in suburban America. The other trademark of John Hughes was the inclusion of newer, cutting-edge music. Leading up to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Hughes had spotlighted acts such as Simple Minds, Psychedelic Furs and Oingo Boingo – all relatively unknown in the US at the time they were part of the films.
In many of his films, there are scenes in the bedroom of a main character where band posters are displayed on the walls. The trend continued in Ferris Bueller’s bedroom where he pretends to be sick to miss school and enjoy a day roaming Chicago with friends. Look closely at those scenes and you will see several band posters on Bueller’s wall. Below is a list of the posters spotted in his room.
Flesh for Lulu
British alternative goth rock band formed in 1982.
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – The band released their first record in 1983 – Roman Candle (ep), followed by their debut album Flesh for Lulu (1984) as well as Blue Sisters Swing (ep) (1985) and Big Fun City (1985).
Career After Ferris Bueller – Following Ferris Bueller’s Day Off the band would be featured in the 1987 film Some Kind of Wonderful (written and produced by Hughes) with the song “I Go Crazy.” The song was taken from 1987’s Long Live the New Flesh. Due to its inclusion on the Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack, the song gained radio airplay in the US on college rock stations. The band would have two other alternative hits with 1989’s “Decline and Fall” and 1990’s “Time and Space” – the latter reaching the Top 10 of the Modern Rock Charts but not reaching the Billboard Top 40. Flesh for Lulu would disband in 1992, with some members forming the band Gigantic and then reforming Flesh for Lulu in 2013. Neither band would ever archive mainstream commercial success.
Bryan Ferry
Lead singer or Roxy Music and solo artist
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – Ferry formed Roxy Music in 1970 and fronted the band until their breakup in 1983. Roxy Music achieved major worldwide success with classic albums including Country Life, Sirens and Avalon. In fact, Roxy Music is widely considered one of the most important rock acts of the 1970’s. Ferry in parallel had a solo career – releasing 6 solo albums between 1973 – 1985. At the time of release of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferry had recently released Boys and Girls – a Platinum certified, #1 hit in the UK and Gold certified in the US. Ferry released two major singles from the album with “Slave to Love” and Don’t Stop the Dance.”
Career After Ferris Bueller – Following his exposure on Bueller’s wall, Ferry has released 10 more solo albums – most recently 2018’s Bitter-Sweet. Bryan Ferry’s albums have sold well, especially in the UK and he continues to produce critically acclaimed records. While Roxy Music continues to perform through reunions, they have not released an album of new material since 1982’s Avalon.
The Rave-Ups
American rock band formed in Pittsburgh, PA in 1979
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – By the time the Rave-Ups were plastered on the wall of Bueller’s bedroom, the band had already appeared in two John Hughes films – Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink. The association with Hughes came from actress Molly Ringwald who was introduced to the band through her sister. In Sixteen Candles, Ringwald’s character had a notebook with “The Rave-Ups” scrawled in pen. Ringwald then invited Hughes to see the band perform and they were asked to be part of his next film Pretty in Pink where they performed on stage in a bar scene playing two songs – “Rave-Up, Shut-Up” and “Positively Lost Me.” In 1985, the band released their first full length album – Town + Country – which included the college rock radio hit “Positively Lost Me.”
Career After Ferris Bueller – Despite their positive momentum with inclusion in Pretty in Pink and their name featured in two other Hughes movies, the band struggled in the late 80’s due to legal battles. They did however release an album on Epic Records in 1987 – The Book of Your Regrets. The Rave-Ups followed up with 1990’s Chance which included college radio hit “Respectfully King of Rain.” They were even featured playing in an episode of Season One of Beverly Hills 90210. The band unfortunately were never able to gain commercial traction and broke up in 1992. Since then, the Rave-Ups have reunited and recently released a new album on Omnivore Records titled Tomorrow.
Killing Joke
English rock band formed in 1979
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – By 1986, Killing Joke were veterans with five albums under their belts including their most successful to date – 1985’s Night Time. Included on the Night Time album was their first major hit in the UK “Live Like Blood” – which reached Number 16 on the UK singles chart.
Career After Ferris Bueller – A few months after the release of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Killing Joke released their sixth studio album – Brighter Than a Thousand Suns. The album did not fare as well commercially in the UK as its predecessor but gained small momentum in the US and became their only charting album in America reaching #194 on the Billboard 200. Since then, Killing Joke has released nine more albums – including the most recent in 2015 titled Pylon which reached Number 16 on the UK album charts. The band qualifies as a true cult favorite and has been cited as a major influence by bands such as Metallica, Soundgarden and Nirvana. In fact, many fans know Killing Joke best from Metallica’s cover of their song “The Wait” which was included on Metallica’s 1987 album The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited. Foo Fighters also covered “Requiem” as a b-side for their “Everlong” single.
