New Wave Complex

 


L E X I C O N

A MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO MUSIC FROM THE EARLY 80'S - Fall 1996

"Believe in me and we'll hit the tall headlines"



LEXICON - VOLUME ONE NUMBER THREE


Let's Talk About Black

If you tuned into more adventurous radio back in 1987, you might have heard an amazingly catchy song called "Wonderful Life". You might have even heard the name of the singer, simply Black. But unless you were a really big fan, you probably never heard of the singer again.

A much bigger star in Europe, where "Wonderful Life" and "Sweetest Smile" both went top 5, Black never really caught on Stateside. But the "Wonderful Life" single has had a life of it's own and A&M has kept Black's 1987 debut album (named after the song) in print. Since 1991 (when the company that tracks US record sales, Soundscan, started) it has sold almost 7,000 copies but not enough to keep him on A&M's roster. Blacks third album, Black, which was released in 1991, has sold about 6,000 copies.

Since his last US album, Black, he has kept a low profile, releasing a mail order album (later released to the shops in the UK) called Are We Having Fun Yet?

Obviously more than just one song, Black has had song for song one of the highest quality outputs of any UK songwriter save Elvis Costello. (Check out his Black CD for proof). And he has been busy getting his record company Neo Schwartz into running shape. Look for a single by Wendy Page called "Cool" to be released shortly.

Although pegged as the chronically depressed / pissed type, Black says that he is happier now than he has ever been. He is married and living the good life in the English country side. We had a chance to ask Black a few questions the other dayÉ

Lexicon: It's been a while since the US has heard from you. In the UK you released Are We Having Fun Yet? Tell us a little about that and any plans for a new one?

Black: (I was) tired of the copyrights to the recordings of my songs belonging to liars, cheats and thieves, (so) I put out my own album. It sells, but not enough to cover costs incurred. My Mistake!

Any chance that it'll be released here?

Unless approached by an American label "ÉFun Yet" will continue to remain available solely by import / mail order.

So Neo Schwartz (His Label) is a going concern?

Yes

What are your plans for the label? Any non Black stuff coming out?

A single by Wendy Page called "Cool", produced and co- written by myself, will be released in the UK shortly. Whenever possible I intend to make money from the label releasing music I've done.

So are there any new Black albums coming out? You had mentioned doing a double album at one point.

I will be recording a new LP this year of unspecified length. Release is so far unscheduled.

There seems to be a great deal of difference between the albums A&M put out here versus the UK. Why is that?

Record company pressure + naïve, accommodating artist + unsure manager = f*** up!

Any chance that the tracks that were re-mixed, deleted or otherwise fiddled with will be compiled and released by A&M?

Liars, cheats, thieves and fools are not in the habit of discussing pie in the sky with anyone except each other (i.e., I don't know).

You had some early singles on Warner Brothers (UK). Have they shown up on compilations or did you just re-record them on later albums?

WEA (Warners) did collect the tracks together, post "Wonderful Life", to make a "mini LP." It would have been nice to have been sent oneÉ

Is it true that you did a cover of Janet Jackson's "Control?"

"Control" was one of five tracks recorded to test a new band and working method. I figured it would be easier to remain objective if we weren't working on my songs. I was right (amazingly.)

Listening casually, it's hard to tell the difference between the two versions of "Wonderful Life." (It was re-recorded for the second album, Comedy.) Why was it re-done?

Have a less than casual listen. The new version is a re-recording (producer pressure stupidly surrendered to.) Why? The American market. A&M thought they might give it a try.

Black is by far your best album, yet A&M seems to have dumped it with out any promotional effort. What happened? They keep your first album in print and just put out a best of in the UK, they must not think you total commercial anathema?

You must understand that major record companies always take the path of least resistance. Fine, what I didn't understand is how they can still screw up!

Have you ever heard the album "The Lover Speaks" out on A&M at the same time as "Wonderful Life?" Both have

similar sounds. Was it the times or is there some "hidden" connection?

Yes I've heard it and really like half of it. But theirs cost a lot more to make! David (E.D.)Freeman probably shares my admiration for Scott Walker.

How did "Wonderful Life" get re-released in 1994? Was it in a commercial?

"Wonderful Life" has been used many times around the world for commercials. It seemed obvious to re-release. A&M thought otherwise until it was too late. Sold some albums though.

Do you think they were hoping for another "Young At Heart?" (A single by The Bluebells which was used in a Volkswagen commercial and went to #1 in the UK for a zillion weeks 10 years after it was first released.)

Of course, so was I.

Have you ever toured the US? Do you have any plans to?

No and no, but I wouldn't object to it.

How did you end up working with Sam Brown on "Fly Up To The Moon," one of your best songs?

We share the same friends, acquaintances and an A&M sojourn. She seemed right, so I asked her. Thanks for the compliment.

Have you worked with other people recently? Do you "guest" on other people's albums often?

I guest if they ask within the usual parameters. If I like it enough to do it for fun, I rarely ask for money. The last occasion remember was for what turned out to be an American only release by the Gang Of Four. More recently I have taken to writing with others such as Boo Hewerdine (ex-Bible) and Gary Clark (ex- Danny Wilson.)

What artists do you listen to today?

I tend to follow things song by song but I am currently most in awe of Joni Mitchell and Jean Sibelius.

Do you ever have trouble with your nome de plume, especially here in the States?

I've only had trouble in the States, that's why I kept it. In Japan they call me Mr. Black.

You have a deserved reputation as a brilliant songwriter. How do you typically write songs? Do you find it easy or hard?

There are no difficult songs, only lousy writers. Sometimes my reputation is undeserved, but thank you for the compliment anyway.

You sound progressively "sadder" with each (US) album. Is this a reflection of what was happening in your life at the time?

In so far as the rest of the world is happening in my life, yes. However I am now very happily married with a young son.

Do you find it hard to be a songwriter in a period when most of the chart hits are retreads of old songs or formula Euro-disco tracks?

Ironically, there has never been a time better suited to a songwriter such as myself (for) making a big impression, if I write good enough songs and my opinion alone is not enough for that. I am sick and tired of hearing / reading about the "death of rock" and falling sales, etc. when so many acts turn out lackluster, lazy and ill thought out records. The purveyors of dance music must be laughing all the way to the bank (where doubtless we will all be subjected to the sound of piped Techno, why let the supermarket shoppers have all the fun?)

Black promises that the new album will be "something special" and feels that it contains some of the best songs he has ever written.


Thomas Dolby: Not Blinded By Science

If you are of the mind that Thomas Dolby vanished into one hit wonderland after his top five hit "Blinded by Science," listen up, because you don't know half the story.

Thomas Dolby Robertson, to use his full name, never really went away. He's been lurking just beneath the surface with subversive hits like "Hyper Active" and "Airhead" and he's been scoring movies, some good (Gothic), some, well, different (Howard the Duck.) He's done soundtracks to videos like Gateway to the Mind's Eye and been involved with producing (Pre Fab Sprout) and his company Headspace has emerged as a major player on the Internet. Mostly he's been living the good life in Northern California. Lexicon had a chance to quiz him the other dayÉ

Lexicon: What have you been up to these days?

Dolby: For the last three years I've been running a company called Headspace, which makes technology and content for the internet. We've been gradually ramping up. The latest feather in our cap is that Java has licensed our technology to be the audio engine in their language.

Is Headspace mainly internet based then or have you done CD ROM's and video games as well?

Yeah, we've done content for CD ROM's. Our technology has also been licensed to about 50 games, but we've been gradually shifting over more to the internet.

You've done music for some games as well, right?

Yeah, most recently Obsidian, Siberia, and Dark Eye.

Did you work on the new Prefab Sprout album?

No I didn't. We talked a lot about it, but my general attitude about my music career at this point and time is that hopefully I will be able to jump back on it like it was a bicycle. It will happen eventually, I believe it will still be there.

To go back to your earlier career, Golden Age of Wireless seemed to go through several different versions.

When it first came out in this country (the US), it first had "Urges" and "Leipzig" on it, minus "Blinded" and "One of Our Submarines." The album was already out when I started recording those two songs. Those songs came out as an A and B side single in Britain. When the American record company, Capitol, heard them, they thought that they would stand a much better chance than anything off the Golden Age of Wireless as it then was. So they released a mini album, called Blinded by Science. It had those two songs plus "Airwaves," "Windpower" and "Radio Silence."

For those last three, are they different versions from what was on Golden Age?

Yes, they're longer versions. And so "Science" became a big hit, and it was really MTV that triggered that. It still wasn't getting a lot of radio play. But MTV was starting to become really important. That was really the reason radio started playing it, they were influenced by MTV at the time. It was very much to my surprise that Science became a hit in this country. The mini LP was almost viewed as a promotional item. What Capitol then decided to do was to put those songs back on Wireless and re-release the album.

Do you think we'll ever see a "complete" Golden Age, with Urges, Leipzig , Science and Submarines all together?

That's not a bad idea! I get calls from people like Rhino (records) who want to do re-issues, so, yeah, that may happen.

