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Culture Club

2025-10-06T15:31:21Z

2A00:23C5:FE1C:3701:B0C6:7C8E:60C9:EC6D: not the selling single that was the biggest, but the "biggest-selling single" -- mandatory hyphen

{{Short description|English pop band}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Culture Club
| image = Culture_Club_Marcus_Center_for_the_Performing_Arts_Milwaukee,_WI_7-23-2016_(28543520975).jpg
| caption = Culture Club performing in July 2016, from left to right: [[Roy Hay (musician)|Roy Hay]], [[Boy George]] and [[Mikey Craig]]
| landscape = yes
| alt = The band onstage
| background = group_or_band
| alias =
| origin = [[London]], England
| instrument =
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[New wave music|New wave]]
* [[soft rock]]
* [[blue-eyed soul]]
* [[reggae]]
}}
| occupation =
| years_active = {{flatlist|
* 1981–1986
* 1998–2002
* 2011–present
}}
| label = {{flatlist|
* [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]
* [[Epic Records|Epic]]
* [[BMG Rights Management|BMG]]
}}
| associated_acts = [[Helen Terry]], [[Jermaine Stewart]]
| website = {{URL|boygeorgeandcultureclub.net}}
| current_members = {{plainlist|
* [[Boy George]]
* [[Mikey Craig]]
* [[Roy Hay (musician)|Roy Hay]]
}}
| past_members = [[Jon Moss]]
}}

'''Culture Club''' is an English [[new wave music|new wave]] band formed in [[London]] in 1981. The band comprises [[Boy George]] (lead vocals), [[Roy Hay (musician)|Roy Hay]] (guitar and keyboards), and [[Mikey Craig]] (bass guitar), and formerly included [[Jon Moss]] (drums and percussion). Emerging in the [[New Romantic]] scene, they are considered one of the most representative and influential groups of the 1980s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chrisafis |first=Angelique |title=Roll over, Beatles – Smiths top the pops |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=17 April 2002}}</ref>

Led by singer and frontman Boy George, whose androgynous style of dressing caught the attention of the public and the media in the early 1980s, the band have sold more than 50 million records,<ref name="50mI">{{cite web| url =https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/culture-club-to-perform-in-singapore-in-december-9225990/| title =Culture Club to perform in Singapore in December| access-date =9 February 2020| work =[[CNA (news channel)|CNA]]| archive-date =22 October 2017| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171022212907/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/culture-club-to-perform-in-singapore-in-december-9225990| url-status =dead}}</ref><ref name="50MII">{{cite web| url =https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/lifestyle/culture-club-announces-brighton-show-834404| title =Culture Club announces Brighton show| access-date =9 February 2020| work =[[Eastbourne Herald]]| date =13 April 2018}}</ref> including over six million BPI certified records sold in the UK<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/|title=British Phonographic Industry database (enter Culture Club in search field)|website=Bpi.co.uk|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref> and over seven million RIAA certified records sold in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=culture+club&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH|title=Gold & Platinum – RIAA|website=Riaa.com|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=culture+club&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH RIAA, Gold & Platinum Culture Club, retrieved on 7 January 2017]</ref><ref name="TOUR">{{cite web |title=Culture Club to perform in Singapore in December |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/culture-club-to-perform-in-singapore-in-december-9225990/ |accessdate=9 February 2020 |publisher=[[CNA (news channel)|CNA]] |archive-date=22 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022212907/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/culture-club-to-perform-in-singapore-in-december-9225990 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Their hits include "[[Do You Really Want to Hurt Me]]", "[[Time (Clock of the Heart)]]", "[[I'll Tumble 4 Ya]]", "[[Church of the Poison Mind]]", "[[Karma Chameleon]]", "[[Victims (song)|Victims]]", "[[Miss Me Blind]]", "[[It's a Miracle (Culture Club song)|It's a Miracle]]", "[[The War Song]]", "[[Move Away]]", and "[[I Just Wanna Be Loved]]". In the UK they amassed twelve top 40 hit singles between 1982 and 1999, including the number ones "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Karma Chameleon", the latter being the biggest-selling single of 1983 in the UK, and hit number one on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] in 1984. The song "[[Time (Clock of the Heart)]]" is included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame#The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll|500 songs that shaped rock and roll]].

Their second album, ''[[Colour by Numbers]]'', sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. It appeared on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of the 100 Best Albums of the 1980s and is also included in the book ''[[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]]''. Ten of their singles reached the US top 40, where they are associated with the [[Second British Invasion]] of British "[[New pop|new music]]"<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JWdMOZGNOHUC&q=british%20invasion&pg=PA441 |title=Tarnished Gold: The Record Industry Revisted [i.e. Revisited]|first=R. Serge|last=Denisoff|date=1 January 1986|publisher=Transaction Publishers|isbn=9781412835565}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qQhKAAAAIBAJ&pg=2933,2175658&hl=en|title=Triumph of the 'New'|first=Jim|last=Sullivan|newspaper=[[The Michigan Daily]]|date=2 March 1984}}</ref> groups that became popular in the US due to the cable music channel [[MTV]]. Culture Club's music has been described as combining [[New wave music|new wave]] and American [[Soul music|soul]] and pop. It also includes some elements of Jamaican [[reggae]] and other styles such as [[calypso music|calypso]], [[salsa music|salsa]], and, with "Karma Chameleon", elements of [[country music]].<ref name="Blackwell (1986) 56"/><ref name="Blackwell (1990) 48"/>

In 1984, Culture Club won [[Brit Awards]] for Best British Group, Best British Single ("Karma Chameleon"), and the [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best New Artist|Best New Artist]].<ref name="BRITS">[http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1984 "Culture Club: BRITs Profile"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021165114/http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1984 |date=21 October 2012 }}. Brit Awards. Retrieved 30 October 2012.</ref> They were nominated the same year for the Grammy Award for Pop Vocal by Group or Duo. The band were also nominated for a Canadian [[Juno Award]] for International Album of the Year. In January 1985, Culture Club were nominated for an [[American Music Award]] for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Video Artist, and in September 1985, they were nominated for two [[MTV Video Music Awards]] for Best Special Effects and Best Art Direction for their video "[[It's a Miracle (Culture Club song)|It's a Miracle]]". In 1987, they received another nomination for an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Video Artist.<ref>[http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/newartist.htm "Grammy Awards: Best New Artist"]. Rock on the Net. Retrieved 30 October 2012</ref>

== History ==
=== 1981–1983: Formation and ''Kissing to Be Clever'' ===
In 1981, [[Blitz Kids (New Romantics)|Blitz Club]] regular Boy George occasionally sang with the group [[Bow Wow Wow]], performing under the stage name Lieutenant Lush with the group. George began to get attention with his occasional performances with the group, much to the dismay of the group's lead singer [[Annabella Lwin]]. After his tenure with that group ended, George decided to start his own group. First he enlisted bassist Mikey Craig and next drummer Jon Moss (formerly of [[The Damned (band)|the Damned]] and [[Adam and the Ants]]). Guitarist [[Roy Hay (musician)|Roy Hay]] would then join the band. They originally called themselves The Sex Gang Children, which would quickly be abandoned and adopted by [[Sex Gang Children|another band]].<ref name="Strong">Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Sex Gang Children", in ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}</ref>

Realizing they had an Irish gay man as the lead singer, a [[Black British|black Briton]] on bass, a blond Englishman on guitar and keyboards, and a Jewish drummer, they came up with the name Culture Club. The group recorded demos, which were paid for by [[EMI]] Records, but the label was unimpressed and decided not to sign the group. [[Virgin Publishing]] heard the demos and signed the group to a songwriting contract. [[Virgin Records]] then offered the group a recording deal, releasing the albums in [[Europe]], while [[Epic Records]] released their albums in [[North America]] and much of the rest of the world.

The band released two singles in May and June 1982, "White Boy" and "I'm Afraid of Me", though both failed to chart.<ref name="Cohen (1984) 76">{{cite book |last=Cohen |first=Scott |title=Boy George |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=cohen+%22culture+club%22+%22White+Boy%22+%22I%27m+Afraid+of+Me%22&btnG=Search+Books#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbo=1&tbs=bks:1&q=Scott+Cohen+1984++%22Culture+Club%22+%22White+Boy%22+%22I%27m+Afraid+of+Me%22&aq=&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&psj=1&fp=f989debfaff70b96 |publisher=Berkley Books |year=1984 |isbn=978-0-425-07639-2 |page=76 |access-date=28 October 2010 }}</ref> In September of that year, Virgin released their third single, "[[Do You Really Want to Hurt Me]]", a reggae-influenced number, which became one of their biggest hits.<ref name="Cohen (1984) 76"/> The song went to No. 1 in the UK in late 1982 and became an international smash, topping the charts in twenty-three countries (No. 2 in the US), and the top ten in several more countries.

