Monthly Archives: February 2011

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/Bands ~ Gary Numan on the Brink of Something Great

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Copyright 2011 Mimi

Gary Numan gave his fans a taste of what’s in store from the upcoming and long-awaited album Dead Son Rising. He posted an announcement that segments from three of the album’s songs were available to preview on his site NuWorld.

The three songs are titled, “The Fall,” “Captured Underground Noise Transmission” (please, no comments about the acronym this title forms), and “When The Sky Bleeds, He Will Come.” All three are killer tunes, with Gary Numan’s signature Gothic/industrial sound apparent in each. There’s a full live version of “The Fall” on YouTube that we have been enjoying for some time. All of this begs the question, “When is the long-awaited album going to be released?”

Fans are hoping for a release prior to the Back To The Phuture shows scheduled for the Manchester Academy and The Troxy April 1 & 2. We have learned to live with a great span of time between releases because Gary is a notoriously detail-oriented perfectionist. No complaints there. His collections produced and released since 1994, although painfully few and far between, have been magnificently crafted works of which he deserves to be very proud.

Just a random aside – I posted a comment similar to this on David Marsden’s site in a discussion about what’s wrong with today’s music: The boss and I had an interesting non-work discussion the other day. He is a classically trained musician (as is my husband). I had the boss listen to “Angel Wars” by Gary Numan, and he made mention of the use of the tritone or “devil’s note” in the song. It seems that this tonal dissonance is used by many non-mainstream musicians, and it gives a more raw and cutting edge to the music. This tends to be the music I am most drawn to, because it evokes more than just an aural response – it actually resonates within the body, adding a physical piece to the overall experience.

If you haven’t experienced Sacrifice (1994), Exile (1997), Pure (2000), or Jagged (2006) with your entire being, you are missing out on some of the most cutting-edge and vital dark wave music made over the last 17 years. Successful as a punk, post-punk, then synth-wave pioneer, Gary Numan has never shied away from experimentation and reinvention. But, he really hit his stride when he crossed over to the heavier side of music. He bares his soul for all to see, building a safe haven for all of our darkest and deepest emotions to dwell as we lose ourselves in the hard-edged tunes born of his own emotion-riddled creations.

Am I anxious for more brilliant Gothic/industrial Gary Numan in the form of Dead Son Rising? Oh, yeah.

Go to Gary Numan’s official website, where you can purchase his music, DVDs and other licensed merchandise.

“The Fall” via YouTube user wwwdeadheavencouk:

“The Angel Wars” via YouTube user voypacuenca:

“Pure” via YouTube user deadliner: 

“Haunted” via YouTube user knightvision:

Studio Album Discography

Tubeway Army (1978)
Replicas (1979)
The Pleasure Principle (1979)
Telekon (1980)
Dance (1981)
I, Assassin (1982)
Warriors (1983)
Berserker (1984)
The Fury (1985)
Strange Charm (1986)
Metal Rhythm (1988)
Automatic (1989)
Outland (1991)
Machine and Soul (1992)
The Radial Pair: Video Soundtrack (1994)
Sacrifice (1994)
Human (unreleased) (1995)
Exile (1997)
Pure (2000)
Jagged (2006)
Replicas Redux (2008)
The Pleasure Principle 30th Anniversary Edition (2009)

Marsbar Playlist ~ 2-27-2011

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February 27, 2011

David Marsden on the Rock.FM every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Sunday nights are a time to get mellow in anticipation of the upcoming week. We had a chance to so just that, with some salsa thrown on top to keep it interesting.

This week, David Marsden will celebrate a big birthday. I think I speak for everyone when I say, “Happy Birthday David! We love you and appreciate everything you’ve done for us over the years – all of the hard work and dedication. Have a wonderful day….and celebrate the start of a year full of even more fabulous things to come.”

Thank you JerusalemSlim for all of your assistance – it’s truly appreciated.
(Updated 3-4-2011 – Thank you JS!)

