Last year, Mesh announced that they were to perform three dates in the UK as part of a ‘Legacy tour’. As the days passed, more dates were added across Europe and subsequently a few of those shows sold out. Having attended the London date back in January, the band are now embarking on the European leg of the tour, dates below.
Consisting of Mark Hockings (vocals) and Richard Silverthorn (keyboards, guitars, backing vocals) in the studio, and accompanied live on stage by long established drummer Sean Suleman, and recent replacement to Richard Broadhead on keyboards, Vaughn George, Mesh are Germany’s electronic darlings, despite being little known in their native UK, hailing from Bristol. The band’s fandom is one of the most accepting and close-knit community of fans that I’ve ever come across, and attending gigs is always a reunion of friends, who’ve often travelled from all over the country and continental Europe to be there.
I was lucky enough to attend the London date at the end of January, at the Garage in Islington, following Manchester the night before, and Glasgow the night before that. Covering more than 900 miles across three major UK cities was, in the band’s own words, “nothing short of spectacular”. Each of the UK shows were packed to near capacity in their respective venues. Mesh were also supported by two well established acts, namely Auger, and Mechanical Cabaret who both went extremely down well with the Mesh fans.
Mesh came on stage to a hungry crowd, full of anticipation and eager to see them perform again. The show opened with an extended intro of I Fall Over, where they hit the ground running, quickly followed by Runway from their last studio album in 2016 Looking Skyward, which the crowd responded to extremely positively. The pace slowed down a little for My Protector which reduced me to tears, it was *that* beautiful and poignant. At the end of the song Mark Hockings (singer) gesticulated to the crowd to indicate that we were all each other protectors, and part of the wider Mesh family.
The Mesh fanbase is like no other that I’ve experienced. A few years ago, also at The Garage, at the end of the show a Mesh fan climbed on stage and proposed to his girlfriend. Sensing something important was going on, I recorded the proposal and sent it to the couple after the show. This Sunday, they came up to me to thank me again for doing that. They are now happily married.
The audience were enthusiastic about You Didn’t Want Me, a rip-roaring track, followed by To Be Alive which, with its lyrics “it feels so important to be alive” was both poignant and moving. The house lights strobed strongly for Adjust Your Set, Leave You Nothing and It Scares Me, whilst the crowd sang along to each of the songs, word perfect to each track.
Halfway through the set and the band showed little sign of stopping. Again, audience participation ensued for The Traps We Made from Looking Skyward accompanied by visuals from all the bands childhoods, reflecting on the lyrics of the song. Just Leave Us Alone is another song around personal relationships, and what happens between two people versus the outside world’s view, where everyone else has an opinion.
The stomping The Fixer continues with this theme with the thought inducing lyrics “you can’t change the picture if you break the frame…” offering a solid metaphor for resilience and strength in relationships ie they need working at even when the going is tough. In contrast, the melodic Can You Mend Hearts? from the We Collide albumfollowed, which was another emotional song of the evening.
We were then treated to a brand-new song, only performed at Manchester and Glasgow thus far, called Not Everyone is Lonely. Presumably this will be on Mesh’s forthcoming and long-overdue studio album, date and details of which are still TBC. It’s reported that several songs have been written for the new album, so its definitely on the way at some point.
Back to rip-roaring time, with a quartet of killer tracks; Kill Your Darlings from Looking Skyward, the excellent Last One Standing, Taken for Granted and the finale to get the crowd fully pumped up, an extended version of From This Height, which sent the crowd into overdrive.
Returning to the stage for an encore was a piano acoustic version of Not Prepared which was simply beautiful and definitely one of the outstanding tracks of the night, in a night full of outstanding tracks! The second encore track was the anthemic Born to Lie, which was the perfect upbeat ending to a wonderful night of electronic music.
Mesh are continuing with their Legacy Tour of singles, across Continental Europe and if you haven’t already seen them in action, I’d strongly recommend that you do so. You can thank me later!
The Mesh Legacy tour continues in April and May as follows: 6 AprilRotterdam (NL) Baroeg, 6 AprilOberhausen (GER) Kulttempel*, 27 April Berlin (GER) Kesselhaus*, 11 May Leipzeig (GER) Taubchental, 25 May Langen, Frankfurt (GER) Neue Stadhalle
Modovar are an electro/synth band from London and Essex comprising Christopher Beecham (words) and Glen Wisbey (music) and have spent the past year writing and composing their latest album Of Uncertain Origin, which coincidentally is where the word Modovar derives from, in Arabic.
The album is an eclectic melange of tunes which are focussed on the undercurrent of love and the human condition, chronicling a year in the life of love lost and found, betrayal and heartache, breakdowns and break-throughs of broken dreams and hopeful new tomorrows.
The album opens with One Life which is a joyful song bursting with positivity and which is lyrically about the precious closeness of a personal relationship. Musically there are echoes of Erasure which is reflected in a more obvious way later in the album. The second track Borrowed Time is a melancholic ballad which gazes introspectively about life before a relationship and how is strengthens and nurtures. Musically it’s mellifluous layers of melodies which carries you along like a gentle river.
Homeward Bound is a tush-shaking track that guarantees your place on the dancefloor and is pure Erasure in its influence (on first listening I had to double check my iPhone hadn’t skipped to an unknown Erasure track! I was THAT convinced). Andy Bell… move over! This track is one of my favourites on the album and is pure joy, filled with positivity.
The tempo is reduced once more with Cold in pure contrast to the previous track and possesses all the characteristics of a torch song; think disillusioned lover, sitting on a lonely bar stool, reminiscing and regretting about previously ill-judged relationships. This song was released as a single as long ago as 2014, yet still feels as valid now as it did then ie completely relatable. Beecham’s adaptable vocals will lead you down a number of winding roads, each one delivering a convincingpersona as the last, whilst Wisbey’s expertise with synths is second to none, perfectly capturing the required mood, with each song.
Walk Away, a single release from December 2017, continues with melancholic lyrics albeit with the synth treatment being delivered in a crescendo of impact as the song progresses. Higher Love is my other favourite on the album, with its flourish of swirling strings accompanying the driving synth beat. It’s a highly accomplished track which has been given a professional production by Lloyd Price (The Frixion) and mastered by Pete Mayer, and which sounds highly polished throughout. Modovar have certainly upped their game to play alongside the big boys in the past few years, and they deserve every bit of success which comes their way.
Shadow showcases the cutting lyrics with their tinges of film noir regret to a mid-tempo synth backing, building and building to the crescendo of multi-layered vocals to great effect. Despite the vengeful lyric the song has a positive feel about it which segues into Another Heart where the mood is lightened into that Erasure-esque sound, with more sweeping strings and dramatic drumbeats to add more layers to the synth backing delivering a rich and diverse sound making it another song to hit the dance floor to.
Ritual meanwhile continues with feelings of analysing a failed past relationship declaring, “waste of time, you’re just a stain upon my heart”. Released as their latest single in February of this year, it’s been given a ‘dirty remix’ treatment which can be heard via Bandcamp.
The final track of this 10-track delight is Love for The Sake of Love, was a single release in June 2016 with an accompanying Remixes release and has a mesmeric backing which travels you through the track whilst Beecham’s vocals cut through with a healthy dose of reality about the often transience nature of romantic relationships.
Modovar have said that they don’t wish to identify with any particular genre of scene, citing that their influence is somewhat eclectic in style; from torch singers, film noir soundtracks and still containing more than a nod to the dancefloor. This album delivers on all counts making it a richly diverse body of work. I really like this album and have played it several times since the first listening. It’s a highly accomplished set of songs, lyrically rich yet immediately accessible, musically highly adept, with a polished production which elevates it amongst its peers.
Of Uncertain Origin by Modovar was released on 11th October 2021 and is available to listen to on Spotify and purchase from Bandcamp
Following a ‘big reveal’ of the identities of the band members of Tin Gun a few months ago, Peter Steer (Sinestar, Tenek), Mark Trueman (Sinestar), and Tim Dorney (Republica) are back with their latest release.
