New Wave Music

[ncexnyc]

In the movie Bladerunner, Tyrell says the following, “The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long – and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy”. And that quote seems to sum up New Wave music from the late 70's and early 80's.

Punk music was a statement against the bloated state of Rock and Roll, but while tearing down the establishment was necessary we needed something better and quite frankly more musically inclined and that's where the New Wave movement came from.

Unfortunately, the music from that era seems to get the short end of the stick when we have our discussions about great music. I guess part of the reason for that is the fact that a lot of this music coincided with the rise of MTV and the groups from that era did receive a great deal of airplay and there tends to be a great deal of bias against anything associated with MTV, including the music. I also realize that a lot of this music was centered around the English club scene and that a number of these artists were one hit wonders, but it's the actual music that should matter.

The Clash, Blondie, Duran Duran, The Police, U2, Spandau Ballet, Flock of Seagulls, The Smiths, The Pretenders, Simple Minds, Simply Red, New Order, Talking Heads, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Adam and the Ants, Kajagoogoo, Big Country, and a host of others don't get the love they deserve.

Blondie gets more love from the Hip Hop communityfor “Rapture” than they do for all their songs combined from the Rock community. I'd put Spandau Ballet's song “True” up against Chicago's “Color My World” as Best Slow dance any day of the week. And tell me is there a better, more soulful voice than Simply Red's, Mick Buckyball. “Dark Side of the Moon” is one of my all-time favorites and it's a fact that you'll be very mellow after listening to it, but I get the same exact feeling when I listen to “Wishing” by Flock of Seagulls, as there's something to be said for that droning synth beat. And who can honestly say that they aren't tapping their toes and bobbing their head when New Order's, “Blue Monday” comes on.

Enough of my rant, go treat yourself to a trip down memory lane with some New Wave music.

[OldPhiKap]

Good list. I would add Squeeze, the Ramones, B-52’s, and R.E.M.

[ncexnyc]

Good list. I would add Squeeze, the Ramones, B-52’s, and R.E.M.

Yeah, I left quite a few off. Billy Idol, Depeche Mode, The Cult, and let's not forget Culture Club to name just a few.

[cspan37421]

For the love of all that is synth, The Cars!

[ncexnyc]

For the love of all that is synth, The Cars!

Drive is definitely one of my favorite songs off the Heartbeat City album. Benjamin Orr had some really smooth vocals.

[CameronBornAndBred]

[QUOTE=ncexnyc;1028071]

and let's not forget Culture Club.

Yes, let's.
Love the rest of your list, but I could care less if I ever hear another Culture Club song.

[OldPhiKap]

[QUOTE=CameronBornAndBred;1028080]

Yes, let's.
Love the rest of your list, but I could care less if I ever hear another Culture Club song.

Me too. Odd editing somehow has you attributing that to me. Not a fan.

Not a real fan of the “gloomer” bands like the Cure and Depeche Mode. I’m more on the Talking Heads/Ramones/Squeeze side of things.

And The Clash, of course, is the only band that matters.

[Olympic Fan]

My prime was in the '70s when the New Wave/Punk music ruled.

Agree with the negative reactions to Culture Club ... I always thought the B-52s were lightweights ... No love for Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls or for Duran, Duran.

Loved the Clash, REM, Elvis Costello, the Pretenders and Talking Heads.

LOVED the Ramones, which I always saw as a reaction to the big show rock of the time (Kiss, Bowie, Pink Floyd). Nothing wrong with that, the Ramones were a return to pure music. There was nothing visual about their act -- just a handful of not very attractive guys in t-shirts, playing short, powerful songs. Even no nonsense groups like the Beatles and Beach Boys usually wore matching costumes. Not the Ramones.

But my all-time favorite was the Patti Smith Group ... her 1975 album Horses is my No. 1 personal favorite ... Gloria off that album is -- to me -- the greatest rock song ever recorded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7sodwiQJ6c

"Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine.
My sins are my own, they belong to me."

