Archive for the ‘New Wave’ Category

Classic Video: The Psychedelic Furs

Posted: January 9, 2016 in Alternative, Classic Videos, New Wave, Post-Punk
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The Psychedelic Furs’ “Pretty in Pink” was a song with two lives, pre- and post-John Hughes. I prefer the grittier pre-Hughes version, which is probably an opinion shared by most Furs fans. The song was originally released in 1981 and is the first track off the album Talk Talk Talk. With its darker and moodier feel, the original is a much better fit with the cynical lyrics of the song. As many songs that fed my love of new wave, I first saw the video on MTV. I loved the song then and still do. The song reached #43 on the UK charts, but did not make a mark in the US until the mid-eighties.

Years later, Molly Ringwald brought the song to the attention of John Hughes and history was made. The band recorded a more upbeat and polished version of the song in 1986, and a new video was made to promote the Pretty in Pink movie. Even though they went along for the ride, the Furs weren’t too pleased with the changes and thought Hughes failed to capture the spirit of the song. As Richard Butler told Mojo magazine, “The song was about a girl who kinda sleeps around and thinks it’s really cool and thinks everybody really likes her, but they really don’t…It’s quite scathing.” Regardless, it was the song that really put the Furs on the US map and was their highest charting single in the UK, peaking at #18.

 

The Blitz Kids

Posted: January 4, 2016 in General, New Romantic, New Wave, Synthpop
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Ah, the New Romantics – the big hair, the makeup, the frilly clothes – and that was just the men. With my love of new wave music, I’m not sure why it took me so long to stumble upon the Blitz Kids, who originated the New Romantic movement. Those familiar with the Blitz Kids know how influential they were in this movement, and ‘80s culture in general. It was while researching the New Romantics that I became acquainted with this group of musicians, art students, and “unruly” teens who were so instrumental in shaping what ended up being the most dominant genre of music and fashion in the early ‘80s. Members of this prestigious set included Boy George, Marilyn, Steve Strange, members of Bananarama, and John Galliano, just to name a few.

Origins and Fashion

It all started in 1978 in London, where a club called Billy’s held regular Bowie nights. The themed night drew kids disillusioned with the punk scene, and art and fashion students from local colleges. After a few months the group moved on to the Blitz wine bar for regular Tuesday night gatherings. The crowds donned looks from the English Romantic period, Berlin Cabaret, to retro Hollywood, and androgyny ruled the day. The extravagant fashion was a rejection of the stripped down look of punk. Steve Strange (later of Visage) manned the door with an iron fist, and if you did not live up to his creative standards you were not getting through the door. If you were able to get in, you would get the chance to mingle with the likes of Siouxsie Sioux, Midge Ure, and Billy Idol. Below are photos that capture the fashion and attitude of those Tuesday nights.

A shot outside the Blitz

Blitz Club

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Strange (middle) and Boy George (right)

Steve and George

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marilyn (left), DJ Princess Julia (Julia Fodor), Boy George (right)

Marilyn and George and Julia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin Degville, pre- Sigue Sigue Sputnik

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The Music

But it wasn’t all about the fashion. It all started with the music. And the music at the Blitz was described as “electro-diskow.” This consisted of European disco (think Giorgio Moroder), German bands such as Kraftwerk, glam rock bands like Roxy Music and, of course, David Bowie. A favorite dance move saw partners hold hands, lift their knees up to their waist, and spin and hop in a new kind of jive, as seen in the video for Duran Duran’s “Planet Earth” (see the 2:53 mark). Duran Duran actually recruited some of their Blitz Kid friends for the shoot. David Bowie also had some Blitz Kids appear in the video for “Ashes to Ashes.” It wasn’t long before bands started to emerge from the scene. The most notable were Spandau Ballet, who got their start playing cabaret nights at The Blitz, and Visage. The heavy synth and electropop sound would dominate the airwaves well into the decade.

Legacy and Influence

Although nights at the Blitz only lasted a couple of years, the influence of the Blitz Kids and the New Romantic movement on music, club culture, and fashion could be felt for decades to come. Designers such as Vivienne Westwood based their whole collections on the New Romantic look, and the clothes were worn by such acts as Adam and the Ants and Bow Wow Wow. Bands such as Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, Human League, and ABC, who were all heavily influenced by this movement, found regular rotation on MTV and helped shape ‘80s synthpop music. Steve Strange and his group also revitalized the London nightlife and created the idea of theme nights that have become a staple of club culture to this day. Oh, to be able to have just a peek at what went on inside the Blitz during those years. On second thought, I probably would have never made it through the door.