Blancmange
English synth-pop band formed in 1979
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – Although virtually unknown in the US around 1986, Blancmange had considerable success in the UK and throughout Europe. In 1982, their third single – “Living on the Ceiling” – became an international hit and peaked at #7 on the UK singles chart. Following that success, Blancmange released six consecutive singles between 1982 and 1985 that hit the UK Top 40 – including 2 more Top 10 hits – “Blind Vision” and “Don’t Tell Me.” On the album side, Blancmange also achieved success. The debut album – 1982’s Happy Families – peaked in the UK at #30 and certified Gold. The second album – Mange Tout – released in 1984 was even more successful peaking at #8 on the UK album charts. The follow up album – Believe You Me – was released in 1985. The album was much less successful and only one single had any success barely reaching the Top 40 and became the group’s final Top 40 UK hit.
Career After Ferris Bueller – Ironically, Blancmange announced their breakup in June 1986 – the same month Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was released. The group would reform in 2011 after a very extended breakup. Since then, Blancmange has released several albums including 2021’s Commercial Break.
Charlie Sexton
American singer, songwriter and guitarist
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – With his teen idol looks, guitar talent and strong vocals, Charlie Sexton was a definite superstar in the making when he released his debut album Pictures for Pleasure in 1985. Sexton was only 16 years old at the time of the release and became an immediate success with his single “Beat’s So Lonely” which peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Career After Ferris Bueller – Riding the wave of initial popularity, Sexton’s hit “Beat’s So Lonely” was featured in Hughes’ 1987 film Some Kind of Wonderful (although the song was not featured on the soundtrack release). In 1988, Charlie joined his brother, Will Sexton, in the band Will and the Kill for their 1988 self-titled album. The record did considerably well but did not achieve the success of Pictures for Pleasure. Charlie released his second solo album in 1989 titled Charlie Sexton. The album was disappointing commercially compared to his debut peaking at #104 on the US Billboard 200 album charts. While still in his teens, Sexton became an in-demand session player for stars such as Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards and Don Henley. He also formed Arc Angels with Doyle Bramhall II and Stevie Ray Vaughn’s backing band – Double Trouble. Although Sexton has been successful as a side man (he played in Bob Dylan’s band for a few years), he never lived up to his commercial promise as a teen.
Simple Minds
Rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – With albums such as 1982’s New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and their 1984 album Sparkle in the Rain, Simple Minds were stars in the UK and most of Europe but mostly unknown in the US market for the first half of the 1980’s. 1985, however, was a very big year for Simple Minds that changed everything. While recording their album Once Upon a Time, they were asked to cut a song for a movie soundtrack. The song was “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and the movie was The Breakfast Club – written, produced and directed by John Hughes. Both the song and the movie would become huge hits. “Don’t You Forget About Me” would hit Number One on the US Billboard Hot 100 despite the band never entering the Top 40 before. Later in 1985, the band released Once Upon a Time – which was a Top 10 album in nearly every major country in the world – including the US. The album contained 4 singles that made it inside the Top 15 on the UK singles chart (“Alive and Kicking,” “Sanctify Yourself,” All the Things She Said” and “Ghostdancing”). In fact, the success of “Alive and Kicking” was not unique to the UK; it was a major hit single around the globe. In the US, the single went to Number 3 on the Billboard charts.
Career After Ferris Bueller – While Simple Minds would continue to have chart success – especially in the UK where they would land inside the Top 20 singles chart 12 times between 1987 and 1998 – they never matched the success of 1985 and 1986. Since Once Upon a Time, the band has released 12 more studio albums and numerous live and best of compilations – establishing themselves as one of the most important bands to come out of the 1980’s. In the US, Simple Minds would have three more Top 40 hits after 1986. The band continues to tour and record albums that are well received into the 2020’s. The band will release Direction of the Heart in October 2022.
Cabaret Voltaire
English electronic music group formed in 1973
Career Up to Ferris Bueller – Like many of the bands featured in John Hughes’ films, Cabaret Voltaire were somewhat obscure – especially in the US. By 1986, Cabaret Voltaire had already released 7 studio albums including their most recent – 1985’s The Covenant, The Sword and the Arm of the Lord. As with their previous albums, the band had minor success in the UK but were most successful on the UK Indie chart with four singles in the Top 10 between 1979 and 1983. Despite their underground success on the Indie Charts, Cabaret Voltaire did not reach UK the mainstream and were virtually unknown in the US.
Career After Ferris Bueller – In the years following 1986, Cabaret Voltaire would continue to release albums and singles up to 1994 but would not have any albums chart in the UK. The band reconvened in 2020 to release Shadow of Fear. Although their commercial success was limited to the UK in the early 80’s. Cabaret Voltaire are cited as a very influential band in the electronic and industrial scene with bands such as New Order, Bauhaus, Skinny Puppy and Depeche Mode citing them as a major influence.
