View source for Mike Score

{{Short description|English singer-songwriter (born 1957)}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name               = Mike Score
| honorific_suffix   = 
| image              = Mike Score.jpg
| landscape          = yes
| alt                = 
| caption            = Score performing with [[A Flock of Seagulls]] in [[Liverpool]], in 2011
| birth_name         = Michael Gordon Score
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1957|11|05}}
| birth_place        = [[Beverley]], East Yorkshire, England
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| death_cause        = 
| resting_place      = 
| other_names        = 
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
* musician
}}
| years_active       = 1976–present
| background       = solo_singer
| genre            = {{flatlist|
* [[New wave music|New wave]]
* [[post-punk]]
* [[synth-pop]]
}}
| instrument       = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* guitar
* keyboards
}}
| label            = 
| current_member_of = [[A Flock of Seagulls]]
| past_member_of    = Tontrix
| website           = {{URL|mikescore.com}} 
}}

'''Michael Gordon Score''' (born 5 November 1957) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who achieved fame as the founder, lead vocalist, and keyboardist of the [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[A Flock of Seagulls]]. He released a solo album on 1 March 2014 titled ''[[Zeebratta]]''.

A Flock of Seagulls were an influential band of the 1980s, still shaping much of today's [[dance music]], [[Pop music|contemporary pop]] and [[electronic music]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Zimmerman|first=Lee|date=2015-07-02|title=A Flock of Seagulls: A Legacy of Influence and Insults|url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/music/a-flock-of-seagulls-a-legacy-of-influence-and-insults-7064211|access-date=2021-05-02|website=New Times Broward-Palm Beach}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Score was born in [[Beverley]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], England on 5 November 1957.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/A-Flock-of-Seagulls-Mike-Score-Releases-New-Single-Somebody-Like-You-20140129 |title=A Flock of Seagulls' Mike Score Releases New Single 'Somebody Like You' |website=BroadwayWorld |publisher=Wisdom Digital Media |date=29 January 2014 |access-date=17 December 2020}}</ref> Score was a hairdresser in [[Liverpool]] until 1978 when he formed the [[post-punk]] band Tontrix, in which he played bass, along with Hambi Haralambous (vocals), Steve Lovell (guitar), Bobby Carr (keyboards) and [[Chris Hughes (musician)|Chris Hughes]] (drums).

The band released just one 7-inch 45 with two songs, "Shell Shocked" and "Slipping into Life". The band played many shows in the [[North West England|North West of England]] but, in late 1979, the group was disbanded, with the members following different paths.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tontrix|url=https://www.discogs.com/pt_BR/artist/564901-Tontrix|access-date=2021-04-22|website=Discogs|language=pt-BR}}</ref>

A few months later, in the same year, he founded the [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[A Flock of Seagulls]] with his brother Ali Score (drums), his friend Frank Maudsley (bass), and [[Paul Reynolds (musician)|Paul Reynolds]] (guitar). Mike played keyboard and guitar, and was a vocalist. A Flock of Seagulls started playing in bars and practised on top of the hall where Mike worked, until they got a contract with a record label. Soon after that, their debut self-titled album, ''[[A Flock of Seagulls (album)|A Flock of Seagulls]]'', was released in 1982, and achieved international success. In 1983, they released the album ''[[Listen (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Listen]]'', which was quite successful. In the same year, the band started doing shows together with [[the Police]] and [[the Fixx]]. In 1984, they released ''[[The Story of a Young Heart]]'', which was moderately successful. In 1986, the album ''[[Dream Come True (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Dream Come True]]'' was met with mixed reviews, and which the band broke up.

When Score decided to reform the band again in 1988, the other members refused to join him. He performed and toured A Flock of Seagulls with different members. In 1995, he released the album ''[[The Light at the End of the World (A Flock of Seagulls album)|The Light at the End of the World]]'', which did not perform very well commercially.

In 1999, Score recorded a song for the compilation album ''Trackspotting V'', titled "All I Wanna Do". It is the eighth track (out of 18) on the album, and he is credited as "Scorey".

