There were a number of deeply weird acts in the 80s. Here are a few of my favorites!
1. Nina Hagen
Had a bit of a hit with "African Reggae." Listening to her Nunsexmonkrock album as I make this list.
2. Diamanda Galas
Whenever someone tells me that they like all music I tell them to listen to "Wild Women With Steak Knives" and get back to me!3. Wendy O Williams
Led the Plasmatics and did her own stunts in videos including helolicopters and driving a school bus through a wall of televisions. Also used chainsaws and sledgehammers on stage and collaborated with Lemmy from Motörhead. Unfortunately left us too soon via suicide.4. Hanin Elias from Atari Teenage Riot
Ok had to reach into the 1990s for ATR but worth a listen. Find the video where they were performing from the back of a truck during riots in Berlin and screaming through bullhorns blaring techno.5. Lene Lovitch
More "pop " than some of the other artists on this list she had a few hits including one of my favorite songs "New Toy." Thomas Dolby played keyboards for her before he got famous.6. Kristy Marlana Wallace known as Poison Ivy or Poison Ivy Rorschach of the Cramps
Rockabilly guitarist in a fearless band7. Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of the B52s
Achieved commercial success but had a very edgy and weird stylistic approach to their vocals. I read an interview where they named Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica as a very influential album.8. Grace Jones
Her striking looks (she has also been a model) and dramatic staging and costumes are hard to ignore9. Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees
Less wild musically but great name.10. Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders
Ok not really wild but another one of my favorites from the era. She has one of the coolest stage presences of any rocker: so laid back and confident.
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