For more on the Blitz Kids, here’s a documentary from 2005.

 

Happy ’80s New Year!

Posted: January 2, 2016 in Alternative, General, Goth, New Wave, Playlists, Post-Punk, Synthpop
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I look for any occasion to get a group of ‘80s music lovers together, and NYE seemed like the perfect opportunity. Since we’re both not too keen on venturing out on NYE, my husband and I decided to throw a dinner party to ring out the year. Fortunately, all attendees either grew up in the ‘80s or had a love of ‘80s music. With that kind of crowd, I couldn’t help but put together a playlist of songs from the era that included old favorites, rediscoveries, and new music I’ve come across this past year. Oh, we also attempted to play some games but the music took over and our living room became a dance floor until the wee hours of the morning.

Along with the usual suspects (Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Smiths, etc.), the playlist included songs from bands I had forgotten about over the years. Bands such as The Members (“Working Girl”), The Producers (“She Sheila”), Wire Train (“Chamber of Hellos”), and Felony (“The Fanatic”) found a much overdo spot on the playlist. Although sharing forgotten songs with the group was enjoyable, it was the unearthed gems I was most looking forward to playing. For a few, it was the first time hearing some of the songs and for others they brought back fond memories.

One of the bands I recently rediscovered is The Bolshoi. I knew of The Bolshoi back in the day but embarrassingly had never listened to any of their songs. My current favorite (and one I can’t seem to stop playing) is “Can You Believe It?” off their 1987 LP Lindy’s Party. It features an addictive, bouncy synth line and a heavy drum bass. I’ll definitely be seeking out more from them for a future post.

 

Another band discovered this past year is The Monochrome Set. From what I’ve come across they were favorites of Morrissey and Johnny Marr. This is another band that I’ll be exploring and posting about in the New Year. The song “He’s Frank” was first released as a single in 1979 and re-released as a slightly different version years later. I prefer this version, in which they sound like a cross between the Violent Femmes and The Velvet Underground. Just as above, there was no official video for the song available.

 

I’ve been away for a while but am looking forward to sharing more classics and overlooked songs of the ‘80s in 2016!

Movie Soundtracks: Smithereens

Posted: January 16, 2015 in Alternative, New Wave, Post-Punk, Soundtracks
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Back in the early ‘80s, the USA network featured a show called Night Flight on Friday and Saturday nights. The show focused on alternative music (showing videos that were censored on MTV or banned on other programs), cult movies, and documentaries, among other topics. This was in the relatively early days of cable and networks were on the lookout for original and unique material to lure the younger demographic. This is where I saw many music documentaries and cult and B movies, and where I came across a movie called Smithereens (directed by Susan Seidelman years before Desperately Seeking Susan). Released in 1982, it’s a gritty movie about the dwindling New York City punk scene and doing whatever it takes for that “15 minutes of fame.”

The film follows a narcissistic young girl named Wren (played by Susan Berman) on her quest to find celebrity in the NYC punk music scene (only to find the scene has moved to L.A.), and all the toxic relationships and misadventures that go with it. Wren doesn’t necessarily have any talent but doesn’t let that get in the way of ruthless ambition. The film also stars punk legend Richard Hell as a musician in a one hit wonder band (Smithereens) that she desperately wants to hook up with in order to get her ticket to L.A. The film, which had an original $20,000 budget, didn’t fare well with critics upon its release. Despite this, it was the first American independent movie invited to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival. It has also gone on to be praised for its realistic look at the slums of the Lower East Village, its portrayal of the early ‘80s music scene, and its great soundtrack.

The soundtrack is a mix of new wave, pop, and post-punk and features several songs from the New Jersey group The Feelies. Other artists who contributed to the soundtrack include Richard Hell & The Voidoids (“Another World,” “The Kid with the Replaceable Head”), The Raybeats, Dave Weckerman, and a gem by ESG called “Moody.” Although the movie doesn’t quite live up to its soundtrack, it’s worth checking out as a great time capsule of the period and, of course, the music.

The opening scene of the movie features The Feelies’ “The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness.” It also shows how Wren illegally supplements her accessories.

 

Wren dancing in slow motion to The Feelies’ “Original Love.”

