The Jet Set

The story behind *Fallen Angel* is intertwined with the early days of Alphaville, a band that emerged from the convergence of previous projects. In 1982, Marian Gold and Bernhard Lloyd were already part of Nelson Community, and had even been part of a band called Chinchilla Green that never took off. That same year, Lloyd joined Frank Mertens to form a new group. It was then that they called on Gold to take on the role of vocalist, giving birth to the band that, after a name change, would become known as Alphaville.

The first major stroke of luck came in 1983 with the single *Big in Japan*. Its success was so unexpected that it surprised both the band and their record label, Warner Music Group. This track, along with *Sounds Like a Melody*, served as a preview for the debut album, Forever Young, released on September 27, 1984. The album also included the namesake track, Forever Young, and was backed by two other singles: *Jet Set* and *The Breathtaking Blue*. The album was well-received in Europe, reaching the top 20 in six countries and topping the charts in Norway and Sweden. Shortly after the release of Forever Young, Frank Mertens left the lineup and was replaced by Ricky Echolette, who had previously collaborated with them in Chinchilla Green. The band continued their journey, releasing Afternoons in Utopia in 1986.