Tag Archives: David Marsden

80′s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ (Much More Than) One-Hit Wonders

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It’s time to go on a rant about extraordinarily gifted artists and bands who were unfairly labeled “one-hit wonders.” Oftentimes, these artists were not properly promoted after charting; although they continued producing incredible music, the powers that be at the record companies and radio stations turned a deaf ear in order to promote the next flavor of the month. We, the listeners, were the big losers.

So much fantastic music from the 80′s has since been unearthed, that it’s not even necessary to listen to the contemporary repetitive swill out there. My iPod has 10 days’ worth of obscure 80′s listening gems. Each week, when I listen to the champions of the little guys, David Marsden and Ed-FM, I am treated to even more music that wasn’t promoted, that should have been, and that absolutely rocks.

This week will showcase three wrongly identified “one-hit wonders.” I urge you, if you haven’t already done so, to explore and enjoy their music. You will discover music your ears have been longing for, that will soothe your soul, and make you fall in love with your speakers all over again.

Gary Numan

Numan’s first group, Tubeway Army, scored big hits with “Cars” and “Are Friends Electric” back in the late 70′s/early 80′s. Since then, Gary Numan has been a very busy man, working hard to reinvent himself and finally finding success with a move to a decidedly Goth/Industrial/Dark Wave genre. Starting in the mid-90′s, Numan hit his stride with the albums Sacrifice, Exile, Pure, Hybrid, Jagged, and the latest, Dead Son Rising (sheduled to be released later in 2010). Never heard of them? If you enjoy Dark Wave, do yourself a huge favor and check them out. Both Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson have cited Numan as an influence. Exile and Hybrid are personal favorites of mine. Gary Numan has transcended Tubeway Army in a huge way and deserves much more than the limited success of the past 15 years.

 

“Absolution” via YouTube user Patrickingham21:

“Exile” via YouTube user MollyClark4430:

“Haunted” via YouTube user Industrial82:

Modern English

Modern English scored a big hit in the 80′s with “I Melt With You.” If you haven’t taken the time to listen to any other of their eclectic 80′s tunes, you are cheating your ears out of pure pleasure in a big way. Their four 80′s LPs were Mesh and Lace (1981), After the Snow (1982), Ricochet Days (1984), and Stop Start (1986). My personal favorite is “Someone’s Calling” from the After The Snow LP. Definitely take the time to go back and check out any Modern English music you may not have heard the first time around. This band deserved to be more than a “don’t blink or you’ll miss them” phenomenon.

“Someone’s Calling” via YouTube user ealdrett:

“Ink and Paper” via YouTube user delahuerta:

Blue Peter

Virtually unknown outside of Canada, Blue Peter enjoyed a couple of hits with “Don’t Walk Past” and “Radio Silence.” The band, led by Paul Humphrey, continues to play in and around Toronto to this day. If you like the style of David Byrne, front man of Talking Heads, you’ll love Blue Peter. Humphrey embodies all that is great about Byrne, with a little David Bowie and Bryan Ferry thrown in for fun. Criminally underrated doesn’t even begin to describe Blue Peter’s talent. Even if you were lucky enough to have heard either of their hits back in the 80′s, chances are you missed out on gems such as “Falling,” “Take Me to War.” “All Your Time,” “Unchained Heart,” and “Video Verite.”

 

“Don’t Walk Past” via YouTube user johnmcboston:

“I Walk Alone” via YouTube user orbitalpopdog:

“Video Verite” via YouTube user orbitalpopdog:

80′s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ The Nails

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So many of the artists and bands featured in this series have been named “one-hit” wonders. Although this title may hold up from a statistical viewpoint, in many instances the artist/band did indeed have more than one “hit” (maybe just not a top-10 chart topper), and/or ultimately produced a much better body of work than the declared “hit.”

The Nails falls into the latter category. Formed in the mid-seventies in Boulder, CO, the group originally started out with Marc Campbell (vocals), George Kaufman (bassist, RIP 2009), Douglas Guthrie (saxophone), Mike Ratti followed by Dennis McDermott (drums), Dave Kaufman (keyboards), and Steve O’Rourke (guitar).

The Nails languished on the club circuit for several years before moving to New York. There, they recorded an EP in 1981 that contained the song they are most well-known for: “88 Lines About 44 Women.” Even though it contains unmistakable (and hilarious) double-entendres, “88 Lines” enjoyed widespread airplay, bringing the band well-deserved attention.