The Reanimation EP consists of three tracks, with two additional remixes included in the package. The lead track Reanimation is a persistent looping of the lyrics against a complex synthesizer melody that quickly becomes an earworm to any listener.
Tin Gun have been very lucky to have had some great collaborators on this new EP; alongside two fantastic remixes from Matt Gunn and Andy Gray. The remixed Matt Gunn version of Reanimation has a funkier vibe to it, making it, in my opinion a more eminently listenable version of the song.
Track two of the EP is a new song, Anthracite Daysfeatures Steve Harris on guitars from Gary Numan’s band. The track is also available as a remixed version (by Andy Gray) in a pared down Greyed Out version. Its imminent appeal is the heavy synths which lend an added dimension and texture to the track and EP.
Track three is a cover version of Bombers, the second Tubeway Army single released back in 1978. This song was previously recorded by Tin Gun in 2019 and is a firm fan favourite. The re-release has received the personal seal of approval and support from Gary Numan. For a song that is more than 40 years old, it’s a brave choice which they’ve pulled off with aplomb. This is my favourite track on the EP, which is mostly in part of me being an old school Numanoid, and a big fan of this track from the first time around. Tin Gun have done a great job of putting their own stamp on this classic Numan song, bringing it into the 21st century with its reworking.
Tracklisting
1) Reanimation
2) Anthracite Days
3) Bombers
4) Reanimation – Matt Gunn Mix
5) Anthracite Days – Grayedout Remix (Andy Gray)
The stunning cover artwork was created by Simon Brett who has created all of the artwork for Tin Gun’s releases so far.
The songs are already receiving airplay, so if you can’t wait until release day, check out Mix Cloud, for the Pro Synth Show, or River Radio with Mark Cooper for a sneaky preview.
What’s next for Tin Gun? Well, you can see them play live in March 2022 at the Water Rats in London as they support Tiny Magnetic Pets. I’ll be there and am looking forward to reviewing this live event with exclusive commissioned photography by the award winning Marvey Mills, so watch this space. It promises to be a night not to be missed!
Reanimation EP by Tin Gun will be released on the 26th November via all the usual digital platforms
The 1980s were a time of great influence on all aspects of life. There were many genres and styles emerging at the time both in fashion and music. One influenced the other. Musical sounds that had never been heard before started to infiltrate the pop charts, and none more than the synthesizer which revolutionised the music industry and the way that bands worked. John Lydon once criticised Depeche Mode for being in the charts, citing that they just had to push a couple of buttons to achieve their sound. This is as naïve as saying, “it’s easy to play the drums, you just hit them!”
With synthesizers, which in themselves are a mystery wrapped up in an enigma to someone like me, you are able to produce rich layers of complex sounds, built upon one another in the correct sequence and it’s a real skill afforded to few. You need to have ‘an ear’ for the sound, timing of precise magnitude, and knowledge of each synth being used. The results can be wonderful, or they can be catastrophic, depending on the competence level of the programmer.
When you use several synths together, as many often do, mixing and matching those sounds, the possibilities are endless, producing real emotional depth. I defy anyone to listen to Human League’s Open Your Heart, Gary Numan’s Down in the Park, Kraftwerk’s Autobahn or Soft Cell’s Tainted Love, without feeling SOMETHING. The latter song is one of the influential records ever made. Soft Cell’s version, rather than the original Northern Soul classic, has been covered over one hundred times by a variety of artists and is used in advertising, rolled out for every TV programme about the 1980s; it’s a song deep embedded in our modern psyche, and those of our children.
I interviewed three current bands who have been heavily influenced by the music of the 80s why they make the music they do today, and how those 80s influences reveal themselves in their song-writing and music making.
EMT are a duo with Ema Walter on vocals and Tony Blue on synths. They describe themselves as “Electronica pop/dance music, with massive hooks”. Their first album Resolute was released in 2017 and they’ve just released their second album Electrical Medicine.
Which acts from the 1980s have greatly inspired you?
Ema: Yazoo
Tony: Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, OMD, Fad Gadget, The The, Yazoo, Talk Talk and Soft Cell
Which of your songs best demonstrates this?
Both: “Seedy City” from our first album; the working title for this song was “Vince Clarke”
Have you ever met your idols from the 80s? What were the circumstances and how has it inspired you further?
Ema: I’ve never had the fortune of meeting any idols, but back in the late 80s I met Frank Stallone (Sylvester‘s brother) who wrote the music to film ‘Staying Alive’. I cooked him Thanksgiving dinner and enjoyed his live show in downtown LA. The next day, Bruce Willis performed supported by Herbie Hancock at the Whisky Bar, and then we all flew to Las Vegas. But, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas! It inspired me to keep on, keeping on. Frank’s brother Sly is the perfect example… no one wanted to know about Rocky!
Tony: I met Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) at the Astoria in London when I was very drunk, he was really nice and friendly and I also Martin Fry (ABC) who was a total gent and really happy to talk about the nerdy muso questions I had! It definitely inspired me to try and be nice to anyone you meet and also to keep passionate about what you love to do.
Are there any acts from the 80s that you would like to work with? And why?
Ema: Phil Oakey (Human League) or Thomas Dolby. Why? They both were pioneers in the electro world and influenced my love for the sounds they created.
Tony: Vince Clarke, Marc Almond, Alison Moyet. Why? I want to know what keeps them inspired and more importantly learn lots from them!
Have you ever used any synthesizers based on the fact that your idols have also used the same one in order to achieve a similar sound?
Ema: Personally, I love when Tim Dorney (Tin Gun, Republica) our producer brings out his Moogs, but we also have my vocal sampled on a keyboard fondly named Ematron!
Tony: Yes a few! A Roland SH101 and a CZ101 like Vince Clarke, plus a Roland Juno 106 like many other bands and of course the Casio VL Tone. Plus, so many drum machines!
How would you say your music is the same/different to that of your idols?
Ema: I think that Vince Clarke wrote tracks he liked and wrote mainly for himself & his own enjoyment which is exactly what EmT do.
Tony: I think the same as in solid song structures and catchy tunes, different in that we’re more club culture inspired.
Have you seen your idols in concert? If so, when – tell us about that. Ema: I follow Alison (Moyet) wherever she goes. The last gig was at the Royal Albert Hall, and she never ceases to amaze me with her vocal talent. Her daughter performed too, and she definitely has her mother’s talent.
Tony: Lots! Fad Gadget was my very first gig. I saw Erasure very early into their career but the best gig of all was the original Kraftwerk line up at the Brixton Academy which was simply mind blowing!
Is there anyone from the 80s whose music you admire but who you haven’t yet seen performing live?
Ema: I’ve never seen Frankie Goes to Hollywood or The Communards.
Tony: I really regret not going to the Yazoo reunion tour as I never saw them in their heyday. In fact I’m not sure they ever did any gigs back then?
What are your thoughts on 80s Retro festivals?
Ema: I worked at a couple of events so got to see the likes of Adam Ant and Heaven 17 and I loved the nostalgia as well as people my age reminiscing. Ultimately there’s an audience for these gigs, but I prefer finding new talent which you don’t get at those Retro gigs.
Tony: They can be both fun and cheesy in equal measure!
If you could perform with any band in the world, who would it be and where/why?
Ema: Performing in Berlin, with anyone who would have us! A pie in the sky dream for me would be Andy Bell & Vince Clarke as Andy’s performance is not only vocally excellent, but he is hilarious keeping the audiences exhilarated. He’s a true showman which, is something I aspire to be. Audience participation is everything.
Tony: Soft Cell at Brixton Academy. It’s a great venue and we think musically we’d complement each other.
To explore EmT some more, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or look at their website www.thebandemt.com
The next band I interviewed have made quite an impact on the synth scene in recent years. Tiny Magnetic Pets are from Ireland, and they’ve supported both Midge Ure and OMD on their UK and European tours respectively, as well as playing alongside The Killers’ guitarist Dave Keuning at Belgium’s W Festival with The Human League and Killing Joke on the same bill.