The band's 1982 debut on ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' created [[Tabloid journalism|tabloid]] headlines, which focused on George's [[androgynous]] style of dress and sexual ambiguity. Magazines began to feature George prominently on their covers. [[Pete Burns]], lead singer of the pop band [[Dead or Alive (band)|Dead or Alive]], would later claim he was the first to wear braids, big hats, and colorful costumes, but George would cut back with a sharp-tongued remark, "It's not who did it first, it's who did it better."{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

The band's debut album, ''[[Kissing to Be Clever]]'' (UK No. 5, US No. 14) was released in October 1982, and the follow-up single, "[[Time (Clock of the Heart)]]", became another Top 10 hit in the US (Number 2) and UK (Number 3). "[[I'll Tumble 4 Ya]]" also became a Top Ten hit in the US (Number 9) and in Canada. This gave Culture Club the distinction of being the first group since [[The Beatles]] to have three Top Ten hits in America from a debut album.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0zQDAwAAQBAJ&q=Culture+Club+the+first+group+since+The+Beatles+to+have+three+Top+Ten+hits+in+America+from+a+debut+album&pg=PT196|title=The Million Sellers|last=Press|first=Omnibus|date=4 November 2012|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-882-9|language=en}}</ref> ''Kissing to Be Clever'' was certified platinum in US for 1 million shipped copies.

=== 1983–1984: ''Colour by Numbers'' ===
[[File:Culture Club 1983.jpg|thumb|upright=1.13|Culture Club in 1983]]
The band's second album, ''[[Colour by Numbers]]'' (UK No. 1, US No. 2), was released in 1983. The first single, "[[Church of the Poison Mind]]", featuring backing vocalist [[Helen Terry]], reached the UK and US Top 10. The second single, "[[Karma Chameleon]]", gave the band their biggest hit, hitting No. 1 in the UK (the band's second chart-topper there), where it became the best-selling single of 1983 and has sold 1.5 million copies there to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/daft-punks-get-lucky-becomes-one-of-the-uks-biggest-selling-singles-of-all-time-2315/|title=UK Official Charts Company (Top Selling Singles of All-Time)|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref> It also peaked at No. 1 in the US for three consecutive weeks, and would ultimately hit No. 1 in 30 countries, thus becoming one of the top twenty best-selling singles of the 1980s sold seven million copies worldwide,<ref>{{cite web|first= Eric |last= Bodrero |year= 2005 |title= The Culture Club - Greatest Hits Review |work= antiMusic |access-date= 13 September 2024 |url= http://www.rocknworld.com/features/05/cultureclub.shtml}}</ref> with one of the most iconic images of Boy George on the cover shot by photographer [[David Levine (photographer)|David Levine]].

The album ''Colour by Numbers'' would spawn more hits including "[[Miss Me Blind]]" (#5 US), "[[It's a Miracle (Culture Club song)|It's a Miracle]]" (#4 UK, No. 13 US), and "[[Victims (song)|Victims]]" (#3 UK), and sold four million copies in the US and another five million worldwide at its time of release. The album gave Culture Club the distinction of being the first group in music history to have an album certified diamond in Canada (for sales of one million copies in that country). The band also won the 1984 [[Brit Award]] for Best Group and the [[Grammy Award]] for Best New Artist, where George gave a speech via satellite stating, "Thank you, America. You've got taste, style, and you know a good drag queen when you see one."

The group's back-up singer, [[Helen Terry]], began work on her solo album, for which George and Hay wrote the song "Love Lies Lost". The pair also wrote "Passing Friend" for the [[The Beach Boys (album)|Beach Boys' album]]. Culture Club wrote two songs for the soundtrack to the movie ''[[Electric Dreams (film)|Electric Dreams]]''. George and Hay wrote "The Dream" and "Love Is Love", with the latter being released as a single in Canada, Japan and South America, the E.P "Love is Love" became a major hit in Brazil. George also collaborated on the song "Electric Dreams", sung by [[P. P. Arnold]]. The song was written with [[Phil Pickett]] (former member of the 1970s band [[Sailor (band)|Sailor]]) who had also co-written "Karma Chameleon" and frequently played keyboards for the group.

Despite Culture Club's commercial success, there were significant pressures within the band. George was using drugs with money from his new-found fame. George and Moss were also romantically involved with each other, which was unknown to the public and the media at the time. Their relationship lasted for over four years and was often turbulent, with alleged physical and verbal abuse from both sides. Their constant arguments and the pressure to hide the relationship from the public started to take its toll on the band.

=== 1984–1986: ''Waking Up with the House on Fire'', ''From Luxury to Heartache'' and decline ===
In 1984, the group released their third album ''[[Waking Up with the House on Fire]]'' (UK No. 2, US No. 26). Although certified platinum in both the UK and the US, it was a commercial and critical disappointment compared to their first two albums. The album contained the hit single "The War Song", which reached No. 2 in the UK, and Top 20 in the US. Other singles like "Mistake No. 3" (US No. 33) and "The Medal Song" (UK No. 32) would become modest hits. George later stated he felt the album experienced a lukewarm reception because of half-hearted material he felt they released due to pressure from Virgin and Epic. According to him, the band had just come off an exhausting world tour in 1984.
At the end of 1984, Boy George was recruited by [[Bob Geldof]] to join the [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]] recording, consisting of mostly internationally known UK and Irish recording stars. George was in New York City for an appearance on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]'' when Geldof called him, but managed to catch the final [[Concorde]] of the day to London and was the last singer to record a lead vocal track for the song "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]". The song would become the biggest selling single of all time in the UK and a huge international hit, raising millions for famine victims in several African nations, particularly Ethiopia.

Due to the break-up of his relationship with Moss, and all the ensuing tension with the rest of the band, George turned to relief in drugs. Consequently, he soon developed a self-destructive drug [[Substance use disorder|addiction]], which in merely four months escalated from [[marijuana]] to [[heroin]]. By 1986, George had become seriously [[Substance use disorder|addicted]]. The recording of their fourth studio album, 1986's ''[[From Luxury to Heartache]]'' (UK No. 10, US No. 32) dragged on for so long that producer [[Arif Mardin]] had to abandon the sessions due to prior commitments and leave it to engineer Lew Hahn to finish the sessions. Nevertheless, the first single "[[Move Away]]" became a hit, peaking at UK No. 7 and US No. 12 and appeared the album would return the group back to its previous success. But by the time of the release of the second single "God Thank You Woman", news of George's drug addiction began to circulate in British and American [[Tabloid journalism|tabloids]], and the second single stalled on its way up the charts, failing to make a big impact.

George and Moss also no longer wanted to be around each other due to the constant relationship battles and with George's addiction. ''From Luxury to Heartache'' began to fade from the charts as well, and the album ultimately sold fewer than one million copies worldwide at the time of release. By the summer of 1986, George finally admitted that he was indeed addicted to drugs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/boy-george-comes-clean-and-tries-to-come-back-after-heroin-addiction-and-his-pals-drug-deaths-vol-28-no-8/|title=Boy George Comes Clean—and Tries to Come Back—After Heroin Addiction and His Pals' Drug Deaths|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN|access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref> In July of that year, he was arrested by the British police for possession of heroin. The band broke up and George pursued a solo career, having several European hits and a couple of US Top 40 hits.

=== Reunions ===
==== 1989 ====
The band first tried to reunite in 1989, after many requests from Tony Gordon, the group's former manager and George's manager at that time. George agreed to try some songs with the band again, resulting in recording sessions and producing more than a dozen songs that remain unreleased. George, however, was more excited about his future projects like his record label, More Protein, and his new [[acid house]] project [[Jesus Loves You (band)|Jesus Loves You]]. The proposed reunion ended up being cancelled.