The problem is, The Nails have other New Wave gems that most of us have never heard. Thanks to airplay on such obscure-80′s focused shows as Ed-FM’s Retrospect , and David Marsden’s twice-a-week broadcast on 94.9 The Rock, some incredibly great Nails songs have surfaced. Ed-FM’s show has aired such nuggets as “Home of the Brave (Apocalyptic Bepop),” “Juanita Juanita,” “Hotel For Women,” “Things You Left Behind,” and “ Every Time I Touch You.” David Marsden keeps the infamous “88 Lines” alive, more importantly, fueling the band’s memory.

The band recorded three albums, only two of which were released in the 80′s. The third album, “Corpus Christi, decorated a shelf for 5 years before finally seeing the light of day in 1993. Fortunately, these collections are still in print and can be found here.

Again, the lesson here is if you loved a song that a band/ artist was noted for, or even if you think of a solid group/ artist that has been deemed a “one-hit wonder,” dig a little further. Chances are, there are songs that received no promotion for a multitude of reasons (corporate hubris), and that outshine the ones that were in heavy rotation.

“Home Of The Brave” via YouTube user dak8844:

“Let It All Hang Out” via YouTube user NormN354:

“Things You Left Behind” via YouTube user disident666:

 “88 Lines About 44 Women” via YouTube user Fronic:

Discography

Mood Swing (1984)
(1986)
(recorded 1988, released 1993)

Dangerous Dreams

Corpus Christi

David Marsden Birthday Cotillion ~ 3-14-2010

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In honor of the annual David Marsden Birthday Cotillion held at Andy Poolhall in Toronto ON, Canada Sunday March 14, 2010, today’s feature is a video montage of the event.

Sistahmar, Roving Ambassador and founder of the Marsbar Theatre Chat Room, outdid herself with this festive occasion. Not only did most of the members of the chat room attend, so did alumni from the infamous CFNY radio station and also from 94.9 The Rock, where David currently broadcasts each Saturday and Sunday night from 7 pm until midnight.

Many sincere thanks to Dan Hurley, Felix029 (Bruce), and Warrlock (Randy) for sharing your photos to make this production possible. Also, a huge thank you to Rob Stuart and Slave to the SQUAREwave for so graciously allowing me to use their fantastic music again this year as a backdrop for the montage. And, Andy Poolhall, Toronto, ON once again was kind enough to open their doors on a usual day off to provide a gathering place for the party. Hats off to you, too.

“David Marsden Birthday Cotillion ~ 3-14-2010″ via YouTube user MissParker0106:

View video footage and interviews from the party by clicking here: http://www.torontonews24.com/video/viewvideo/97/behind-the-scene-at-toronto-news-24/marsbars

80′s Music Rules ~ Legendary DJ David Marsden and His New Broadcast Schedule

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(Click the link for previous posts about David Marsden.)

Canadian DJ David Marsden has been an icon of free-form broadcasting for the past four decades. Imagine radio as you would personally program it, and look no further. David has given life to the word “eclectic” by successfully combining music that is multi-genre, spans different musical periods, and is usually found way under the radar.

Marsden’s most well-known accomplishment, besides being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was launching CFNY back in the late 70′s from a small yellow house in Brampton, ON. It was here that he gave life to little-known bands, and coined a name for his type of off-the-cuff broadcasting – “free-form.” CFNY became such a vital presence to radio broadcasting that it was the subject of Rush’s 1980 hit “Spirit of Radio.”

Recently, David has been a well-received and popular fixture at 94.9 FM The Rock out of Oshawa, Ontario Canada. Broadcasting live and streaming over the Internet, his show has had a solid seven-year run on Thursday and Friday nights from 7 p.m. to midnight (EST). Four years ago, “Sistahmar,” roving Ambassador for the Marsbar Theatre, opened a chat room located on a portalx server. While the show is in progress, fans from all over the world gather in the chat room to discuss life, the universe, and above all, music amongst themselves and with David himself. It’s a cheerful, warm gathering place for like-minded folks to kick back, relax, and form lasting bonds. The members of the “Marsbar Family” celebrate each other’s victories and hold one another up through life’s challenges. Newcomers are warmly welcomed and encouraged to visit.

So, you can imagine the international uproar as a result of last week’s announcement with David stating on the air he had something very important to share with all of us. He thought he would be able to make the full announcement this past Thursday night, but was foiled by a legal snafu. Instead, all he would share, before closing the show, was that it would be the last Thursday he would be broadcasting from The Rock.