Their sound is somewhere between Blondie and Kraftwerk, and they take their inspiration from 80s synthpop, 60s psychodelia and 70s Krautrock.
Which acts from the 1980s have greatly inspired you?
Paula : OMD, Ultravox, Depeche Mode, U2 and Duran Duran Sean: To paraphrase Andy McCluskey: There are certain artists who are “part of our DNA”, some obvious (OMD, Kraftwerk, Eno, Depeche Mode, Ultravox, NEU! and Bowie) others not so much. The breakdown in the middle of our song Semaphore is pure Yes. Change Paula for Jon Anderson and you could drop it into any Yes song. We all have these in common but we each listen to wildly different music as well. There’s one 80s album in particular that Paula and I both love, but we can’t even mention it around Eugene! Eugene: We each have been inspired by so many but one band that I will always go back to is Depeche Mode. I have been a fan since I was a kid and still love what they do!
Which of your songs best demonstrates this? Paula : I don’t think one song specifically demonstrates this, but I do think you can hear inspiration from the above artists in the overall sound of our music. Eugene: I can’t pinpoint any one song, but I do feel our new album ‘Blue Wave’ reflects this somewhat.
Sean: There were two songs on Blue Wave (City Sleeps Tonight & Broken Record) where I actually went: “What would Alan Wilder play on this?”, before digging out my only 80s synth; the Kawai K4r. The title track of Blue Wave has a fair chunk of Beatles in there too.
Have you ever met your idols from the 80s? What were the circumstances and how has it inspired you further?
Paula : Yes, TMP have been fortunate enough to have toured with both OMD and Midge Ure on many occasions. Both incredibly inspirational. I learnt a lot about stage performance, work ethic from them and I picked up plenty of handy touring tips!
I also had a long chat with Bono recently in France, and we actually had a very in-depth discussion about OMD (Electricity being one of his favourite songs) and Midge, and he also is a big fan of their music. We also share a mutual pal (Rusty Egan) who was paramount in TMP’s success, so we had plenty to talk about. He was a gentleman and sent over quite a few drinks to our table. However little did he know it was wasted on me as I was only drinking water that night! Oh well! Eugene: We are fortunate as we have. Rusty Egan has championed TMP from the start of which we are truly grateful for. Wolfgang Flür (Kraftwerk) worked with us on two songs on our album ‘Deluxe Debris’. We have also toured with OMD and Midge Ure. Not forgetting Vince Clarke who has remixed our latest single ‘Automation’. All I must add have been influential in our music both listening and playing.
Sean: Also Rusty Egan, John Foxx, Gary Numan, Michael Rother (Neu!, Harmonia, Kraftwerk), DEVO. Most of these we would have met in the live arena. It’s inspiring because these artists are our inspiration, and they rate us as fellow artists. We come from a country where electronic music is just ignored and except for a couple of journalists & one DJ, we were ignored. Then we went to the UK and Germany, met these legends and our lives changed!
Are there any acts from the 80s that you would like to work with? And why?
Paula : 100% Depeche Mode! Sean and Eugene know I’m a HUGE Dave Gahan fan!
Eugene: I personally always wanted to work with Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode) on an album of ours and why because I loved his production work especially on Violator which is one of my favourite albums of all time.
Sean: We’re all unanimous on this one!
Have you ever used any synthesizers based on the fact that your idols have also used the same one in order to achieve a similar sound?
Paula : This is one for the boys, I do play synth from time to time on our songs but my preference is vocals and performance. I do like the ARP Solina String Synthesizerand Fairlight though.
Eugene: I’m sure I have been influenced by a sound but not sure I went for it because of that reason. Sean will probably tell me otherwise haha. Sean: Not synths so much as the idea behind them is for making your own sounds but certainly the mellotron because of King Crimson & Tangerine Dream, the Farfisa organ (Pink Floyd). The only synth I got purely because it was used by Jean-Michel Jarre, is the iVCS3; the closest I’ll get to a real one! Oh yeah – the Roland TR77 drum machine appears in every TMP record because of Ultravox’s Hiroshima Mon Amour.
How would you say your music is the same/different to that of your idols?
Paula : I would like to think that our music has a clear TMP sound with nods to our idols.
Eugene: Most definitely synth and drum machine based because of our idols that is for sure. Sean: I noticed when we were touring with OMD & Midge in 2019 that the pre-show music they were playing through the PA was quite similar: La Düsseldorf, Michael Rother, Joy Division etc. We also have those records so the inspiration would be coming from the same sources, but we could add OMD and Ultravox to our list. So, on one hand, we would be getting those same influences but on the other, we would additionally be getting them filtered through OMD & Ultravox’s music into our own. What makes the difference is that we all have different life experiences which go into our music/lyrics, and we would like to think that like our heroes, we too are building the future – whatever that is going to be as the common modern perception of the “future” seems to merely be an extension of the present. Short answer: Similar in that we make music inspired by our idols, different because although those influences are present, they are woven into music that because of our different backgrounds and experiences is uniquely ours.
Have you seen your idols in concert? If so, when – tell us about that.
Paula : Yes about fifty times, that’s the beauty of getting to tour with your idols. Every night is like a treat. As a musician it honestly it doesn’t get much better than that.
Eugene: Yes, Depeche Mode on their Devotional Tour and Delta Machine Tour too. I would have loved to see them when they toured their Black Celebration album. Sean: Not counting artists with whom we’ve toured: Bowie at Wembley Arena on the Outside tour. Apart from the classic Scary Monsters 80s Bowie did nothing for me, and Outside was the first album I bought since then. So, as we waited for him to make his entrance, I said to my friends that this could either be amazing or crap. On walks David wearing a black vest with grey pleated trousers, grabs the mic stand, shifts his shoulders from side to side and I shouted, “THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT!” and it was. I’m so glad I was there.
Is there anyone from the 80s whose music you admire but who you haven’t yet seen performing live?
Paula : Sadly I never got to see David Bowie.
Eugene: Soft Cell most definitely for me. I saw Marc Almond once which was amazing! Sean: I would rather not say. Too ashamed…
What are your thoughts on 80s Retro festivals?
Paula : Why not. Great acts, great atmosphere, great music, what’s not to like!
Sean: Yeah. They’re a bit of craic which we all definitely need in these weird times.
Eugene: Fun!
If you could perform with any band in the world, who would it be and where/why?
Paula : OK you asked! Depeche Mode, U2, Future Islands, Fischerspooner, Steven Wilson, The Killers and Duran Duran.
Eugene: If I had a time machine it would be Depeche Mode at the Rose Bowl. One of their best performances and what an atmosphere I’m sure it was in the stadium. Seán: I’m currently loving the latest Steven Wilson album The Future Bites. Stylistically it’s not a million miles away from Blue Wave and his song Personal Shopper touches on a similar theme to our Kicked Off in IKEA, so I think we’d be a good fit. Plus I know Paula would hit him up for a 5.1 surround sound mix of our Deluxe/Debris album!
To explore Tiny Magnetic Pets some more, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or look at their website www.tinymagneticpets.com
Finally I spoke to KNIGHT$ which is fronted by James Knight, a Britalo synthpop sensation with one foot firmly in the present, and a discerning knowledge of music of the past, KNIGHT$ are influenced by The Thompson Twins and Boytronic amongst a host of others. Their last album Dollars and Cents was a masterclass in synthpop wizardry and seeing this band live is an experience which is second to none. As polished as they are professional, may I present to you, KNIGHT$…
1. Which acts from the 1980s have greatly inspired you? When I first started making music, I was really into many of the mainstream British acts from the early 80s, Depeche, New Order, Soft Cell, Big Country, The Pet Shop Boys and so on. Over the last few years, I’ve really got into Hi-NRG and Italo with acts like Scotch, The Twins and Gazebo, plus I’ve been going back to some of the more random hits from my childhood. Favourites include Gwen Guthrie’s “Aint Nothing Goin’ On But the Rent”, “IOU” by Freez, “Der Komissar” by Falco… and “Camouflage” by Stan Ridgeway is a cracker too!