"We played with Thomas Dolby one time on the last tour. It was on a boat in San Francisco. It was very bizarre, sitting there having lunch before the show with him sitting there at the next table. I remember thinking - 'She Blinded Me With Science,' I was listening to that in junior high school. "

-David Schelzel, The Ocean Blue

Moving on to Hyperactive. That was a wild video, was that Godley and Cream?

No, that was Danny Klineman.

The rumor was that there were a bunch of slightly different versions of the video and that you had done re-mixes to each version?

No, there were two versions of the song, a 7" and a 12". We did videos to accompany both.

You mentioned earlier that you might jump back in and follow up Astronauts and Heretics?

Yeah, I think that I will come around to that. What's interesting about my career is that there have been fairly large gaps between albums. There's a hard core fan base that gets frustrated and gets antsy, but they're still around when I release another album. That's been very important to me. I think the time will come when I get back into it but right now I'm having a lot of fun.

Have you done any other production work other than Prefab Sprout.

I co-produced a Joni Mitchell album [Dog Eat Dog]. Worked with George Clinton [Some of My Best Jokes are Friends] and an Israeli artist called Ofra Haza [Desert Wind album.]

Ofra Haza is best known as the wailing voice in the Coldcut mix of Eric B. and Rakim's "Paid In Full" and "Pump Up The Volume."

Which is your favorite Muppet?

The Sax Player.

Have you seen the new muppet show where they did a version of "Blinded by Science."

Yes I did, actually. They sent me a video. I thought it was pretty funny. Another interesting take on "Blinded" was a Weird Al Yankovich spoof called "I Bought Her An Appliance."

You don't mind that kind of thing?

I think it's great. You've got to take it in good grace. Can't get upset about it. It's not like it was that serious a song in the first place. It was kind of a spoof to begin with. I think if the Muppets had done a spoof of "Screen Kiss" or "Budapest By Blimp," I would have taken it a bit more personally.

Who do you want to work with that you haven't yet.

I've met almost all my heroes. But I haven't worked with all of them. It's a precarious thing to do because sometimes they're not quite what you hoped for, then a little piece of magic has gone out of your life. But I've never met Brian Eno, he's been a long time hero of mine, not only because of his music, but he's had such a model career. He's been able to really balance art and commerce. He's been in the right place at the right time for such a wide range of artists. Yet his music has been so constantly inspirational. Oddly enough we're both from the same small town in eastern England. I've heard that he's been seen wandering up and down my beach on occasions, but I've never actually bumped into him.

Do you still go back to England much?

Yeah, I have a house there. I go back about once a year with my family.

You've done a lot of movie scores. What movie in particular do you wish you had scored?

My favorite movie of the last year was Shine. But I'm no Racmananov, so I don't think I'd have much of a shot scoring that one. The best movies to score are the ones that are really wide open. Lots of sprawling pans across the landscape. Those are usually the ones that end up winning the Oscars. Things like Out of Africa, Dances with Wolves, The Last Emperor. I think that the English Patient is very likely to win this year purely because, of the main movies, it is the most panoramic. Those are the ones that always win the best score. As a writer I tend to look for those kinds of things rather than action adventure chase movies or Woody Allen type movies. You can do great work in those kind of things, but it's not really going to get noticed. Ideally what you want is a black and white French movie with two lovers who slowly walk though a corn field, then sit under a tree for a while and then commit suicide.

What kind of music are you listening to these days?

Really very very little. The radio in the San Francisco Bay area is absolutely dreadful. It's shocking really. The music scene here is incredibly backward. There are a few clubs in the city that have good music, and there is good music in the current "scene," but of course none of it gets played on the radio. I don't like to browse record stores anymore, but I do buy CDs on line occasionally.

Does the 80's revival bother you or are you okay with it?

It bothers me a little bit because I think that what I'm doing now is very valid, but it doesn't surprise me that much. I think pop culture is accelerating in this country. By the time I was coming out with records in '82 in Britain, there had been two or three 60's revivals. Things move very fast over there. The whole country would wear tye dye for two months and then it's gone. Where as in this country there is still somebody wearing tye dye from 1967. Things move a lot slower over hear, but I notice that it has accelerated even over here. The fact that in the States there is now an 80's revival, I find that quite amusing. But at the same time I hate to be thought of as a "currently residing in the where are they now file" type - to take a leaf out of the Spinal Tap book.

Here's a list of the singles that were in the Top 10 when "Blinded By Science" was - "Beat It," Let's Dance," "Overkill," "Flashdance," "Jeopardy," "Little Red Corvette," "Solitare," "DerKommissar," and "Come On Eileen."

Wow, that's a fairly star studded top ten I'd say. Interesting, I always wondered why I didn't get to #1. Those were great records though. "Beat It" was the classic synthesis of Michael Jackson's sort of Rock and Soul. That was the time when his tough approach had the most credibility, before it turned into this ridiculous pastiche. Bowie's "Let's Dance," again, that was an epiphany for him, where he had gotten into his new style with Nile Rogers. That album for him, although he had always been a huge cult in the States, that was the one that took him through the roof. He'd always been a hero of mine. I was lucky enough a couple of years later to play with him at Wembly at Live Aid.

When you were starting out did you ever think you'd have a top 5 single with David Bowie in the same top 5?

No, never! I mean I still can't really believe it! That's not something I really set out to do. I don't consider myself a mainstream artist. You have to take it with a grain of salt.

Dexy's Midnight Runners, again, an absolute classic. I can't say I like the guy (Kevin Rowland) very much, I think he's a turd on a personal level. He was very rude to me one press conference, he kept snatching the mike, being rude about my music.

He seems to be one of these people that every one respects, but no one likes.

Yeah, well British musicians are incredibly rude to each other. Most British musicians would take absolutely no notice of each other. For example, I was always rubbing shoulders with Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and stuff, and with a couple of exceptions, they were very standoffish, very competitive. Gary Kemp (Spandau) is the exception. But there were other people in those bands who were complete snobs. That's pretty much the way with British musicians. That was one reason it was refreshing for me when I moved here. People from all different styles of music would come back stage, they were behind what I was doing, they liked that I was different. I like the community of artists in the States way better than in Britain. That's one reason why I settled here.

 

Our thanks to Mr. Dolby for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to Lexicon. You can reach Headspace on the Web. They also house a great Thomas Dolby fan club called "The Flat Earth Society." Look for a story next issue about the different versions of Golden Age of Wireless.


BABBLE

It is the rare group that can make the transition from frothy, but fun, pop to serious, but good, art. Talk Talk and Depeche Mode were some of the few. A third was the Thompson Twins, who in their heyday, concocted some of the best frothy pop around. However, after the departure of Joe Leway and the cool commercial response to Close To The Bone, the band began to take greater risks in their music. Jumping ship to Red Eye/Warner Brothers for Big Trash and Queer, the band produced some of it's most challenging and engaging music yet. This new direction for the Twins culminated on the soundtrack to Cool World with a re-mixed/reworked version of "Jane" and an instrumental track from Tom Bailey.

Of course, like Talk Talk or others band that have made the transition, the Twins carried a lot of baggage. They had several huge hits in the early 80's and had been tagged as a pop group. Critics largely ignored their new explorations. The solution was to "invent" a new band - Babble.

The Stone was the first effort and sounded radically different from anything that the Twins had done before. Only Tom's voice and Alannah's lyrical style carried over. They added to that a much warmer organic use of synthesizers than were used in the early days of the Twins.

The band has never broken into the Top 40, but they have had several US dance/ club play hits. Babble is also the object of a fiercely devoted following, centered around the great 'zine Babble 'N' Sqweek. Issue #4 just came out and can be had for two IRC coupons from:

Babble N Sqweek
50 Pilgrimage Street
London, England
SE 1 4LL

It should be noted that this is not a fan club, but rather an information service and is in no way connected with the members of Babble. It also doubles as a Traci Lords (in her Techno phase please!) 'zine.

Babble has released two albums. The first, The Stone, is the more accessible of the two. Stand out tracks like "Tribe" and "Take Me Away" highlight a smooth and graceful

deep house/trance style of music. Good for winding down from whatever. The second album, Ether, has been described as even further out there. Certainly less obvious "single" material, but a fine continuation of the path that The Stone set up.

If you are ready for a pleasant challenge and some mellow funkiness, try out either album.


Tour News: ABC, Heaven 17

ABC did a short tour of the UK this March, including a sold out London show. At press time rumors were that they would tour again in June.

By all accounts the first tour was a huge success, with Martin Fry and a new set of backing musicians playing a mixture of older songs and songs off the new album. The show started with "Poison Arrow" and ended with "Look of Love." Other past hits included "All of My Heart", "Be Near Me," "How To Be A Millionaire," "When Smokey Sings" and several tracks off the new album. Earl Brutus (Martin Fry's brother's band) opened the show.

Heaven 17 is also planning to tour. They will do a swing through the UK and Germany in April . The first date

will be April 2, at the Norwich Waterfront. This will be the first live Heaven 17 show ever. They were confirmed to be opening up for Erasure on the UK leg of the tour, which will inlcude a date at Wembly arena!. At press time they were taking "requests" at the New Wave Complex Heaven 17 page

on the Web. The song list is to include 5 songs from the current album and at least ten "golden oldies." The band's new CD, Bigger Than America, came out in the UK on March 17. Below is the current Top Ten songs according to the Web site: 1. Let Me Go 2. Temptation 3. Fascist Groove Thang 4. This Is Mine 5. Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry 6. Come Live With Me 7. Penthouse and Pavement 8. (and that's no lie) 9. We Live So Fast 10. I'm Your Money.