 

Classic Video: Fun Boy Three

Posted: December 16, 2014 in Classic Videos, New Wave
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“Our Lips Are Sealed” has the distinction of being a hit by two different artists within two years. The song was first recorded by the Go-Go’s for their 1981 debut album Beauty and the Beat, and then by Fun Boy Three two years later for their second album Waiting. The Go-Go’s version reached the top 20 in the US, while the Fun Boy Three version made the top 10 in the UK. The song was co-written by Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s and Terry Hall from Fun Boy Three. It arose out of a brief affair between Wiedlin and Hall while the Go-Go’s were supporting Fun Boy Three on a US tour. Hall had a girlfriend at the time and sent the unfinished lyrics to Wiedlin who finished the song and wrote the music. Quite different from the upbeat Go-Go’s version, the Fun Boy Three version is gloomy and dark with an almost ominous feel. The video has Hall at his morose best while amongst an audience of bopping club goers.

 

More Cold War Videos

Posted: December 14, 2014 in Alternative, Cold War Videos, New Wave, Synthpop
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It’s time to post more cold war videos. As I had mentioned in a previous post on the subject, the ‘80s were filled with videos of nuclear war, nuclear bombs, and world annihilation. During the early ‘80s, the threat of war was an integral part of our lives. We saw it on TV, read about it in the papers, heard about it in songs – and there was no shortage of songs on the topic. So here are a few more videos about the dreaded destruction of the planet that poured out of our television sets at the time.

“Stand or Fall” is the first single off the The Fixx’s 1982 debut album Shuttered Room. Singer Cy Cumin wrote the song out of frustration over decisions being made by Ronnie and Margaret. The video, directed by Rupert Hine, was banned by some UK shows due to what some considered a violent depiction of a horse falling to the ground. The horse in question had been in several movies and was trained to fall on command. As luck would have it, on the day the video was shot the horse would not comply with the command to fall and was brought down by a rope. In the early days of pre-MTV Europe, most videos were shown on kids’ TV shows and this was deemed too graphic, as they felt the horse looked as if it was dying. The song charted both in the US and the UK but was particularly successful in Canada, reaching the top 40.

 

The video for the 1983 Men at Work song “It’s a Mistake” doesn’t ponder the question of whether or not war will take place but a matter of when and how. Meant as a parody of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, the video takes place in an underground bunker as the future of the world is considered. The song was the third single from the album Cargo and reached #6 in the US but only reached #34 in their native Australia. In the video, Colin Hay portrays an officer wondering whether or not his men will be called to go to war. The video ends with Hay accidentally pushing the “button” by stubbing out a cigarette in an ashtray unfortunately placed next to the button.

 

Although the OMD song “Enola Gay” references the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, it was meant to bring attention to the cold war of the ‘80s. The song was the only single released from the 1980 album Organisation, the group’s second album. Upon its release, “Enola Gay” received critical praise. Critic Dave Thompson called the track a “perfect synth-dance-pop extravaganza” and NME listed it as one of the best 100 songs of the ‘80s. The song also caused controversy as some who were unfamiliar with the bombing of Hiroshima thought it had a pro-homosexual meaning. As a result, the song was banned on some radio stations in the UK. Regardless, the song was a huge international success and became the group’s first top 10 UK hit.

 

New Wave Holiday Party Playlist

Posted: December 9, 2014 in New Wave, Playlists, Synthpop
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The first weekend in December is when we host our annual holiday party. This year we decided on a theme near and dear to my heart – ‘80s new wave music (with a dash of ‘70s). So with plenty of hairspray and makeup on hand, my husband and I prepared for the night. The drinks consisted of Sex on the Beach, Kamikazes, Fuzzy Navels, and wine coolers. In the weeks leading up to the party, I went back and forth on what to play. Should the playlist be filled with popular classics or should I pull out the deep cuts? In the end, the playlist consisted of what I hope was a good balance of popular and a bit of the obscure. The dance floor was active all night; it helps to have guests who love ‘80s music. Below is the party playlist.