2. Which of your songs best demonstrates this? I think my latest release “Boom Bang Boom!” It covers almost everything I’m about musically in just under four minutes. Far too English to be full on Italo Disco, too soulful to be traditional synthpop, and not dated enough to be a full-on pastiche. I guess that’s why they call it Britalo!
3. Have you ever met your idols from the 80s? What were the circumstances and how has it inspired you further? I’ve played shows with Heaven 17, A Flock of Seagulls, and Gary Numan and all those gigs were fun. Over the years I’ve also had some really sound advice from people like Steve Norman of Spandau Ballet (somewhere in a field in Hampshire), and Anne Clark when we were in Graz, Austria. Nice people.
4. Are there any acts from the 80s that you would like to work with? And why? It was a dream of mine to sing with Holger Wobker from Boytronic. I’ve done that now both live and on record! It’s still quite hard for me to believe.
Aside from this I would’ve loved to have sung with Whitney Houston or Stuart Adamson (Big Country).
5. Have you ever used any synthesizers based on the fact that your idols have also used the same one in order to achieve a similar sound? Yes, we always come back to the bass sounds from the Sequential Circuits Pro One because Prince used one!
6. How would you say your music is the same/different to that of your idols?
It’s the same in that we have to have complete faith in the hook before we sign off on a track, and we don’t undo our hard work in the mixing phase by mastering the final product too loud. The biggest differences are probably in the subject matter of the lyrics. It feels like we’re living in a less optimistic time, and that tends to creep in sometimes.
7. Have you seen your idols in concert? If so, when – tell us about that. The best show I’ve seen was probably New Order at Brixton in 2015. I’m glad I was there.
8. Is there anyone from the 80s whose music you admire but who you haven’t yet seen performing live? Yes! Many of the great Italo artists: SCOTCH, The Twins and Gazebo. One of these days I will catch them…
9. What are your thoughts on 80s Retro festivals? I’ve never been along to one. I can imagine it’s a hoot to have a Carol Decker and Limahl sandwich!
10. If you could perform with any band in the world, who would it be and where/why? I would honestly say Boytronic again. The show we played at the end of 2019 in Berlin was a dream. I know it’s not possible for everyone to sing with their number one artist so I’m very lucky. The fact it happened in Berlin, is the icing on the kuchen!
To explore KNIGHT$ some more, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or look at www.knights101.bandcamp.com
Thanks to all the bands for their time.The interviews took place in August 2021. All copywrite belongs to the original owners of the photo images
For anyone interested in pop culture, BBC Radio 1 has been embedded in our collective psyche for the past fifty plus years. Born out of pirate radio stations such as Radio Caroline, so called because they initially broadcast from ships just outside British waters and broadcast not wholly within the law, this book charts the progress of the radio station, its charismatic (and sometimes notorious) presenters, and reflects on social change throughout the decades and how musical styles and fashions shaped who we were, and who we are now.
For most people in the 1970s and 1980s, music shaped the people we were, and Radio 1 formed the soundtrack to our lives. Who remembers taping the Top 40 on a Sunday night, John Peel’s ground-breaking discovery of our new favourite bands, or the breakfast show with Mike Read banning Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘Relax’? Commanding up to 24 million listeners a week, it was not only the UK’s favourite radio station but also the best listened to station in the world at the time. In the 1980s, Radio 1 was livings its best life, and we all bought into that dream in some way, shape or form.
Now revered as one of the BBC’s best brands and having somewhat of an iconic status due to its history, the author Robert Sellers investigates the socio-cultural impact that the radio station has had over the decades, by drawing on archive material as well as first-hand interviews with the radio DJ stars who made their names via Radio 1, right through from its beginnings in 1967 through to its somewhat controversial reorganisation in the mid-1990s and the effect which this had beyond those times.
The book talks about the rise of the station and the people who contributed to that rise, whilst also tackling the backdrop of changes in management styles and how these complex relationships shaped the station, for better or worse. It discusses examples of the relationships formed between the DJs, and musicians and how these relationships were sometimes abused (by both parties) causing friction and play list changes. It touches on controversy around the station, more recently in the form of Operation Yewtree and how Radio 1’s image was destroyed, and built back up again for today’s young audiences.
The book also covers many iconic positive milestones and inside stories, too numerous to go into any kind of spoiler detail here, from employing Annie Nightingale as the first female DJ, through to the challenges of broadcasting the world’s largest outdoor broadcast in Live Aid in 1985 and being the poignant last recorded interview of John Lennon just two days before he was murdered in cold blood outside his Dakota Buildings apartment in New York City.
All of the DJs who presented on the radio station became household names, and some becoming more popular than the musicians and bands they were playing on their turntables. They went on to become Superstar DJs playing in iconic clubs across the world, where their playlist recommendations became the epitome of cultural cool, through to television broadcasting heroes such as Noel Edmonds who started life as a Radio 1 DJ but is now better known in popular culture for TV shows such as Multicoloured Swap Shop, Noel’s House Party and Deal or No Deal.
The Remarkable Tale of Radio 1 lives up to its title and was an insightful and fascinating read. Essential reading for anyone who has ever listened to the most iconic of radio stations at some point in their lives, and it is wholly relatable to anyone, as it spans the decades of its existence.
The author Robert Sellers has an impressive track record of writing many authorised books of Kenny Everett, Ernie Wise and Oliver Reed as well as best-selling books about Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole, Richard Harris and furthermore, has written about Ealing Studios, Handmade films, and the James Bond series of films.
Sudden Creation is electronic solo artist Chris Mines from Cambridgeshire, making the music which he describes as tales of love, death, and middle-aged angst in three and a half minute slices of synthpop. Heavily influenced by the artists that formed the soundtrack to his teenage years including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Fad Gadget, Kraftwerk, The Human League, OMD, Buggles and Blancmange.
Sudden Creation first appeared on the synth scene during 2012 with his acerbic lyrics and humorous videos leading to the first of two support slots with Depeche Mode tribute act, Speak and Spell. Songs like Synth Boys Don’t Smile, and the infectious two-minute anthem I Never Met Vince Clarke soon became both live and YouTube favourites, the latter even featuring in the Erasure Information Service newsletter two months running. The debut album, Synth Boys Don’t Smile, was released at the end of 2015, coinciding with the first of three triumphant appearances at the Eclectic Electric events at Islington’s iconic Hope and Anchor.
Sudden Creation is due to release their second album on 12th November and I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview. The album is a melange of a variety of musical styles, but all wrapped up in a synthesizer sensibility.
The album opens with Analogue in the UK, a witty twist on the Sex Pistol’s Anarchy in the UK. Just like the punk fuelled original, the song is packed with frenetic energic, staccato vocals and powerful synth backing. It’s a jolting opening to this album which makes the listener sit up and take notice! Chris said of the track, “The idea for this came from Daniel Miller’s comment that synth acts were the true punks. Who needs three chords when you can use one finger? Every part on this song is therefore monophonic, built up to give the whole sound.”
In the ethos of punk the mentality of self-made music, One Man Party similarly has a homemade feel to it and with some decent production behind it, would elevate the album from ‘a good listen’ to a more holistic and rounded experience in my opinion. Having said all that, the quality of the songs contained within are musically proficient, well-formed tunes with some witty themes thrown in along the way and it deserves to be accepted for these reasons.
Track two is Dreaming of You which was a pre-album single release, and which continues with the punk-inspired formulation reminding me very much of Elvis Costello’s Pump it Up circa 1978. Chris said that his song-writing process was turned upside down for this song, stating “This is one of those unusual Sudden Creation songs when I wrote the music before I had lyrics or in fact any idea what the song would be about. I wrote it one Christmas whilst staying at my in-laws in Cheshire in front of the TV. The lyric was a stream of consciousness and is definitely the saddest love song I have ever written and not in the melancholy sense.”