 ~ MissParker ~

Adam Cohen – Cry Ophelia
Blue Rodeo – Lost Together
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Deep Purple – Help!
Derek & The Dominoes – Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
Dire Straits – Where Do You Think You’re Going?
Duane Eddy – Ghost Riders In The Sky
City Boy – The Violin
Elbow – An Audience With The Pope
Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy
Firesign Theatre – The Straight People
Frank Zappa – Let’s Make The Water Turn Black
Gordon Deppe – Between Two Floors
Hunter Valentine – Van City
Joe Cocker – Everybody Hurts
Jon & Vangelis – The Friends Of Mr. Cairo
Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
Kinks – Catch Me Now I’m Falling
Kinks – Celluloid Heroes (Live)
Klaatu – Dog Star
Leon Russell – A Song For You
Lou Reed – Ride Sally Ride
Marianne Faithfull – Broken English
Mick Ronson – Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
Muse – Uprising
My Morning Jacket – Look At You
Nick Lowe – Cruel To Be Kind
Northern Pikes – Girl With A Problem
Pink Floyd – Arnold Layne
Quentin Crisp – Stop The Music For A Minute
Raised By Swans – Violet Light
Rheostatics – Who Is That Man And Why Is He Smiling?
Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast – Science Fiction Double Feature
Roger Waters – Who Needs Information
Rough Trade – Grade B Movie
Scissor Sisters – Invisible Light
Silencers – Bulletproof Heart
Slave To The SQUAREwave – My Beautiful
Specials – Ghost Town
Supertramp – Cannonball
Taj Mahal – Take A Giant Step
The The – Sweet Bird Of Truth
Tin Star Orphans – Wear A Frown
Tom Robinson – Atmospherics (Listen To The Radio)
Ultravox – Vienna
Van Morrison – T.B. Sheets
Velvet Underground – New Age
Violent Kin – Velvet Hideout
Vis A Vis – Shadowplay
Vital Sines – Collage
Vladymir Rogov – If A Tree Falls
Waterboys – Independence Day

For previous David Marsden lists starting from 2003, visit RalphD’s blog “Marsbar Theater.” Ralph is the creator and original caretaker of the lists.

Marsbar Playlist ~ 2-26-2011

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February 26, 2011

David Marsden on the Rock.FM every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

The five hours of tonight’s show flew by – that’s what happens when we are having the time of our lives. The music was fantastic, delivered only the way that the master of free-form broadcasting can – with style and panache.

Join us tomorrow night when David Marsden will walk with us down the path of music the way it was meant to be heard….from 7 pm until midnight on 94.9 TheRock.FM from Oshawa.

 ~ MissParker ~

Arcade Fire – Ready To Start
Aztec Camera – Walk Out To Winter
Beck – Diamond Dogs
Belouis Some – Some People
Billy Idol – Dancing With Myself
Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy (1994 release)
Charlatans UK – The Only One I Know
Clash   – The Magnificent Seven
Concrete Blonde – Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)
Cut Copy – Need You Now
Daft Punk – Human After All
Danny Marks – Big Town Boy
Evermore – It’s Too late
Fiat Lux – Blue Emotion
Gary Numan – Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
Gentleman Reg – We’re In A Thunderstorm
Hawaiian Pups – Baby Judy
Heaven 17 – Let Me Go
HIM – You Are The One
Holly Johnson & Friends – Ferry Cross The Mersey
Icehouse – Electric Blue
Jackie Shane – Any Other Way
Jason Collett – Love Is A Chain
Joel Plaskett Emergency – Fashionable People
Killing Joke – Love Like Blood
Kinks – Permanent Waves
Kissing The Pink – Certain Things Are Likely
Lightning Seeds – Marvellous
Long John Baldry – (Don’t Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On) The King Of Rock & Roll
M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume
Madness – Our House
Martha & The Muffins – Black Stations / White Stations
Mavis Staples – Eyes On The Prize
Midge Ure – If I Was
Motors – Love & Loneliness
New Pornographers – Myriad Harbour
Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party
Phil Manzanera & 801 – City Of Light
Pink Floyd – High Hopes
Rammstein – Los
Robbie Robertson – Fallen Angel
Roger Taylor – People On Streets
Simple Minds – Promised You A Miracle
Slave To The SQUAREwave  – Pumpin’ Up The ‘P’ House
Spoons – Two Thousand Years
Spoons – Ciao
Tin Star Orphans – Jaw Wired Shut
Utah Saints – Love Song
Vibrators – Disco In Moscow
Yello – The Race

