New wave is one of those musical genres that, in comparison to heavy metal or hip hop, is kind of difficult to define quickly and readily — it’s more of an “I’ll know it when I hear it” kind of thing. AllMusic writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes it as a reaction to the gritty punk rock sound of just a few years earlier. And, while it may difficult to describe just exactly what new wave is, it’s entirely possible to name a few bands that typified the genre: Devo, The Thompson Twins, The B-52s, among multiple others.
In 1982, according to Billboard, Andrew Todd Rosenthal teamed up with his friend, Bill Paxton, to form their own new wave act, and named it Martini Ranch. The band features a sort of who’s who of early 1980s new wave, as guest performers on one of the band’s singles include two men from Devo. Cindy Wilson of the B-52’s also appeared on the band’s first album, “Holy Cow,” as did actors Judge Reinhold and Bud Cort.
Martini Ranch never really went anywhere, and Paxton himself went on to be known more as an actor than a musician, but some of the band’s work did make it into the movies. Specifically, their song “Headin’ West” appeared on the soundtrack to “You Can’t Hurry Love,” as well as on the soundtrack to “Brain Dead,” in which Paxton starred.