[ncexnyc]

LOVED the Ramones, which I always saw as a reaction to the big show rock of the time (Kiss, Bowie, Pink Floyd). Nothing wrong with that, the Ramones were a return to pure music. There was nothing visual about their act -- just a handful of not very attractive guys in t-shirts, playing short, powerful songs. Even no nonsense groups like the Beatles and Beach Boys usually wore matching costumes. Not the Ramones.

Funny that you mention Bowie in the same breath as Kiss and Pink Floyd. I thought Bowie had moved away from his White Duke persona and was into his Berlin Trilogy phase during the start of the New Wave era.

[Olympic Fan]

Taking about Patti Smith reminded me of one of the great parodies in SNL history --a genius performance by Gilda Radnor.

From 1979, the "Rock against Yeast" concert. It's a powerhouse lineup with real rock stars (Rick Nelson and Judy Collins; Paul Schaffer as Don Kirchner), SNL cast members mimicking other stars (Garrett Morris as Bob Marley, Jane Curtin at Dolly Parton, Laraine Newman as Olivia Newton John, Ackroyd and Belushi as a pair of Elvis impersonators).

It's funny early, but really takes off when Radnor shows up as a drug-addled rock star named Candy Slice, who is clearly modeled after Patti Smith (Rolling Stone magazine did a huge article about her dead-on impersonation). Bill Murray has to drag her on stage, but once the music starts. Radnor gives an amazing performance (in Smith's style) to the song "Gimmie Mick" -- an homage to Mick Jaggar:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-li...st/n8668?snl=1

"Baby's hair, bulging eyes, lips so thick
Are you woman are you man?
I'm you biggest *** fan"

**The first few times she sings the chorus, I think she sings "funking" -- as "I'm you biggest funking fan. The last time, I think she sings something else, which would get me labeled a wanker if I tried to repeat it.

Either way, an amazing TV moment.

[lotusland]

Almost everything that came out in the early to mid eighties on MTV was lumped in New Wave category. However The Police, Billy Squier, Tom Petty, Billy Idol, The Pretenders, U2, Pat Benetar, Blondie and REM are closer to 70’s classic rock than Culture Club, Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls, Thomas Dolby, Berlin et al. The former have aged much better than the latter. Use of synthesizers was the main Determining factor. Synth bands didn’t make it out of the 80s. Some of them just weren’t very talented. Bow Wow Wow didn’t really deserve a second act. Synth bands were a fad like Disco and faded accordingly. I still like old Peter Gabriel, The Psychedelic Furrs, Joe Jackson, The Cars, etc, but I can live without Human League, Duran Duran and Bananrama. To each his own.

[darthur]

The Smiths deserve more love in this thread! There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is one of my all-time favorite songs.

I would think stuff like Patti Smith, The Clash, and The Ramones are more punk than New Wave, but the Police surely are New Wave right? I love me some Clash too though.

[lotusland]

I recal REM started calling themselves “Alternative” probably to distinguish themselves from the sillier video bands.

[OldPhiKap]

I recal REM started calling themselves “Alternative” probably to distinguish themselves from the sillier video bands.

REM started as a darling of college radio. When Radio Free Europe got some play, and they got tabbed to open for the Police in ‘84 or so, they hit the national scene. Like you say, as opposed to the Buggles and Toni Basil and Men Without Hat types who made a splash with silly videos.

[dudog84]

REM started as a darling of college radio. When Radio Free Europe got some play, and they got tabbed to open for the Police in ‘84 or so, they hit the national scene. Like you say, as opposed to the Buggles and Toni Basil and Men Without Hat types who made a splash with silly videos.

My 4-year-old niece would prance around the house singing "Wicked Nuts". 30+ years later it still makes me laugh.

A man without hand is not a man. What is a man without hat?

[OldPhiKap]

My 4-year-old niece would prance around the house singing "Wicked Nuts". 30+ years later it still makes me laugh.