For previous David Marsden lists starting from 2003, visit RalphD’s blog “Marsbar Theater.” Ralph is the creator and original caretaker of the lists.

Marsbar Playlist ~ 2-20-2011

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February 20, 2011

David Marsden on the Rock.FM every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

To our Canadian friends – have a lovely holiday tomorrow. To those of us in the states who don’t have posh government jobs, well, it’s just another Monday, but we have been energized to see it through. David Marsden’s free-form broadcasting at it’s best has ensured that. Let’s meet back next weekend so we can all do it over again. Sound like a plan?

JerusalemSlim – thank you so much for your invaluable help. Enjoy your week!

 ~ MissParker ~

69 Eyes – Betty Blue
A’s – A Woman’s Got The Power
B.B. King – Hummingbird
Barclay James Harvest – Mocking Bird
Blackmore’s Night – I Still Remember
Blind Faith – Presence Of The Lord
Bob Geldof – This Is The World Calling
Box – My Dreams Of You
Boys Brigade – The Passion Of Love
City Boy – 5000 Years/Don’t Know Can’t Tell
Colin James – Lost Again
Cottage Industry – Things Go Up
Crimea – The Great Unknown
Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
Daniel Lanois – The Maker
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
David Usher – Love Will Save the Day
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Dee Long – Wicked
Diodes – Tired Of Waking Up Tired
English Beat – Tears Of A Clown
Fixx – Saved By Zero
Flash & The Pan – California
FM – Phasers On Stun
Genesis – Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
Gentleman Reg – When Heroes Change Professions
Harrison Fjord – Docking With Jesus
Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Jason Collett – Vanderpool Vanderpool
Killing Joke – Sanity
King Crimson – I Talk To The Wind
Kinks – A Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy
Leon Russell – Tight Rope
Lewis Furey – The Sky Is Falling
Long John Baldry (feat. Kathi McDonald) – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
Lords Of The New Church – Dance With Me
Lyle Lovett – I’ve Been To Memphis
Oingo Boingo – I Am The Walrus
Peter Murphy – Cuts You Up
Phil Lynott – Solo In Soho
Portishead – Toy Box
Propellerheads feat. Shirley Bassey – Light My Fire
Pukka Orchestra – A Wonderful Time To Be Young
Rocky Horror Picture Show – Fanfare/Don’t Dream It
Roger Waters – The Tide Is Turning (After Live Aid)
Roger Waters – Towers Of Faith
Scissor Sisters  – Mary
Secret Service – Flash In The Night
Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes – The Fever
Tanita Tikaram – Twist In My Sobriety
Temptations – Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
Troggs – Love Is All Around
Vanity Project – So. Cal
Violent Kin – Velvet Hideout

For previous David Marsden lists starting from 2003, visit RalphD’s blog “Marsbar Theater.” Ralph is the creator and original caretaker of the lists.

Marsbar Playlist ~ 2-19-2011

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February 19, 2011

David Marsden on the Rock.FM every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

David wove a tapestry of fine listening that took us on the perfect Saturday night magic carpet ride. Join us Sunday night from 7 pm until midnight to embark on your own personalized journey with David Marsden at the helm…you will not be disappointed.

Many thanks to JerusalemSlim for doing Saturday night yeoman’s duty to assist a stuffy-headed MissP.