==== 1998–2000, 2002 ====

In 1998, George and Moss put their differences aside and the band reunited to do a reunion tour, kicking off with a performance on ''[[VH1 Storytellers]]''.<ref name="LAT (1998)"/> George said about the reunion, "Culture Club's reunion couldn't have come at a better time for rock", adding that, "It's a nostalgia trip, there's no way of avoiding that."<ref name="LAT (1998)">{{cite news |title=Culture Club Reunites, but It May Be Just Nostalgic Fling |first=Roger |last=Catlin |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=12 August 1998 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/32812009.html?dids=32812009:32812009&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+12,+1998&author=ROGER+CATLIN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Culture+Club+Reunites,+but+It+May+Be+Just+Nostalgic+Fling;+Pop+music:+Lead+singer+Boy+George+says+regrouped+%2780s+band+members+are+putting+aside+differences,+at+least+while+on+tour.&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131163752/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/32812009.html?dids=32812009:32812009&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+12,+1998&author=ROGER+CATLIN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Culture+Club+Reunites,+but+It+May+Be+Just+Nostalgic+Fling;+Pop+music:+Lead+singer+Boy+George+says+regrouped+'80s+band+members+are+putting+aside+differences,+at+least+while+on+tour.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2013 |access-date=15 November 2010 }}</ref> The tour was a major success. ''Greatest Moments'', a compilation album based around the ''Storytellers'' performance, was released, and went platinum in UK. It included new songs such as "[[I Just Wanna Be Loved]]", which hit UK No. 4.<ref name="ABK (1998)">{{cite news |title=Culture Club Reunion Bus Is Rolling To Blossom Boy George Back with the Original Band |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |date=9 August 1998 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AK&s_site=ohio&p_multi=AK&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB6C1EE8F43EB63&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=18 December 2010 |quote=A new two-CD set features music from the Storytellers special and a greatest hits CD that includes the new single and soon-to-be hit [[I Just Wanna Be Loved]]}}</ref><ref name="TH (1998)">{{cite news |title=Cher leads the way to pop chart history |newspaper=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=26 October 1998 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/60580542.html?dids=60580542:60580542&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+26%2C+1998&author=&pub=The+Herald&desc=Cher+leads+the+way+to+pop+chart+history&pqatl=google |access-date=18 December 2010 |quote=The Irish band U2 went straight in at number three with a song recorded in 1987, "The Sweetest Thing", previously a B-side to their hit "Where The Streets Have No Name". And Culture Club returned with their first single since reforming, "[[I Just Wanna Be Loved]]" at number four, ahead of the only truly nineties act in the top five, Alanis Morissette, with Thank U |archive-date=4 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104182017/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/60580542.html?dids=60580542:60580542&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+26,+1998&author=&pub=The+Herald&desc=Cher+leads+the+way+to+pop+chart+history&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, their new-found success was short-lived and their fifth studio album, ''[[Don't Mind If I Do (Culture Club album)|Don't Mind If I Do]]'', released in 1999, peaked at No. 64 in the UK.<ref name="Warwick; Kutner; Brown (2004) 282">{{cite book |last1=Warwick |first1=Neil |last2=Kutner |first2=Jon |last3=Brown |first3=Tony |title=The complete book of the British charts: singles & albums |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ib4MyAIpe3MC&q=The+complete+book+of+the+British+charts:+singles+%26+albums+%22culture+club%22+%22your+kisses+are+charity%22&pg=PT239 |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-84449-058-5 |page=282 |access-date=24 December 2010 }}</ref> It included minor UK hits in "Your Kisses Are Charity" (UK No. 25) and "Cold Shoulder" (UK No. 43).<ref name="Warwick; Kutner; Brown (2004) 282"/>

The band went on to tour, then reunited again for a 20th anniversary concert in 2002 at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London.<ref name="TVL (2004) 70">{{cite book |author=Indiana University |title=The Video librarian, Volume 19 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbzjAAAAMAAJ&q=Culture+Club++Live+At+The+Royal+Albert+Hall++The+20th+Anniversary++2002 |publisher=Randy Pitman |year=2004 |page=70 |access-date=20 January 2011 |quote=Filmed live at London's Royal Albert Hall, this 2002 concert finds Culture Club celebrating its 20th anniversary with an infectious and expansive grandeur, all the while basking in the love of adoring fans}}</ref> This performance was released on DVD the following year.<ref name="TVL (2004) 70"/> Culture Club then became inactive again, largely due to George's successful DJ career, as well as his semi-autobiographical musical ''[[Taboo (musical)|Taboo]]''. It was a success in London, but was a flop on Broadway (George took the role of Australian-born performance artist [[Leigh Bowery]] in the Broadway production), only running for 100 performances, as well as losing $10 million for its producer, Rosie O'Donnell.

==== 2006 ====
In 2006, original members Craig and Moss tried to launch a new tour with another lead singer, as George and Hay had declined to tour. Early that year, the band's record company placed an ad for a lead singer to "...take part in a 2007 World Tour and TV Series." The new singer, Sam Butcher was selected because of his own personality, "not a Boy George lookalike." After watching a video on MySpace, George described the singer who replaced him as "terrible" and "dreadful". George said: "I wanted to like it but I couldn't. They're my songs, they're my heart, they're my life."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6043794.stm | title=Boy George slams new club singer |work=BBC News | date=12 October 2006 | access-date=15 August 2011}}</ref> A proposed tour for December 2006 in the UK did not take place.

==== 2011 ====
In late 2011, George was part of a three-man Culture Club band that performed two live concerts, in Dubai and Sydney, the latter being a New Year's Eve concert, although Moss did not appear due to a back injury.<ref>[http://shapersofthe80s.com/2012/01/02/2012-➤-moss-misses-culture-clubs-new-dawn-in-australia/ "Moss misses Culture Club's new dawn"]. Shape of the 80s</ref> However, the band were unable to tour in the US, due to George being denied a visa three years prior.

==== 2014–present ====
In 2014, the band reformed and announced a tour and a new album. A new picture of the four members was also posted on the band's official website, along with the list of the 11 UK concert dates.

The band travelled to Spain for a two-week recording session. 18 new tracks were completed for a new album produced by [[Youth (producer)|Youth]]. The new album, entitled ''Tribes'', was scheduled for release in early 2015 on the band's own label Different Man Music (via [[Kobalt Label Services]]). At the end of that year, the album had still not materialised.

On 19 July 2014, the band were among the line-up for a two-hour concert in [[Edinburgh Castle]], ahead of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in [[Glasgow]]. Hay did not perform with the band because he was in recovery after having knee surgery. The band played two songs, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Karma Chameleon" which were shown on BBC TV.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/taXIx80tzeU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20180307205149/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taXIx80tzeU&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taXIx80tzeU| title = HD Culture Club Live on the BBC Edinburgh Castle Show | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 17 March 2015 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In mid-November 2014, two days before the start of their 21-date US and UK tour, Culture Club announced they had to cancel the tour due to George suffering from a serious throat condition. The cancelled tour would have represented the full original line-up's first tour in 12 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boygeorgeuk.com/?p=4050 |title=Culture Club Tour Cancelled |work=Boygeorgeuk.com |date=28 November 2014 |access-date=26 August 2018 |archive-date=23 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623033243/http://www.boygeorgeuk.com/?p=4050 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Sean |last=Michaels |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/14/culture-club-cancel-first-tour-for-12-years |title=Culture Club cancel first tour for 12 years |work=The Guardian |date=14 November 2014 |access-date=26 August 2018}}</ref> The North American tour was eventually rescheduled and started on 17 July 2015 in Canada. A television documentary, ''Boy George and Culture Club: Karma to Calamity'', aired on [[BBC Four]] on 6 March 2015. The programme documented the band's reunion in 2014 and the making of their new album in Spain, up to the announcement to cancel the tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b054v27d|title=BBC Four – Boy George and Culture Club: Karma to Calamity|publisher=BBC|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref> Based on the popularity of 2015's mini-tour, Culture Club embarked on a 60-city world tour in 2016. The major success of this tour culminated in a DVD/CD/Blu-ray release, ''Live at Wembley: World Tour 2016''.

In August 2016, the band announced that the album ''Tribes'' was permanently shelved, and offered refunds to all those who had pre-ordered the album online.

In 2018, Culture Club toured the US and Europe from June to December. Dubbed ''The Life Tour'', the band toured in support of their [[Life (Boy George and Culture Club album)|namesake album]], along with supporting acts [[the B-52s]], [[Tom Bailey (musician)|Tom Bailey]] (formerly of [[the Thompson Twins]]) and [[Belinda Carlisle]] (Europe dates only). Jon Moss was originally part of the line-up, but did not participate in the European leg of the tour. A spokeswoman for Boy George confirmed: "Jon's taking a break from Culture Club but the door is open in the future."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/boy-george-culture-club-tour/ |title=Boy George slams 'fact-starved' report |work=Gay Star News |date=30 October 2018 |access-date=30 October 2018 |archive-date=30 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030212903/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/boy-george-culture-club-tour/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In December 2019, Moss filed a writ at London's High Court naming the band trio as defendants. Moss' lawyers say he was told to "take a break" by manager [[Paul Kemsley]], demanding nearly £200,000 in missing payments and a share of profits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twnews.co.uk/gb-news/boy-george-sued-by-ex-lover-and-drummer-jon-moss-after-he-booted-him-out-of-culture-club |title=Boy George sued by ex-lover and drummer Jon Moss after he booted him out of Culture Club |work=TWNEWS|access-date=15 December 2019}}</ref> Moss officially left Culture Club in May 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BoyGeorge/status/1396828726663462917 |title=Boy George on Twitter |work=Twitter|access-date=25 May 2021}}</ref>

Culture Club returned to the SSE Arena in Wembley on 19 December 2020 for a livestream concert broadcast around the world, in response to the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]]. Titled 'Rainbow in the Dark', the concert saw the band play their classic hits, new material, including a new ballad version of "[[Karma Chameleon]]" featuring Mila, and covers of [[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]]'s "[[Get It On (Bang a Gong)]]" and George's solo cover of [[Bread (band)|Bread]]'s "[[Everything I Own]]".

Culture Club toured in 2022 with a residency in Las Vegas and select amphitheaters across the United States. They also served as an opening act for [[Rod Stewart]] on his ''Greatest Hits'' tour in the UK in June and July 2023, and in addition to continuing their Las Vegas residency that February, Culture Club embarked on a U.S. summer tour titled ''The Letting It Go Show'', with [[Howard Jones (British musician)|Howard Jones]] and [[Berlin (band)|Berlin]] serving as opening acts.