This track was followed up on 25th June 2021 with The Man Who’s Had Everyone which is a well-formed synth song with a captivating opening hook which runs throughout the track and has an early 80s sensibility about it that wouldn’t have been out of place on the soundtrack to the classic 80s film, The Breakfast Club. The backing vocals by Sarah Skinner bring an added dimension to the track and takes it to a whole new level.
The title track song of the album One Man Party reminds me of a Sparks track from the early 80s era and is a showcase of analogue synth wrapped up plenty of quirkiness a la Mael Brothers. The song is about that person who we stand next to at a gig who appears to be at a totally different place that everyone else. We’ve all been there!
The musical style of the album shifts its axis with Bethune which opens with the echo-like spoken word over the intro and is gentler in its pace, delivering a more calming side to the album. The track is about the brave young soldiers who participated in the world wars, and how they’re torn away from their home life and families and faced the untold horrors and the PTSD they inevitably experienced after the event. It’s a poignant track and this is where Chris’ strength lies in my opinion.
The next couple of tracks, Be That Girl and Dad Dancing are pure 80s-inspired synthpop. Both songs will have you up dancing around your handbag in a heartbeat. Frank’ey Says is another clever twist on a song title which has a crescendo hook that will fast become an earworm. However, the song doesn’t relate to Frankie Goes to Hollywood by to Frank Tovey of Fad Gadget, who was such a special artist to Sudden Creation. The night before Frank died, he had posted on his website: “As you know, I’m currently writing new material. Be patient my little rodents, I know you crave blood but these things take time. You may not see me again for a few months while I check my circuits, reprogram my nerve system and generate some new flesh for you to devour.” The song Frank’ey Says is imagining Frank calling to his fans, and ultimately saying goodbye.
Sudden Creation has said that he aims to emulate those simple yet classic arrangements that heralded the era of classic 80’s synthpop, which has been encapsulated perfectly in these three songs in particular.
Meanwhile, I Want to be Your Synthesizer has a jazz-inspired, lounge lizard vibes reminiscent of 1980’s Soft Cell, with the same pseudo sleazy, easy-going vibes. The imagery constructed in my mind’s eye is that of a smoky Chicago speakeasy bar, with accompanying house band and a 1930’s style microphone. It’s a great track.
Meanwhile You Can’t Call Me Al changes the musical style one more with a phone conversation intro to the song likening Sudden Creation to ‘the Weird Al Yankovich of pop’ thus launching into the song itself. It’s quirky to say the least! There has always been deliberate humour in Sudden Creation lyrics (and video), but most of them are trying to make deeper points, whilst using humour as a vehicle. Chris said, “I don’t consider myself a comedy act any more than Eminem, Pulp or Kirsty MacColl would, yet they have a very sharp sense of humour in their work too.”
All too soon we reach the final track Damage which is an epic instrumental track and is my favourite track on the album. The tempo is evenly paced, showcasing the art of synthesizer playing at its finest. It couldn’t be further away from the opening track, both metaphorically and musically. Chris said of Damage, “This was inspired by a couple of friends on social media. We all mostly post the fun or happy things going on in our lives, but we all know, behind those images people have all kinds of issues, problems or situations going on. It’s that contrast between the happy images and the reality. You often have no idea what is going on in someone’s life until things go very wrong and this a song about all those damaged people hiding behind the happy profile pictures”.
That said, you should always end on a high, and this album certainly does!
One Man Party by Sudden Creation is available from Bandcamp from 12th November 2021.
All images were provided by Chris Mines and the copyright remains with him.
Women have always had a rougher ride in the music industry than their male counterparts. Throughout the history of pop music when the charts began, on 14th November 1952, women in the genre were mostly represented by carefully managed, ‘parent approved’ solo artists who appealed mostly to the older generation; Vera Lynn had 3 of the Top Ten records, along with Rosemary Clooney and Doris Day (in a duet with Frankie Laine). It was the ‘popular music of the day’ and pop music as we know it today, ie mass appeal to younger people, was yet to have its day.
The birth of ‘the teenager’ in the 1950s was to buck this trend as fashions changed and musical tastes started to be geared more closely to this new genre of young people. This was kick started by Elvis Presley who was the recognised catalyst for Rock and Roll music in the pop charts. As time progressed, during the 1960s and 70s, bands like The Hollies, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and many other all-male bands with the preface ‘The’ dominated the charts, borne out of skiffle, and American Rock ’n’ Roll came to the fore. However, all-female singing groups were still largely an American notion and mostly for a male audience.
By the time the pop charts reached the 1980s, they were starting to showcase more women of note amongst their numbers, fuelled by the punk movement and their ‘anything goes’ ethos. Women were making more of an impact, appealing to a wider younger audience, and marking their own stamp on the music industry, and on their own terms. Not only were women solo artists, but they were also lead singers of credible bands such as The Pretenders, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Eurythmics and Yazoo, there were also more all-female bands in the UK charts making an impact, such as Bananarama, The Go-Gos, and Belle Stars, to name but a few.
In their autobiography, Really Saying Something, Sara Dallin of Bananarama recalls “we were asked to participate in a Japanese motorcycle shoot with Peter Fonda. Before we left London for the shoot, we were asked to submit Polaroids of our legs. This sexist request didn’t amuse us, and we told them, ‘there will be no Polaroids’”.
“It was no real surprise that those kinds of attitudes were still prevalent. So much of what was on television in prime-time slots was sexist, racist and homophobic. It took – and is still taking – a long time for people’s attitudes to change. We always tried to stand up for ourselves and were lucky in many ways, but to trivialise what we sometimes went through doesn’t do justice to all those who have helped make change possible or honour the women, in every walk of life, who are still fighting and struggling to achieve equality. If we gloss over these experiences, we wouldn’t be playing our part in trying to change women’s lives.”
I caught up with some women who helped shape the demographic of the music industry and the charts during the 1980s and spoke to them about what it was like to be a woman in the pop heyday of that decade. Step forward Maggie Dunne of Fuzzbox (aka We’ve Got a Fuzzbox and We’re Gonna Use It), Maggie K De Monde of Swansway and Scarlet Fantastic, and Mari Wilson, (aka ‘Miss Beehive’) to tell us what it was really like, how they were treated by their male counterparts and share a few stories with us.
‘Being a woman is bloody hard work, we’re more inquisitive, deep thinking and introspective whereas men tend to be more straightforward, with a just get on with it and to hell with the consequences mindset. Of course, I’m generalising’, mused Mari Wilson. ‘Add in the constraints of the business of the music industry and life could be tough at times, more for women than for men, especially when dealing with record executives, who by and large were male and treated women as too thick to understand what they were talking about. It was very much a ‘what do you know about it?’ attitude by most of them. However, there’s always an exception to the rule and I’ve got to say that Roger Ames from Polygram was lovely. Very respectful, and always treated me as an equal.’
Maggie K remembers a ‘school photograph’ type photo being taken in 1980 for a local music magazine called BrumBeat, to celebrate Birmingham-based musicians and pop stars. Of the vast array of musicians in shot, there were just three women, which is an indication of what it was like for women back then; still in the absolute minority. But she does have fond memories of when Swansway supported fellow Brummies Duran Duran who were “all completely lovely. It was a great tour and we had no problems at all.”
The general environment for women in the 1980s was still very difficult, as they were held back by archaic male views and attitudes. Sexism was rife in the 1980s and women were still being treated as though they should be in the kitchen wearing a pretty apron, preparing a delicious meal for their menfolk for when they got home, instead of forging careers, making a name for themselves, and fulfilling their potential without the barriers of misogyny. Prior to hitting the pop charts Mari remembers working in an office as a Sales Executive. There were two people in the same role, Mari and a man. There are no prizes for guessing who had the company car, and who didn’t. She stayed in the job she disliked intensely out of economic necessity, and instead did what she loved by the evening; singing in various clubs. By day, she dreamt of making her career in the music industry a full time reality.
