Los Angeles, CA · new-wave · synth-rock

Missing Persons

1 upcoming festival

Dale Bozzio's helium delivery over musicians who'd played with Zappa — new wave with chops, 'Words' still doing the talking.

Missing Persons formed in Los Angeles in 1980 around singer Dale Bozzio, drummer Terry Bozzio and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, with bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild completing the early line-up. Several members had worked with Frank Zappa, and that background showed in music that paired new wave's synthesizers and clipped rhythms with unusually intricate playing.

The band's best-known songs — "Words," "Destination Unknown" and "Walking in L.A." — came from the album Spring Session M, and Dale Bozzio's high, clipped vocal delivery and elaborate stage costumes made her one of the more recognisable figures of early MTV. She has continued to perform under the Missing Persons name.

new-wavesynth-rock