== Awards and achievements ==
===ASCAP Pop Music Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| rowspan="2"|1984
| "[[Karma Chameleon]]"
| rowspan="2"|Most Performed Songs
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[It's a Miracle (Culture Club song)|It's a Miracle]]"
| {{won}}
{{end}}

===American Music Awards===
{{awards table}}
|-
| [[American Music Awards of 1985|1985]]
| rowspan="2" | Culture Club
| rowspan="2" | [[Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[American Music Awards of 1987|1987]]
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===American Video Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| rowspan=4|1984
| rowspan=2|''A Kiss Across the Ocean''
| Best Long-Form Video
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Home Video
| {{nom}}
|-
| "[[The War Song]]"
| Best Choreography
| {{nom}}
|-
| "[[Miss Me Blind]]"
| Best Set Design
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===''Billboard'' Music Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| rowspan=6|1983<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1983/bbyearend.htm|title=Rock on the Net: 1983 Billboard Year-End Chart-Toppers|website=Rockonthenet.com|access-date=14 October 2019}}</ref>
| rowspan=4|Themselves
| [[Billboard Music Award for Top New Artist|Top Pop New Artist]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Billboard Music Award for Top Hot 100 Artist|Top Pop Singles Artist]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| Top Pop Singles Artist – Duo/Group
| {{nom}}
|-
| Top Adult Contemporary Artist – Duo/Group
| {{nom}}
|-
| ''[[Kissing to Be Clever]]''
| [[Billboard Music Award for Top Billboard 200 Album|Top Pop Album]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| "[[Karma Chameleon]]"
| Top UK Single
| {{won}}
{{end}}

===BRIT Awards===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1983
| rowspan="2"|Culture Club
| [[Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act|Best British Breakthrough Act]]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1984
| [[Brit Award for British Group|Best British Group]]
| {{won}}
|-
| "[[Karma Chameleon]]"
| [[Brit Award for British Single of the Year|Best British Single]]
| {{won}}
{{end}}

===Classic Pop Reader Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| 2019
| Culture Club
| Artist of the Year
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===''Creem Magazine'' Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| rowspan=2|1983
| Themselves
| Worst Group – No. 1
| {{won}}
|-
| ''[[Colour by Numbers]]''
| Top Album – No. 19
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===[[Goldene Europa]] ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Colour by Numbers]]''
| Best International Group<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.ard.de/ard-chronik/index/1986?year=1983&month=10 |title=ARD Goldene Europa |date=10 July 2020 |access-date=10 July 2020 |archive-date=11 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711104748/http://web.ard.de/ard-chronik/index/1986?year=1983&month=10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| {{Won}}
{{End}}

===Grammy Awards===
{{awards table}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1984
| Culture Club
| [[Best New Artist]]
| {{Won}}
|-
| "[[Do You Really Want to Hurt Me]]"
| [[Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group]]
| {{Nominated}}
{{End}}

===Ivor Novello Awards===

{{award table}}
|-
| 1983
| "[[Do You Really Want to Hurt Me]]"
| Bestselling A-Side
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1984
| rowspan="4" | "[[Karma Chameleon]]"
| Best Pop Song
| {{won}}
|-
| Bestselling A-Side
| {{won}}
|-
| Most Performed Work
| {{nom}}
|-
| International Hit of the Year
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===Juno Awards===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1984
| ''[[Colour by Numbers]]''
| International Album of the Year
| {{Nom}}
{{End}}

===MTV Video Music Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| rowspan=2|[[1985 MTV Video Music Awards|1985]]
| rowspan=2|"[[It's a Miracle (Culture Club song)|It's a Miracle]]"
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Special Effects]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction|Best Art Direction]]
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===Q Awards===
{{award table}}
|-
| 2006
| "[[Karma Chameleon]]"
| Q Classic Song Award
| {{won}}
|-
| 2014
| Culture Club
| Q Idol
| {{won}}
{{end}}

===Rockbjörnen===

{{award table}}
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Colour by Numbers]]''
| Best Foreign Album
| {{won}}
{{end}}

===Smash Hits Poll Winners Party===
{{award table}}
|-
| rowspan=4|1982
| "[[Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?]]"
| Best Single
| {{nom}}
|-
| ''[[Kissing to Be Clever]]''
| Best Album
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=3|Themselves
| Most Promising New Act
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|Best Group
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=6|1983
| {{nom}}
|-
| Culture Club's "Colour by Numbers" Tour
| rowspan=2|Event of the Year
| {{nom}}
|-
| Culture Club making No. 1 with "Karma Chameleon"
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|"[[Karma Chameleon]]"
| Best Single
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Video
| {{nom}}
|-
| ''[[Colour by Numbers]]''
| rowspan=2|Best Album
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=4|1984
| ''[[Waking Up with the House on Fire]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|"[[The War Song]]"
| Best Single
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Video
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|Themselves
| Best Group
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1985
| Worst Group
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===Rock and Roll Hall of Fame===
{{Awards table|2}}
|-
| 1999
| "[[Time (Clock of the Heart)]]"
| 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll
| {{Won}}
| No. 107
{{End}}

===[[Variety, the Children's Charity|Variety Club of Great Britain Awards]] ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1985
| ''[[The War Song]]''
| Best Recording Artist<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO4C1m2S4SI | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211107/gO4C1m2S4SI| archive-date=7 November 2021 | url-status=live|title= Variety Club BBC | website=[[YouTube]]|date=10 July 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
| {{Won}}
{{End}}

== Musical style and development ==
Culture Club are primarily a [[pop music|pop]] group, belonging to the British [[new pop]] and [[New Romantic]] movements of the early 1980s.<ref>{{Cite book|title=[[Like Punk Never Happened|Like Punk Never Happened: Culture Club & The New Pop]]|first=Dave|last=Rimmer|date=1986|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=9780571137398}}</ref><ref name="Martin Fry CBS quote">{{cite news |last=Chiu |first=David |title=A look back at 1983: The year of the second British Invasion |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-look-back-at-1983-the-year-of-the-second-british-invasion/ |work=CBS News |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]]|title=Excellent Style Council documentary will air on Showtime|author=John Curley|url=https://www.goldminemag.com/reviews/excellent-style-council-documentary-will-air-on-showtime|date=6 December 2020|access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref> They have also been described as [[New wave music|new wave]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/culture-club-mn0000116178|title=Culture Club Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masterclass.com/articles/new-wave-music-guide|title=New Wave Music: The History and Bands of New Wave Music|website=[[MasterClass]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/9fc9ed/culture-club-announce-us-dates|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028211232/https://www.mtv.com/news/9fc9ed/culture-club-announce-us-dates|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 October 2023|title=Culture Club Announce U.S. Dates|website=MTV}}</ref> combining it with American soul with Jamaican [[reggae]] and other styles such as [[calypso music|calypso]], [[salsa music|salsa]], and [[country music|country]].<ref name="Blackwell (1986) 56">{{cite book |last=Blackwell |first=Earl |title=Earl Blackwell's celebrity register |url=https://archive.org/details/earlblackwellsce0000unse_r5s0/page/56 |publisher=Times Pub. Group |year=1986 |isbn=978-0-9615476-0-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/earlblackwellsce0000unse_r5s0/page/56 56] |access-date=18 May 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Blackwell (1990) 48">{{cite book |last=Blackwell |first=Earl |title=Earl Blackwell's celebrity register |url=https://books.google.com/books?q=Earl+Blackwell%27s+celebrity+register+%22culture+club%22+%22new+wave%22&btnG=Search+Books |publisher=Times Publishing Group |year=1990 |page=48 |access-date=18 May 2010 |quote=George O'Dowd 14 June 1962, he emerged from London working class roots to become the lead singer of the video and rock and roll phenomenon Culture Club whose sound combines Jamaican reggae with American soul and British New Wave}}</ref><ref name="MoR New Romantics">{{cite web |url=http://www.ministryofrock.co.uk/NewRomantics.html |title=New Romantics |last=Rowlinson |first=John |work=Ministry of Rock |access-date=6 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Culture Club's House on Fire' Is Lightweight Fare |first=Pete |last=Bishop |newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press |date=5 January 1985 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9nIdAAAAIBAJ&pg=7043,1609855&dq=culture+club+calypso+war+song&hl=en |access-date=18 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pop/Rock: Culture Club At The Tower |newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=1 September 1983 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29612B6237514&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=17 September 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Newsweek (1984)">{{cite book |author=Indiana University |title=Newsweek, Volume 103, Issues 1–9 |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=The+most+recent+single%2C+the+country-flavored+%22Karma+Chameleon%22++Newsweek+&btnG=Search+Books |work=Newsweek |year=1984 |access-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref>

