As one of the most controversial comedians of our generation, Ricky Gervais is always the one throwing the punches. But when fans unearthed old clips of his secret music career, filmed decades before he became famous, Ricky finally became the butt of the joke, and fans haven’t stopped cackling ever since.
In the early 80s, Ricky’s short-lived new romantic band, Seona Dancing, performed live on the British children’s TV show, “Razzmatazz.” And as much as Ricky might try to bury his past, the footage still keeps going viral on YouTube, amassing more than 822,000 views to date across its various uploads. Music Man readers can discover Ricky Gervais’s short-lived pop career in the video below…
Teaming up with his university mate, Bill Macrae, Ricky is almost unrecognizable as he hits the stage in a white suit, choppy mullet, eye makeup, and earrings. He’s shockingly slimmer than the TV star we’ve come to know, his deep vocals comparable to Morrissey as he and Bill unleash their live rendition of the band’s debut single, “More To Lose.”
In an interview with Kelly Clarkson, Ricky reflected on his new romantic era, commenting, “All I can say is, I was twenty years old. People think I’m embarrassed about how I looked then. No, I’m embarrassed about how I look now. And people say, ‘What happened?’ I’ll tell you what happened: Beer and pizza. That’s what happened.”
He also gave Kelly an extensive rundown of his music career: “I started a band and we got signed and it was over as quick as it started. My rock career was one year long.”
Having spent his teens listening to David Bowie, Ricky’s cutting ‘80s aesthetics slot right into the new wave mold. But the night-and-day contrast between the dapper, cheekbone-wielding frontman and the aged actor debuting his role as The Office’s David Brent is almost too much for fans to bear.
Even Ricky’s radio co-host and “An Idiot Abroad” star Karl Pilkington quipped, “Doesn’t Jane [Ricky’s wife] feel she’s been ripped off when she sees you now?”
Seona Dancing have only four songs to their name – two 1983 singles titled “More To Lose” and “Bitter Heart,” featuring one B-side each – but it’s enough to send fans spiraling with laughter as they contemplate Ricky’s evolution.
As one top commenter beneath this flashback clip joked, “This was Ricky Gervais’ first great comedy performance,” another added, “I find this so bizarre. Gervais in the 80s looking the part and singing pretty good. It’s just such an odd fact of reality that this happened.”
Against all odds, “More To Lose” was allegedly a smash hit in the Philippines (of all places), with countless commenters reminiscing on their childhoods spent overhearing this anthem on ‘80s Filipino radio and TV. Yet, even then, Seona Dancing fans failed to join the dots together and clock who the frontman really is. One Filipino fan spoke for hundreds when they commented, “My favorite new wave song back then in the Philippines and I’m just finding out that Ricky Gervais is the lead vocal! WTF! Mind blown…”
Ricky Gervais’ fleeting pop past is archival comedy gold — proof even the king of punchlines had a mullet phase. Want to watch Seona Dancing’s Razzmatazz performance and other clips? Discover more via the useful links below.