Nick Feldman, Jack Hues and Darren Costin formed the band Huang Chung in 1980. The name is chinese and means "yellow bell" and is the first note in the chinese classical music scale. Feldman placed an advert for musicians in the british music magazine Melody Maker in 1977. Hues responded. They were joined by Bud Merrick on bass and Paul Hammond (ex-Atomic Rooster) on drums forming The Intellektuals. Within a year the band broke up. Hues and Feldman recruited Darren Costin on drums, Leigh Gorman on bass guitar, Simon Campbell on keyboards and Glenn Gregory on vocals. The new band was called 57 Men. 57 Men lasted for 18 months before it broke up. Gorman joined Adam And The Ants (and after that Bow Wow Wow), Gregory joined Heaven 17.

Hues, Feldman and Costin stayed together and renamed themselves Huang Chung. They gave theirselves nicknames. Jack became Jeremy Ryder, Nick became Nick DeSpig and Darren became Darwin. The first songs appeared on many compilations form their record label 101 Records. Then they signed with Rewind Records to release 2 singles: "Isn't It About Time We Were on TV" followed by "Stand Still". The singles didn't chart. Then they signed with Arista Records and added sax player Dave Burnand to the band and his nickname became Hogg Robinson. Another 3 singles were released but also failed to chart. At least in the UK. In the Netherlands they charted with the single "China". Finally in 1982 they released their first untitled album including the 3 singles released by Arista Records. This album is actually a great album but was overlooked at that time. But it received the attention it deserved after the band became famous as Wang Chung. It was released with different order and tracklistings sometimes including the original "Dance Hall Days" version from 1982.
China - single cover
Hues, DeSpig and Burnand contributed the song "Lovers"on the album of the mysterious pseudonymous group Blanket of Secrecy. The band consisted of Roger Bechirian, Andrew Howell and Pete Marsh, operating under the pseudonyms Tinker, Soldier and Tailor.
Dance Hall Days - 1982 single cover
As Huang Chung and still contracted by Arista Records they recorded another single titled "Dance Hall Days". This early version didn't chart and their contract with Arista Records ended. Dave Burnand left the band.
Dance Hall Days - 1983 single cover
Then they signed with Geffen in 1983 and they suggested to change the name of the band to Wang Chung To make the pronunciation easier for English-speakers. The new version of "Dance Hall Days" was released as a single but this time it charted and became their breakthrough worldwide. In the Netherlands it reached #9, UK #21 and US #16. They dropped the nicknames and were called by their true names from then on. They released their second album titled "Point On The Curve" in 1983. It also included the singles "Don't Let Go", "Don't Be My Enemy" and "Wait". "Wait" was also released on their next soundtrack album "To Live And Die In LA". “Points On The Curve” is the best album they released in their career and owned the same unique bass driven new wave sound like their first album. The cover was made by Barney Bubbles who did a lot of album covers and video direction in the 70's and 80's and became a legend. He commited suicide because of his manic depresion in 1983.
Jack, Nick and Darren in 1983
With their next studio album "Mosaic" they moved to mainstream and became also very popular in the US.
Original album cover
Huang Chung (1982)
Hold Back The Tears / I Never Want To Love You In A Half Hearted Way / Ti-Na-Na / Straight From My Heart / Dancing / China / Rising In The East / Chinese Girls / Why Do You Laugh / I Can't Sleep
Original album cover
Points On The Curve (1983)
Dance Hall Days / Wait / True Love / The Waves / Look At Me Now / Don’t Let Go / Even If You Dream / Don’t Be My Enemy / Devoted Friends / Talk It Out
Huang Chung - full album
Wang Chung - Don't Let Go - video
Huang Chung - Dance Hall Days - Extended 1982 version
Wang Chung - Wait
Huan Chung - Isn’t It Time We We’re on TV