Mel and Kim - The Original "Spice" GirlsÉ

London born sisters Melanie and Kim Appelby first worked as models and then in a clothes factory before teaming up with Stock, Aitken and Waterman. All of the singles from their debut album F.L.M. (Fun Love and Money) became UK top ten hits. They also contributed to the number one UK hit "Ferry Aid." However, after a fourth hit "That's The Way It Is," things began to go horribly wrong for the duo. Mel was taken away from the prestigious Montreux festival in a wheelchair. Official reports said that she suffered from a slipped disk. A few months later it became clear that she was in fact suffering from spinal cancer. Pictures of her having under gone chemotherapy were published and served as a harsh contrast to pictures of her several years earlier in Playboy. Mel died in 1990 and Kim released her stormy debut single "Don't Worry" a year later followed by her debut album. A second album followed but she has never regained the heights of fame she and her sister enjoyed.

Now there is Mel and Kim, The Best Of. This CD is nicely packaged, but lacks liner notes and much information. The music is good though since it contains all four of the band's biggest hits. In fact, it basically contains everything the duo ever did: their debut album, the follow up single, a b-side and two re-mixes.

Still, the album is great, the songs are brilliant, optimistic and uplifting, and all the tracks have a good rhythm underneath. The compilation is mid-priced, which means the 14 track CD is a good bargain. There are great dance anthems (the singles and the joyful "I'm the One Who Really Loves You") as well as some nice slower songs, the gorgeous "Feel A Whole Lot Better," which indeed makes you feel good, and "More Than Words Can Say." The absolute highlight is the truly phenomenal "From A Whisper To a Scream," a fantastic song full of weird sound effects and haunted vocals.

-Melvin Welters (Editor of A to Z, the ABC fanzine).


Cafe Eighties Magazine

Are you a fan of the early 80's beyond just the music? Do you yearn for the days of skinny ties and John Hughes movie premieres? Cafe Eighties may be the perfect magazine for you. It covers the whole range of the new wave lifestyle, from the music to the clothes, from the movies to the relationships. Past issues have included interviews with Adam Ant, reviewed the seemingly hundreds of 80's music collections and featured fiction and poetry. Sample copies are just $4 and a subscription (with a free coffee mug!) is just $18 a year. Send check or money order to: Cafe Eighties, FDR Station, PO Box 8068, New York, NY 10150.

 

Synth Music Network

This great 'zine, published four times a year, is indispensable for any fan of synthpop. Each issue has tons of news about current synthpop bands. Plenty of acts you may remember from the 80's are mentioned as well. Over the years they have had interviews with Erasure, Devo, Anything Box, Red Flag, Bronski Beat and Nitzer Ebb. Plus each issue has tons of reviews. If your favorite thing about the 80's was all those Roland JX3-P's floating around the airwaves then you should look this up. Subscriptions are $10 a year (4 issues.) Synth Pop Network, 4533 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 340, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Email is SMNTWK@Aol.com.


NEWS BRIEFS

 

New ABC Album Gets Rave Reviews

The new ABC album, Skyscraping has been getting great reviews in the UK. It came out in the UK on March 24. Q gave it 4 out of 5 stars and noted that while comeback albums usually are terrible, ABC's was actually very good! Select, Music Week, and Melody Maker also gave positive reviews.

The single, "Stranger Things," got more mixed reviews. Sky gave it 5 out of 5, Melody Maker said it was "instant and melodic," but most other UK music magazines were more luke warm.

See the Review section below for Lexicon's take on the new ABC. (Thanks to Melvin Welters of A to Z for the review info.)

 

New ABC Album not scheduled for US release

RCA appears to have passed on the chance to release Skyscrapping in the US. They had the opportunity to issue the album under a first look deal with the bands' UK label deConstruction. While things could easily change, and hopefully will, this would mean that the album would not see light of day in the country where ABC has had its biggest sales and chart successes. HmmmmÉ.

 

Correction!

Last issue we reported that the composer of the soundtrack to The People Vs. Larry Flint was Thomas Dolby under the name of Thomas Newman. Despite our usually correct source (Entertainment Weekly) we were wrong! Thomas Newman is his own person and actually a very well known composer of film scores. Our apologies go out to both Thomases.

 

New Address!

Lexicon has a new address. We now have a PO box. Send your letters and subscriptions to:

Lexicon, PO Box 1734, Wheaton, MD 20915

 

Hall and Oates

"The most successful duo in rock history, " as Mr. Kasem would remind us, is still a going concern. This year will see the first H2O album in seven years. They will tour to support the album and a planned boxed set. Also planned is a tribute album. Razor and Tie had a recent TV-only double disc best of from the duo (RCA stuff only though.) Perhaps Rock' n' Soul Part Two will see the light of day after allÉ See the Resources section for a list of Fan Clubs/Newsletters about the band from all over the world.

 

Chart-watch

"Sugar Coated Icebergs," by the Lightening Seeds, ran aground at #11 on the UK singles chart - dragging Dizzying Heights back up the album chart as well.

"To Step Aside" by Pet Shop Boys debuted in the top 40 club play chart in Billboard in the middle of March.

 

Pet Shop Boys vs. Atlantic

"To Step Aside" is from an Atlantic promo, helping to squelch rumors that the boys are leaving Atlantic in light of the disappointing performance of Bilingual. Furthermore, "Se A Vida E" should finally see light of day as a single here in the States on April 1 with "To Step Aside" as a b-side.

 

Men With Out Hats Update

By the time you read this Oglio's Two-fer CD will be available...outside the US only. US Domestic release will be possible once certain Goliath's get off their butt... Track listing:

Rhythm Of Youth

Folk of the 80's (Part III)

[This compilation follows the original CD releases]

On a related note, the former leader of the band, Ivan, was scheduled to have released a solo album, The Spell, in Canada this past March.

 

Patty Donahue Dead at Age 40

Patty Donahue, the lead singer for the classic new wave band The Waitresses, died this past December after a long battle with cancer. She was the voice behind such all time classics as "I Know What Boys Want" and "Square Pegs." But her place in history was secured by one of the best Christmas songs ever, "Christmas Rapping."

 

Billy Mackenzie Found Dead

Leader of the UK band The Associates, Bill Mackenzie was found dead in his home in January of this year. Cause of death was not released, but no foul play was suspected. He had just been signed to the UK label Nude (home of Suede) and was expected to deliver a new album early in '97. He was 39 years old.

The Associates' first album, The Affectionate Punch, came out in the UK in 1980. At least six full length releases and several ep's followed through-out the 1980's. Although at times they showed genuine flashes of brilliance, they never really took off. By 1982 the "group" was really just Mackenzie. He worked with a host of well-known producers over the next decade, including Martin Ware, Martin Rushent (Human League), Dave Allen (Shriekback), and Julian Mendelsohn. He also contributed covers of "Secret Life of Arabia" and "It's Over" to Music of Quality and Distinction Vol. I. The best place to start with the group is their singles collection Popera, released by Sire in 1990.

 

IN BRIEFÉ

Lisa Stansfield is on the comeback trail with a Top 5 UK re-mix of "People Get Ready" and a new album due April 29 in the USÉCyndi Lauper's She's So Unusual hit the 6 million mark last month(!)É "It's No Good" is the new single from Depeche Mode, who will release a double disc best of (with one or two new tracks) next yearÉ Duran Duran's "Out of My Mind" is a single from The Saint SoundtrackÉ Erasure has "In Your Arms", the first single under their Mute/ Maverick deal. It is off of CowboyÉTerrance Trent D'Arby has been signed by Java, Glen Ballard 's new label. Thank you AlanisÉDr. Robert has been picked up by Pure records here in the States. Look for his solo CD to be released in April... VH1 is planning 8 Days of the 80's this August. Like their 7 days of the 70's, the week long 80's fest promises stories and interviews as well as tons of videos from your favorite music and television personalities from the 1980's. Start stockin' up on blank video tape nowÉ


REVIEWS

 

ABC "Stranger Things", Skyscraping Album Sampler (DeConstrcution)

Martin Fry is back from the 80's graveyard and doesn't look too shabby either. The first single from the forthcoming Skyscraping is "Stranger Things." A curious choice, not the strongest track in the ABC catalog, not even off the album. Still a solid, very pleasant track. The single also offers an "acoustic" workout that highlights the strings. More promising are two non-album b-sides, "The World Spins On" and "All We Need." Both show a stylistic development for ABC into a Neo Roxy Music sound. Fry's lyrics are still top notch ("tomorrow's twisted smile") and the sound is still as smooth a silk and lush as triple fudge.