In 2003, the original members of A Flock of Seagulls were brought together by [[VH1]]'s ''[[Bands Reunited]]''. They played their hit "[[I Ran (So Far Away)]]" in a unique performance in London. In an interview before the performance, it was revealed that his "seagull" or "wings" hairstyle was created when the actor tried to style his hair as [[David Bowie]]'s character, Ziggy Stardust. Bassist Frank Maudsley was trying to use the mirror at the same time, and put his hand on Score's head, leaving only the hair on the sides of the head up. The band's reunion apparently resolved the tension between him and his brother, Ali Score, the band's former drummer, who has been around since the end of the band.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Twilight1964|first=Twilight1964|date=22 April 2021|title=Bands Re-united A Flock of Seagulls|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjZ_SJna14|access-date=22 April 2021|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

On 4 February 2013, Score indicated, through his [[YouTube]] account, that he had started a solo career. On the same day, Score sent a video clip of his song "All I Wanna Do" (re-recorded, as the original). (The version is in Trackspotting V). It was released as a single on 18 February 2013, on Right Track Records. The genre of the track is ambient electronica. Score planned to release a solo album soon after, but in July 2013, the van used by Score and his musicians was stolen from a Comfort Inn in Downey, [[California]]. The van contained Score's equipment, clothing, and hard drives containing the album tracks. The next day, the van was found with nothing inside. The hard drives containing the audio files have never been recovered.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Alan Duke|title=Flock of Seagulls' van found, but gear's gone|url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/24/showbiz/flock-of-seagulls-theft/index.html|access-date=2021-04-22|website=CNN|date=24 July 2013}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|author=Bob Strauss|title=Despite theft, A Flock of Seagulls’ Mike Score releasing solo album|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2014/02/27/despite-theft-a-flock-of-seagulls-mike-score-releasing-solo-album/|access-date=2024-10-31|website=Los Angeles Daily News|date=27 February 2014}}</ref>

In January 2014, Score released his second single entitled "Somebody Like You". On 1 March 2014, Score released ''[[Zeebratta]]'', his first studio album.<ref>{{Citation|title=Mike Score – Zeebratta (2014, File)|url=https://www.discogs.com/Mike-Score-Zeebratta/release/12157108|language=pt-BR|access-date=2021-04-22}}</ref>

On 3 May 2018, it was announced that the original four members of the band would meet again to record a new album entitled ''[[Ascension (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Ascension]]'', their first studio recording since 1984. Featuring the [[Prague Philharmonic Orchestra]], it would be a 10-track album composed of exclusive songs, versions of previous hits, and a new song. The video for "[[Space Age Love Song]]" debuted on YouTube on 6 June, and a five-track EP featuring five versions of the song was released digitally two days later.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-29|title=SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS WITH THE PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA - ASCENSION|url=https://spillmagazine.com/spill-album-review-a-flock-of-seagulls-with-the-prague-philharmonic-orchestra-ascension/|access-date=2021-04-22|website=The Spill Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>

On 12 July 2019, the original members got together again for another album, ''Inflight (The Extended Essentials)''. This time, the band reworked their original hits and extended them in a 12" remix style from the 80s. Ten new recordings, expanded to fill the imagination of dreamers around the world, are now available in physical and digital stores.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-20|title=Review: A Flock of Seagulls - Inflight - The Extended Essentials|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2019/11/review-a-flock-of-seagulls-inflight-the-extended-essentials/|access-date=2021-04-22|website=Classic Pop Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Style ==
Mike brought the band a unique New Romantic style, infusing futuristic footprints through synthesizers, vocal tones and science-fiction costumes to create their trademark image. Mike was known for his signature back combed haircut which resembled a 'waterfall'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-15 |title=The '80s hair is gone, but the songs remain |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/entertainment/tn-gnp-the-80s-hair-is-gone-but-the-songs-remain-20150715-story.html |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=Glendale News-Press |language=en-US}}</ref> In an interview for Classic Pop, Mike was quoted as saying "My mom used to say, 'Don't copy people, try to be yourself because then people will remember you". He went onto to say "There was a little bit of David Bowie and Alice Cooper in the band's appearance, without copying them". It was reported that the 'Winged' haircut originated when the band was due to do a show in Trinidad. Whilst in the dressing room before the performance, Mike was combing his hair back when Frank Maudsley hurriedly pushed him away from the mirror only for his hair to fall forward at the front and stay up at the sides.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-08-19|title=A Flock of Seagulls Interview: 'Try to be yourself, because that way people will remember you'|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2019/08/a-flock-of-seagulls-interview-iconic-hair-and-the-folly-of-youth/|access-date=2021-04-22|website=Classic Pop Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Catchpole|first=Matt|date=2018-07-31|title=HIGH FLYING BIRDS – A Flock of Seagulls' Bassist Frank Maudsley On The Return Of The 1980's Fab Four|url=https://essentiallypop.com/epop/2018/07/high-flying-birds-a-flock-of-seagulls-bassist-frank-maudsley-on-the-return-of-the-1980s-fab-four/|access-date=2021-04-22|website=Essentially Pop|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Equipment ==

