Missing Persons

Missing Persons was one of the most successful and enduring bands to emerge from the American new wave scene of the early 1980s, its rise spearheaded by singer Dale Bozzio, a cyberpunk Betty Boop made famous by the fledgling cable network MTV.

Bozzio, her husband Terry Bozzio - an acclaimed and highly skilled jazz drummer - guitarist Warren Cuccurullo formed Missing Persons in Los Angeles in 1980 after collaborating on composer and bandleader Frank Zappa's rock opera Joe's Garage. Zappa encouraged Missing Persons to record with producer Ken Scott, celebrated for his work with the Beatles and David Bowie; Scott agreed to produce the trio's self-titled debut EP, which scored a local hit with "Mental Hopscotch" and landed them a deal with Capitol Records.

Bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild joined Missing Persons to cut the band's debut LP, 1982's Spring Session M, which yielded the hits "Words," "Destination Unknown" and "Walking in L.A." Dale Bozzio's Day-Glo-streaked blonde hair and futuristic, DIY fashions made her a larger-than-life figure in the early days of MTV, but Mission Persons' 1984 follow-up Rhyme & Reason fell victim to the sophomore slump, and when 1986's Color in Your Life failed to catch on, Missing Persons split and the Bozzios divorced. Dale Bozzio and Warren Cuccurullo reunited Missing Persons for multiple tours, and Bozzio continued leading a version of the band on her own after Cuccurullo exited once and for all.