Much more satisfying is the album sampler from deConstruction. It highlights five songs, including the single. The title track can stand next to anything the band has done post Lexicon and in some ways exceeds it. Fry has been liberated (by the absence of Mark White?) from the dance beat and the result is pure joy in the melodies. "Ask A Thousand Times" sounds like Fry re-visiting the Beauty Stab sound and getting it right (or are we just ready for it now?) "Only The Best Will Do" leans a little heavily on Bowie, but is still a winning track. The last one, the yearning and elegant "Who Can I Turn To?," sounds like a matured "Ocean Blue."

Over all, it sounds very promising for the upcoming album. Glen Gregory, while present, does not overwhelm anything. It seems like he was more a "spice" than the main ingredient. Oh yeah, and the cover shot of the sampler is classic! It is a photo of Martin in a gray suit, seen from the back. Over his shoulder on a hanger - a gold lame suit.

 

ABC Master Series (UK-Mercury/Polygram, 1997)

Utter, worthless, crap. A slimy attempt to cash in on any stray success from the Skyscraping album, this collection retreads ground that the Spectrum Collection ran over less than 12 months ago. And that's too bad, really. By his liner notes, compiler John Tracy seems to have more than a passing interest in the band, but the lack of anything remotely rare or different makes this collection less than worthy.

Device 22B3 (Renaissance Records)

You may not know Holly Night, but you do remember her songs. She was the Diane Warren of her day, writing some of the biggest Top 40 hits of the 1980's. Device was her shot at the big time. Mostly remembered for the bombastic "Hanging On A Heart Attack," the band quickly sank from view after the release of this album. The album is typical of the period with large, loud and over produced (in the worst sense) songs.

 

Various Artists

(All: Rebound Records / Polygram)

Rebound, a label set up by Polygram to help exploit its 80's catalog, put out this exhaustive collection of genre highlights from the 80's last year. There is literally something here for everyone.

On the r&b front we get both funk and quiet storm, with classics like "Stomp" by Brother Johnson, "The Breaks" by Curtis Blow, "She's a Bad Mama-Jama" by Carl Carlton, "Da'Butt" by E.U., "When Love Calls" by Atlantic Star, "Special Lady" by Ray, Goodman and Brown, and "Ebony Eyes" by Rick James and Smokey Robinson. Hard to go wrong with either collection.

On the pop front there is Class Reunion, which has Hall and Oates (Kiss On My List), plus "Endless Love," "Slow Hand," "While You See A Chance," "Cool Love," "Being With You" and "Hold on Loosely". Great for re-creating the prom.

The world of heavy metal/rock brings the likes of "Lick It Up," "I Can't Drive 55," "Burnin For You" and "Tom Sawyer."

The dance collection features re-mixed versions of "You Keep Me Hanging On," "The Glamorous Life," "Word Up," and "In My House." Over all, this is the best value in the series, if only for the great never to CD re-mixes like "Word Up" and "Pull Up To The Bumper." Awesome.

Last, but not least, the alternative disc serves up the 12" mix of "Tainted Love" (though not the famous "Tainted Love/ Where Did Our Love Go" mix), plus normal versions of "Video Killed the Radio Star," "Relax," "Be Near Me," "I Know What Boys Like," "Robert Deniro's Waiting" and "I Melt with You," among others.

Overall, the series rates a "good." No liner notes, but this is a midline series, so this is not unexpected. The only complaint might be that some songs turn up on more than one collection ("Hang On Loosely," "Superfreak," "You Dropped

A Bomb On Me".) Other than that, pick your favorite type of music from the 80's , close your eyes and imagine - your date for the prom just canceled.

 

The Communards The Communards (Polygram UK)

Polygram UK has been fairly busy lately exploiting it's early 80's catalog. Last year saw Lexicon of Love get the remastering / re-release treatment. Now the debut album from the Communards gets new life as well.

Unfortunately the bare bones standard that the Lexicon release got does not even apply here. There are no personnal or recording notes and only a brief, confusing essayfor the liner notes. The entire album is present but the only bonus material is listed as "Don't Leave Me This Way, The 12" Mega Mix." No other information is given about what this track is made up of.

It is simply two re-mixes pushed together (with a sloppy edit) to make a "new," "mega" mix. Luckily one of the mixes is the original long 12" version with the outstanding strings and piano break. It's a perfect example of how the Communards skillfully combined a classical music "feel" with the pop enthusiasm of dance music. The other re-mix is some annoying dub version that was better off left to the ash heap of history. What about the other singles from this album?

Where are their re-mixes, b-sides, etc.? The only redeemingquality is that the CD is mid-lined in the UK, which means it shouldn't set you back more that about $16 here.

The album has aged fairly well, mainly due to Somerville's exploration of several musical styles, from dance to torch to British dance hall. Of course if his voice bugged you then, it only sounds that much more in this re-mastered version.

 

The Vapors Turning Japanese (EMI UK)

Less than a year after the release of the generally disappointing Anthology, EMI UK has released a much more comprehensive collection named after the band's biggest and only hit.

This collection, clocking in at 21 songs (!), has all of the songs that the One Way collection did except for two, "Magnets" and "Daylight Titans." To that it adds seven more songs, mostly b-sides, re-mixes or singles. It also has one live track "Here Comes the Judge".

While the new songs are nice, they also show an inherent problem with the band: they had run dry by the time their second album had come out. The b-sides and extra songs don't show nearly the writing skill that even songs from Magnets showed. A shame. Maybe they would have done better if given the chance.

The best thing about the collection is the liner notes by the former bass player for the band Howard Smith. As he was there during the bands short tenure, his comments are very insightful and interesting.

One last note about the two versions. My advice, if you are at all a fan, is to buy both. The One Way collection should be fairly cheap and the two songs it has on it, that the other does not, are among the band's best. Also, the One Way collection put the first album in order, which highlights the simple brilliance of New Clear Days. But again, if all you ever wanted was "Turning Japanese," you're better off finding it on a collection of 80's songs.

 

Pet Shop Boys "Single/Bilingual - Discotheque" (EMI UK)

(No, not "Discotheque" from U2, see "Where The Streets Have No Names.")

Am I nuts or are the boys just trying to undermine their own career? Again, the best song here is the b-side and, in a very strange twist, out of the 8 tracks on the 2 CD set, four are for this b-side "Discotheque" and only two are for the a-side "Single-Bilingual." The re-mixes for "Discotheque" are all fairly good to excellent and, with no US release in sight, worth picking up. The re-mix for "Single" is okay, nothing great.

More interesting are the two other non-album b-sides. First up is "Confidential," which is a demo of a song they gave to Tina Turner. It's classic b-side Pet Shop Boys. Great lyrics with a strong melody. The other is "The Calm Before The Storm," which sounds like the kind of thing Elton John should be recording these days.

Although "Single" debuted in the UK top 20, it didn't stick around very long. The Boys then released "Red Letter Day" in late March.

 

Talk Talk Very Best Of (EMI UK)

Well, not the "A-sides, B-sides" collection promised by EMI for last Christmas, but note-worthy nonetheless.

Now calling this the "Best Of" is basically asking for trouble. There are no live tracks from this better-than-most-live bands. This leaves the Italian Talking Colours as the indispensable live souvenir from Talk Talk. Also absent are great b-sides like "Again The Game."

Now it does collect most of the expected singles, using the single-re-mix versions in several spots and, in the cases of the tracks from Spirit of Eden, the single edits. It also slips in 5 b-sides.

Perhaps the best b-side here is the last track, "Time It's Time." It presents the band in a lush wall of sound that is rare for this usually restrained outfit. But the problem is that it doesn't list where these songs are from. Our discography of Talk Talk doesn't even list the song as a b-side.

Arguably the most annoying thing about the collection is the presence of two b-sides from the Spirit of Eden album. These songs were already released on CD as b-sides to singles. Less of these mostly instrumental tunes and more of the "pop" workouts from earlier in their career would have made for a much better collection. Just a few good candidates would have been "Strike Up The Band," "Serious," or "Again, A GameÉAgain."

The single mixes and single edits are, for the most part, unremarkable. Only "Today" seems to be radically reworked.

All in all, a strange package. Considering how long a set like this has been promised, one would think that there would have been more attention to detail. The rarities delivered just aren't that rare. Why not give the UK audience the rare soundtrack tune "Why Is It So Hard" from Sedated In the 80's Vol. 4? to justify a new best of set. The liner notes are limited to song lyrics and one new James Marsh artwork. Knowing how rabid the Talk Talk cult is in the UK and world-wide, this reeks of opportunistic marketing by EMI.

TRACKS:

 

The Ocean Blue See The Ocean Blue (Mercury)

See The Ocean Blue.

See The Ocean Blue come from Pennsylvania.

See The Ocean Blue sound like the Smiths and Echo and the Bunnymen.

See The Ocean Blue get a major label deal.

See The Ocean Blue tour with Tom Tom Club.

See The Ocean Blue make really good records.

See people care about The Ocean Blue.

See The Ocean Blue even sell some records.

See Grunge happen to The Ocean Blue .

See The Ocean Blue flounder in bemusement.

See The Ocean Blue attain irrelevance.

See The Ocean Blue get dropped.

See The Ocean Blue wait it out.

See The Ocean Blue sign with a different label.

See The Ocean Blue sound just as good as before.