Maggie Dunne also remembers how hard it was to be taken seriously as a musician. “It was as though ‘how dare the girls take the boys on at their own game’ mentality”. Other tribulations included constant pressures from being around men in the music business where most of the influential people were male. “We were often the subject of sexual harassment,” recalls Maggie. “We were once literally chased around the studio by a horny and slightly drunk children’s TV presenter. Vix had a particularly creepy experience with a lewd, now disgraced Radio 1 presenter too, who, during a photo shoot, was massaging her neck and running his hand up and down her back.”
Mari remembers a particular incident when they were touring which, with hindsight, she wishes she could have reacted differently to. She told me ‘We were touring with Roman Holiday supporting us when we got to the next location on tour. It was a small Scottish town, and the chap at the venue wasn’t a particularly pleasant character. He made some casual lewd remarks obviously aimed at me, the only women in our group. I ignored him and just got on with it, as I always did. We asked where the dressing room was and were ushered into his office, a small poky room. There were twelve of us in total including the support, so it was a bit of a squeeze to say the least, however we were all professionals and just got on with getting changed into our stage gear. I was half-naked when there was a knock at the door. Someone shouted that ‘Mari was getting changed’ but the local bloke just barged in regardless. I was incensed that not only were shoved into the tiniest changing room with no facilities, but also that our privacy was being compromised in a completely unacceptable way. The disrespect of this man was astounding. I’d had enough of him by this stage, and I was so upset that I said I wasn’t going on stage that night.’
And she didn’t. Roman Holiday played a full set and Mari and her band went back to the hotel. With the benefit of hindsight she regretted the decision, only for the fact that some fans would have been disappointed, but at the same time it taught her a valuable lesson.
After that incident Mari learned to navigate through the difficulties. Afterall, she professed to like being in the company of men. However, when she got her backing singers The Wilsations, there was a special bond of sisterhood formed that nothing could replace. She still has those bonds to this day. ‘I see Julia (Fordham) regularly, in fact I saw her recently in LA where she now lives’ said Mari. She went on to joke that, ‘by the end of the 80s that I’d had so many backing singers that it was said if you weren’t a Wilsation, you had probably shagged one!’ There was a great camaraderie amongst the girls, and to this day, Mari has two young, female backing singers. She loves promoting fresh new talent and giving them a chance in a fiercely competitive industry. Mari remembers proudly how, ‘Janey from the Wilsations went on to do backing vocals for Wham! when they played their gig in China’.
Maggie D recalls the sisterhood between Fuzzbox and they too remain firm friends to this day. Hurt one of them and you hurt them all, and you’d better be able to run quickly in the process, is my advice! Maggie recalls the 80s with horror and amusement in equal part. Some of the particular struggles they had to endure as an all-girl group were pitiful by anyone’s standards. She remembers, “The level of interview questions were set at amoeba level,” and she added sarcastically, “because it’s a well-known fact that anyone wearing dresses, make-up, and looking pretty can’t cope with being nice and clever at the same time!” They were asked puerile questions such as “do you all fight over which lipstick to use” and “do you fight over boys” when they were adult women in their twenties, and not teenage girls arguing over Darren or Gavin from the 4th year! The same publication would ask the male groups intelligent questions about their songs. It was blatant misogyny which not only insults the women, but perpetuates a culture of certain men acting that way.
Maggie K remembers being asked stupid questions by men too, about which clothes she was going to wear, and which make-up, mostly by Record Company Executives. As a joke, she bought a cheap, tacky-looking, red, see-through negligee from Shepherd’s Bush Market, and when she was next asked, “what are you going to wear on stage”, she produced the negligee, and waved it in front of their eyes. “I thought I’d wear this!” she’d say, with a straight face, obviously messing about with no intention of wearing it, but just to highlight the point that such questions were not only completely unnecessary, but sexist and misogynistic as well. “Funnily enough, the men never got asked what they were going to wear. Just the women”, said Maggie K.
Projects
I asked Mari about some of her other projects including ‘Girl Talk’ with Barb Jungr, Claire Martin and Gwyneth Herbert. ‘That worked quite well but I think that was only because we were such different personalities.’ We also spoke about Mari’s theatrical roles in Sweet Chariot and Dusty the Musical which she found enjoyable but too prescriptive to what she was used to as a solo artist. ‘As an actress on musical theatre you have to learn the lines, to the letter. There is no ad libbing or paraphrasing. It’s repetitive night upon night, so by the third week into the run, it becomes second nature, and you don’t think about remembering the right words in the right order because you’ve already said them so many times. That’s when it starts to become more enjoyable because you’re not worried about messing it up.’
However, Mari prefers performing in her own right in a venue where she can see the faces of her audience and form ‘a two-hour symbiotic relationship with them’ during the course of the evening. I saw her sing at Bush Hall in Shepherd’s Bush in London a few years ago, which she said she thoroughly enjoyed. She remembers, ‘Marc Almond was my special guest that night and we did a couple of duets together. I returned the favour for Marc when I was a surprise special guest at Soft Cell’s O2 show. That was a very different experience as you’re singing in front of so many people. There isn’t that same relationship. It was the same at Wembley Arena when we supported Roxy Music in 1983. The audience just seems so far away!’
Top of the Pops
Fuzzbox recall being on Top of the Pops and making a conscience decision to look bizarre to subvert the accusation of being too pretty. In the process they were then deemed to be overtly sexy, so they changed again into a more sober way of dressing. “We always supported Vix looking the way she wanted,” said Maggie, “and we supported Jo looking more tomboyish”. There was room for everyone in Fuzzbox, but many men couldn’t find room for the Fuzzbox way of thinking.
Swansway’s Maggie K remembers a particular incident on Top of the Pops that left an imprint in her mind to this day. As the band were walking towards the stage, a then famous Radio 1 DJ/presenter slapped her hard on the bum and grinned at her. They were just about to go on and so she felt helpless in doing anything about it, but she remembers, “it was very much the norm”. She also told me of an incident in a local newspaper where she and Carol Decker, (then of The Lasers but later of T’Pau) were being interviewed and photographed. Knowing they’d be photographed, Carol turned up in a pretty dress, whereas Maggie K wore her usual stage gear of black clothes and boots. When the interview was published, Carol’s photo made the cut, but Maggie’s did not. They evidently wanted a woman who looked pretty in a dress rather than anything else that didn’t fit into their narrative.
Mari’s dream of appearing on Top of the Pops was everything she ever hoped for whilst working in that office building. Generally considered to be the benchmark of success, the experience was everything she’d planned and hope for in her mind’s eye. The reality of it was every bit as wonderful as her dreams had been, although being asked to perform Cry Me A River live was a daunting experience as the show was normally recorded with backing tapes and lipsync’s.
Mari’s memories of appearing on Channel 4’s The Tube was a completely different experience and was ‘so much fun and exciting, albeit slightly chaotic but it added to the ambience. Top of the Tops was much more polished and prescriptive’.
So, has the music industry moved on from the misogynistic times of the 1980s? After forty years, one would hope so, but there is sadly still evidence of this taking place. However, the Met Police’s Operation Yewtree campaign, and #MeToo social media phenomena of a few years ago has brought many men in the entertainment industry face to face with their past and they are now paying the consequences of their past misdemeanours.
However, despite all the bad memories of misogyny, all three women that I spoke to still have fond memories of their formative days. Maggie D said, “I don’t regret spending my twenties in a pop band. After all, you only live once and what a fantastic set of memories we have. We really should write a book!”
Maggie K thinks that it is different nowadays and even if some men may think the same way, they certainly don’t act on those feelings. “Men generally tend to behave themselves more these days as they know what the outcome would be if they misbehaved”, she said. Many women are also more empowered than they were back then and wouldn’t stand for the same kind of nonsense these days as they would put up with from four decades ago.