This news stunned everyone, and spread like wildfire via email and social networking sites. Speculation abounded, not all of it positive. Was David going to retire? Was he only going to broadcast Friday nights? Was he leaving The Rock and moving on to another venue? Friday dragged by and stomach butterflies multiplied for many of us as we waited for 7 p.m. and the start of the show. Status statements on FaceBook were not encouraging as a number of fans came to grips with worst-case scenarios. Bottom line, no matter what David had decided, we all only wanted the best for him. After giving his entire life to making others happy, he more than deserves the same happiness for himself.

At approximately 9:20 p.m. last night, David finally shared his plan with us. In addition to the untold thousands tuned in worldwide, a record-breaking fifty-five fans gathered in the chat room to hear the news. It was awkward for those of us on time-delay (43 seconds for the broadcast to reach my speakers here in south Florida) as the comments in the chat room flew by. They started out being full of fear and consternation, and ended up as cheering and verbal high-fiving. As David’s words finally reached my ears, I was already overjoyed by the reactions I was reading as they scrolled by in super-fast motion. The announcement: David was staying on with The Rock and moving his two-night show to Saturday and Sunday nights from 7 p.m. until midnight, starting March 6th. What a win-win situation – for David, his fans, and The Rock.

Here’s to the start of a new Marsbar Theatre era; one that is sure to be filled with laughs, fantastic music, warmth, good cheer, great friends, and above all, David Marsdens’s own unique brand of fan-centric free-form broadcasting. It doesn’t get any better than this.

To view David’s music lists, visit RalphD’s website.

Some music you might hear on David Marsden’s show from 94.9 The Rock:

“Japan – Quiet Life” via YouTube user ecallender:

“Slave to the SQUAREwave – Healing Hands” via YouTube user slavetothesquarewave:

 “Brendan Canning – Love Is New” via YouTube user artscrafts:

“Sisters Of Mercy – Lucretia, My Reflection” via YouTube user rhubarbcream:

“Timber Timbre – Lay Down In The Tall Grass” via YouTube user fluffywalrus:

 “Lou Reed – Dirty Boulevard” via YouTube user jasonjarvis1988:

80′s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ Seona Dancing (Ricky Gervais)

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The most fun and interesting thing about researching criminally underrated artists and bands for this weekly feature is the amazing facts that I uncover. Amazing to me, because prior to writing these short posts, I know very little other than what I have heard of the music via David Marsden or Ed-FM.

This week’s entry has a bit of a twist. I spend most of my time listening to music and doing research, when I am not working. The time spent in front of the tube or in the movies is very minimal; because of this, I am not very savvy about actors, movies, TV shows, etc. But, I have moved up a notch in my knowledge base thanks to Seona Dancing.

Seona Dancing formed as a duo in the UK in 1982, consisting of Ricky Gervais and Bill Macrae. They were signed early on by London Records and released two New Wave/electropop singles: “More to Lose” and “Bitter Heart.” Even though this duo had a great 80′s-centric sound, the singles didn’t fare well in the charts.

The shortlived pairing broke up in 1984. Gervais went on to a lucrative comedy and acting career, spanning both TV and film. Macrae went on to sell records. The sad news for the music-listening public is that the duo only made one demo tape containing sixteen songs.

Seona Dancing music can be purchased on 80′s compilation records here.

“Bitter Heart” via YouTube user joelzaar:

“More To Lose (12” mix)” via YouTube user mandaluyongboy:

“You’re On my Side” via YouTube user Antelope6:

“Tell Her” via YouTube user Antelope6:

 Discography

1983 – “More to Lose” b/w “You’re on My Side” (7″ and 12″ singles)
1983 – “Bitter Heart” b/w “Tell Her” (7″ and 12″ singles)

80′s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ Classix Nouveaux

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Before I get underway, I want to thank Moezy for her kind words in the Marsden Theatre chat room last night. I took last weekend off because I was getting over “the crud” that’s going around here like a wildfire fueled by gasoline. Moezy told me she missed my weekly “Criminally Underrated” feature. That meant a lot to me because at times it feels like sharing my thrill for underrated 80′s New Wave and Post-punk music is transmitted into a vacuum. So, thank you Moezy for lighting a fire under me to get this written.