 ~ MissParker ~

After The Fire – Der Kommissar
Alice in Videoland – Going Down
Alphaville – Big In Japan
Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies)
Art Of Noise (feat. Max Headroom) – Paranoimia (Extended Version)
Audience – The House On The Hill
Autograph – Turn Up The Radio
Bauhaus – She’s In Parties
Boomtown Rats – Rat Trap
Brendan Canning – Love Is New
Bruce Springsteen – Secret Garden (‘Jerry Maguire Mix’)
Champion Heartache – Things I Left Behind
Clash – Mustapha Dance
Cliks – Complicated 
Comsat Angels – You Move Me
Crack The Sky – Safety In Numbers
Cure – The Caterpillar (Flicker Mix)
Deftones – Drive
Depeche Mode – Route 66 (Beatmasters Mix)
Dr. Feelgood – Bonie Maronie
Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson – Cleanhead Blues
End Games – First Last For Everything
Frank Zappa – Flakes
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Happy Mondays – Hallelujah
Hard Fi – Suburban Knights
Iggy Pop – The Passenger
Images In vogue – Just Like You
Jason Collett – Love Is A Chain
Jeremy Fisher – Lemon Meringue Pie
Jerry Falwell – Spoken word excerpt (“Movie stars not married to each other…”)
Jesus & Mary Chain – Head On
Joe Cocker – A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Lighthouse Family – High
Living Colour – Glamour Boys
Oingo Boingo – You Really Got Me
Pink Floyd – Wot’s…Uh The Deal?
Priddle Concern – Dive
Pursuit Of Happiness – I’m An Adult Now
Rammstein – Du Hast
Scissor Sisters – Return To Oz
Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
Slave To The SQUAREwave  – Sinners Of Saint Avenue
Soft Boys – I Got The Hots
Spoons – Ciao
Spoons – Romantic Traffic
TBA – Love Across The Nation
Thompson Twins – Don’t Mess With Dr. Dream
Tin Star Orphans – Jaw Wired Shut
Type O Negative – Cinnamon Girl
Vangelis – Main Titles from ‘Blade Runner’ (excerpt)
Villians – Wendy’s Melody
Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division

 For previous David Marsden lists starting from 2003, visit RalphD’s blog “Marsbar Theater.” Ralph is the creator and original caretaker of the lists.

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/Band ~ Pop Will Eat Itself

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The 80’s band Pop Will Eat Itself (PWEI) formed in Stourbridge, England in 1986. This band is definitely not for the faint of heart. In a huge departure from this site’s usual spotlight on 80s New Wave, Gothic, and post-punk bands comes a hard-core, cutting edge group that defies classification. Using elements of punk, New Wave, industrial, and alternative, flavored with a healthy dose of angst and fury, Pop Will Eat Itself couldn’t be any further removed from “pop,” which makes their nickname, the Poppies, ironic indeed. Think anti-Milli Vanilli in its most extreme form, and you will only begin to scratch the surface of the sound that PWEI generates full steam ahead.

PWEI produced a lot of music that seemed destined for a very narrow audience. It was definitely ahead of the 90s proto-punk industrial wave curve, but the path the band was forging remained largely ignored. Consisting of highly trained and experienced musicians from diverse backgrounds, Pop Will Eat Itself stormed into the music scene, oblivious of trends, and making music that suited their own creative needs. Little did the world know that these raw and unrefined musicians were forming a strong foundation for the 90s.

Check this band out. It may not be your taste, but listen with an open mind. It’s a trip to go back with a fresh set of ears and see how a raucous, noisy, and vital band “quietly” influenced a genre of music that was evolving and at the ready to take its place in the next decade. PWEI are unsung visionaries who contributed a whole lot more than the mere sum of their parts to the music industry.

Purchase Pop Will Eat Itself music here.