One of the best moments of Mari’s pop career was when she was at the BPI Awards in 1983 when she was nominated for Best British Female Artist. ‘There were famous faces everywhere, just mingling about. I was completely shocked when Linda McCartney came over and asked if she could have her photo taken with me! I obviously obliged and Alison Moyet joined the shot. Paul McCartney also came over for a chat and I asked him to introduce me to Michael Jackson, who was lovely but very quiet.’
Mari didn’t go on to win her award (Kim Wilde did) but she was thrilled to have been nominated and to be cheered on from Paul McCartney’s table (with a big double thumbs up from Macca) when her name was mentioned. ‘It was a truly memorable evening, and one I’ll never forget. Being a woman in the music industry is my dream and I wouldn’t have it any other way’.
The interviews mentioned in this article took place in August 2021. All copyright belongs with the original owner of the images.
Mari Wilson has some live dates in the diary including 28/29 January 2022 at Pizza Express Holborn, London, Saturday 5th February 2022 at Spring Arts Centre, Havant. There will be more dates for Autumn 2022 which will be announced in due course.
Ange Chan is a long-standing writer for the pop culture website, We Are Cult and has also written two novels and six volumes of poetry of her own, as well as being feature in an array of anthologies and works. She was a significant contributor to the David Bowie tribute book “Me and the Starman” (published by Cult Ink) All of these titles are available on Amazon. She has recently been working on the forthcoming 80s magazine Blitzed, (out on 4th November 2021 via the publishers, Silverback).
There’s a noticeable trend emerging from bands who were famous in the 1980s of reproducing popular albums live on stage. The albums that made them, or that have a special place in the listening public’s hearts started for me when I saw Siouxsie Sioux perform my favourite Banshees album, Kaleidoscope at Yoko Ono’s Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
I’ve since been lucky enough to see Marc Almond perform Mother Fist (my favourite of his) and Gary Numan perform Replicas, as part of an event where he performed Pleasure Principle, Telekon and Replicas on three consecutive nights. Also Marc and the Mambas performing songs from their two albums Torment and Toreros and Untitled in 2013, and Kate Bush recreating the Hounds of Love album in her Before the Dawn show at the Hammersmith Apollo (it’ll always be the Odeon to me though!) These were all excellent gigs which were made all the better for them being my favourites, and to hear them being performed live was something I never thought I’d experience in my lifetime.
So, being a huge synth girl and having been a fan of the genre and having written about it over the past 30+ years, imagine my delight when I heard a couple of years ago that the two albums where is all started for me, were being performed by the musicians who wrote and produced the albums back in 1979/1980.
Travelogue and Reproduction are the first two albums by The Human League, pre-Joanne and Susanne, and consisted of Phil Oakey, Martyn Ware, Philip Adrian Wright and Ian Craig Marsh. Those albums were my constant companion on cassette, listened to over and over on my Walkman as I travelled from where I lived at the time in South Wales, along the highways of the UK up to Lancashire to see family, and Cheshire where we were to eventually to move to. Those albums sealed my love of synth music and despite The Human League splitting soon afterwards to form Human League with Joanne and Susanne, and Heaven 17 with singer Glenn Gregory at the forefront, my love of those albums has remained a constant throughout my life.
There was another reason why last night was a monumental occasion; it was the first gig I’d been to in eighteen months. My previous gig was China Crisis supported by Fiat Lux at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds on 6th March 2020. Like so many others, I’ve had to cancel to my gig-going habit due to the global pandemic and numerous lockdowns, so it was with an element of certain trepidation that I attended. I was fully ‘tooled up’ with a negative lateral flow test, my NHS COVID passport at the ready and my double jabbed certificate on hand to show anyone who asked for it. Despite all this, the only checks by the Roundhouse were security ones, a bag check and electronic wand casually waved over selected individuals, of which I was not one. I still wore my mask though as I moved through the crowds, only removing it when I was stood outside on the terrace chatting to friends, or when we were seated.
The gig itself exceeded my already high and hopeful expectations and opened with the fanfare synths of Almost Medieval from Reproduction, with Wizard of Oz-esque facial images of the band, changing to iconic images throughout, thanks to the skilful graphics of Malcolm Garrett, who made the gig a visual treat with his selection of cult pictures on display.
Reproduction was played in its entirety in album order taking us from one delight to another. Highlights for me were Circus of Death and Morale/You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling which seemed to take on a new and poignant feeling within the walls of the Roundhouse venue, especially when the audience joined in with the ‘Baby!’ and ‘oo-ooh!’ chants. The feeling of cohesiveness between band and audience couldn’t have been more symbiotic. There was a genuine love and respect in the room from both parties, that was almost tangible.
Expecting an interval but not getting one, the band launched straight into Travelogue. There are several tracks on this album that are my personal favourites including Crow and a Baby and the track, Gordon’s Gin and their performances of these didn’t disappoint. When I was young, I made up my own lyrics to the instrumental track and last night couldn’t help but murmur them to myself, taking me right back to my teenage bedroom some 42 years earlier. Another highlight was Heaven 17’s take on Being Boiled, which I’ve heard before when I’ve seen the band previously, but had an added element of cohesiveness when heard within the context of the album.
Once Travelogue had been performed, the crowd expected that it was the end of the show but there were a few fantastic added extras in the form of songs from the Holiday 80 EP including personal favourite Marianne. I’ve never heard it performed live before and in all honesty and never likely to again which is probably why it gave me actual goosebumps and all the feels.
There were times during the concert that I couldn’t believe I was actually there, witnessing these amazing songs that for me form part of who I am. The next surprise track they played was Rock ‘n’ Roll, a cover of the now shamed 70s glam rock star, Gary Glitter from the Holiday 80 EP, which again elicited audience participation.
A track was thrown into the mix which seemed a bit of a curve ball; I Don’t Depend on You which was by The Men, a former incarnation of members of the early Human League. Whilst a great track, it felt out of place and for me, didn’t sit comfortably with the general feel of the evening. Too poppy perhaps?
The encore track was a funky extended version of Heaven 17’s biggest hit, Temptation in which the backing singer’s strong voices came to the fore. It was the perfect track to end the night on and gave the audience a positive end to a brilliant evening. Waiting outside to see if I could see numerous friends who I knew were at the concerts, I managed to see a few faces of friends who I haven’t seen in such a long time, which for me was just perfect. I also managed to miss quite a few friends, which was a shame. Gig going for me isn’t just about the music itself, its also the many, many friendships I’ve formed over the years from attending concerts of the synth genre. Likeminded souls who share your love of synth music and who have been there, some unwittingly, through significant moments in my brain space.
I don’t know when my next gig will be; I’ve cancelled all my commitments for this year due to my husband being very ill, but we agreed that as last night’s gig meant so much to me, that if he was well enough, I would go, which is what I did. I’ll live on the memories of last night’s concert for a very long time and remember that ‘high’ gig feeling for the next few days.
It was a beautiful summer’s evening last night when I attended the premiere of the film of Soft Cell’s final show, which took place at the O2 arena on 30th September 2018. That night, last year, was a very special evening as not only did it mark their final show, but was also an anniversary of forty years since the synth pop duo was formed. You cannot under-estimate the impact that Soft Cell has had on pop music over that time. Without Soft Cell there would be no Erasure, or Pet Shop Boys and subsequently modern bands and singers which have in turn, been influenced by those electro duos of which there are far too many to mention.
The premiere was billed as being a somewhat glitzy affair with “Marc and Dave walking the red carpet” with Soft Cell themed cocktails being made available especially for the event, and a cinematic experience which would not be rivalled. I dressed accordingly in a hot pink sequinned top with lace jacket and now (my infamous) crying eye brooch, and a custom-made cocktail skirt, with two large pink sequinned flamingos adorning it in homage to the song, “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”. My local friend Rachel joined me, and at Epping station we were asked where we were going to, looking so glammed up amongst the Monday night commuters. “Oh yes, Soft Cell. I remember them. Whatever happened to them?” I didn’t have time to answer as my train was about to leave, which was probably just as well…!