1. So Long – Fischer-Z (1980) 30. Kids In America – Kim Wilde (1981) 59. Everything Counts – Depeche Mode (1983)
2. Big In Japan – Alphaville (1984) 31. Lucky Number – Lene Lovich (1978) 60. Just Like Heaven – The Cure (1987)
3. Here Comes The Rain Again – Eurythmics (1984) 32. 99 Luftballons – Nena (1983) 61. Pop Muzik – M (1979)
4. Doctor! Doctor! – The Thompson Twins (1984) 33. Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream) – Icicle Works (1983) 62. Fashion – David Bowie (1980)
5. Love My Way – The Psychedelic Furs (1982) 34. I Will Follow – U2 (1980) 63. Girls On Film – Duran Duran (1981)
6. Dance Hall Days   – Wang Chung (1984) 35. In a Big Country – Big Country (1983) 64. Politics Of Dancing – Re-Flex (1982)
7. Things Can Only Get Better – Howard Jones (1985) 36. Church Of The Poison Mind – Culture Club (1983) 65. Lips Like Sugar – Echo & The Bunnymen (1987)
8. Who Can It Be Now? – Men At Work (1981) 37. Lover Come Back (To Me) – Dead or Alive (1985) 66. Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid (1984)
9. Save It For Later – The English Beat (1982) 38. China – The Red Rockers (1983) 67. Mad World – Tears for Fears (1982)
10.  Senses Working Overtime – XTC (1982) 39. Heaven – The Psychedelic Furs (1984) 68. It’s My Life – Talk Talk (1984)
11. One Thing Leads To Another – Fixx (1983) 40. Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat (1984) 69. The Look of Love, Pt. 1 – ABC (1982)
12. I Got You – Split Enz (1980) 41. A Little Respect- Erasure (1988) 70. The Walk – The Cure (1983)
13. Oh L’amour – Erasure (1986) 42. Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode (1981) 71. Ahead – Wire (1987)
14. Johnny and Mary – Robert Palmer (1980) 43. The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats (1983) 72. Channel Z – The B-52’s (1989)
15. She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby (1982) 44. Messages (Single Version) – OMD (1980) 73. Beautiful World- Devo (1981)
16. Der Kommissar – After the Fire (1982) 45. Peek-A-Boo – Siouxsie & The Banshees (1988) 74. Living On Video – Trans-X (1983)
17. The One Thing – INXS (1982) 46. Revenge – Ministry (1983) 75. Digital – Joy Division (1978)
18. (Keep Feeling) Fascination – The Human League (1983) 47. Lucretia My Reflection – The Sisters Of Mercy (1988) 76. Dreaming – Blondie (1979)
19. Promised You A Miracle – Simple Minds (1982) 48. Nemesis – Shriekback (1985) 77. Never Say Never – Romeo Void (1982)
20. Do You Want To Hold Me? – Bow Wow Wow (1983) 49. Obsession – Animotion (1984) 78. Age of Consent – New Order (1983)
21. Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes (1982) 50. Destination Unknown – Missing Persons (1982) 79. Electricity – OMD (1979)
22. Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) – A Flock Of Seagulls (1983) 51. Tainted Love – Soft Cell (1981) 80. People Are People – Depeche Mode (1984)
23. Shout – Tears for Fears (1984) 52. Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses (1981) 81. Planet Earth – Duran Duran (1981)
24. West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys (1986) 53. Let Me Go – Heaven 17 (1982) 82. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes – Ultravox (1984)
25. Goodbye Horses (Clerks II Remix) – Garvey (feat. Q Lazzarus) (1988) 54. How Soon Is Now? – The Smiths (1985) 83. Send Me An Angel – Real Life (1983)
26. The Dead Heart – Midnight Oil (1986) 55. Legal Tender (Album Version) – The B-52’s (1983) 84. The Promise (Studio Version) – When In Rome (1987)
27. The Cutter – Echo & The Bunnymen (1983) 56. Nowhere Girl – B-Movie (1982) 85. Space Age Love Song – A Flock Of Seagulls (1982)
28. I Die: You Die (Video Version) – Gary Numan (1980) 57. The Metro – Berlin (1982) 86. It’s A Sin – Pet Shop Boys (1987)
29. Lawnchairs – Our Daughter’s Wedding (1980) 58. Cars – Gary Numan (1979) 87. Don’t Go – Yaz (1982)

 

Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Posted: November 28, 2014 in Benefit Songs, Classic Videos, New Wave, Synthpop
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Thirty years ago today, the single “Do They Know It’s Christmas” was released. For a child of the eighties, and a British new wave music fan, it was an amazing moment in history. The biggest names on the UK music scene coming together to record one song, on one day, for Ethiopian famine relief. I recall the buzz around the release of the song and, of course, the video. I waited patiently for MTV to finally play the world premiere of the video and it didn’t disappoint. Besides being made for a good cause, the song was also catchy and embodied the spirit of new wave music at the time – plenty of drum machines and synth. Written by Bob Geldof with Midge Ure of Ultravox providing the music, it was also unlike any charity single before with intentionally dark lyrics made to grab attention.