“Def Con One” via YouTube user apesgrapes:

“Their Law” (cover) via YouTube user tabanger:

“Bulletproof” via YouTube user Smoggychris:

“Can U Dig It?” via YouTube user DEFFX39:

“Not Now James We’re Busy” via YouTube user 1michelemichele1:
 

Discography

Box Frenzy (1987)
Now for a Feast! (1988)
This Is the Day…This Is the Hour…This Is This! (1989)
Cure for Sanity (1990)
The Looks or the Lifestyle? (1992)
Weird’s Bar and Grill (Live) (1993)
16 Different Flavours of Hell (Best of) (1993)
Dos Dedos Mis Amigos (1994)
Two Fingers My Friends! (1995)
Wise Up Suckers (BMG best of) (1996)
The Radio 1 Sessions 1986-87 (1997)
PWEI Product 1986-1994 (Anthology) (2002)

80’s Music Rules ~ More from Retrospect CFRC-FM ~ 02-15-11

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Most of what Ed plays cannot be heard on mainstream radio. They don’t have the nerve to stray outside of a safety zone of boring, formulaic music. Ed’s not afraid to take us to the “dark side,” entertaining us with, in many cases, things we’ve never heard before. If it lounges in a bargain bin somewhere, it’s fair game for Ed-FM. Retrospect, and our listening pleasure. Ed will be away the next couple of weeks, but he’s sure to return with enough obscurities to make up for his absence.

Be sure to tune in to Ed and his ”come on over to the dark side” 80’s Retrospect show on CFRC-FM from 8 pm until 10 pm on Tuesday nights. Ed takes requests by phone: (613) 533-CFRC (2372) or email: retrospectcfrc at yahoo dot ca. Indulge yourself in some “80’s Music that doesn’t suck.” I guarantee die-hard 80’s New Wave/Post-punk fans will not be disappointed.

CFRC-FM Playlist February 15, 2011

Basement of Carruthers Hall in Queens University, Kingston, Ontario  
ED-FM ~ Retrospect
80’s Music That Doesn’t Suck
If the “Listen Live” link on the CFRC Website doesn’t work, copy and paste this URL into your Windows Media Player: http://sunsite.queensu.ca:8000/
Join us in the Chat Room during the show – either click the link on the right menu under the Rave and Roll graphic, or here.
To listen to any shows that you may have missed, go to the CFRC website and look up the archives under the “Programming” drop-down menu. You can enjoy Ed’s previous shows in one-hour increments. 

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – The World Is My Oyster/Welcome To The Pleasure Dome (Side A)
Instructions – The Factory
Dead or Alive – The Stranger
Nash The Slash – 19th Nervous Breakdown
Telex – Twist St. Tropez
Victims Of Pleasure – Jack & Jill
Chain Of Fun – Love Inside
Art Of Noise feat. Duane Eddy – Peter Gunn (extended)
Simple Minds – Waterfront (12 inch)
Soft Boys – Kingdom Of Love
Way Of The West – Drum (social mix)
Strange Advance – Love Becomes Electric (club mix)
It’s Immaterial – Gigantic Raft (tempest mix)
Interferon – Steam Hammer Sam
Chalk Circle – This Mourning
Human League – Open Your Heart
Fun Boy Three – Our Lips Are Sealed
Boys Brigade – Melody
Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party (party ‘til you’re dead mix)

Marsbar Playlist ~ 2-13-2011

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February 13, 2011

David Marsden on the Rock.FM every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all! David launched our week in the right direction once again. We look forward to a smooth week, and the chance to do it all over again this coming weekend….Saturday and Sunday night from 7 pm until midnight.

Special thanks and a Happy Valentine’s Day to JerusalemSlim for his much-appreciated assist with tonight’s list.