See The Ocean Blue make one of the best Pop records of the year.

See people care about The Ocean Blue again.

Maybe. -Ken Scrudato.

Balance "Balance"/ "In For The Count"

If you paid close attention to the Top 40 in 1982, you might have caught a #22 hit from this band called "Breaking Away." You might remember the song as pretty catchy and wondered, what ever happened to...? Well, this single CD set with their only two commercially released albums on it answers that question. Balance was not some radical new wave band. Instead, it delivered great unassuming power pop songs, carefully produced in the sort of Top 40 / new wave sheen popular back then. There are very few bad songs on this set, although none as sugar sweet as "Breaking Away." If you liked Hall and Oates (there's that name again!), try this collection out. It's a pleasant reminder of when pop music was tuneful and happy.

 

Jah Wobble Heaven and Earth (Island)

A pop star finding God is usually the equivalent of a model discovering cheesecake; it's good for a page six chuckle, but pretty much kills the career. Thankfully, Jah Wobble manages to once again skirt embarrassment while attempting to elevate our consciousness.

With Heaven and Earth, Wobble has jettisoned his previously ubiquitous Invaders of the Heart and climbed even higher into the clouds of spiritual esoteric. And, he manages to deftly cull myriad ethnic and post-punk influences into what sounds like Last TemptationÉ's more mod soundtrack.

It's a far cry from PIL's Metal Box, to be sure, but he is, after all, hanging with the "big guy" now, and this is deep, deep stuff. Proselytizing just doesn't get any hipper than this.

Amen. -Ken Scrudato

 

Pete Shelly Homosapien (Razor and Tie)

An excellent package, this collection brings together Shelly's debut solo album and tracks from his follow up EP XL1. Two of Shelly's best songs, "Homosapien" and "Telephone Operator," are present. however, the rest of the songs, while clothed in the same colors as Human League's Dare, lack the immediacy of the two singles. The sound is courtesy of Martin Rushent, who also produced Dare.

 

Eurogliders This Island/Absolutely (Renaissance)

This double disc set from Renaissance, the Balance set and the Device set are all excellently packaged and reasonably priced. This label has been doing some very good work. The Eurogliders rose to world-wide recognition on the strength of their single "Heaven." This great song was an MTV staple and is considered by many to be a long lost new wave classic. However, from listening to the rest of This Island, one can see why they seemed to fade from view so quickly. Nothing even approaches the first single in terms of song writing.

Absolutely was a step up for the band. Much stronger songs and playing. However, with this album the band moved away from its new rock roots and into the bland Top 40 fare of the day. A curious artifact from the last great Australian invasion, but hard to recommend to anybody but a fan.

 

Other New Releases In Brief-

Bronski Beat, Age of Consent re-issue... The Damned, Music For Pleasure & Not The Captain's Birthday (both are live)... Asia, Archives...Meco, Best Of (features all of Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk album plus other Meco hits, 12 page booklet with photos and essay, awesome!!!!)...Split Enz, Anniversary (Best Of)...Devo, New Traditionalists.. Sweetback (Sade's back-up band stretches its legs)...Duran Duran, MedazzalandÉCyndi Lauper, Sisters of

AvalonÉThe Fall, The Legendary Chaos Tapes- Live 1980ÉShalamar, Uptown Festival (Right Stuff)ÉMoby shows why he is one of the more talented talentless hacks with his choice to remake, note for note, Mission of Burma's classic "That's When I Reach For My Revolver"ÉThe Mekons, The Mekon StoryÉ Two Sammy Hagar albums, both with bonus tracks (as if)ÉThe Washington Squares, A Square Deal (Complete first two albums with 2 extra tracks)ÉBruce Willis, The Return of BrunoÉThe Rumor,

Purity of Essence (see review of Squeezing Out Sparks in the last issue)...Erasure, CowboyÉLisa Stansfield, Lisa StansfieldÉDepeche Mode, Ultra (produced by Tim Simenon, AKA Bomb The Bass)ÉINXS, Elegantly WastedÉ Dr. Robert (US release of the former Blow Monkey's solo album) ...


New Bands, Old Sounds

This issue we want to highlight two bands that are "current", but who mine the sounds of the 80's to good effect.

The first up is My Life Story. Out of the UK, the eleven piece band, led by Jake Shillingford, features a heavily orchestrated sound. And while I'm not the first, (and also won't be the last) let me say that they sound like Lexicon era ABC (or more to the point, The Blow Monkeys.)

"Sparkle" and "12 Reasons Why I Love Her" (their break through hit in the UK - expanded to "17 reasons" for the b-side to "Sparkle") are both amazing songs. They are well written both musically and lyrically, and while they might be "overproduced" by US standards, by any other standard they are polished to perfection. The band doesn't even make an attempt to fit into today's music pigeon holes (the label reads "File Under Male: Vocalist.") Record Collector named them one of the best independent bands in their 1996 poll.

The album was not available for review at press time, however, the new single "King of Kissingdom" shows an alarming slip in quality. Their major label debut , The Golden Mile, was reviewed by the UK press. Smash Hits called it the worst debut album of all time. Hmmmm...

The other new release is from White Town, whose "Your Woman" off his debut Women In Technology is all over the airwaves, sounding like the lost Taco single! The rest of the album explores this same "lo-fi" electronic sound. It is similar to, though not quite as classic as The The's Soul Mining. It covers a lot of range, from ballads to rave-ups Give the album a few spins, it'll grow on ya!


Classic 80's Albums:

Lexicon of Love

1982 on Mercury Records

US Catalog #810003

Released in the UK on Neutron / Phonogram

Produced by: Trevor Horn

Engineered by: Gary Langan

ABC: Martin Fry (Vocals)

Mark White (Guitars/Keyboards)

David Palmer (Drums)

Mark Singleton (Saxophone)

Other Musicians :

Jonathan J. (JJ) Jeczalik - Synthesizer

Mark Lickley - Bass

Luis Jardim - Percussion

Andy Gray - Trombone

Kim Wear - Trumpet

Anne Dudley - Arranger, Keyboards

Brad Lang - Guitar and Bass

Gaynor Sadler - Harp

Tessa Webb - Vocals (background)

Total Running Time: 37 minutes

Highest Chart Position US; #24 (11/82, Billboard Magazine) UK # 1 (March 1982, Debuted at the top position), Re-issue hit #20 on UK Catalog Charting 1996. Certified Gold in the UK and the US.

Lexicon stands as fine a debut as any by a new band, but it is also much more. This was the LP that gathered together all of their singles to that point and a few other tracks. And rather than simply slap together previously released tracks, Trevor Horn went into the studio with the band and a host of session players to rebuild the early singles and build up the new songs. At the time of release Martin Fry was very frank in saying that he and Trevor Horn had built up the album from nothing, layering on note upon note. This was no jam album. There was no band that had been playing in the bars for years. At the time the result was something that many people considered to be a freak, an album made rather than just recorded. In many ways this is why the album is such a milestone. ABC, a post punk pop band and not really an art band, stood up and said that it was okay to record pop songs painstakingly and over a period of many months. Not since Phil Specter ruled the pop airwaves had such a notion taken hold. Think back to the UK and even world pop at this time. The Clash, Adam Ant, and Joe Jackson were all throwing up pop that was "raw". ABC presented refined pop, sweeter than honey.

The album starts with the sound of strings, a basic element in this album that clearly breaks it away from most pop albums. Certainly strings had been used to great effect in many disco sides, but now rather than being simply accents they became the back bone. Joined with a hip-hop super funky base line and a back-beat-you-can't-lose-it, they open the album with "Show Me." "Poison Arrow" follows, the group's second single in the US and perhaps the group's best remembered song. This is classic ABC in all respects, with the disco bass and the tragic lyrics of love and remorse. The next song is "Many Happy Returns," which contains the great line "I know what democracy is and I know what's fascist!" Next up is what was actually ABC's first single, redone by Trevor Horn, "Tears Are Not Enough." It was the last single released off of this album in the US by Mercury. "Valentine's Day" is one of ABC's gems. A slight, almost throwaway song, it sinks in after a few listens. More great Fry lyrics inhabit the tail end of this song as well. It was released as a single in Japan.

Side two on the old vinyl starts with "The Look of Love (Part One)." "The Look Of Love (Part One)" was not their first single in the UK, but it was their introduction to the US. And while "Poison Arrow" has aged better in the minds of the US pop audience, "Look of Love" was actually the bigger hit (Peaking at number 18 on the Billboard chart in 10/82.) The great call and response chorus harks back to soul records from the 70's. The next track "Date Stamp" further reveals the group's fascination with material wealth (it was the 80's after all) first brought up in "Many Happy Returns." Lyrically clever, Fry closely links the always intertwined love and money. "All of My Heart" was a single in the UK and shopped to several music services in the US (like Muzak) but was never released in the US. Essentially the albums ballad. It is as fine a love song as the group has ever produced (even if everything turns out bad in the end.) Next, "4 Ever 2gether" is the album's weakest point. Not a bad song, and had it appeared on any other ABC album it might have been an album highlight, but compared to the rest of Lexicon of Love it just sort of sits there. Lastly is the tag of "Look of Love (Part 4)," the instrumental coda to the album. We would see this again with Trevor Horn's Buggles album Adventures in Modern Recording and on the first FGTH album. It was a neat way to tie up this classic record into a perfect pop package.

