Basic Elements

But for those who grew up in Phoenix, Arizona between 1984 and 1990 with a penchant for New Wave music and Aquanet… they were legends.
. Produced by Ed Buller (Suede, Pulp, Psychedelic Furs) the band isn’t some throwback act – they’re an actual ‘80s band. A cross between Simple Minds and Tears for Fears, Basic Elements made a name for themselves in the unheralded ‘80s Arizona music scene playing alongside local legends like Gin Blossoms, Gentlemen After Dark and Caterwaul (to name just a few). They also opened up for larger (yet maybe forgotten) '80s acts like Bolshoi and Gene Loves Jezebel... all while maintaining an average age of 17-years old. While most high-schoolers were going to homecoming, the guys in B.E. spent their weekends writing songs and playing gigs in iconic Valley bars like Mason Jar, Sun Club, Blitz777 and Edsel's Attic as well as the Arizona State Fair and the backyard of any teenager whose parents were out of town. Alas, after 6 years and hundreds of shows, B.E. disbanded in 1990 — well before any of them were old enough to legally enter a bar. Over the past three decades, members of Basic Elements have moved on to become a sculptor, a TV producer, a video-game attorney, a real-estate agent and a graphic artist. Despite their individual successes, the band's legacy has been confined to still photos, warped cassettes and faded memories -- until now. After playing a reunion show in 2019 to a capacity crowd at the legendary Mint in Los Angeles, Basic Elements went into the fabled Glenwood Place Studios to record five of their earliest tracks with Mercury Prize-winning producer (and synth legend) Ed Buller. Recorded today. The result is a mainline hit of pure, uncut 1985. Each song delivers a euphoric mix of nostalgia for the OG New Wavers, and an exciting sense of discovery for the “Stranger Things” generation. The band's debut single, "Hide," cracked the Top 15 on Arizona's leading alternative FM station, 93.9/KWSS and is in regular rotation on SiriusXM's Little Steven's Underground Garage, hosted by the legendary DJ (and "Mayor of the Sunset Strip") Rodney Bingenheimer. The track also found itself on several influential playlists and blogs. The band's follow-up single, "New You" is scheduled to drop January 8th, 2021. Stay tuned... and Hide from your leader.