"I hear the secrets that you keep,
When you're talking in your sleep..."

Emerging from the fabled “Motor City” of Detroit, The Romantics were one of many bands to try and capitalize on the 1979 success of The Knack. But while many other groups would quickly fade away, The Romantics gained respect, thanks to their particular brand of energetic rock/pop sounds that harkened back to the days of the British Invasion.

Taking their name from the fact that they formed on Valentine’s Day in 1977, The Romantics started as a local rock act in the Detroit area, where they had a modest following for their fresh sound which combined the style of The Kinks and The Beatles with an attitude reminiscent of The Ramones (who they would open for on one of their first tours.) The band signed with Nemperor Records and record their self-titled album in 1980, which produced the hit “What I Like About You.” From the playful handclaps to the soulful harmonica reminiscent of John Lennon in the early Beatles days, The Romantics received plenty of love from fans who couldn't help but connect with their energy and infectious beat. And sporting  big bouffant hairdos and tight red-leather suits, they were perfectly suited for the newly emerging MTV generation. Their video quickly found regular rotation in the new medium.

In 1984, they released their second album, Heat, and scored a number #3 hit on the charts with “Talking in your Sleep” and another minor hit, “One in a Million.” Again, it was the combination of 60s attitude with modern, new wave productions that won the hearts of their many fans. In the years that followed the band would lean toward the more synthesized sounds that were all the rage, as evidenced on their third release, Rhythm Romance. Fans who were used to their energetic, rocking roots were disappointed with this new offering, which strayed just a bit too far from what had made them special in the first place. As a result, the latest album failed to produce a hit or garner much attention with the public.

Their biggest hit over the years, “What I Like About You” has been used countless times in television commercials, often without their consent. As a result, a number of lawsuits prevented the band from recording new music until the mid-90s. In 1993, they saw some renewed interest with the release of the new EP, Made in Detroit and a live album The King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: The Romantics Live in Concert which was shot in 1983.

And most recently, in 2003, the band released a new collection of material called 61/49. While the album did not generate the sales of the earlier albums, it received much critical acclaim, due to the band tapping back into their earlier influences and returning to their rock/blues sound. The Romantics had finally come full circle and refined the sound that had caused so many to fall in love with them in the first place.

"For whispering in my ear,
Tell me all the things that I like to hear,
Cause that's true,
That's what I like about you..."