''[[Philadelphia Daily News]]'' described Culture Club as a hot new rock act, while [[William Knoedelseder|William K Knoedelseder Jr]] from ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' said about the group, "Boy George of Culture Club, a rock group MTV helped make popular", adding that, "There's some debate in the record industry about MTV's ability to directly increase record sales across the board but there's no doubt that the channel has been responsible for exposing such rock artists as Def Leppard, Duran Duran and Men at Work to a national audience..."<ref>{{cite news |title=Rocked By Scandal, Ripley Music Hall Rolls Up & Dies |newspaper=[[Philadelphia Daily News]] |date=27 June 1984 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DN&s_site=philly&p_multi=PIDN&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB296B4126E212B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=18 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MTV Turning Video Rock into Gold |first=William K. Jr. |last=Knoedelseder |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=26 August 1984 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/672700032.html?dids=672700032:672700032&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+26,+1984&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=MTV+Turning+Video+Rock+Into+Gold&pqatl=google |access-date=18 September 2010 |archive-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103221030/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/672700032.html?dids=672700032:672700032&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+26,+1984&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=MTV+Turning+Video+Rock+Into+Gold&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the 1980s, [[Boy George]] said about the music style of his band Culture Club, "We play rock 'n' roll and I love rock 'n' roll music but I don't like the lifestyle. I don't like people tipping beer over their heads.... I just hate rock 'n' roll in that way. It's disgusting and boring. I look at what we're doing as very intelligent."<ref>{{cite news |title=A Musician Who Speaks His Mind |newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=25 March 1984 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2975D1EA4A974&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref>

[[Stephen Holden]], music critic for ''[[The New York Times]]'', said in his article ''Rock: British Culture Club'', that "Culture Club blends soul, rock, [[funk]], reggae and salsa into a music that programmatically reconciles white, black and Latin styles", adding that, "Mr. O'Dowd made the group's best songs – the Motown-flavoured 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me' and the Latin-inflected dance tune 'I'll Tumble 4 Ya' – shine like jewels."<ref>{{cite news |title=Rock: British Culture Club |first=Stephen |last=Holden |newspaper=The New York Times |date=6 December 1982 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/06/arts/rock-british-culture-club.html?scp=1&sq=+rock+%22culture+club%22&st=nyt |access-date=18 September 2010}}</ref>

[[Star-News]] considered Culture Club as a 'new rock' band of the 1980s; the newspaper said "Now you see the more rhythm-oriented, 'new rock of the 80s,' like Culture Club and the Eurythmics, fitting in more easily with urban contemporary formats."<ref>{{cite news |title=Music |newspaper=Star News |date=12 August 1984 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DL0sAAAAIBAJ&pg=6953,3429903&dq=culture+club+new+rock&hl=en |access-date=12 September 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

[[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]], senior editor for [[AllMusic]], described specifically Culture Club as a new wave band and generically as the most successful pop/rock group in America and England during the 1980s, adding that, "By 1986, the group had broken up, leaving behind several singles that rank as classics of the new wave era."<ref name="AMG Culture Club">{{cite web |url=http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Culture_Club/Biography/ |title=Culture Club Biography |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |work=Starpulse.com |publisher=All Media Guide LLC |access-date=18 May 2010 |archive-date=4 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204195206/http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Culture_Club/Biography/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The music of Culture Club is described by George as, "The aim is to be creatively fluid to make everything we do a little different. We want to be a bridge between white rock and black soul", adding that, "I want Culture Club to represent all peoples and minorities".<ref name="Newsweek (1983)">{{cite book |last1=Moley |first1=Raymond |last2=Muir |first2=Malcolm |last3=Phillips |first3=Joseph Becker |last4=Smith |first4=Rex |last5=Williamson |first5=Samuel Thurston |title=Newsweek, Volume 101, Issues 18–26 |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Raymond+Moley%2C+Malcolm+Muir%2C+Joseph+Becker+Phillips+++%22culture+club%22+white+rock+ |work=Newsweek |year=1983 |access-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref><ref name="David (1984) 1">{{cite book |last=David |first=Maria |title=Boy George and Culture Club|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O46fAAAAMAAJ&q=boy+george+culture+club |publisher=Greenwich House |year=1984 |page=1 |isbn=9780517454749 |access-date=19 September 2010 |quote=A collection of photographs of the rock band, Culture Club, is accompanied by a brief discussion of the group's musical career }}</ref>

The band were part of the [[Second British Invasion]] of the 1980s in the United States, as R. Serge Denisoff and William L. Schurk said in their book ''Tarnished Gold: The Record Industry Revisited'', "Here comes the rock and roll of 1984. The invaders were a mixed bunch led by Culture Club, whose sound has been described as 'recycled [[Smokey Robinson]]' or 'torchy American schmaltz and classic [[Motown]]'", adding that, "Boy George's drag-queen appearance made the group a natural for the visual demands of cable television".<ref name="Music Week British-invaders">{{cite web |url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5352621/British-invaders-set-for-hard.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615040305/http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5352621/British-invaders-set-for-hard.html |archive-date=15 June 2011 |title=British invaders set for hard work in US; the latest wave of UK artists keen to make their marks on North America need determination to succeed |work=Music Week |date= 4 March 2006 |via=[[Gale (publisher)|Goliath]] |access-date=18 May 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Denisoff; Schurk (1986) 149">{{cite book |last1=Denisoff |first1=R. Serge |last2=Schurk |first2=William L. |title=Tarnished gold: the record industry revisited |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JWdMOZGNOHUC&pg=PA149 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |year=1986 |isbn=978-0-88738-618-3 |page=149 |access-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref>

In her book ''Magazines for Children: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Librarians'', author Selma K. Richardson said that Culture Club's music is [[soft rock]] that contains "enough soul and new wave elements to cover almost all audiences."<ref name="Richardson (1983) 57">{{cite book |last=Richardson |first=Selma K. |title=Magazines for children: a guide for parents, teachers, and librarians, Volume 7 |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Selma+K.+Richardson++%22culture+club%22+%22soft+rock%22 |publisher=American Library Association |year=1983 |isbn=978-0-8389-0392-6 |page=57 |access-date=18 September 2010 }}</ref>

== Members ==
=== Principal members ===
* [[Boy George]] (George O'Dowd) – lead vocals, tambourine (1981–1986, 1998–2002, 2011–present)
* [[Mikey Craig]] – bass, backing vocals, occasional keyboards (1981–1986, 1998–2002, 2006, 2011–present)
* [[Roy Hay (musician)|Roy Hay]] – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards (1981–1986, 1998–2002, 2011–present)

==== Touring/session members ====
* Darren Lewis – keyboards, percussion (2011–present)
* Meryl-Anne Evanson – drums, backing vocals, percussion (2021–present)

=== Former members ===
* [[Jon Moss]] – drums, backing vocals, percussion (1981–1986, 1998–2002, 2006, 2011–2021) (main)
* [[Phil Pickett]] – keyboards, backing vocals (1982–1986) (session/touring)
* [[Helen Terry]] - backing vocals (1982–1986) (session/touring)
* Darius Zickus – keyboards (1998–2002) (touring)
* Sam Butcher – lead vocals (2006) (touring)
* Steve Honest – pedal steel (1999–2001) (session/touring)

===Timeline===
{{#tag:timeline|
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Colors =
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id:Bvs value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
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id:Keyboard value:purple legend:Keyboards
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bar:HT text:"Helen Terry"
bar:RH text:"Roy Hay"
bar:MC text:"Mikey Craig"
bar:PP text:"Phil Pickett"
bar:DZ text:"Darius Zickus"
bar:DL text:"Darren Lewis"
bar:JM text:"Jon Moss"
bar:ME text:"Meryl-Anne Evanson"

PlotData =
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:BG from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1986 color:Vocal
bar:BG from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Vocal
bar:BG from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Vocal

bar:MC from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1986 color:Bass
bar:MC from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Bass
bar:MC from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Bass
bar:MC from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1986 color:Bvs width:3
bar:MC from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Bvs width:3
bar:MC from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Bvs width:3

bar:RH from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1986 color:Guitar
bar:RH from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Guitar
bar:RH from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Guitar
bar:RH from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1986 color:Keyboard width:7
bar:RH from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Keyboard width:7
bar:RH from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Keyboard width:7
bar:RH from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1986 color:Bvs width:3
bar:RH from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Bvs width:3
bar:RH from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Bvs width:3

bar:PP from:01/01/1982 till:12/31/1986 color:Keyboard
bar:PP from:01/01/1982 till:12/31/1986 color:Bvs width:3

bar:HT from:01/01/1982 till:12/31/1986 color:Bvs

bar:DZ from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Keyboard

bar:JM from:01/01/1982 till:12/31/1986 color:Drums
bar:JM from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Drums
bar:JM from:01/01/2011 till:05/31/2021 color:Drums
bar:JM from:01/01/1982 till:12/31/1986 color:Bvs width:3
bar:JM from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2002 color:Bvs width:3
bar:JM from:01/01/2011 till:05/31/2021 color:Bvs width:3

bar:DL from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2024 color:Keyboard

bar:ME from:06/01/2021 till:12/31/2024 color:Drums
bar:ME from:06/01/2021 till:12/31/2024 color:Bvs width:3
}}