 ~ MissParker ~

801 – City Of Light
Band (with The Staples) – The Weight
Bruce Cockburn – Coldest Night Of The Year
Bryan Ferry – I Put A Spell On You
Chalk Circle – April Fool
Champion – My Black Saab
Classics IV – Spooky
Cliff Edwards – When You Wish Upon A Star
Crash Test Dummies – The In-Between Place
Crosby, Stills and Nash – Wooden Ships
David Bowie – Diamond Dogs
David Usher – Black Black Heart
Dee Long – Good Night Universe
Dr. John – Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
Econoline Crush – All That You Are
Elbow – Starlings
Elliott Murphy – Rock Ballad
Elton John & Leon Russell – In The Hands Of Angels
Fire Diviner – Wither and Die
Jason Collett – Vanderpool Vanderpool
Jimi Hendrix – Rainy Day, Dream Away
Joel Plaskett – Rewind
Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Speedboat
Magazine – The Light Pours Out Of Me
Marillion – Angelina
Mark Knopfler – Nobody’s Got The Gun
Martha & The Muffins – Echo Beach (30th Anniversary Version)
Matthew Sweet – Dark Secret
Odetta (feat. Dr. John) – Please Send Me Someone To Love
Orchestral Manoeuvres – In The Dark Secret
Patti Smith Group – Frederick
Paul Hyde – Started Smoking Again
Pink Floyd – Childhood’s End
Placebo – Pure Morning
Records – Starry Eyes
Rick Wakeman – Anne Boleyn
Robbie Robertson – Testimony
Roger Waters  – Sunset Strip
Rupert Hine – The Set-Up
Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Slave To The SQUAREwave – A Love Unknown
Slave To The SQUAREwave – Dirty Disco
Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair
Sparklehorse (feat. Thom Yorke) – Wish You Were Here
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Make Me Smile (Come Up & See Me)
Strange Advance – We Run (12″ version)
Stranglers – The Raven
T. Rex – Cosmic Dancer
Talking Heads – I Zimbra
Thunderclap Newman – Accidents
Tom Robinson – War Baby
Tommy Bolin – Bustin’ Out For Rosey
Ultravox – Love’s Great Adventure
Violent Kin – Keep Your Balance
Vladymir Rogov – Lincoln Walk

For previous David Marsden lists starting from 2003, visit RalphD’s blog “Marsbar Theater.” Ralph is the creator and original caretaker of the lists.

Marsbar Playlist ~ 2-12-2011

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February 12, 2011

David Marsden on the Rock.FM every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

As David leads us up to Valentine’s day, has has managed to touch each and every one of us with the precious Valentine gift of music. There was definitely something for everyone as he spun his heart out on the turntable, finding powerful songs that would hold special meaning for all of us. It’s a priceless gift that few know how to give – David’s been doing it every time he heats up the airwaves for the past half-century. Every show of his is a gift, and we are the lucky recipients.

To be a part of this magical connection, join us tomorrow night at 7 pm until midnight. Once you realize what you’ve been missing, there’s no going back.

 ~ MissParker ~

(Spoken Word) – Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Art Of Noise – Beat Box
Book Of Love – Boy
Boomtown Rats – Dave
Brian Eno/ John Cale – Spinning Away
China Crisis – African & White
Cliks – Red & Blue
Colourbox – In This Arena
Concrete Blonde – Everybody Knows
Cure – The Caterpillar
Dalbello – Animal
Dave Rave – Good News
Dee Long – Mad Magazine
Demics – New York City
Elbow – An Audience With The Pope
Elsiane – Prosaic
Elton John & Leon Russell – A Dream Come True
Fall Out Boy – Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
Fools – It’s A Night For Beautiful Girls
Gary Numan – Cars
Gentleman Reg   – We’re In A Thunderstorm
Grace Jones – Ladies & Gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones
Hunter Valentine – Van City
Iggy Pop – Pumpin’ For Jill
Julian Cope – Soldier Blue
Kasabian – Butcher Blues
Kinks – Lost & Found
Lee Michaels – Heighty Hi
Living Colour – Glamour Boys
Lotus Eaters – The First Picture Of You
Madness – One Step Beyond
Moev – Open Mind
Northern Pikes – The Things I Do For Money
Paul Revere & The Raiders – Indian Reservation (The Lament of The Cherokee Nation)
Peter Murphy – Marlene Dietrich’s Favourite Poem
Pink Floyd – One Of These Days
Pop Will Eat Itself – Def Con One
Rammstein – Sehnsucht
Roger Waters  – Who Needs Information?
Rough Trade – All Touch
Shriekback – Nemesis
Slave To The SQUAREwave  – Healing Hands
Spiral Beach  – Midnight
Spoons – Nova Heart
Spoons – Ciao
Stranglers – Walk On By
Strawbs – Queen Of Dreams
Tal Bachman – Darker Side of Blue
Teenage Head – Let’s Shake
Tim Curry – I Do The Rock
Tom Robinson – Listen To The Radio
Ultravox – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
Vladymir Rogov – Where Is Love