It should be noted that Lexicon was the only album in which the original ABC appeared. Shortly after its release in the US David Palmer, the drummer, left. He would later show up in Electronic and eventually settle into the band incarnation of The The (although he would come back and drum for Up.) Trevor Horn also would leave the band behind to start up his own label, Zang Tum Tum (ZTT.)

The album has been remarkably successful for one that didn't exactly top the US charts. It got only as high as #24 in November of 1982 in Billboard magazine compared to a #1 debut in the UK. It has since then sold over a half million copies in the US alone. The record was certified Gold in May of 1995 by the RIAA. According to Soundscan, the company that has tracked US record sales since 1991, the album has sold over 38,000 copies in the 90's alone. That means that the album has been selling an average of about 150 copies a week in the US during the past five years.

And it has aged well. NME in Britain named it the 15th best album of the 80's (off by at least 13 or 14 we think.) Q gave it five (out of five) stars when it was re-released in the UK last year. And while you may have trouble finding some other ABC albums on CD, this album has always been in every record store we've been to, right next to their greatest hits.

Lexicon of Love was a high that the band would never reach again for an entire album. It really marked the nadir of the New Romantic / Neo-Bowie movement in Britain. With in a year of it's release, full fledged UK pop like the Culture Club had moved in; pop that had no real new wave roots and certainly didn't cop much to Bowie. The style and suave-ness of this album (both in music and image) would soon give way to the new rock of Beauty Stab.

Lexicon has seen several versions released, although none, save the most recent, have any major differences among them. The first version was, of course, the vinyl version. Released with cassette at the same time, the LP highlights the really nice, well thought out artwork, whose impact is lost on subsequent CD releases. Next up was the first US release, on Mercury, of the CD. It is noted mainly by it's plain font spine and plain font song listing on the back. This version, released early in the CD game, was made in Germany. The CD itself has the Neutron logo around the center. The rest is a red Mercury logo. Later (not sure when), Mercury released a US made version of the CD and changed a few things. The spine now has the ABC style font and the back does as well. Gone is the listing of the publishers and instead of saying "except 9 written by ABC / Anne Dudley" it now says "except 4 ever 2 gether written by ABC / Ann Dudley." No telling where the "e" went. The CD itself does not have the Neutron log but does have the ABC style font on it. Last year Polygram UK re-released the CD with six extra tracks (see last issue).


D I S C O G R A P H I E S

 

Frazier Chorus

An interesting band to collect. During their time at Virgin, single versions were often a radical reworking of the album versions. Add to that great non-album b-sides like "Anarchy In the UK" and "Down" and you get a band whose various 7" and 12" singles are worth seeking out.

Below is a basic discography. Unfortunately, all of the Virgin items have been allowed to go out of print, which makes obtaining them difficult. To start, try looking at UK mail order houses like Esprit or Vinyl Tap.

 

BAD708 (4AD UK 1987) 12"

1. Sloppy Heart 2. Typical 3. Storm

 

VSCD 1145 (Virgin UK 1988) CD 3" 1. Dream Kitchen 2. Down 3. 40 Winks (Ext.) 4. Dream Kitchen (Ext)

 

VS 1192 (Virgin UK 1989) 7" A. Sloppy Heart B. Anarchy In The UK

 

VSCD 1192 (Virgin UK 1989) CD 3" 1. Sloppy Heart 2. Typical 3. Anarchy In The UK

 

CDV 2578 (Virgin UK 1989) Sue

1. Dream Kitchen

2. Storm

3. Forty Winks

4. Ha-Ha-Happiness

5. Sloppy Heart

6. Living Room

7. Sugar High

8. Forgetful

9. Typical

10. Ski-head

11. Little Chef

[Produced by Hugh Jones except 4, produced by Bob Kraushaar and Frazier Chorus]

 

91641 (Charisma/Virgin America 1991) Ray

1. Cloud 8

2. Heaven

3. We Love You

4. Never Wake Up

5. All The Air

6. Walking On Air

7. Nothing

8. The Telephone

9. Here He Comes Again

10. Prefer You Dead

[produced by Ian Broudie except 1,7 by Clif Brigden and Frazier Chorus]

 

VSCDT 1252 (Virgin UK 1990) 1. Cloud 8 (7" Version) 2. Cloud 8 (Raid Mix) 3. Le Change Est Magnifique 4. The Window

 

VS 1252 (Virgin UK 1990) 7" A. Cloud 8 B. Le Change Est Magnifique.

 

VST 1252 (Virgin UK 1990) 12" A. Cloud 8 (Raid Mix) B. Cloud 8 (Future Mix)

 

PRCD 030 (Charisma/Virgin America 1991) CD 5" 1. Cloud 8 (7") 2. Cloud 8 (Future Mix) 3. Cloud 8 (Raid Mix) [promo]

 

96378 (Charisma/Virgin America 1991) CD 5" 1. Cloud 8 (Future Mix) 2. Cloud 8 (Raid Mix) 3.Dream Kitchen (12") 4. Typical (12") 5. Anarchy In The UK.

 

VSCDT 1284 (Virgin UK 1990) 1. Nothing (7" Edit) 2. Nothing (Land of Oz Mix) 3. Cloud 8 (future Mix) 4. Blistered

 

VS 1309 (Virgin UK 1990) 7" A. Heaven B. Heaven (God Like Edit)[Youth Re-mix]

 

VS 1130 (Virgin UK 1991) 7" A. Walking On Air -7" Mix[Youth Re-mix] B. Walking On Air (Album Version)

 

VSCDT 1330 (Virgin UK 1991) 1. Walking on Air [Youth re-mix] 2. Walking On Air (album Vers.) 3. Walking On Air (ext.)[Youth Re-mix] 4. 40 Winks (Ext)

 

Pinkcd1 [PY 900] (Pinkerton 1995) Wide Awake

1. Wide Awake

2. If The Weather Was Up To Me

3. Bye-bye Little Birdie

4. Here We Are

5. Take Us Away

6. Driving

7. Lie, Mimic and Mime

8. Sound Asleep

[Produced by Richard Digby Smith]

 

2310 (Pure Records US 1996) Wide Awake

1. Wide Awake

2. If The Weather Was Up To Me

3. Bye Bye Little Birdie

4. Driving [new single version]

5. Here We Are

6. Next To No-one

7. Funny Thing

8. Take Us Away

9. Lie, Mimic and Mime

10. Sound Asleep

11. Thank You

[produced by Richard Digby Smith]

 

2311 (Pure 1996) 1. Driving (single) 2. Driving (Original) 3. Driving (Scenic Route) 4. Driving (Mass Transit)


The Buggles

Not since Bill Haley and the Comets has a band been in the right time and the right place like the Buggles. "Video" had been a big hit in the UK and over here was a #40 hit, but the song would have quickly been forgotten about except that a new cable TV channel was looking for a video to inaugurate it's all video channel. A better, more telling song could not have been invented for the channel's debut. Within a few years of the first showing of the video the song's prophecy had come true in spades.

The Buggles never did see much success beyond that one glorious moment in the sun. Follow-up singles and an album saw progressively declining sales and a second album

was roundly ignored, even by the emerging monolith of MTV. Despite their brevity, they left behind a fair-sized number of singles. Following is a basic discography:

Albums

The Age Of Plastic (Island 1979, 1980) [Available on CD in the US only]

1. Living In The Plastic Age

2. Video Killed The Radio Star

3. Kid Dynamo

4. I Love You (Miss Robot)

5. Clean Clean

6. Elstree

7. Astroboy (and the Proles on Parade)

8. Johnny and The Monorail

 

Produced by the Buggles

All songs by Horn/Downes except 1, 5 Horn/Downes/Woolley.

 

Adventures In Modern Recording (Perfect / Carrere 1981) On CD in Japan Only (Jimco, 1993).

1. Adventures In Modern Recording

2. Beatnik

3. Vermilion Sands

4. I Am A Camera

5. On TV

6. Inner City

7. Lenny

8. Rainbow Warrior

9. Adventures in Modern Recording (Reprise)*

 

*Not listed but present on the 1981 vinyl version. Listed on the Japanese CD.

 

Songs: Horn (2), Horn/Downes (3,4,7), Horn/Darlow (6), Horn/Woolley/Downes (1,9), Horn/Darlow/Sinclair (8), Horn/Woolley/Thompson.

1,2,5,6,8,9 Produced by Horn/Sinclair. 3,4,7 produced by Horn/Downes. Engineered by Gary Langan and Julian Mendelsohn.