== Discography ==
{{Main|Culture Club discography}}

{{div col}}
* ''[[Kissing to Be Clever]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Colour by Numbers]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Waking Up with the House on Fire]]'' (1984)
* ''[[From Luxury to Heartache]]'' (1986)
* ''[[Don't Mind If I Do (Culture Club album)|Don't Mind If I Do]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Life (Boy George and Culture Club album)|Life]]'' (2018)
{{div col end}}

== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{cite book|last=Blackwell|first=Earl|title=Earl Blackwell's celebrity register|publisher=Times Pub. Group|year=1986|isbn=978-0-9615476-0-8|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/earlblackwellsce0000unse_r5s0}}
* {{cite book|last=Blackwell|first=Earl|title=Earl Blackwell's celebrity register|publisher=Times Publishing Group|year=1990}}
* {{cite book|last=Cohen|first=Scott|title=Boy George|publisher=[[Berkley Books]]|year=1984|isbn=978-0-425-07639-2}}
* {{cite book|last=David |first=Maria |title=Boy George and Culture Club|publisher=American Library Association|year=1984}}
* {{cite book|last1=Denisoff|first1=R. Serge|last2=Schurk |first2=William L.|title=Tarnished gold: the record industry revisited|publisher=Transaction Publishers|year=1986|isbn=978-0-88738-618-3}}
* {{cite book|author=Indiana University |title=Newsweek, Volume 103, Issues 1–9|work=Newsweek|year=1984}}
* {{cite book|last1=Moley |first1=Raymond |last2=Muir |first2=Malcolm |last3=Phillips |first3=Joseph Becker|last4=Smith |first4=Rex |last5=Williamson |first5=Samuel Thurston |title=Newsweek, Volume 101, Issues 18–26 |work=Newsweek|year=1983}}
* {{cite book|last=Richardson |first=Selma K. |title=Magazines for children: a guide for parents, teachers, and librarians, Volume 7|publisher=American Library Association|year=1983|isbn=978-0-8389-0392-6}}
* {{cite book|last1=Warwick|first1=Neil|last2=Kutner|first2=Jon|last3=Brown|first3=Tony|title=The complete book of the British charts: singles & albums|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2004|isbn=978-1-84449-058-5}}

=== Songbooks ===
* ''Kissing to Be Clever'' (including "Time (Clock of the Heart)" – 1982), London & [[Suffolk]], West Central Printing Co. Ltd., distr. Music Sales Ltd.
* ''Colour by Numbers'' (1983), London & Suffolk, West Central Printing Co. Ltd., distr. Music Sales Ltd.
* ''Waking Up with the House on Fire'' (1984), London & Suffolk, West Central Printing Co. Ltd., distr. Music Sales Ltd.
* ''From Luxury to Heartache'' (1986), [[Virgin Music]] (Publishers) Ltd., distr. IMP-International Music Publications, [[Essex]], England
* ''[[Culture Club (Songbook)|Culture Club]]'' (10 of their best songs – 1987), Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd., distr. IMP-International Music Publications, Essex, England
'''N.B.''': Each of the first four songbooks includes a detailed official biography, which is each time updated: this way, such songbooks, corresponding to the band's first four albums, chronicle the early official biography of Culture Club, from 1982 to 1986.

== External links ==
{{sister project links|d=Q50037|b=no|v=no|voy=no|s=no|species=no|mw=no|m=no|wikt=no|n=no}}

* {{Official website|http://www.boygeorgeandcultureclub.net/}}
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000116178}}
* [http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/culture_club/artist.jhtml Culture Club VH1 artist page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105140712/http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/culture_club/artist.jhtml |date=5 November 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060204180038/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/culture_club/artist.jhtml Culture Club MTV artist page]
* [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=culture club|bio=true}} Culture Club Billboard artist page]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060321210903/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/cultureclub Culture Club Rolling Stone artist page]

{{Culture Club|state=expanded}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Culture Club
| list =
{{Brit British Group}}
{{Brit British Single}}
{{Grammy Award for Best New Artist}}
}}
{{UK best-selling singles (by year) 1970–1989}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Culture Club| ]]
[[Category:Brit Award winners]]
[[Category:English dance music groups]]
[[Category:English pop music groups]]
[[Category:English new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:Epic Records artists]]
[[Category:English musical trios]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:LGBTQ-themed musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1986]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2002]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1981]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:English musical quartets]]
[[Category:Virgin Records artists]]
[[Category:British soul musical groups]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Second British Invasion artists]]

South Asian English

2025-10-06T12:23:25Z

2A00:23C5:FE1C:3701:B0C6:7C8E:60C9:EC6D: run-on sentence

{{Short description|Regional variation of British English spoken in South Asia}}
{{Use dmy|date=July 2023}}
'''South Asian English''', informally '''Desi English''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Very Very Indian: What Makes Desi English So Unique |url=https://www.readersdigest.in/culturescape/story-very-very-indian-a-note-on-indian-english-125025 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.readersdigest.in}}</ref> refers to [[List of dialects of English|English dialects]] spoken in most modern-day [[South Asia]]n countries, inherited from [[British English]] dialect. Also known as '''Anglo-Indian English''' during the [[British Raj]], the English language was introduced to the [[Indian subcontinent]] in the early 17th century. Today it is spoken as a [[second language]] by about 350 million people, 20% of the total population.<ref>Baumgardner, p. 1</ref>

Although it is fairly homogeneous across the subcontinent, sharing "linguistic features and tendencies at virtually all linguistic levels", there are some differences based on various regional factors.<ref>{{Citation |last=Schilk |first=Marco |title=Mapping unity and diversity in South Asian English lexicogrammar: Verb-complementational preferences across varieties |date=2012 |work=Varieties of English Around the World |volume=G43 |pages=140 |editor-last=Hundt |editor-first=Marianne |url=https://benjamins.com/catalog/veaw.g43.06sch |access-date=2025-03-01 |place=Amsterdam |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company |language=en |doi=10.1075/veaw.g43.06sch |isbn=978-90-272-4903-6 |last2=Bernaisch |first2=Tobias |last3=Mukherjee |first3=Joybrato |editor2-last=Gut |editor2-first=Ulrike|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

South Asian English is sometimes just called "Indian English", as [[British India]] included most of modern-day [[South Asia]] (except [[Afghanistan]]); but today, the varieties of English are officially divided according to the modern states:

* [[Bangladeshi English]]
* [[Indian English]]
* [[Maldivian English]]
* [[Nepalese English]]
* [[Pakistani English]]
* [[Sri Lankan English]]

== History ==

=== British India ===
{{See also|Glossary of the British Raj}}
{{Excerpt|Indian English|History|only=paragraphs|paragraphs=2|subsections=yes|hat=no}}

== See also ==

* [[Englishisation#South Asia|Englishisation in South Asia]]
* [[Commonwealth English]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
* {{cite book|editor=Robert J. Baumgardner|title=South Asian English: Structure, Use, and Users|publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]|year=1996|isbn=0252064933}}.
* [[Braj Kachru]], Yamuna Kachru, Cecil Nelson, ''The Handbook of World Englishes'', 2009, {{ISBN|1405188316}}.

{{Languages of South Asia}}{{English dialects}}
[[Category:South Asian English|*]]
[[Category:Languages of South Asia]]
[[Category:Dialects of English]]

{{english-lang-stub}}

Heart of Darkness (video game)

2025-10-06T04:27:47Z

2A00:23C5:FE1C:3701:B0C6:7C8E:60C9:EC6D:

{{Short description|1998 video game}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2010}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Heart of Darkness
| image = Heart of Darkness Coverart.png
| developer = Amazing Studio
| publisher = {{vgrelease|PAL|[[Infogrames Multimedia]]{{efn|Branded under [[Ocean Software|Ocean]] in Europe. Distributed in Australia by [[Roadshow Entertainment#Roadshow and Village Roadshow subsidiaries and divisions|Roadshow Interactive]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clarke |first=Stuart |date=August 15, 1998 |title=Eat your heart out |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/119665904 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |pages=207 |quote=''Heart of Darkness''//Distributor: Roadshow Interactive}}</ref>}}|NA|[[Interplay Entertainment|Interplay Productions]]{{efn|Branded under [[Tantrum Entertainment]] label}}}}
| director = [[Éric Chahi]] Fabrice Visserot
| producer = Jon Norledge
| designer = {{Plain list|
* Éric Chahi
* Frédéric Savoir
* Fabrice Visserot
* Christian Robert
* Daniel Morais
}}
| programmer =
| artist =
| writer = Éric Chahi Christian Robert Frédéric Savoir Fabrice Visserot
| composer = [[Bruce Broughton]]
| platforms = [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Windows]]
| released = {{vgrelease|EU|3 July 1998 (PS)<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 27, 1998 |title=Have a Heart |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/921775631 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |pages=49 |quote=''Heart of Darkness'', out on PlayStation and PC, will be on the shelves July 3, and to celebrate we have some great prizes to give away, courtesy of Ocean.}}</ref>|EU|24 July 1998 (PC)<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 24, 1998 |title=Latest PC Software |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/921773637 |access-date=March 31, 2024 |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |pages=21 |quote=''Heart of Darkness''/Latest Release/£34.99}}</ref>|AU|August 1998<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 27, 1998 |title=Action |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/119685790 |access-date=April 21, 2024 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |pages=June 27, 1998 |quote=And folks, the title that's been five years in the making, the French-made ''Heart of Darkness'', is due out in Australia in August.}}</ref>|NA|8 September 1998<ref>{{cite web |url=http://interplay.com/press/hodships.html |title=THE SEARCH IS OVER! HEART OF DARKNESS HITS RETAIL! |website=[[Interplay Entertainment]] |date=8 September 1998 |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990910000219/http://interplay.com/press/hodships.html |archive-date=10 September 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
| genre = [[Cinematic platformer]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

'''''Heart of Darkness''''' is a [[Cinematic platformer|cinematic platform]] [[video game]] developed by French developer Amazing Studio for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] and [[Microsoft Windows]].