Originally inspired by a BBC documentary on the famine plight in Ethiopia, Geldof felt compelled to do something to combat what he was witnessing. With the help of Ure, he quickly put together a plan for a charity single. (Although Geldof received most of the credit for the undertaking, it was Ure that recorded, mixed, and ensured that the actual session went smoothly). The song was recorded in one day at Sarm West Studios and released four days later. It was the biggest selling single in UK at the time and reached #1 and stayed there for five weeks. The song didn’t reach #1 in the US, only peaking at #13 on the Billboard charts.

With media in place, the artists began arriving at 9am that morning – Duran Duran, George Michael, Paul Young, Phil Collins, Spandau Ballet, members of U2, Status Quo, Ultravox, Culture Club, Heaven 17, Marilyn (although not having been invited), among several others. After noticing that Boy George was absent, Geldof had to quickly arrange for a Concorde transatlantic flight to get him from New York. In order to get all members involved, the chorus was recorded first and then Ure had to have someone volunteer to sing the body of the song. Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet bravely took the challenge and was followed by singers that had already been assigned lyrics.

Although appearing cheery in disposition, many of the musicians arrived with hangovers and many a drug and alcohol were consumed to keep the musicians going through the all-day session. There were small feuds that were put aside – Boy George continually trying to out George Michael and rivalries amongst some of the bands. There were also some who questioned the lyrics. Bono had some concerns over the line “Tonight thank god it’s them instead of you” and was convinced by Geldof that the lyrics had to be brutal in order to be effective.

Other musicians who were not able to make it to the session but contributed to the b-side were David Bowie, Paul McCartney, members of Big Country and Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The opening lines of the song sung by Paul Young were originally intended for Bowie. Since the original recording, the song has been rerecorded several times with different musicians and for different causes, the latest the fight against Ebola, but in my opinion nothing comes close to the original.

 

In Praise of Early Pretenders

Posted: November 3, 2014 in Albums, Alternative, New Wave, Post-Punk, Rock
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I’ve been a fan of the Pretenders since I saw the video for the song “Message of Love” back in the very early days of MTV (it was the 19th song played on the channel’s debut). Their videos were in heavy rotation back then, and I looked forward to seeing every one of them. Though they would go on to greater fame later in the decade, my favorite period from the band is the early eighties (before the drug-related deaths of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon). There was something quite magical about the original line-up of Chrissie Hynde, Martin Chambers, Honeyman-Scott, and Farndon that the mid-eighties lineup lacked.

My favorite album from the group is their self-titled debut, released in 1980. The album is a mix of hard rock, punk, and pop, and the songs move seamlessly from raw rock to lyrical beauty. Although “Brass in Pocket” was the most successful single, I preferred other songs such as “Kid,” “Stop Your Sobbing,”and “Tattooed Love Boys.” The album debuted at #1 on UK album charts and made the top 10 on the US charts. Rolling Stone ranked the album as the 155th best album of all time, and 20th best album of the ‘80s (Slate Magazine has it at #64 of the ‘80s).

One of the best songs off the album is “Tattooed Love Boys.” It’s three minutes of pure energetic rock, and has a great guitar riff by Honeyman-Scott. The video is smoky and sweaty and fits perfectly with the song.

 

“Kid,” the second single from the album, shows Hynde’s emotional range as a singer. It reached #33 on the UK charts and music critic Stewart Mason stated that it was “probably the Pretenders’ masterpiece.”

 

Halloween Inspired Videos

Posted: October 30, 2014 in New Wave, Rock, Synthpop
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As Halloween is only a day away, I thought it was time to seek out more videos that embody the spirit of the holiday. Below are some clips that are creepy, eerie, or just plain strange (which there seemed to be no shortage of in the eighties).

A Flock of Seagulls’ video for “Nightmares” has adults dealing with severe mommy issues. The video contains an abundance of creepy dolls and a descent into madness, all of which go well with the eeriness of the song. The song is off the group’s second album, Listen, released in 1983.

 

The video for The Cure’s “Lullaby” finds Robert Smith as a victim of a man/spider hybrid, played by Smith. The rest of the band appear as cob-webbed, ghostly figures haunting Smith. The video ends with Smith being swallowed by a giant spider. Released in 1989, the video went on to win the Best British Video award in 1990.

 

“Why Me” from Planet P Project is a cross between a ‘60s B-movie and a Twilight Zone episode. The video features a woman driving at night with some unwanted visitors in the backseat, and an astronaut on a failed mission. Formed by musician Toney Carey in the early eighties, Planet P Project was an outlet for Carey’s love of prog/space rock. Watch for the Scanners-like ending of the video.

 

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