 

Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club

(Columbia /CBS 1979) US Vinyl

1. English Garden

2. Video Killed The Radio Star

3. Dancing With The Sporting Boys

4. Johnny

5. No Surrender

6. Flying Man

 

1. You Got Class

2. W.W. 9 (Instrumental)

3. Clean / Clean

4. Good-bye To Yesterday

5. Good-bye To Yesterday (Reprise)

6. You're the Circus (I'm The Clown)

 

Produced by Mike Hurst. ("Tom" Dolby played Keyboards)

 

Singles

Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club-

A.1.Video Killed the Radio Star 2. Clean Clean B. 1. Trouble Is 2. Only Babies Can Fly (Columbia CBS US 7" 1979,1980. 111264

 

A.Video Killed the Radio Star B. Get Away William (Epic Italy EPC 7926)

 

[Bruce Woolley continued to record after this initial work out of "Radio Star", which he helped to write. Space prevents us from going into detail about his further adventures in modern recording. Look for more information, including a possible interview, in an issue to come]

 

The Buggles-

Video Killed the Radio Star b/w Kid Dynamo (Island UK 7" WIP 6524) Picture sleeve. Artwork in the style of the album, but half body views of Horn and Downes.

The Plastic Age b/w Island (Island UK 7" WIP 6540 1980

Clean Clean (5:13 vers. LP is 3:53) B. Living In The Plastic Age (5:09) [Island Pro 12" Pro-a-859} US 1980. There is also a US 7" -IS49209 that is a doubled sided promo with a 3:47 version.

Clean Clean b/w Technopop (Island Portugal 7" - 50006-584) Picture sleeve, photo of Horn and Downes). UK Picture Sleeve was infamous Horn/Downes "Barbie/GI JOE" drawing. UK 7" is Island WIP 6584, 1980

Elstree b/w Johnny On The Monorail (A Very Different Version) (Re-mix) (Island UK 7" WIP 6624, 1980) Picture Sleeve, Movie projector cut-away.

I Am Camera b/w Fade Away (Non Album Track) Perfect/Carrere UK 7" CAR 213, 1981. Picture Sleeve with "Camera-man" drawing.

Adventures in Modern Recording b/w Blue Nylon (non album track) Perfect Carrere UK 7" CAR 222, 1982.

On TV b/w Fade Away (Perfect Carrere UK 7" CAR 232, 1982) Picture sleeve with "TV w/ glasses".

I Am Camera b/w same. (US CBS/Carrere promo ZS5 02759, 1981)

Lenny b/w Blue Nylon (French 7" Perfect Carrere 49908) Picture sleeve, Album artwork.

Collecting Buggles singles can be difficult and expensive. Expect to pay about $6 and up for 45's, topping at about $25 for Japanese Picture sleeves.

See also Asia, Jeff Downes, and Yes. Trevor Horn has gone on to produce Art of Noise, ABC, Dollar, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Cash, Seal, Toys Soundtrack, Spandau Ballet, Band Aid.


Mari Wilson

Mari Wilson emerged during the heyday of British singles and picture sleeves. She left in her wake a bounty of beautiful and collectable items. In future issues we hope to review her (so far) rich and tuneful history. Following is a fairly comprehensive discography.

 

Albums

Showpeople - US LP Polygram/London 1983 (LP Only)

Side One):

Just What I Always Wanted

The End of The Affair

One Day Is A Lifetime

Baby It's True (I Can't Stop Myself)

Ecstasy

Side Two):

Wonderful To Be With

Doctor Love

(Beware) Boyfriend

Are You There (with Another Girl)

Cry Me A River

 

Showpeople UK 1983. (LP only) COMP 2

(Released on the Compact Label)

Originally came with a bonus live cassette:

Mary Wilson Born Lucky

[Live at the Pleasure Dome]

1. Baby It's True

2. Beat The Beat

3. Love Man

4. End of the Affair

5. Dance Card

 

[The LP]

Side One

1. Wonderful To Be With

2. The End Of The Affair

3. One Day Is a Lifetime

4. Dr. Love

5. Remember Me

6. Dry Me a River

Side Two

7. Just What I Always Wanted

8. This Time Tomorrow

9. Are You There (With Another Girl)

10. I May Be Wrong

11. Ecstasy

12. This Is It?

 

Some Copies also came with a calendar with Mari posed for each month.

 

Marigold (Wave) 1990 CD Japan

1. Love Man

2. Dance Card

3. Stop and Start

4. She's Had Enough Of You

5. Beat The Beat

6. Glamourpuss

7. Ecstasy

8. Baby It's True

9. Beware Boyfriend

10. Just What I Always Wanted

11. The End of the Affair

12. Dr. Love

13. Are You With Another Girl

14. It's Happening

15. Rave

16. Wonderful To Be With

17. Ain't that Peculiar

18. Love And Learn

19. Let Me Dream

20. Tu No ME (Cry Me A River)

 

 

The Rhythm Romance (Dino) UK 1991 CD

 

1. Cielo

2. The Rhythm

3. I'm Coming Home

4. No Moon At All

5. For Your Freedom

6. La La Peace Song

7. Cry Me A River

8. This Town

9. Yeh Yeh

10. And I Love Him

11. Let There Be Love

12. Someone To Watch Over Me

13. Lover Man

14. My Funny Valentine

 

Beat The Beat (Great Expectations/Cape Compact) UK 1992 CD only

1. Dance Card

2. Beat The Beat

3. Love Man

4. Stop and Start

5. Ecstasy

6. If That's What you Want

7. She's had Enough Of You

8. Glamourpuss

9. Baby It's True

10. It's Happening

11. You Look So Good

12. What's Going On

 

13. Ain't That Peculiar

14. Rave

15. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You

16. The Maximum Damage

17. Let Me Dream

18. Would You Dance With a Stranger

19. Cry Me a River

 

Just What I always Wanted (Great Expectations /Cape Compact) UK 1992 CD Only

1. Wonderful To Be With

2. Just What I always Wanted

3. The End of the Affair

4. Are You With another Girl

5. Dr. Love

6. This Time Tomorrow

7. Remember Me

8. One Day Is A Lifetime

9. Beware Boyfriend

10. I May Be Wrong

11. Use Him

12. Love and Learn

13. This Is It

14. Te No Me Llores

15. Let's Make This Last

 

Singles -

[All singles Compact Organization unless noted]

[All listed are the 12" version. Variations in the 7" releases are noted. Compact usually noted the 12" released catalog number by inserting an "x" in front of the number]

 

"Dance Card" 1981? Pink 1

a) Dance Card b) She's had Enough Of You"

[7" same tracks. Billed as "Éwith the Imaginations]

 

"Beat The Beat" 1982 Pink 2

a) Beat The Beat b) Glamourpuss

[7" sleeve "Here's Mari Wilson!"

 

"Just What I Always Wanted" 12" US promo

1983

a) Re-mix [by Ivan Ivan] b) Instrumental Re-mix

[7" white label promo issued, single mix both sides]

 

"Baby It's True" 1982 Pink 3

a) Discotheque arrangement b) 1.You Look So Good 2. Baby It's True

[7" swaps "Beat the Beat" as the b-side]

 

"Just What I Always Wanted" 1982 Pink 4

a)1. Single Mix 2. "Are You With Another Girl" b) "Woe, Woe, Woe"

[7" same tracks]

 

"Beware Boyfriend" 1982 Pink 5

a) Single mix b) "It's Happening"

b) [7" Same Tracks]

c) [Also came with free postcard of the Marionettes]

 

 

"Would You Dance With A Stranger" 1985 Pink 10

a) Single Mix b) "Theme to 'Would you Dance With A Stranger'".

[7" b side labeled "Dialogue -'Ruth's Bedroom' Jazz Break Instrumental]

"Would You Dance With A Stranger?" 1985 YEADJ 1 (London/Filmtrax)

a) Single. B) The Chain (Barbara Dickson)

 

"Ain't That Peculiar?" 1982 Pink 8

a) Single Mix b) 1"The Maximum Damage" 2. "Use Him" [Came with large B&W Mari Poster]

 

"Let's Make this Last" 1984 Pink 9

a) Single Mix b) "Let's Make This Last a Bit Longer"

 

"Cry Me A River" 1983 Pink 6

a) Single Mix b) Live version

[ 7" same tracks]

[7" came with a free handkerchief]

 

"Baby It's True"

a) Single Mix b) You Look So Good"

"The Rhythm" (Dino) 1991 MARIS001

a) Single b) Someone To Watch Over Me

[7" Same tracks]

 

"My Funny Valentine" (Dino) 1992 MARIS002

a) Single b) 1. Cry Me a River 2. Got To Be You

[7" Same tracks]

 

Compilations-

Let The Children Play "What's Going On"


-As always, if you know of releases not mentioned in the discographies above, please drop us a line and we'll include it in upcoming Dicographies updates.


Shiny Black Discs

This is the part of the magazine where we highlight collectibles from some of our favorite bands from the 80's. This issue - Strawberry Switchblade and a rare flexi disc promo item from their first album.

The front cover to the album preview. The same photo was used for the Candaian CD release of the 12" Album.

Shortly before Korova released the band's debut album, it sent out a limited number of samplers from the album. To help cut down costs the sampler was issued as a

flexi disc, one of those thin, transparent pieces of bendy plastic that usually had a little circle somewhere on the label that said "place penny here if record slips." This item came housed on a fold over heavy stock glossy piece of paper. The outside was black and white (see below ) and the inside was glorious color (see Lexicon after it gets a NEA grant.) The flexi had five tracks from the album, but the best thing about the disc was an introduction from Janice Long, a BBC DJ who was one of the first people to give the girls a break. The Switchblade's live version of "Fem Fetale" was a hit on the Janice Long show.