For previous David Marsden lists starting from 2003, visit RalphD’s blog “Marsbar Theater.” Ralph is the creator and original caretaker of the lists.

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/Bands ~ The Damned

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The Damned formed in 1976 with Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Brian James, all former members of punk-genre groups. When Scabies and James initially decided to strike out on their own, they invited Sid Vicious and Dave Vanian to audition for lead vocalist. Vanian was the only one to show up, so he got the job. Thus began The Damned, a vital, eclectic, and important influence on the 80’s music scene.

The Damned released their first album, Damned Damned Damned, which was coincidentally the first album to be released by a British punk band. Not only was it a first, it garnered some minor hits, and worldwide recognition for the band. A US tour shortly followed (another British punk band ”first”), and The Damned began to set a solid foothold in the highly volatile late 70’s punk rock scene.

After recruiting a second guitarist known simply as Lu, the band released a second album which reportedly was not promoted properly and tanked miserably .The band broke up and ended their recording relationship with their label. They tentatively reformed without James, signed on with a different label, experimented with switching roles, and headed back into the studio to try for another successful album release. During this phase, Vanian changed from typical punk front man to a more melodic and Gothic flare, giving the band the reputation of being one of the first to give birth to the genre.

From Wikipedia:

Machine Gun Etiquette featured a strong 1960s garage rock influence, with Farfisa organ in several songs. Recording at Wessex Studios at the same time as The Clash were there to record London Calling, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones made an uncredited vocal appearance on the title track. Fans and critics were pleasantly surprised, and Machine Gun Etiquette received largely positive reviews; Ira Robbins and Jay Pattyn described it as “A great record by a band many had already counted out.”

Ward was replaced by Paul Gray in 1980. After a couple of years and another album and EP release, The Damned added a full-time keyboardist, Roman Jugg, to fill in for Sensible who not only was splitting his time between guitar and keyboards, he was also splitting his time between The Damned and his own solo career. Captain Sensible made the jump to his solo career full time in 1984, leaving Jugg to take over the guitarist spot. Bryn Merrick was also added on Bass.

In 1985, the band decided to play up Vanian’s penchant for vampire-esque looks and music. They released Phantasmogoria, noted for its decidedly Gothic sound. The band found success with a non-album release of the single “Eloise” which charted in the UK Top Ten. In 1986, they released the album Anything, a commercial flop as a whole; but one very moody, elegant, and beautiful track, “In Dulce Decorum,” was included on the “Miami Vice II” soundtrack. This was my first introduction to the group, and remains my personal favorite.

The group broke up officially after releasing the aptly titled live album recording The Final Damnation.

Purchase The Damned music here.

“In Dulce Decorum” via YouTube user jebekijkthetmaar:

 “In Dulce Decorum (Dub Version)” via YouTube user roberteitor:

“Eloise” via YouTube user eddieredblood:

“Alone Again Or” via YouTube user livingdeadpunk138:

“Grimly Fiendish” via YouTube user NightNursebetty:

“Neat Neat Neat” via YouTube user r200300418:

 Discography

Damned, Damned, Damned (18 February 1977)
Music for Pleasure (18 November 1977)
Machine Gun Etiquette (2 November 1979)
The Black Album (20 October 1980)
Strawberries (1 October 1982)
Phantasmagoria (15 July 1985)
Anything (5 December 1986)
Not of This Earth (11 November 1995)
Grave Disorder (21 August 2001)
So, Who’s Paranoid? (10 November 2008)