Katrina and the Waves - Katrina and the Waves

Today (March 29th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the self-titled third studio album from Katrina and the Waves. This 1985 release from the English band hit number 28 in the UK and spent thirty-two weeks on the US Billboard Album chart with a top spot of 25. This was the band's first release on a major record label (Capitol), and it was made up entirely of tracks that had appeared on their first two Canadian independent label releases from 1983 and 1984.

Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine (30th anniversary)

This month is the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Walking on Sunshine, the debut album of Katrina and the Waves.

Click here for my full review of the album.

Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine

Happy fifty-second birthday yesterday (April 10th) to American-born singer and musician Katrina Leskanich.

After moving around most of her childhood thanks to a father in the Air Force, Katrina’s family settled in Norfolk, England. It was there she and then-boyfriend Vince de la Cruz formed their first band “Mama’s Cooking”. A few years later, they changed their name to the Waves and started to play more original music. Guitarist Kimberley Rew joined the group; he previously was a member of Robyn Hitchcock’s Soft Boys until 1981. Eventually the band changed its name to Katrina and the Waves as Ms. Leskanich was the lead vocalist.

It is fitting that the first album by the group I talk about on my blog is their debut record. Walking On Sunshine was released in January of 1983 but only on vinyl and in Canada. Rew wrote all the songs for this record.