Last night on 94.9 The Rock, David Marsden played “Robots Dance” by Classix Nouveaux. That was my inspiration for today’s “Criminally Underrated” piece. When I hear a fabulous group from my favorite era, many times I am astounded by the “six degrees of separation” information that my subsequent research uncovers.

Wikipedia tells me that Classix Nouveaux was formed by former X-Ray Spex bandmates Jak Airport and B.P. Hurding, along with Sal Solo and Mik Sweeney. They first recorded a 4-track EP that included the aforementioned “Robots Dance.” The song ultimately caught the attention of United Artists, and the band was signed.

Classix Nouveaux is lumped along with Japan (David Sylvian!) and Ultravox in defining the term “New Romantic,” a sub-genre of New Wave. While I recognize the parameters that define the New Romantic genre, looking back lovingly on the rich 80′s music scene as a whole, I find it an unnecessary classification. To me, the music that defined the era can be easily classified as simply New Wave and/or Post-punk, with a smattering of music that fits into both.

Classix Nouveaux was, unfortunately, short-lived which seems to be the fate of so many criminally underrated artists and bands. They produced three LPs of material, and by 1984 were experiencing major personnel changes. The group managed to score a number one hit in Poland before completely fading into obscurity. Sal Solo made the UK top 20 with his “Hardest Hits” entry “San Damiano,” which also came in at number one once again in Poland. In 1985, the final iteration of the band toured more as a support for Sal Solo, then quietly disbanded.

Classix Nouveaux music is still available here. Sal Solo’s website provides more insight into the group’s short life. And then, of course, there are a few select videos on YouTube that you can preview. Feast your ears, and perhaps you’ll decide to make Classix Nouveaux a welcome addition to your obscure and underrated 80′s New Wave and Post-punk music collection.

“Guilty” via YouTube user kiilakas777:

“Never Again” via YouTube user astronaut2005:

“Is It A Dream” via YouTube user R4949:

 “Robots Dance” via YouTube user cujo80676:

Discography

Night People (1981)

La Verite (1982)

Secret (1983)

Merry Christmas Mr. Marsden ~ 2009

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I have written about Canadian DJ David Marsden’s Christmas Eve show in the past, and how moving, funny, poignant, and thoughtful it is. Although I have not had the pleasure of listening for the past 28 or so years like many very fortunate folks have, it has definitely become a part of my Christmas Eve tradition and will remain so, for hopefully many more years to come.

At the heart of this spectacular 5+ hours production is David’s own story of a Christmas Eve past, all those years ago, when walking home alone from his job as a DJ. After reaching deep within himself and empathizing with all of the other lonely souls he encountered that fateful night, he made a vow; he would do everything in his power to provide a warm, welcoming place for those who had no one else to be with, or no other place to go to gather, listen to some songs, and share some stories. David’s gift to everyone who listens then and now, is the gift of friendship, of self-worth, of camaraderie, and of love.

David works long and hard for several weeks prior to this special production, ensuring that everything is perfect. He enlists the aid of Happy Pants (Igor Loukine) to provide periodic updates on where Santa is and a preview of the presents he is carrying. David works the cast of regular listeners and chat room attendees into his stories and shout-outs to make the night even more personalized and outstanding. Tears of joy are intermingled with those of laughter as the evening runs the gamut of every emotion. This is truly the release that so many of us need after the stresses and strains of real life. One couldn’t buy a comparable five hours of therapy from a licensed practitioner. David knows just what  musical elixirs and soothing words we need to guide us through whatever life throws at us.

Last night, David broke with tradition to honor Canada’s latest fallen soldier, Lieutenant Andrew Nuttal. For those of you who reside outside of Canada, you may not be familiar with a beautiful ceremony that Canadians use to honor their fallen soldiers, Highway of Heroes. Each time a fallen hero is returned home and laid to rest, their final journey is a procession along Canada’s Highway 401. People from all over gather on the bridges carrying Canadian flags to salute their beloved comrade as he or she passes below. David said that he couldn’t let the night pass without mention of these brave men and women who have given their all to protect their country and fellow citizens. He played “Highway of Heroes” in their honor, and there wasn’t a dry eye among listeners everywhere.

