Real Atomic

Real Atomic formed in New York City in 1976.  Fronted by dirty blonde Blair Warner (a former foot model), the band first leaned on an unlikely mix of Brill Building pop and the nascent punk sound.  By the time they released Concentric Circles in 1979, the band emphasized a more aggressive side of Warner's voice and persona.  The album (particularly the single "A New One") received moderate U.S. airplay; for some reason, the band had a substantial underground following in Malaysia and Bulgaria.

The group put out a series of albums in the '80s exploring a range of styles; Warner is notorious for her half-baked attempt at "gangsta rap" (1985's "Loaded, Forbear"), and the calypso-focused 1986 album Steel Drum Alley suffered from poor sales and critical apathy.  The band folded shortly thereafter.

After a brief acting career (mostly pilots), Warner became a conservative talk radio host in 1997.  In 2006 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.