{{cleanup rewrite|date=February 2022}}

=== Guitars ===
Mike Score has large guitar collections that he has used over the years, each used to play a different song, among them we can highlight his red Yamaha SG1000 that he used a lot for songs like Man Made and Pick Me Up, another The guitar used a lot by Score was the Gibson Moderne Electric Guitar which was used a lot by Mike at the beginning of the band, he used this guitar to play songs like Telecommunication and others. Other guitars also used by Mike were guitars like a blue Aria Pro II ZZ Deluxe, which was known for being used at the US Festival in 1983, Mike used this guitar to perform several songs and was one of the most used by Score in the 1980s, another one that Mike used a lot after 1984 was a black Fender Telecaster. He currently uses a black Fender Made in Japan Modern Telecaster HH.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mike Score's Guitars {{!}} Equipboard|url=https://equipboard.com/pros/mike-score/gear/guitars#guitars|access-date=2021-04-22|website=equipboard.com}}</ref>

=== Synthesizers ===
Score became famous for his riffs with the synthesizer, creating unique sounds, which brought a great mark to his style of composition. Among the various synthesizers in its collection we can highlight the Korg Delta, Korg MS-10, Roland Jupiter-8 Synthesizer, Roland Juno-60, Roland SH-101 Synthesizer, Ensoniq TS-10, Roland SH-09 Synthesizer, Roland Fantom-X6 and among others that have been used throughout the extensive musical career that Mike Score has carried since the late 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mike Score's Keyboards and Synthesizers {{!}} Equipboard|url=https://equipboard.com/pros/mike-score/gear/keyboards-and-synthesizers#keyboards-and-synthesizers|access-date=2021-04-22|website=equipboard.com}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Mike Score lives in [[Florida]] with his wife, both of whom travel regularly between the US and Liverpool with their boats. Score has been married four times and is currently married to Ceena Score (since June 25, 2012). Score has a child from his first marriage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Score|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0778714/bio|access-date=2021-04-22|website=IMDb}}</ref>{{Bcn|date=September 2023}}

== Discography ==
{{See also|A Flock of Seagulls discography}}

{{col-float}}
'''Solo'''
* ''[[Zeebratta]]'' (2014)
{{col-float-break}}

'''Collaborations'''
* ''Looking for You'' <small>(with Isaac Junkie)</small> (2018)
{{col-float-break}}

'''[[A Flock of Seagulls]]'''
* ''[[A Flock of Seagulls (album)|A Flock of Seagulls]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Listen (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Listen]]'' (1983)
* ''[[The Story of a Young Heart]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Dream Come True (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Dream Come True]]'' (1986)
* ''[[The Light at the End of the World (A Flock of Seagulls album)|The Light at the End of the World]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Ascension (A Flock of Seagulls album)|Ascension]]'' (2018)
* ''[[String Theory (A Flock Of Seagulls album)|String Theory]]'' (2021)
{{Col-float-break}}'''Tontrix'''
* ''Shell Shocked and Slipping into Life'' (1979){{col-float-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0778714|name=Mike Score}}

{{A Flock of Seagulls}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Score, Mike}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:A Flock of Seagulls members]]
[[Category:English expatriate musicians in the United States]]
[[Category:English keyboardists]]
[[Category:English male songwriters]]
[[Category:English synth-pop new wave musicians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English male new wave singers]]
[[Category:English new wave singers]]
[[Category:Entertainers from Beverley]]
[[Category:Singers from Liverpool]]