Highway of Heroes Tribute via YouTube user SentinelReview:

Highway of Heroes via YouTube user Toronto Songwriter:

Speaking of the chat room, this has been a labor of love started by Sistahmar many years ago as a Yahoo group. When they outgrew that venue, Sistahmar was instrumental in setting up the room as it now exists, approximately 4 years ago. While David is on the air, it has become a place for friends, fans, and the just plain curious to wander in and out of, intermingling with fellow audiophiles and longtime listeners. David makes it a point to be there during his Thursday and Friday night broadcasts, greeting each participant and sharing his wealth of musical information. To check out some of David’s playlists, go to RalphD’s website. This will give you an idea of the treasures you will hear when you join us.

David is on a short break and will return to his regular [edit:] Saturday and Sunday night (7 pm- midnight EST) free-form broadcasting on Jaunary 7, 2010. Go to 94.9 The Rock’s website and click the “Listen Live” button to experience a master at work. David’s induction into the Hall of Fame was not by happenstance; he earned his reputation as the champion of incredibly wonderful non-mainstream artists and the master of free-form broadcasting at its finest. Give yourself a gift this coming year and tune in to David Marsden’s program. Go to his website Marsden Global and click on the chat room link where you will be greeted by people (Sistahmar and all of the regulars) who will make you feel like they have known you forever.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Marsden. You have enriched so many people’s lives in ways that you can never know. I am one of those people and I am very grateful for you and all that you do.

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ Fad Gadget

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No wonder why I love nearly everything I hear from Fad Gadget – a “band” that has been featured on both David Marsden’s and Ed-FM’s streaming shows. Wikipedia describes Fad Gadget, a pseudonym for the late Frank Tovey, as “(a)n influential British avant-garde electronic musician and vocalist, (who) was an exponent of both New Wave and early industrial music.” That can’t get any closer to the music that I adore.

Frank Tovey released LPs under both his own name and the Fad Gadget monicker. He shared a record label with Depeche Mode, who went on to critical world acclaim that continues today. In addition to being an extremely talented musician, Tovey was also well-known for his stage anctics that included tar and feathering himself, and covering himself with shaving cream while performing. Just listening to his timeless music all these years later, I can’t personally see the need for the performance art schtick because his music stands on its own merits.

In addition to synthesizers, Tovey experimented with the sounds of mechanical and electrical objects such as drills and electric razors. At one point, he was backed by a group known as Pyro when recording two of his LPs in the early 90′s. After a hiatus of several years, Tovey toured with Depeche Mode again as Fad Gadget in 2001. Unfortunately for the music world, Tovey suffered a fatal heart attack in 2002 at the age of 45. He left behind two children and a whole bunch of dedicated fans.

Visit the official Fad Gadget site for more information on this brilliant man’s short, but productive life. The photo on the left is from a collection shot by Rob Kints. View more of his photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robkints/2121140696/ . Thanks to Mr. Kints for permission to use this great shot.

“Collapsing New People” via YouTube user cecibeans:

“Ricky’s Hand” via YouTube user karsich00:

“Saturday Night Special” via YouTube user ronnyecke:

“Life On The Line” via YouTube user PrimetimeApocalypse:

“Coitus Interruptus” via YouTube user 350125GO:

In addition to accessing the official website, purchase Fad Gadget music here.
Purchase Frank Tovey music here.  

80′s Discography 

As Fad Gadget:
Fireside Favourites (1980)
Incontinent (1981)
Under The Flag (1982)
Gag (1984) 

As Frank Tovey:
Easy Listening For The Hard Of Hearing (1984) (with Boyd Rice)
Snakes and Ladders (1986)
The Fad Gadget Singles (1986)
Civilian (1988)
Tyranny & the Hired Hand (1989)

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ Yello

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Yello_aYello’s music has probably been heard by more people than are aware of it. If you have seen such movies as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (just to name two of several), or have experienced the Duffman character on “The Simpsons” TV show, then you have heard Yello’s most ubiquitous single “Oh Yeah.”

It is really a shame if that is all you know of this multifaceted group. If you listen regularly to Ed-FM’s Tuesday night Retrospect show from CFRC in Kingston, Ontario, you will have heard other stunningly creative Yello tunes as Ed brings their music library to life. (Note: Ed’s show will be back in swing on November 10 when he returns from a well-deserved break).

