From the alternative underground, to characterizing the John Hughes’ coming of age classic “Pretty In Pink,” plus additional new wave smashes “Love My Way,” “The Ghost In You” and “Heartbreak Beat,” The Psychedelic Furs essentially defined the 1980s.

As the ‘90s came into view, co-founding brothers Richard and Tim Butler flipped their focus to fellow alt-rock act Love Spit Love, eventually reuniting the Furs on the road in 2000, but steering away from the studio.

Thankfully, that nearly three-decade silence is over with the excellent “Made Of Rain” (a top 5 Billboard debut on several charts), which Tim breaks down for Chicago Concert Reviews, along with the double-edged sword of soundtrack success, reuniting with Richard Fortus (on a break from Guns N’ Roses) and a somewhat surprising cluster of superstar fans.

Did the 29-year gap in between albums happen simply because time slipped away or were you specifically waiting for all the pieces to fall into place?   

Tim Butler: Time just flew past. We originally were going to take a short break from the Furs to recharge our batteries. We had grown tired of being the Furs and playing Furs songs. We each took time away to work on new projects and then when we reformed at the millennium. We were mainly concentrating on touring and didn’t want to fall back into the tour/recording/tour/recording treadmill that we’d grown tired of in the first place. Over the past few years, shows and audience enthusiasm have been growing, and we were playing very solidly…so we thought it might be a good time to do new music.

How would you describe The Psychedelic Furs’ sound these days, both independent of your previous material and compared to the classics?

Butler: The music on “Made Of Rain” is definitely Furs sounding, but with an updated sound. You can’t be a musician and not be totally influenced by music around you, which is why I think it sounds current. I think it definitely stands well beside our older albums.
 
Can you describe the “Made Of Rain” title in a nutshell?

Butler: Richard was inspired for the title idea after reading a poem called “The Man Made Of Rain” by Brendan Kennelly.
 
Tell us a bit about your ongoing relationship with co-producer Richard Fortus and why he was the man for the job. 

Butler: Richard Fortus is an old friend, fan and even one-time bandmate. He was a great choice as a producer, because as someone so familiar with the band’s music, he could advise us what was the best of the Furs and what wasn’t. We tend to be too close to see sometimes. Also, because he was an old friend and we were so familiar with one another, the sessions were very relaxed.
 
It appears as though you took the band’s latest promo photo at the Aragon Ballroom. What attracted you to the venue? 

Butler: Chicago is a great place. It has the right look and right mood. We were playing the Aragon Ballroom on our 2019 Summer Tour with James. It’s a great venue!

What shows throughout the Chicago area have been etched in your memory? 

Butler: I remember back in 1983 playing the Aragon Ballroom on the “Forever Now” Tour.
It was so packed and hot the security were throwing ice cubes into the crowd to help cool them down. I remember thinking at the time “wow, we’ve made it.”

What did moving from England to America all those years ago bring to the band?

Butler: It gave us a bigger perspective. I think it brought us a more cosmopolitan view on things.
 
How much of a blessing or a curse was “Pretty In Pink” practically defining the entire John Hughes era? 

Butler: It was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it brought us a larger audience. On the other, it drove away some of our early fans, who thought we’d changed and sold out, mainly due to the newly arrived hordes of screaming girls wearing pink outfits.
  
Who are some of the acts you’ve been most honored to hear are fans of The Psychedelic Furs? 

Butler: The Killers, James, and strangely enough, Joe Elliot of Def Leppard. We played a show in Ireland a couple of years ago and he came to see us. After the show, he told us he was a fan and that his favorite track is “President Gas.”

Do you miss anything about the ‘80s? Is there anything you wish you could take back? 

Butler: No, I don’t think so. If you can remember the 80s, you weren’t there…lol.

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For additional information on The Psychedelic Furs, visit ThePsychedelicFurs.com.