This Early 80s New Wave Band Almost Made It to Superstardom (And the Reason They Didn’t Is Unfair)

One great thing about being a music writer is being able to turn over previously unturned stones in classic rock history. I was a 90s kid and never got to properly enjoy the 1980s era of new wave classics as they were released. So, I never got to learn about the killer new wave post-punk outfit Romeo Void until I came across their work while putting together a list.

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I was blown away. This San Francisco-based group was absolutely incredible. Formed back in 1979, Romeo Void didn’t make many waves with their debut 1981 album, It’s a Condition. However, the 1982 release Benefactor had attracted some attention in North America, and their 1984 album Instincts made it to No. 68 in the US. The band became best known for the 1984 hit “A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)”. That track peaked at No. 11 on the US Dance chart and No. 35 on the coveted Hot 100 chart.

There’s no way that Romeo Void wasn’t on track to become the next big new wave act. Sadly, Instincts was their last studio album. They broke up in 1985, only to briefly reunite twice and release a handful of compilation albums.

What on earth happened? Sadly, it’s a tale as old as time, one that involved some serious misogyny and body-shaming.

Why Romeo Void Didn’t Become Chart-Toppers After Their Final Album in 1984

Despite the success of “A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)”, Columbia Records stopped promoting the band in the middle of their nationwide tour. They were dropped soon after.

“The very next town we got to after they made that decision, there wasn’t an A&R person there,” said Debora Iyall, the band’s frontwoman. “[There] was no local person there, there were no interviews and in-stores arranged as they had been. All that just ground to a halt.”

According to the band, the label dropped them because of Iyall’s weight. That was the sole reason they decided that a Top 40 hitmaker didn’t deserve a chance.

“Howie [Klein] sold us from 415 to Columbia Records, and they were like ‘Who’s this fat chick?’” said Iyall. “They decided that was as far as it was going to get, and pulled their support.”

After returning from their tour to San Francisco, Romeo Void broke up as a result of being dropped from their label, as well as the stress of touring. Sadly, their drummer Larry Carter and saxophonist Benhamin Bossi have since passed away. So, the chance of a proper reunion may never happen.

They truly deserved better, Iyall most of all.

Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images