Berlin

Berlin Artistfacts

  • 1978-1987, 1999-
    John CrawfordBass, keyboards1978-1987, 2016-
    Terri NunnLead vocals1980-
    David DiamondKeyboards1982-1987, 2016-
    Ric OlsenGuitar1982-1985
    Matt ReidSynthesizers1984-1985
    Rob BrillDrums1983-1987
  • Berlin had a few modest hits with an upbeat synthpop sound in the early '80s, including "The Metro" and "No More Words," but their best-known song by a wide margin is the languorous ballad "Take My Breath Away," written for the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. But the only band member to contribute to that song is Terri Nunn, so the other members ended up in an awkward position of having their biggest hit be a song they had nothing to do with. They broke up a year later.
  • Terri Nunn was a teenage actress before joining Berlin as lead singer in 1979. She'd made appearances on the TV series Police Story, Family and The Runaways, and in the disco-themed film Thank God It's Friday. She was just 19 when she joined the group.
  • John Crawford is their primary songwriter. Terri Nunn joined the group because she was impressed with the songs he wrote.
  • Nunn was offered the role of Lucy Ewing on the CBS TV series Dallas but turned it down so she could pursue music. The role went to Charlene Tilton.
  • John Crawford chose the band name to make them sound European because that was a vanguard of electronic music and evoked sophistication and high fashion.
  • Terri Nunn auditioned for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars when she was 15. Her screen test with Harrison Ford is on YouTube.
  • The band went through a few lead singers early on. Terri Nunn replaced Toni Childs, who left for a solo career, in 1979 and recorded their first single, "A Matter of Time," before leaving in 1980 to go back to acting. The year they released their debut album, Information, with Virginia Macolino on vocals. Nunn returned a short time later and has been there ever since.
  • The band broke up in 1987 but Terri Nunn later secured the rights to the name and formed a new version of the group in 1999, which went through various members until 2016, when she reunited with classic lineup members John Crawford and David Diamond. This configuration released albums in 2019 and 2020 and is often seen at '80s revival concerts and cruises.
  • Six members of their '80s lineups, including John Crawford and Terri Nunn, participated in a 2004 episode of VH1's Bands Reunited that culminated with a one-off concert at The Roxy in Los Angeles. Richard Blade, an influential DJ and Terri Nunn's ex-boyfriend, worked on the show and facilitated the reunion.

    After that reunion, Nunn continued to lead her version of Berlin with different members, but the show got her and Crawford talking again, which led to their more durable reunion in 2016.

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