We arrived at the venue in Kings Cross and straight away it was lovely to see so many friends there. After milling around for a few minutes, I collected our complementary A3 glossy posters courtesy of Richard who runs the Erasure fan club and who I have been acquainted with for a number of years from when he ran remembertheeighties.com. He joked that Andy and Vince had pimped him out for the evening for a reasonable fee!
Soon after, I noticed Marc coming through the doors of the venue. I was expecting an announcement along the lines of “Welcome to the Everyman for the world premiere of Soft Cell’s final show, and here are the band themselves….” However, no such announcement was made. Marc wandered slightly awkwardly up the somewhat grubby red carpet, he stood around for a few photos, signed my friend Mary’s book and then walked off upstairs towards the bar area. It was all a bit disappointingly low key. We then heard that Dave was unable to attend the event as he was poorly; I hope he gets better soon.
Unperturbed, we also wandered upstairs to the bar to mingle with friends. It really did feel like a family occasion, as the same familiar faces tend to go to these London events. I’ve known a lot of Marc fans from all over the world, for the past 30-something years. We have grown up together, met up at gigs, seen each other’s children grow up, parents pass away and have shared the experiences of many, many landmark Marc Almond gigs and events. With the advent of social media this has further developed the bonds of friendship that we share, and it was fabulous to see so many friends there last night.
We finally took our place in Cinema 1 (it was being shown simultaneously in two of the cinema screens at the Everyman). Each of the comfortable plush seats offered a large bar of Green and Black chocolate to snack on during the screening, which was a nice touch. Marc was introduced and gave a spiel about how the concert came about, how the film was edited etc and took some questions from the floor. It emerged that there would probably no more Soft cell concerts, but possibly some more singles and an album to come. Also, as a parting shot Marc declared “look out for a Loveless gig at Christmastime!”
The last The Loveless gig was at the end of January at the 100 Club and was a brilliant evening. The Loveless, consists of Marc, Neal X plus Ben Ellis and Mat Hector from Iggy Pop’s band. It was a completely different presentation of Marc’s songs, drawing a more Rock ‘n’ Roll guitar fuelled feel, with influences by rock stalwarts Iggy Pop, David Bowie, and T-Rex to a riotous reception. So it’s extremely pleasing that we have that repeat treat to look forward to at Christmas this year.
The Say Hello Wave Goodbye film itself was spectacular to see on the large screen. The DVD is released on 26 July via Lexer, but of course nothing beats that large screen cinematic experience and the sound quality was amazing, even to my discerning ear! The film is somewhat of an epic in every sense of the word, and started later than billed, so it was a ‘quick off’ at the end of it.
A vast array of Soft Cell songs were covered from the show from all of Soft Cell’s albums, and it was fun spotting friends in the audience on the big screen! Yet again, the big ‘Say Hello Wave Goodbye’ finale song with glowing mobile phone lights, and a stupendous glitter bomb at the end, brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my black kohl-lined eye. Marc cited that particular moment as a highlight of his 40 years with Soft Cell. A moment in time that will not be surpassed.
Florence and the Machine at the Festival Hall last night was a veritable love in. Flo herself was the high priestess of l’amour and she whipped the audience up into a loved up frenzy from the off.
The show in London was one of three, as a warm up for Flo’s forthcoming support slot at the Rolling Stones UK leg of their tour. We were highly privileged to witness a stadium styled gig in a smaller venue. Florence certainly made full use of the intimacy of the Southbank’s layout; running around the stage barefooted in a diaphanous floor length gown, like an ethereal whirling dervish, and on occasion venturing into the enthusiastic audience running up and down the aisles of the Festival Hall. The crowd of course lapped it up! “Hug the person next to you. Tell them that you love them!” she encouraged, mid-song. The majority of people didn’t need telling twice!
The stage was suitably adored with bouquets and arrangements of flowers and looked quite wonderful. The organ pipes of the infamous hall were proudly on display and we were treated to the penultimate song, Shake it Out, being accompanied on the organ, its pipes belting out a beautiful accompaniment.
The 90 minute set mostly comprised of songs off her most recent album plus a few new songs off the next, as currently unreleased, album. I’ve never seen Flo perform more than a few songs live before. When I saw her previously, she was accompanying Patrick Wolf at the London Palladium around 2010, just before she hit the big time. Even back then, it was fairly obvious she was destined for bigger things. Supporting the Rolling Stones doesn’t get much bigger. Looking forward to hearing all about it when the time comes!
Not many people would agree with most things that come out of Morrissey’s often controversial mouth, until he starts to sing that is; we’re then looking at a whole different kettle of fish.
Renowned for being a great songwriter of some thirty five+ years standing, Morrissey’s lyrics have resonated with a generation, and beyond. Seeing him in concert is always a joy; when he turns up, and isn’t campaigning about his vegetarianism or complaining either a lack of heating or actually about being there, of course.
But such trivialities aside, when he stands on stage to perform he doesn’t merely sing his songs, he gives a little of himself to them, and therein lies the magic.
I was lucky enough to be invited along to see Moz perform at arguably one of the most prestigious venues in London, the Palladium, on Saturday night. The grandeur of the venue added a different dimension to previous Morrissey gigs, which have mostly (for me) have been at the Brixton Academy. One of these occasions being the night of the last riots there, where disaffected youths were venting their collective spleens about the latest government outrage, of which there have been many. However I digress…
This gig was part of Morrissey’s first large UK tour since 2015 and has taken in Leeds, Dublin, Brighton, Aberdeen and Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol and a few London dates at not only the Palladium but also Brixton Academy, the Royal Albert Hall and Alexandra Palace. Notably there have been no dates in his native north west of England; neither at Liverpool, or more notably at Manchester and one can’t help but wonder why this is.
Instead that great Northern town with so much to answer for, is being treated to a “Viva Morrissey” gig instead, the tribute band to The Smiths and Moz who have a gig on 9th June in which they celebrate thirty glorious years of Moz.
Predictably the set list included a number of songs off his latest album “Low in High School” released in October last year, as well as a disappointingly small amount of old favourites from his own back catalogue and of his former band, The Smiths. “How Soon is Now?” was a personal highlight as was his cover of old friend Chrissie Hynde’s band, The Pretenders “Back on the Chain Gang”.
For me, there was not enough of his extensive and varied back catalogue to keep the energy going. There were too many slower songs off the current album, which seemed to lose some of the momentum. Just as things seemed to be picking up towards the end, with “Last of the Famous International Playboys”, there was an expectant pause and then the house lights unceremoniously went up. There was quite a bit of stage invasion towards the end of the gig, and some kind of brouhaha towards the front which quite possibly contributed towards the abrupt ending. Who knows?
All in all a slightly disappointing gig for me, although there’s no disputing Moz has a loyal following and there’s a tangible bond between him and the audience which is a rare commodity. Viva Moz!
Don’t look for love in your local bar
For love will find you, wherever you are
It doesn’t land neatly at your feet
To make your lonely life complete
Like a lightning bolt from the heavens above
When you least expect it, there will be love
Though dating agents will try to compere
You can’t place love, if it isn’t there
It’s not to be found through internet pages
The search will almost drive you crazy
Don’t go hankering for that mad little thing
For just pain and heartache, it will bring
Love doesn’t linger and wait to be found
It’s mostly not that much profound
Its sits there quietly til there’s a need
Then fate will surely plant its seed
Two souls will merge and you will sing
For love is a beautiful, joyful thing
Cupid’s arrow will fire and aim
And life will never be the same…
Not many people would agree with most things that come out of Morrissey’s often controversial mouth, until he starts to sing that is; we’re then looking at a whole different kettle of fish.
Vodkaangel22 