The game places players in the role of a child named Andy as he attempts to rescue his dog who has been kidnapped by shadow-like spectres.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amazingstudio.com/HOD/en/BIB_P05.html |title=Master of Darkness |website=Heart of Darkness |access-date=6 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050907133718/http://www.amazingstudio.com/HOD/en/BIB_P05.html |archive-date=7 September 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The game has about half an hour of storytelling cinematic sequences and thousands of 2D animated frames, and uses pre-rendered background scenery. The game was supervised by game developer [[Éric Chahi]], known for ''[[Another World (video game)|Another World]]'', this time with a team of artists and developers. The game also features an original score by film and television composer [[Bruce Broughton]].

The game is completely unrelated to the [[Joseph Conrad]] [[Heart of Darkness|novel of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Games time forgot: Heart of Darkness - Destructoid|date=13 May 2009 |url=https://www.destructoid.com/games-time-forgot-heart-of-darkness/ }}</ref>

==Gameplay==
''Heart of Darkness'' is a [[cinematic platformer]] in the vein of [[Eric Chahi|Éric Chahi]]'s previous game ''[[Another World (video game)|Another World]]''. The [[Player character|player]] controls Andy, who faces various dangers in search of his dog, Whisky. The player progresses through the game's [[Linearity (computer and video games)|linear]] storyline by navigating various environments and solving puzzles, all whilst attempting to keep Andy from being killed by evil shadows, hungry wildlife, and perilous obstacles. Along with basic movement, such as running, jumping, and climbing, certain sections of the game give Andy additional abilities. The plasma cannon allows Andy to shoot lightning at shadows in order to disintegrate them. The special powers, which can also be used offensively against enemies, can additionally be used to grow and destroy trees born from seeds. The player has unlimited [[Life (video games)|tries]], with Andy returning to the most recent [[Checkpoint (video gaming)|checkpoint]] when he is killed.

==Plot==
The game begins with the protagonist; a young boy known as Andy, being berated by his teacher for sleeping in class, where it is revealed that he has [[nyctophobia]] (fear of the dark). Being instructed that same day by his teacher to watch the [[solar eclipse]], Andy takes his beloved dog Whisky to the park where dark forces steal Whisky away, prompting Andy to use his assortment of inventions and machines to get him back. Andy travels to another world called the Darkland in a homemade spaceship which promptly crashes and he has to face an assortment of obstacles to rescue Whisky and find his way home.

Throughout the game, Andy is tasked with fighting living shadow creatures and dark monsters while traversing several hostile alien environments such as a canyon, swamp, underwater cave, and lava river. He receives help in this quest from a peaceful alien race called Amigos whom he befriends, and from magic powers he obtains from a meteor referred to as the "magic rock" that can kill all the shadows of fear.
The main antagonist is an evil sorcerer known as the Master of Darkness who intended to capture Andy instead of his dog. Somewhat resembling Andy's teacher from the beginning of the game, the Master of Darkness has an interest in capturing Andy and sends his minions to pursue him. Another major antagonist is the Vicious Servant; a sniveling pink creature that serves the Master but is quick to betray him for personal benefit.

After traveling across the varying alien environments and fighting alongside the Amigos, Andy finds himself inside the Master of Darkness' lair where he proceeds to free Whisky and join forces with the Vicious Servant to help overthrow the Master of Darkness, planning to use the magic rock's power to destroy the [[black hole]] at the lair's center. However, Andy is double-crossed by the Servant who kicks Whisky into the black hole and sends Andy into an ambush. Andy ends up fending off droves of shadow creatures and successfully following through with his plan, but falls into the black hole himself along with the Master of Darkness as the structure around him collapses.

The black hole's center is the heart of darkness and there Andy must fight the Master and face his fears once and for all. Upon succeeding the darkness dissipates and Andy awakens in his treehouse, believing the experience was all just a dream but after Andy and Whisky go to sleep and it is shown Andy has likely gotten over his fear of the dark, the player is shown the Amigos cleaning up the wreckage of Andy's ship and proving the adventure was perhaps real.

==Development and release==
''Heart of Darkness'' suffered a protracted development cycle marked by numerous delays and changes in platform. Development began in 1992, with the PC as the lead platform.<ref name=SatMag8>{{cite magazine |last=Hickman |first=Sam |url=https://archive.org/details/Sega_Saturn_Magazine_Issue_08_1996-06_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n35/mode/2up |title=One Man and His Dog |magazine=[[Sega Saturn Magazine]] |publisher=[[Ascential|EMAP]] |issue=8 |date=June 1996 |pages=36–42 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> The game was not publicly unveiled until the March 1995 [[European Computer Trade Show]], at which time the developers said it was near completion.<ref name=NGen6>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_06/page/n85/mode/2up |title=NG Alphas: Heart of Darkness |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |issue=6 |date=June 1995 |pages=82–89 |access-date=25 November 2021}}</ref> A version for the [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer]] was announced,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaFun_DE_1994-06.pdf&page=16 |title=Special - Release Schedule ECTS-Messe |language=de |magazine=[[:de:Mega Fun|Mega Fun]] |publisher=[[Computec]] |issue=21 |date=June 1994 |page=16 |access-date=24 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912054625/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaFun_DE_1994-06.pdf&page=16 |archive-date=12 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> but the game spent so long in [[development hell]] that by the time it was finished, the 3DO (which was not even launched until a year after development on the game began) was no longer commercially viable. A version for the [[Amiga CD32]] was also in development but never released.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=The Ripper |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_05/page/n135/mode/2up |title=Europa! |magazine=[[GameFan]] |publisher=DieHard Gamers Club |volume=2 |issue=5 |date=April 1994 |pages=136–37 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> An [[Atari Jaguar CD]] version was also announced in July 1994,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1994-07.pdf&page=32 |title=Warpzone - Jaguar - Angekündigte Jaguar-Spiele |language=de |magazine=[[:de:Video Games|Video Games]] |publisher=Future-Verlag |issue=32 |date=July 1994 |page=32 |access-date=24 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804201143/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1994-07.pdf&page=32 |archive-date=4 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> with internal documents from [[Virgin Interactive Entertainment]] stating that Amazing Studio showed interest in starting development on the conversion, but work on the port never moved forward beyond proposition.<ref>{{cite web |author=LD |date=5 July 2017 |url=https://assemblergames.com/threads/heart-of-darkness.31265/page-3#post-940725 |title=Heart of Darkness |website=AssemblerGames |access-date=24 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924110004/https://assemblergames.com/threads/heart-of-darkness.31265/page-3#post-940725 |archive-date=24 September 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A version for the [[Panasonic M2]] was also in the works.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/3DO_Magazine_Issue_12_1996-07_Paragon_Publishing_GB/page/n3 |title=News - E3 '96: 3DO? - M2 Dream List |magazine=[[Paragon Publishing|3DO Magazine]] |publisher=[[Paragon Publishing]] |issue=12 |date=July 1996 |page=4}}</ref> A [[Game Boy Advance]] port was announced in 2001 but it was never released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heart-of-darkness-announced-for-the-gba/1100-2687159/|title=Heart of Darkness announced for the GBA|last=Strohm|first=Alex|website=[[GameSpot]]|date=February 16, 2001|access-date=February 29, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109014654/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heart-of-darkness-announced-for-the-gba/1100-2687159/|archive-date=November 9, 2013}}</ref>

In 1996 [[Sega]] signed a deal for the console version to be a [[Sega Saturn]] exclusive, with the PC version to be held off until after the Saturn version was released.<ref name="SatMag8"/><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_18/page/n19/mode/2up |title=Saturn's Heart of Darkness |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=18 |date=June 1996 |page=19 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> A release date of October 1996 was announced with the Saturn version,<ref name="SatMag8"/> but as this date approached the publisher announced that the game would not be ready until late 1997.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration23Nov1996/page/n17/mode/2up |title=In the Studio |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=23 |date=November 1996 |page=17 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> ''[[Sega Saturn Magazine]]'' commented at the time that "this is quickly becoming a joke of a situation. The game looked absolutely amazing when it was first sighted at an ECTS trade show a year or three ago, but unless it has radically changed from its sighting at E3 [in May 1996], it's going to be out-dated and out-quaffed by its contemporary software."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/Sega_Saturn_Magazine_Issue_16_1997-02_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n9/mode/2up |title=Tonight We're Going to Party like it's 1996! |magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine |publisher=EMAP |issue=16 |date=February 1997 |pages=10–11 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> With further delays, the Saturn was also no longer a commercially viable platform by the time ''Heart of Darkness'' was finished.