Yello was founded in Switzerland  and began recording music in 1979, comprised of Boris Blank (keyboards, sampling, percussion, backing vocals) and Carlos Perón (tapes). Realizing they were going nowhere without a singer, the duo brought Dieter Meier on board for lead vocals. Interestingly, the band’s instrumentation is presented entirely from taped samples of nearly every type of musical instrument. Boris Blank engineers these samples in such a way that they become the original melodies that back every Yello song.yello_b

What can I say about Dieter Meier’s brooding, melancholic, and deeply baritone vocals? I love them. That is a given from what I have written about similary talented vocalists. My personal favorite is “Desire” which was used in Miami Vice episodes from seasons 3 and 4, and also in the 1991 movie “Dutch.” Other favorites include “Rubberbandman” and one kick-butt tune that Ed uses to spice up his show, “The Race.” David Marsden recently played “Bostich” on his show, and that one is rapidly becoming one of my favorites, too.

Wikipedia has a fact-filled entry on Yello here.

Yello has even used the extreme vocal talents of the late Billy MacKenzie (Associates) and super-diva Shirley Bassey to spruce up several of their tracks. Check out this multi-layered Swiss electronica band that has taken the genre to a whole different universe. It is a must-listen for every serious electronica fan. Yello continues to record up until the present time, but I have only provided their 80’s (plus one – 1991’s Baby) discography below.

 
“Desire” via youTube user dante314159:

“Rubberbandman” via YouTube user dante314159:

“The Race” via YouTube user Elconquistador69too:
 

“Bostich” via YouTube user dante314159:

Purchase Yello music here.

1980’s Discography

Yello1Solid Pleasure (1980)

yello2Claro Que Si (1981)

Yello3You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess (1983)

Yello4Stella (1985)

Yello51980-1985 The New Mix In One Go (1986)

Yello6One Second (1987)

Yello7Flag (1988)

yello8Baby (1991)

80′s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ Vis-A-Vis

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vis-a-vis2Not all of the music from the 80′s was great. For example, I have a personal revulsion for all things Madonna, Cher, and heavy (big hair) metal (with the exception of Cult). Sorry if this offends, but that’s just the way it is.

 Within the realm of all that was extraordinary about 80′s New Wave and Post-punk music, are diamonds in the rough; gems that hovered beneath exteriors that were cast aside or overlooked in favor of the flavor of the moment. Particularly in the US, corporate suits met in stuffy, smoke-filled boardrooms and decided what we would listen to, when we would listen to it, and how it would be broadcast. Lucky for us that we had the nanny-suits watching out for our own oh-so-precious musical well-being – not. Who knows, we might have actually all grown up to be serial killers, or worse: individuals with top-notch and unique musical tastes.

 And so, the legions of the clueless grew up, had families, and eventually discovered all of the riches that were hidden from the airwaves via a wonderful vehicle called the Internet. That’s the whole raison d’etre for this blog; it’s my way of sharing some of the best New Wave and Post-punk music that was deliberately swept under the rug, ignored, or just plain euthanized, all because some corporate bean-counters thought that was best for our tender ears and impressionable sensibilities.

Today’s entry features a fabulous band from Toronto called Vis-A-Vis. Most of the information is taken from the band’s MySpace page because precious little else is available on the Internet. From the Vis-A-Vis MySpace page:vis-a-vis1

 The core line up included Rude van Steenes, Vocals/Lyrics, Synth’s, Percussion; Kurt LaPorte, Guitars, Backing Vocals; Gene Donofrio, Bass Guitars; Norm Brown, Keyboards, Synth’s; Frank March, Drums; and the late Jeff ‘Jet’ Persad, Coordinator. 

Vis-A-Vis is another prime example of a band of gifted musicians that had everything going for it, but ran up against impenetrable obstacles that caused its unfortunate, premature demise. They did, however, release three very vital singles: “Heart and Soul” and “I Am the Night (Colour Me Black)” from the Heart and Soul LP released in 1986, and “Shadowplay” from the Shadowplay LP released in 1987.

Rather than for me to paraphrase their history, it’s best to just visit the Vis-A-Vis MySpace page that Rude van Steenes has lovingly populated, listen to their music, and bask in the elements that made 80′s New Wave and Post-punk music so lush, unique, and vital. Meanwhile, watch this space for more criminally underrated 80′s artists and bands, kept alive in our hearts and minds, and brought to you via such renegade DJs as David Marsden and Ed-FM.

“Shadowplay” (audio only) via YouTube user tadeuz30:

“I Am The Night (Colour Me Black)” (audio only) via YouTube user JAMR1977:

 Discography

As far as I know, Vis-A-Vis music is no longer available for purchase. Please correct me if I am wrong. More reason to check it out over at the Vis-A-Vis MySpace page.

Heart and Soul (1986)
Shadowplay (1987)