Yesterday's post has tempted me to once again Urgh! A Music War, a film from the eighties. Director Derek Burbridge's concept is simple in principle: go to concerts in London, New York and elsewhere and film the current punk, wave and reggae scene.
The result is a fantastic overview of this music from both sides of the Atlantic. I can still remember having to drive to the next bigger city with some friends to see this film. Some of the artists were known to us by name, but very few of them performed in southern Germany at the time.
After this film, each of the three of us had a band that we particularly liked and bought a record from them as quickly as possible. For me, it was Echo and the Bunnymen and Gang of Four, who I have followed faithfully ever since.
What also makes the compilation of concert recordings special is that it features musicians who were far removed from the normal clichés of punk, such as John Cooper Clarke and Klaus Nomi.
While the British bands are still holding back, The Cramps and Dead Kennedys show us the true and raw energy that characterized punk.
And finally, some film documents of bands that have unfortunately been forgotten, such as Au Pairs and Alley Cats and bands like Magazine and XTC, who played a major role in shaping new wave and punk.
When punk started in the mid 70's Manchester's Buzzcocks were one of the first that made the fusion of of punk and power pop for the blueprint of new wave. Their singer/songwriter Howard Devote left the band to form Magazine, that developed their sound and included art rock into their sound. Their debut album Real Life is a classic in this genre and had any ingredients of new music that should inspire a lot of bands after. This album was on very heavy rotation almost 50 years ago at my place and one of those reasons why I left many other music influences behind. A classic record that should be featured once again.
After Bayern Munich lost yesterday, we finish second in the Bundesliga table. Unbelievable when you consider that Stuttgart have been relegated several times in recent years and the fans have only been presented with poor home cooking. Only against this background does this slogan make sense - after all this shit, we're going on a journey.
Last Friday Barry Adamson released Cut To Black his new album. When the storm of punk swept through the UK in the mid-70s, Adamson learnt bass to join Manchester new wave band Magazine. He also helped out briefly with the Buzzcocks and briefly with The Birthday Party in the 80s. When band leader Nick Cave founded The Bad Seeds after they broke up, Adamson stayed on board for three years. No longer just a bass player, he not only played various instruments but also contributed as a songwriter. In recent years, his records have been more orientated towards the film music of the 60s and less towards concise songs. With this record, he has left this path and created a small masterpiece. A mixture of gospel, soul, blues and rock and roll. Since Dexy's Midnight Runners debut I never heard a better homage to soul music.
Let's go back diving in the new/progressive sound of the late 70's where a lot of bands started blew up structures of contemporary music and opened my ears for something that was more real to me than every thing else I heard before.
Magazine was one of the first post-punk bands that had more than raw energy and anger and released with Real Life a masterpiece that I almost played to death at these days. All songs have a massive depth and hooks other bands didn't had in this era. And they are all well arranged and combined the energy of punk with the classic rock roots. That they influenced many other bands after their first albums is not necessary to repeat. Back To Nature is from their second album Second Hand Delight and a good example why they got all the critical acclaims.
Formed in Glasgow in 1980 Simple Minds were one of those bands who made a few great albums in their beginnings to get arbitrary during the years. But their early output is still fantastic and still worth to get a listen to. Their legacy? Probably one of those new wave bands that made experiences with synthesizers and built a bridge from their guitar based roots to electronic music. I Travel is the opening track from third album Empires And Dance from 1980.
Complicated Game is a song by XTC, a band that started as pioneers of new wave and from their best early album Drums And Wires from 1979. The whole album is one of those that I often played when I was DJing in the early 80's. Not just because I can hear the fun and enthusiasm in every song they made on this record. It was more as a door opener to many other bands from this era. And what talent Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding had they showed us on various later released albums.
It is almost 40 years ago when one of the most important albums of the post-punk era was released. Real Life by Magazine combined everything that was important in these days. Raised on the ruins of The Buzzcocks Howard Devoto created a very unique mixture of guitar-bass-drum sound similar to punk rock and recruited it with the ingredients of new-wave and a bit of art-rock introduced by Barry Adamson. You can still listen to every song on this album and none of it is boring.
Surely everyone knows the situation when you listen to music from your hard-drive and suddenly a song appears and you think for how long I didn't listen to this one. This deja vu happened to me yesterday on the way to the office. It was Barry Adamson with Something Wicked This Way Comes from his 1996 album Oedipus Schmoedipus a record I used to listen often at this time. It is a record that is very underrated maybe because you can't categorize this kind of music. The music is more like a soundtrack and many people didn't know how to handle this Miles Davis influenced jazz lounge sound. Since his first days with Magazine I loved the way he played the bass. He was also the one who stamped the sound of Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Because I couldn't get him out of my mind I selected his music on Spotify and had a good start into work accompanied with his music.
His latest full length album features all his abilities in music and it is a kaleidoscope of all his musical influences from rock to folk to jazz. Even string arrangements are possible.
And finally a superb collaboration with Nick Cave:
This year I have concluded my education. My employer has offered to me an unlimited contract which I have also accepted. Main reason was to save some money to start a life on my own feet. In the middle of the year a letter arrived in which I was invited to pattern. In my whole life I have never dealt to go to the army. In my whole life before I used to protest against what I've seen about military operations and wars that accompanies since I grew up. Therefore, I have found out about the fact which possibilities there are, so that I am not drawn. The only possibility consisted in refusing the military service and therefore the service in the weapon. It worked in this way: You had to write down the reasons why you won't use a rifle or something like that. Most of my mates did it that way and argued that they have ethical reasons not to use any kind of guns.
