The bisexual backstory of an ’80s synth-pop anthem that will never “Fade to Grey”
Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.The group recorded three albums between 1980 and 1984 before their breakup in 1985.
Their most popular song was “Fade To Grey,” the second single from their debut album Visage, releasedby Polydor Records in November 1980.Written by band members Billy Currie, Midge Ure, and Chris Payne and performed by Strange, the lyrics are in both English and French and tell of a lonely wanderer standing in the rain on a deserted train platform contemplating whether to take his own life.“Feel the rain like an English summer/Hear the notes from a distant song/Stepping out from a back shop poster/Wishing life wouldn’t be so long.”The song’s dark story is juxtaposed by a pulsing beat and swelling baseline, which give it a catchy, danceable vibe.An accompanying music video was directed by Godley & Creme and released in 1981.
It featured Strange alongside English DJ and fashion icon Julia Fodor (a.k.a. Princess Julia), who lip-synced the French lyrics.Upon its release, “Fade to Grey” reached the top 10 the UK and in several other countries across Europe, hitting number one in both Switzerland and West Germany.
While it didn’t chart in the US, the album managed to crack the US Billboard 200, peaking at number 178. Visage broke up in 1985, after the release of their third album Beat Boy.
