| Author | Message | ||
     skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 434 Registered: 10-2008 |
looks fairly interesting, but you just know its not going to feature any artists on the fringes - eg the passage, thomas leer, even magazine. i would imagine anybody outside the uk will be able to watch it on bbci player (unless there are overseas restrictions?) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n93c4 the uk's best writer on music, Simon Reynolds (whose books include rip it up, energy flash etc)has done a feature for the guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/oct /10/synth-pop-80s-reynolds | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 435 Registered: 10-2008 |
forgot to say, apparently there is a krautrock special on bbc4 at the end of the month. programmes like these two soften the blow of having to pay the TV license!! but only just!! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2144 Registered: 03-2005 |
Well, Kevin, this post at least got me to order all of the Visage stuff. I never had any of it on CD. Now I'll have too much of it. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 436 Registered: 10-2008 |
i'm afraid my knowledge of visage begins and ends at fade to grey randy. for someone who loves electronic music i never really got all the synth/new romantic bands - have any of them stood the test of time? | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2145 Registered: 03-2005 |
I'm the wrong person to answer that question Kevin. I'll pass it off to Jeff, Cosmo or Spence. I will say that I think early OMD holds up well. I'm intrigued by Simon Reynolds' take on Depeche Mode. I never bothered to get anything by them other than the Singles 81 - 85 antho so I doubt that I have much of an idea what they developed into. And I've never had any Kraftwerk. I don't really remember why but I suspect that I just assumed they'd be an electronic version of Focus or something, in other words an ill-conceived bias against Continental music at the time. Visage got my attention way back when because of the Adamson/Formula/McGeoch involvement. I always really liked Fade to Grey, Mind of a Toy and their cover of In the Year 2525. It'll be interesting to see what I think of the actual albums which I never had. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1771 Registered: 10-2004 |
Randy, you've never had any Kraftwerk? You've got to get "Man Machine," at the very least. Imo, that's their masterpiece. I think that album is worth your time if you feel like investigating. "Computer World" is also excellent. "Autobahn" is good for at least the title track. I find their better albums to be really warm, melodic, and moving. Depeche Mode transformed into arena-scaled mega-stars in silly outfits churning out whiny drivel aimed at broken-hearted 16-year-old girls. But I quite like their output from about 81-86. It's always either melodic and catchy, or compellingly dour and moody. I like the Visage debut. Vocalist Steve Strange lends an air of tackiness to the proceedings, but the music, generally, is quite good. But that only goes for the debut. Their second album, "The Anvil," was an artistic flop, probably due to the fact that Adamson and McGeoch were no longer involved, iirc. Kevin, new romantic bands have withstood the tests of time if you ask the hordes of fans who still like them, but to anyone else, probably not. For what it's worth, Ultravox and Duran Duran's first two albums still seem to be somewhat well-revered critically. The same probably can't be said for Flock of Seagulls, although they do continue to tour (albeit, with way less hair). | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1674 Registered: 09-2006 |
I'd agree with Randy in regards to early (and even mid, if stuff like "Tesla Girls" and "Talking Loud and Clear" count) OMD. I liked Soft Cell's first album a lot, and have wondered from time to time what it might sound like now. Enjoyed Human League's "Dare" at the time but now would at least agree with Xgau that Phil Oakey's pompous ass vocalizations can get in the way of the enjoyment. I still like my Heaven 17 best-of a lot, if they count. Flock of Seagulls are utter fluff, certainly, but a handful of it is enjoyable. Agreed about "Man-Machine," though I prefer "Trans-Euwope Expwess." If ABC counts, their first album is one of my favorites ever. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 708 Registered: 07-2006 |
bah. i'm going to have a listen , sober up and perhaps respond properly. H17, yazoo, soft cell, omd, japan, the league... i weep to think about the sort of man i'd be without them. i tend to agree on the mode. black celebration was the last of theirs i really got into. though i don't understand how the likes of enjoy the silence can't make you feel a little bit fuzzy inside. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1675 Registered: 09-2006 |
Forgot about Yazoo...Upstairs is a goodun, agreed. Gary Numan's "Replicas," too. And it still feels like there's several people I'm forgetting. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1676 Registered: 09-2006 |
Such as Eurythmics. Hope it didn't sound like I was downplaying this stuff's influence on my musical taste, joe. It definitely had its impact. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 151 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thomas Dolby anyone? | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 152 Registered: 05-2005 |
Early OMD very cool, Soft Cell too, cant stand the Eurythmics | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 437 Registered: 10-2008 |
perhaps i'm not looking forward to this programme as much as i thought i was. if it's going to be full of omd, d mode, soft cell, eurythmics etc its going to remind me how much me and the 80s never got on with each other musically. no doubt early h league and cabaret voltaire will be crammed into the first 10 mins and the rest of it will be dominated by pop star excess. wasnt this stuff already covered in the "young guns" and pop britannia docs on bbc4 a few years back? maybe i'm being harsh before the event, i hope so. the krautrock special is confirmed for the 23rd oct. there is also a heavy metal one in the pipeline, god save us!! | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1678 Registered: 09-2006 |
I like Dolby's first album, cosmo..."She Blinded Me With Science" (which I always sing as "She Baffled Me With Bullshit") remains irresistable, especially. Too bad he got muy pretentiouso on the next one. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 1636 Registered: 01-2005 |
I haven't listened to Ultravox - Vienna in years, but I remember it fondly. I've been thinking about getting the Remastered Definitive Edition that was released last year. Kraftwerk, New Order and early OMD still work for me, as does The Golden Age of Wireless by Mr. Dolby. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3362 Registered: 05-2005 |