A man without hand is not a man. What is a man without hat?

We used to combine Men Without Hats, Men at Work, and local road warning signs into a single band name: "Men Without Hats Working in Trees."

It was dumb then, it is dumb now. Still, typing it brought me a chuckle.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Like you say, as opposed to the Buggles and Toni Basil and Men Without Hat types who made a splash with silly videos.

We saw Jouney this summer (gf's fav band; thankfully they put on a great show) and Asia opened. I could care less about Asia and barely recognized any of their songs, but Geoff Downes plays with them (and Yes). He was also a founding Buggle. The only thing I remember about Asia's set was that they played "Video Killed the Radio Star", which was pretty cool to hear live.

PS, I agree with the above comment that Romones, Smith, and Clash are punk vs. New Wave. I watched Rock n Roll High School not long ago, that's a fun movie for any Ramones fan.

[Bostondevil]

Almost everything that came out in the early to mid eighties on MTV was lumped in New Wave category. However The Police, Billy Squier, Tom Petty, Billy Idol, The Pretenders, U2, Pat Benetar, Blondie and REM are closer to 70’s classic rock than Culture Club, Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls, Thomas Dolby, Berlin et al. The former have aged much better than the latter. Use of synthesizers was the main Determining factor. Synth bands didn’t make it out of the 80s. Some of them just weren’t very talented. Bow Wow Wow didn’t really deserve a second act. Synth bands were a fad like Disco and faded accordingly. I still like old Peter Gabriel, The Psychedelic Furrs, Joe Jackson, The Cars, etc, but I can live without Human League, Duran Duran and Bananrama. To each his own.

Duran Duran gets unfairly knocked because of their '80s fan base, IMHO. Their music absolutely holds up. It's better than Billy Idol, that's for sure, and I like Billy Idol except for "White Wedding". I'd say The Police's early '80s stuff has not aged well. Sting's solo stuff is still worth a listen, but c'mon, "Every Breath You Take", "Walking on the Moon", "Every Little Thing She Does (is Magic)", or (yuck) "Message in a Bottle" versus "Rio", "Hungry Like a Wolf", "Girls on Film", "Save a Prayer"? I'm going with Duran Duran. Although I will give you "Roxanne".

And now I'm going to go put on some Aztec Camera followed by The Colourfield. Maybe I'll put out my '80s Anthems compilation album and play Modern English's "I Melt With You" too. Last song on that album is Michael Penn's "No Myth". Funny thing about that song, it's not one you can really dance to.

Others worth mentioning - Fine Young Cannibals, The Smithereens, Echo and the Bunnymen. Where do we put The Jam and The English Beat?

Finally - can't finish this post without mentioning one of my Top 10 Favorite '80s albums - Marshall Crenshaw.

[duke74]

I will just note that the Ramones are from my area of Queens, NYC - Forest Hills. There is a mural on a local Long Island RR trestle and a street named for them right by Forest Hills High School.

And to demonstrate a continuum of genres, Simon & Garfunkel are also from here.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Duran Duran gets unfairly knocked because of their '80s fan base, IMHO. Their music absolutely holds up.

I agree. I busted on Duran Duran tons when I was growing up, but I will turn them up on the radio whenever they are on now. If it hadn't been for MTV, there is no chance they would have been as popular as they were, which is probably why my view of them back then was tainted.

I will just note that the Ramones are from my area of Queens, NYC - Forest Hills. There is a mural on a local Long Island RR trestle and a street named for them right by Forest Hills High School.

And to demonstrate a continuum of genres, Simon & Garfunkel are also from here.

My mom is also from Forest Hills. My aunt (her older sister) went to HS with them. I didn't know the Ramones were from there, that's pretty cool. Those years would have been pretty exciting to grow up in NYC as far as music goes. I was still a kid in the late 70's, early 80's, so a touch before my time, but I remember all the posters that my uncle had in his room when I'd visit. Bowie, Blondie, Ramones, Cheap Trick, etc.