The next thing was that you were invited to an interview where you have to explain your reasons again and again. They listened slowly to your arguments and they asked for example: 'What would you do if you and your girlfriend are in the park late at night and some guys come around trying to rape her. If you have a gun - will you use it?'. With questions like that they wanted to destroy your arguments of being a peaceful one. Of course you could get briefed about this questions and answers but my biggest problem was that I was in this time very active and successful in a protection association. I have denied competitions on state level so that my name was well known in my sport. When I come to the interview they just asked me the question why I take shooting as a sport but will not be able to carry a gun in the army. After all I failed and I had to accept to join the army next year. Knowing that I wouldn't have enough money when I do my job for 15 month in the army I didn't make a great vacation. But all in all it wasn't a very bad year.
In 1978 the Bee Gees entered the top of the charts with 'Staying alive' and 'Night fever'. Disco was born and Studio 54 in NYC was the blueprint of all clubs was founded.
The movie 'Saturday Night Fever' presented us the first star on the dancefloor with John Travolta. Now kids wanted to dance and act like him. After appearing in the American TV series 'Welcome back Kotter' he became famous with this movie and the following 'Grease'. It was the start to a lot of dancing movies following the next years.
With the dance boom the gay movement had it's coming out in the late seventies. With bands like the Village People they came proud out of their clubs. Without them and their attitude and confession to their gayness many bands in the later years would have it much harder to stand (like Frankie goes to Hollywood, Bronski Beat, etc).
It was also the year Kate Bush appeared with her fantastic and clear voice and brought us some unforgettable songs.
Garry Rafferty released his number one hit Baker Street with one of the most remarkable saxophone solo ever (our neighbor tried it for years but never got the right tune).
Stiff Little Fingers gave us their perception on the conflict in Northern Ireland with their song 'Alternative Ulster'.
Ian Dury came returned with my favorite 'Hit me with your rhythm stick'. Fantastic bass line.
Warren Zevon told us stories about 'Werewolfs in London'. (I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand walking down to Mayfair).
Blondie was present now on international stage but a hit all over Europe was Paul McCartney wit 'Mull of Kintyre' - what a shame (and I didn't notice any song from Siouxie and the Banshees, the Buzzcocks, Patti Smith at all)
Remarkable records that was published in 1978:
George Benson - Weekend in LA: Maybe his best record at the highest level. Listened so often to this record all over the years.
REO Speedwagon - You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish: Bought this record just because of the title. Old fashioned rock but great songs and guitars on it.
Nick Lowe - Jesus of cool: Producer of a lot of band (mostly on the STIFF label) got time to make a record with some of his best songs.
Little Feat - Waiting for Colombus: Aanother fantastic live record presenting the last days of inspired classic rock.
Thin Lizzy - Live and dangerous: Never been better than this. We danced to them songs until we fall down to the ground.
The Rezillos - Can't stand the Rezillos: Get us party all night long. Great record still.
Pere Ubu - Dub housing: Music from another planet
George Thorogood & the Destroyers - Move it on over: Back to the roots of rhythm' n' blues
Herman Brood - Cha Cha: Pure rock with a lot of punk style in it from our neighbors in Netherlands
Nina Hagen Band - same: Great voice from Eastern Germany with a fantastic German version of 'White punks on dope'
Steele Pulse - Handsworth Revolution: Pure British reggae.
Blondie - Parallel lines: Could listen to Debbie Harry often at this time What movies from 1978 are still worth to see again:
Halloween: Part one with Jamie Lee Curtis is still the best one
The Deer Hunter: Michael Ciminos drama with Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken of men going to a war that couldn't be won and coming traumatised.
Dawn of the dead: When there is no more room in hell the dead will walk the earth
Up in Smoke: Cheech and Chong doped
La Cage aux Folles: Gay couple, one of them running a drag club in St. Tropez adverrtising ultra-conservative parents
The Last Waltz: Goodbye to a great band
What moved the world in 1978.
Pedro Cardinal, a leading critic of the Nicaraguan governments was assasdinated - riots against the Somoza's regime started; Northeastern US blizzard kills more then 100 people; China bans the works of Aristole, Shakespeare and Dickens; American porn publisher Larry Flint is shot and paralyzed in Lawrenceville, GA; the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is proclaimed under pro-communist leader Nur Mohammad Taraki; Messner/Habeler made the first ascend to the Mount Everest without supplemental oxygene; FIFA-World Cup was won by Argentine - Germany lost in semi-final against Austria; Iranian Army troopers open fire to rioters in Teherean, killing 122, wounding 4000; President Carter signs bill that allows homebrewing of beer; the world got a new pope with John Paul II - the first non Italian pope sins more than 400 years; Nobel Peace Price is won by the premiers Sadat and Begin.
My personal favorite this year was Magazine' first record 'Real Life'. It is one of the best first records ever. Punk turned into New Wave and the sound was different now. The three chords songs turned into another dimension. Now you could hear a new kind of songwriting. The member of the bands knew how to handle their instruments and to arrange songs. One of the best examples was 'Real life'. The band was formed by Howard Devoto after leaving the famous Buzzcocks with John McGeoch on guitar. They recruited Barry Adamson on bass, Jim Dickinson on keyboards and Martin Jackson on drums. Their first record is filled with experimental sounds that would be the blueprint of many other bands.
The songs are still fresh and innovative after all the years. I love to hear them again from time to time.