As per usual, I tend to agree with jeff's sentiments. The trouble with these programmes (I haven't yet seen it yet!) as much as I am grateful for them showing this shit, it is that mostly they are put together by people who have no love or passion for the thing they are researching/presenting, and what happens is, the programme starts off well then tails off into mediocre bollocks, as they did with the recent Caledonia Dreaming. Also, its no good having one 2 hour programme, we need a continuing series of episodes, 1 to 6 please, you can;t even begin to touch the surface in 2 feckin hours! As kev has mentioned, someone like Simon Reynolds should put this type of programme together, the we all know it would be good. Reflecting on what I listened to as a young dude, I would say out of all the music of the electronic persuasion (specific genres aside) from late 70's to early 80's, my faves would be: Sparks (No one song in heaven), OMD, the first 3 abums. Visage, 2 songs, Fade to grey and Night train, not so keen on their albums. I'm with Allen on Dolby, like his very early stuff. tuxedo moon, first 2 albums are exceptional. Yello, again, early stuff, same with The residents, esp like the commercial album. Some Clock DVA. Paul Haig's early work for Crepuscule. I always liked Blancmange, their first album I loved. Some Tubeway Army and Gazza Numan is still great IMHO. Can we count Japan in all of this? Then Tin Drum. New Order. Kraftwerk - Computer World, Man Machine and Computer World. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1679 Registered: 09-2006 |
I like that Sparks album a lot, and it brings up another influential name, Giorgio Moroder. Dunno why I haven't mentioned New Order, my favorite of favorites...at first I was thinking that they were a bit apart from this other stuff, but they're not - they're the punk/goth/disco/techno connection. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1680 Registered: 09-2006 |
Residents early stuff, too...actually saw them in concert in 2000 or so, and enjoyed it a whole heck of a lot. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 976 Registered: 08-2004 |
You can't not count Japan, Talk Talk, John Foxx, The Associates. +++ Frankie GTH, maybe? | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 349 Registered: 04-2005 |
Synth was one of my 1st passions in music, I remember listening to Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and Jean Michel Jarre in school - a few funny looks...they might have been right! I always hated the 'it all sounds the same' bull, its the people who play it that makes it sound boring. I think most of the best has been mentioned already so I won't go over old ground, personal favourites are OMD, Kraftwerk, Soft Cell and New Order, but I can't help falling in love 80s cheese-pop. You had to be there! I'm going to miss it I'm at a gig in Manchester, either St Etienne or Super Furry Animals - 1 is Thursday and 1 is Friday. Cheers Jon | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1681 Registered: 09-2006 |
On and on it rolls...Art of Noise (listened to their best-of a little while back, and it certainly holds up), Propaganda... Wish I could see Etienne live again...they did a great show. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1772 Registered: 10-2004 |
Yeah, I pretty much like every band mentioned in this thread so far. Late 70s-early 80s synth-pop is right up my alley, whether it's "difficult" Cabaret Voltaire or The Passage, or super poppy, like OMD and Thomas Dolby, or arty new romantic hairspray bands like Japan. I agree with Spence, though, you need more than 2 hours to cover this topic if you want to do it thoroughly. But on the other hand, at least they're bothering to do it at all! I highly doubt PBS would ever air a similar documentary over here. And for that, I'm slightly jealous. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 710 Registered: 07-2006 |
i can't believe i forgot about the associates! talk talk is a fabulous example, if only because their later records are so revered (and rightly so). though i still think it's my life is one for the ages. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1773 Registered: 10-2004 |
It makes me happy that there's a fair amount of Associates love on this board! | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 1637 Registered: 01-2005 |
I would add Mew Musik to my list of favorite late 70's-early 80's synth-pop bands. I'll agree with Spence on Gary Numan/Tubeway Army, it is still great and he kicked bootay live three years ago when I caught his act. The Blade Runner soundtrack still sounded great to my ears when I popped in the DVD for the first time in many years. My older Directors Cut version DVD doesn't have the bad Harrison Ford voice over, so the music really sets a great tone. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 450 Registered: 10-2008 |
good interviews with richard h kirk from cabaret voltaire,wolfgang fleur from kraftwerk, oakey and ware from human league, bernard from new order and mcluskey from omd. too much depeche mode for me but overall it was fairly representative of the time. nice kraftwerk footage at the start. why no magazine when they show shite like eurythmics? the programme after it about synth bands who played live on various bbc shows was dreadful, well im guessing it was because thanks to sky + i fast forwarded through everything apart from roxy music and new order. again, why no magazine when they show shite like eurythmics? | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 451 Registered: 10-2008 |
oh, and insightful intelligent comments from simon reynolds. although i cant help feeling he was reigning himself in, surely he didnt like the sugary pop elements. then again he didnt even mention them, so perhaps the silence was damning enough | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2154 Registered: 03-2005 |
I'm with you on the Urethrics Kevin but I wouldn't even consider Magazine for a synth pop survey. Important as Dave Formula was on his funhouse keyboard I don't think you can say he made the group a synth band. They were a pretty traditional rock band that included a keyboard/synth player. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 452 Registered: 10-2008 |
yeah randy, unfortunately i have to agree, perhaps i was hoping for too much. although given that the programme didnt consider anything after 1983 ish you could argue that new order came under the same description as magazine. ok, im starting to clutch at straws here | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 456 Registered: 10-2008 |
http://thequietus.com/articles/02984-dan iel-miller-interview-mute-records-the-sy nth-britannia-revolution-2 | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3378 Registered: 05-2005 |
I really enjoyed the show(s). Looks like barney Albrecht's been drinking a bit too much lately! Its true what they say, some of these people really were boffins, when you look at the stack o synths and shit they hoard! One small thing, they put Ultravox's vienna in 1982 when it was actually '81. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 1645 Registered: 01-2005 |
Does anybody have Ultravox - Vienna The Remastered Definitive Edition that was released last year? |