This is a fairly rare item. Expect to pay around $20 US for this, if you ever see one come onto the market.

 

RESOURCES

Hall and Oates - Some Fan club addresses:

Rock and Soul International

c/o Diane Vaskas and Lori Allved

PO Box 450

Mansfield, MA 02048

[website - http://www.webspan.net/-rsi1/site/hall_oates.html

 

Hall and Oates Hotline

c/o Carlie Borba

PO Box 1601

Lakeport, CA 95453

Listserver info :

http://www.pair.com/iwc/hall_oates

 

In Touch (UK)

c/o Norman Parry

18 Twickenham Dr

Moreton, Wirral

Merseyside

L46 1RL England

 

Link (Australia)

c/o Chris Marsland

PO Box 14

Wamers Bay N.S.W. 2282

Australia

 

Hiromi Iinuma (Japan)

Spring Valley #106

1-23-15 Nichi-Magome

Ota-ku, Tokyo 143

Japan

(In Japanese)

Thanks to Tim Hufnagle for the information!

 

 

 

Wanted

Serious record collectors!

 

Send want lists.

We have a wide selection of records from all over the world

Ken Hubert

Box 7205, Station J

Ottawa, Ontario

Canada

K2A 4C5

 

ABC Fanzine

"A to Z" . This excellent ABC fanzine is on it's third issue. For a copy send 3 IRC's to ABC Fan Club, c/o Melvin Welters, Melis Stokelaan 2412, 2541 GP the Hague, The Netherlands. Absolutely indispensable for any ABC fan!

 

Blind Youth

This UK fanzine will publish it's third issue featuring a long interview with Martin Fry. Send a check for One pound 50 for the UK or $4 for the US to Adie Nunn, 9 Urquhart Road, Aberdeen, AB24 5LN.

 

Contest Winners

Last issue's Frazier Chorus and Sedated In The 80's CD giveaway contest are: Bernard, Ramona, Candace and Robert, Anthony and Brad!

Congratulations guys.

You can enter our new contest, see the Album Review section. If you are a subscriber, you are automatically entered into every one of our contests!

 

 

C L A S S I F I E D A D S

 

CDs Wanted: Graduate, Dave Wakeling Solo, Tony Hadley Solo, Howard Jones "What Is Love?", Danny Wilson "Sweet Danny Wilson", Afrika Bambaataa's The Light, Paul Young

 

"Between Two Fires", Simple Minds "Themes One", call Gordon (410) 737-6833.

 

Records /CDs wanted: Two Minds Crack "The Hunger and The Greed"(12"), Jean Paul Sarte Experience "Elemental", Heaven 17 "Let Me Go" (12"), Vitamin Z, Silicon Teens, anything by Trio. Call (212)-254-8907.

 

Café Eighties Magazine is the perfect blend of yesterday's grinds and what's brewing in your mind today. Four issues, just $18.00. Send check/money order to: F.D.R. Station, PO Box 8068, New York, NY 10150.

 

Wanted: Single by Jackie Leven on UK Charisma with "Love Is Shining Down On Me", "Great Spirit Calls" and "Mindless Sweethearts Underground" Bernard Watts, 2943 East University, Apt. 10, Springfield, MO 65804.

 

Classic 80's CDs For Sale. Artists include: Jon St James, Naked Eyes, Gary Numan, Vicious Pink, Visage, SSQ, Ultravox, Secession, Etc.! On Canadian Label Compilations.

Many rare extended versions. Call Paul (905)-851-1331 or Fax (905) 851-7784 for more info.

 

CDs Wanted: ABC "ABC2", Steve Allen "Letter from my Heart" (CD single), Bazooka Joe "Virtual World", Burning Sensation "Belly Of The Whale", Comateens "One By One (b/o)". Jamms/KLF/Timelords "Shag Times", Kissing The Pink (KTP) "Naked", Men Without Hats "Rhythm of Youth", "Quick "Wah Wah", Red Box "Motive", Soundtrack "Krush Groove" Evan Boris 6 Saint Andrews Court, Old Westbury NY 11568 (160-997-4840, email:

discdoc@bpgourmet.com.

 

From The Editor-

Hi. Hope you enjoy this issue. A couple of new things you may notice. The biggest change is the appearance of advertisers. As I'm sure you're aware, it costs money to even do something as low tech at this newsletter, so I hope that I can keep subscription costs down by attracting advertisers. On this note, if you contact anybody advertising in these pages mention Lexicon. The second thing is the appearance of "pictures" or artwork. I hope to have more of this, but too many photos and artwork preclude photocopying, and necessitates printing, which drives up the cost. So let me know what you think, or if you think we should go back to all text (gotten some complaints about that).

Lastly, we get mail. When I started I thought (hoped) much of the mail would be fellow ABC fans or even other 80's new wave fans. But the single biggest pile of mail has been about -- Mari Wilson. Including a review of her career in the first issue was almost an after thought, but more people have written to me about her than any other artists. It seems her version of care free 60's style music is sorely missed. Oh, yeah, and the fact that I mistakenly said that none of her work was on CD. It turns out that there have been several CDs of her work released. My apologies.

So keep those letters coming, we're always open to new ideas.

 

Upcoming Issues-

A look at Dolby's Classic Golden Age Of Wireless, Ivan from Men Without Hats on his new Solo Album, Interview with the Ocean Blue, all the latest news about your favorite artists from the 1980's and much more!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO LEXICON AND GET A FREE CLASSIFIED AD AND A FREE COPY OF EITHER ISSUE #1 OR #2

Subscribe today to Lexicon and you can get a free (35 words or less) classified ad and we will also send you a copy issue # 1 or #2 (you choose) with the first issue of your subscription. Just fill out the coupon below and mail it to : Ninthwave Records and Publishing, PO Box 1734, Wheaton MD 20915 (new address!)

Subscriptions are $6.00 for the next four issues (one year), $9(Canada) or 12$ (US) for overseas subscribers. Please send check or Money order payable to David Richards.

Please enter my subscription. Enclosed is a check or Money Order for $6. Please also send me a copy of the premiere issue of Lexicon.

Name:_____________________________________

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City/State/ Zip________________________________

Attached is my FREE classified ad (35 words or less)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Please Check which issue you would like for FREE: #1_________ #2________

 

 

Contest Winners

Last issue's Frazier Chorus and Sedated In The 80's CD giveaway contest are: Bernard, Ramona, Candace and Robert, Anthony and Brad!

Congratulations guys.

You can enter our new contest, see the Album Review section. If you are a subscriber, you are automatically entered into every one of our contests!

 

ADVERTISING -To have your Fan-zine or Fan Club listed for FREE in the Resource section please send us a copy with any information about subscribing to it.

Classified Ads are 1$ for 25 words. $5 for business card ads, $10 for a quarter of a page, $15 for a half and $50 for

 

a page. Right now it's black and white, photo ready only. For more than one issue deduct 15% from total (maximum four issues at a time, Classified excluded). Contact Lexicon to ask

 

about color ads. Make checks payable to David Richards. Send to Ninthwave Records and Publishing, PO Box 1734, Wheaton, MD 20915.

 

CONTRIBUTIONS - We gladly accept any articles, letters, resources, etc. you might want to send us. We welcome your input, comment, constructive criticism.

 

SUBSCRIPTIONS- Okay, we're not in this for the money, so we will try to be fair. If you want a "Free" copy of this issue or the next send an SASE with two (2) 32 cent stamps for each issue you want (for a copy of issue #1 or #2 see below). If you are overseas please send 3 IRCs for each issue you want. 3 IRCs sounds like a lot, but it costs $1.81 in postage to send each issue out and each IRC is worth 60 cents. OR - you can send a check or money order for $6 for the next four issues (US Only), $9 for Canadian Orders (postage is slightly more for Up North) or 12$(US) for over seas subscribers. Please make check payable to David Richards

NEW ADDRESS

Lexicon has a new address. We now have a PO box. Send your letters and subscriptions to:

Lexicon, PO Box 1734, Wheaton, MD 20915

 

BACK ISSUES-

#1- Première issue. ABC album discography. Strawberry Switchblade story, reviews of Frankie, BEF, Blue Nile and more.

 

#2 - ABC singles discography, Strawberry Switchblade discography, Heaven 17 interview, Frazier Chorus interview.

 

Issue #1 is still available for $2.00 post paid. Issue # 2 is $2.50 Post paid. Or get both for $3.00 post paid. Send check or money order to the address below. Please make check out to David Richards. (Or choose one FREE when you subscribe for the next four issues).

 

Edited by David Richards, co-editor Jeanne Richards, contributing editors, Ken Scrudato, John Richards and Melvin Welters.

 

This issue of Lexicon is copyright 1997 by NINTHWAVE Records and Publishing, PO Box 1734, Wheaton, MD 20915 USA. Please feel free to quote content as long as Lexicon is noted as the source. We also request a copy of any publication quoting Lexicon. Thanks.

 

 

 

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