Fritz's New Wave Relics

[Fritz]

As I mentioned in my forum introduction, one of my favorite musical genres is New Wave in all its diverse sub-genres. 

I thought I might share some less well known and forgotten nuggets I've come across over the years (my own collection is pretty extensive).  They'll likely run the gamut from late 70s Power Pop to Ska, Synthpop to New Romantic, Punk to Post-Punk, and I may even throw in some 80's Disco Pop and Italo from Europe as well - All stuff you won't likely hear on your 80s Spotify channels.

First up:

4 Out of 5 Doctors "Not From Her World" from their self-titled debut album (1980)




This Washington D.C.-based New Wave/Power Pop act released two albums on Nemporor/CBS Records.  Though they toured and opened for many well known acts of the time, they never really had much commercial success outside their home region. 

4 Out of 5 Doctors really typify the early years of New Wave, adding humorous lyrics to their catchy pop tunes.  They were just fun!  Their self-titled first album is a gem, but their 1982 follow-up Second Opinion was all-but ruined by the producers, who wanted them to be more of a hard rock act - which was not really their shtick.  With the exception of a couple tunes, it's pretty forgettable imho.  They broke up after that. 

[Fritz]

Naked Eyes "Voices In My Head" from their self-titled debut album (aka Burning Bridges in UK) (1983)




Naked Eyes was a synthpop duo from Bath, England - Pete Byrne (vocals) and Rob Fisher (keyboards).  They are of course best known for their two biggest Top 40 hits "Always Something There to Remind Me" and "Promises, Promises", but they produced two full albums of great hook-laden synthpop tunes.  Sadly, the group never toured because the technology of the day didn't allow for the two of them to reproduce their lush multi-layered synth sound in concert.

Trivia:  Bryne and Fisher were originally in another group called Neon with several future members of Tears For Fears.

[porkchop]

I'm going to be a regular on these posts. Absolutely love the 1980's New Wave, Synthpop, Darkwave, Punk, and Post-Punk scenes. Guide me on this journey through the 80's, Fritz.

[Fritz]

The The "Perfect" - Single (1983)




The The is a post-punk/alternative vehicle of the singer/songwriter Matt Johnson.  Together with an ever-changing cast of collaborators he has been producing music since 1979.

[Fritz]

Thompson Twins "Make Believe" (Let's Pretend) - 12" Single (1981)




No they weren't twins and nobody was named Thompson; the core of this British New Wave band were the trio of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway. The group's name actually comes from the two bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson in Hergé's comic strip The Adventures of Tintin.

Although they are best known for a string of Top 40 mainstream synthpop hits in the mid-80's, like "Hold Me Now" (1983), they were pretty experimental in their early years, like this song from 1981, featuring Indian sitar.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Thompson Twins on their Into The Gap tour in 1983 with Berlin. They put on an excellent, polished performance. It was probably the single best New Wave concert I ever saw live.

[Fritz]

The Jetzons "Angel" from their self-titled EP (1982)




The Jetzons were a New Wave band hailing from Tempe, Arizona. Like bands like Rank & File, Rubber Rodeo, Wall of Voodoo, and Yip Yip Coyote, they added a bit of local C&W flavor to their New Wave. Perhaps not full-on Cowpunk, but the influence was still there.

[Fritz]

The Hooters "Man In The Street" - demo (1980)




Many people remember The Hooters for "And We Danced", "All You Zombies", and their performance at Live Aid in 1985, but they were kicking around the Philly club scene for years before any of that ever happened. When the DJs at Philly's premier FM Rock station WMMR heard this Reggae/Ska-infused demo jam in 1980, they loved it and gave it regular airplay. For years everybody wondered when their album would come out, but the big labels were unimpressed. Finally released a couple of indie singles and finally an EP titled Amore in 1983. It sold over 100,000 copies just locally and the rest is as they say, "history".

I saw The Hooters a bunch of times in those early years. In fact, my older brother's band used to open for them at the local clubs. When they finally got their big break with Columbia, one of their first concerts was at my college. My buddies and I were in the front row and I still have their handwritten playlist, snatched from one of the stage monitors. We even ran into the band at the local McDonald's later that night, getting a late-night snack.

[porkchop]

I absolutely love The Hooters. Have two original pressings of Amore. You hear All You Zombies from time to time here in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, but not so much else where in my experience.

[Fritz]

Yeah, "All You Zombies" was always a favorite with the Philly fans.  WMMR regularly played their live cut from the 1980 Emerald City show, years before it first showed up in studio form on Amore.

[porkchop]

I used to be an avid listener of WMMR and WMGK, but over the last 5 years or so, it feels like both have been in a decline for quality, save for the morning shows. Though WMGK sometimes brings in Little Stevie to play rare cuts late at night.

[acidtripper666]

New Wave/Post-Punk is one of my favourite styles.

[Fritz]

The Cars "The Little Black Egg" - demo (1981)




Pretty much everybody knows The Cars. When their Elektra debut single "Just What I Needed" broke into the Top 40 in 1978, for many of us American suburban kids, they were the first New Wave band we'd ever heard. And so started my almost 40-year love of the genre.

This cover of the 1965 song by The Nightcrawlers is a demo from 1981.

[Fritz]

Seona Dancing "More To Lose" - 12" Single (1983)




Seona Dancing was a short-lived New Romantic synth duo from London. They only released two singles, neither of which was successful in the UK. Strangely, their greatest success came in the Philippines, where "More To Lose" became a huge 80's teen anthem. Go figure.

Trivia: Seona Dancing would likely have been forgotten completely, except that the lead singer was a very young and slim Ricky Gervais (yeah, that Ricky Gervais).

[Fritz]

Paul Warren & Explorer "Mr A&R Man" from One Of The Kids (1980)




Michigan-born Paul Warren was originally a regular session player for the famed Motown Hitsville studios. He played on numerous hit records, including "Papa was a Rolling Stone" by The Temptations. Later he was hired as lead guitarist for Ray Manzarek's Nite City. He would go on to become lead singer as well and wrote a number of the songs for their second album, Golden Days Diamond Night (1978).

In the late 1970s, he formed his own Power Pop band Paul Warren & Explorer and was a regular on the Sunset Strip club scene. They released their first and only album One Of The Kids on RSO Records in 1980, but it failed to chart.

Warren would later go on to play guitar for numerous big-name acts, including Tina Turner, Richard Marx, Joe Cocker, and Rod Stewart.

[mrbluesky]

Cool to see fellow Hooters fans on here. Love this band although sadly never made much impression here in the UK. Saw them supporting Heart I think it was in the late 80's and was pleased they were just as good live as on album.

They did a great cover of ' The Boys Of Summer' a few years back.