In a 2015 interview with ''[[Eurogamer]]'', [[Éric Chahi]] said ''Heart of Darkness'' was one of his most difficult projects due to the transitions "from working alone to working with a team in the context where the industry was really changing with the CD-Rom coming, the PC and with 3D arriving."<ref>{{cite web |last=Robinson |first=Martin |date=15 November 2015 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-11-14-another-world-the-eccentricities-of-eric-chahi |title=Another World: the eccentricities of Eric Chahi |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |access-date=2 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329190003/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-11-14-another-world-the-eccentricities-of-eric-chahi |archive-date=29 March 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Virgin Interactive]] dropped funding for the project in December 1996, but the team chose to persevere with making the game. Frederic Savoir explained that "we couldn't throw away four years of our life. We didn't care what it took."<ref name="IGNintpt2"/> After nine months of work without funding, the game was demoed at the September 1997 [[European Computer Trade Show]], leading Interplay to adopt it.<ref name="IGNintpt2">{{cite web |last=Perry |first=Douglass C. |date=28 August 1998 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/08/29/interview-with-amazing-studio-pt2 |title=Interview with Amazing Studio, Pt.2 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=2 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329184927/https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/08/29/interview-with-amazing-studio-pt2 |archive-date=29 March 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The game's cutscenes were rendered using [[Autodesk 3ds Max|3D Studio]] (later known as 3DS Max). According to Chahi, the team did consider using [[Silicon Graphics]] workstations, but found that the improvement over 3D Studio was not enough to justify the expense of the workstations or having to restart the work on the cutscenes.<ref name="NGen6"/> Chahi and Chris Delaporte created the game's textures themselves rather than using the 3D Studio texture library.<ref name="NGen6"/> The characters were sketched in different poses, then built with both 3D Studio and different paint programs on a PC. Then the characters were rendered for the cutscenes and scaled down as game sprites. The sprites were animated with [[Deluxe Paint]] and Deluxe Animator.<ref name="SceneStuff">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_26_May_1995/page/60 |title=Feature - Heart of Darkness |magazine=[[PC Zone]] |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |issue=26 |date=May 1995 |pages=60–62}}</ref>

Chahi admitted in 2007 that the 6-year development of ''Heart of Darkness'' had completely exhausted him. After the game's completion, he took a hiatus on game development and pursued travelling and other interests.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reed |first1=Kristan |title=Another World: 15th Anniversary Edition |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/another-world-15th-anniversary-edition-interview |newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=30 January 2007 |access-date=6 March 2022}}</ref> He made a return to the games industry in 2011 with the release of ''[[From Dust]]''.

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| PC = true
| PS = true
| na = true
| GR_PC = 72%<ref name="GRPC">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/63011-heart-of-darkness/index.html |title=Heart of Darkness for PC |website=[[GameRankings]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526122910/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/63011-heart-of-darkness/index.html |archive-date=26 May 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| GR_PS = 75%<ref name="GRPS">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197533-heart-of-darkness/index.html |title=Heart of Darkness for PlayStation |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501161329/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197533-heart-of-darkness/index.html |archive-date=1 May 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CNG_PC = 4/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Rausch |first=Allen |date=29 September 1998 |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-2126,00.html |title=Heart of Darkness (PC) |website=Gamecenter |publisher=[[CNET]] |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816095314/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-2126,00.html |archive-date=16 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CNG_PS = 7/10<ref name="CNG">{{cite web |last=Mahood |first=Andy |date=18 August 1998 |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Heartdark/ |title=Heart of Darkness (PS) |website=Gamecenter |publisher=CNET |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816205020/http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Heartdark/ |archive-date=16 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CGSP_PC = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name="CGSP">{{cite web |last=Bauman |first=Steve |date=11 August 1998 |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/013/148/heart_darkness_review.html |title=Heart of Darkness |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]] |publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030523221835/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/013/148/heart_darkness_review.html |archive-date=23 May 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CGW_PC = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Nguyen |first=Thierry |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_172.pdf |title=Short but Sweet Heart (''Heart of Darkness'' Review) |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=172 |date=November 1998 |pages=269, 272 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>
| Edge_PS = 4/10<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a1/Edge_UK_061.pdf |title=Heart of Darkness (PS) |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] |issue=61 |date=August 1998 |page=92 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>
| EGM_PS = 6.125/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Smith |first1=Shawn |last2=Davison |first2=John |last3=Boyer |first3=Crispin |last4=Hager |first4=Dean |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/1/1d/EGM_US_111.pdf |title=Heart of Darkness |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=111 |date=October 1998 |page=263 |access-date=27 November 2021}}</ref>{{Efn|Four critics of ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' gave the game each a score of 8/10, 2/10, 7/10, and 7.5/10.}}
| GI_PS = 8.25/10<ref name="GI">{{cite magazine |title=Heart of Darkness (PS) |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[FuncoLand]] |issue=64 |date=August 1998 |page=10}}</ref>
| GSpot_PC = 7.1/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Dulin |first=Ron |date=1 October 1998 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/heart-of-darkness-review/1900-2537453/|title=Heart of Darkness Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"] |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[Red Ventures]] |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050211135650/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/heartofdarkness/review.html |archive-date=11 February 2005 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| GSpot_PS = 7.8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Fielder |first=Joe |date=28 August 1998 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/heart-of-darkness-review/1900-2547874/ |title=Heart of Darkness Review (PS) |website=GameSpot |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=29 June 2019}}</ref>
| IGN_PC = 5.8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Ward |first=Trent C. |date=29 September 1998 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/09/30/heart-of-darkness |title=Heart of Darkness (PC) |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>
| IGN_PS = 7.8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Perry |first=Douglass C. |date=8 September 1998 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/09/09/heart-of-darkness-2 |title=Heart of Darkness (PS) |website=IGN |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>
| NGen_PS = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="NGen47">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_47/page/n159/mode/2up |title=Heart of Darkness (PS) |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=47 |date=November 1998 |page=156 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>
| OPM_PS = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Heart of Darkness |magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |volume=2 |issue=1 |date=October 1998}}</ref>
| PCGUS_PC = 78%<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Williamson |first=Colin |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/57.html |title=Heart of Darkness |magazine=[[PC Gamer]] |publisher=Imagine Media |volume=5 |issue=11 |date=November 1998 |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000304205255/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/57.html |archive-date=4 March 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

The PlayStation version received favorable reviews, while the PC version received above-average reviews, according to the [[Review aggregator|review aggregation]] website [[GameRankings]].<ref name="GRPC"/><ref name="GRPS"/> ''[[CNET|CNET Gamecenter]]'', ''[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]'' and ''[[Game Informer]]'' gave the game favourable to mixed reviews, over a month before the game was released Stateside.<ref name="CNG"/><ref name="CGSP"/><ref name="GI"/> ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'', however, said that the PlayStation version was "very much a visual title that relies heavily on the storyline to keep a player's interest. And while the story is good, the gameplay isn't anything revolutionary, or even that interesting. After five{{sic}} years of waiting, the wait simply wasn't worth it."<ref name="NGen47"/>

Scary Larry of ''[[GamePro]]'' called the PlayStation version "a new, more whimsical game that's just as clever as ''[[Another World (video game)|Out of This World]]''".<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Scary Larry |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_111_October_1998/page/n167/mode/2up |title=Heart of Darkness (PS) |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |issue=121 |date=October 1998 |page=168 |access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>{{efn|''[[GamePro]]'' gave the PlayStation version two 5/5 scores for graphics and sound, 4/5 for control, and 4.5/5 for fun factor.}} Jason D'Aprile said of the PC version, "It's not for everyone, and its age is beginning to show, but ''Heart of Darkness'' still offers superb animation, music, graphics, and atmosphere."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=D'Aprile |first=Jason |year=1998 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/812.shtml |title=Heart of Darkness Review for PC on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041226221711/http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/812.shtml |archive-date=26 December 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{efn|''[[GamePro]]'' gave the PC version 4.5/5 for graphics, 5/5 for sound, 3.5/5 for control, and 4/5 for fun factor.}}

''Heart of Darkness'' was a finalist at the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|AIAS]]' [[2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards]] for "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design|Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music]]", which was ultimately given to ''[[Road Rash 3D]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html |title=Second Interactive Achievement Awards: Craft Award |website=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991011023932/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html |archive-date=11 October 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{moby game|id=/heart-of-darkness}}
*{{IMDb title|0446708}}
*{{PCGamingWiki|Heart_of_Darkness}}

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