Whether they're a household name or Euro-obscurity - these disco dollies and new-wave foxes definitely knew how to sex-up an album cover. Let's have a look...
British kids TV was way better when we were younger.
The raise of female fronted garage rock bands is great. Vivian Girls. Dum Dum Girls. Best Coast. Grass Widow. Girls at Dawn. Pens. Veronica Falls. Las Robertas. You may argue they kind of sound the same but if they would drop the reverberation imagine how great that would be. Sure, it might be exactly that what makes current garage rock (male voices are doing the same) garage rock but The Splinters don't use it and they sound genuine and absolutely great. What a band they are, the Splinters. Pure garage rock. But are the new generation garage rock bands, or lo-fi as they probably prefer, fronted by women something new and so 21st century? I'm sorry, but it's nothing new. Because, for instance in 1980, there were the Bangs. Not to be confused by the 90s band The Bangs, though in sound you'd love both. The 80s Bangs were three LA girls who shared their passion for 60s music. Beatles, Mamas & the Papas, Simon & Garfunkel (they would later in their career have a hit single with a cover), The Seed, The Byrds, the Randalls, these girls loved harmonies and they loved 60s garage. They released a fairly (underground) successful single 'Gettin' out of hand/Call on me' and were the darling of the Paisley Underground. They then did something the now generation garage rock bands don't - they got themselves a bassist. They rocked, they had fantastic voices which sang in harmonies and yes, they looked sexy too. If the Dum Dum Girls had been living at that time, they'd probably look and sound like the Bangs. As the Bangs got more known, another band with the same name got aware and threatened to sue the girls. They renamed themselves and recorded a self-titled EP: The Bangles were born. Their debut EP was filled with 5 garage rock pearls and the future looked bright for the four, but not before firing their bassist and hiring a new one. With their new bassist they recorded a long player which was released in 1984, 'All over the place'. It sounded raw and sweet. The Paisley Underground was proud of their very own Fab Four as they were dubbed. The girls enjoyed their sweaty gigs and were giving their new bassist her very own moment, the Seeds 'Pushin' too hard'. It was a highlight of their shows. Then something happened which might be typical for that time and probably wouldn't happen anymore, mainly because record labels will not spend their time and money into turning small bands into mainstream chart toppers. Record labels are not interested in that anymore. The Bangles were signed to a Big Label and damn you Prince for having an interest in the Paisley Underground and the Bangles.He wrote them the power pop tune Manic Monday. Add a marketing campaign for Susanna Hoffs Big Brown Eyes and you have a more successful version of the Go-go's. The rest is history. The Bangles released 'Hazy shade of winter' an old-school Bangles version of the Simon and Garfunkel classic for the now cult movie 'Less than zero'. Also 'Everything', their 1988 album, featured heavier songs but also spawned their biggest hit 'Eternal Flame' which launched the band into a break up. The band had turned into a huge success but not the way the girls had wanted to, not to mention they agreed on. But before all that, before it all was over, the Bangles were the pride and joy of the Paisley Underground, their jangle pop-folk-garage-rock with punkish hooks was a delight and it still is today. Whenever I hear the early Bangles stuff I sigh happily and wish reverberation was never invented. Sure, it gives a lo-fi 60s sound, but you can accomplish that without. Do it girls, I'm begging you!
Stuff to help you remember the past.
***NEW*** Click on the series title for ULTIMATE PAGES – which will include book covers and book descriptions*** It’s a work in progress so only a few are ready *** Enjoy! Dream Girls &…
With all of the nostalgia going on around here lately, I was inspired to come up with my own list of retro-awesomeness. If you grew up in the '80s, this list is for you.
Just a quick one today, for the lovely Soulla: I am writing a pilot for TV. Any golden rules/tips/do’s or don’ts to keep in mind for first ep of a series? Here are my thoughts, in no particular order: DON’T write “for the market”. Supernatural stuff might be hot at the moment, but don’t try… Read More »Writing a 60 min TV Pilot (Returning Drama Series)
Hear that? That lovely soft-focus keyboard intro to Eternal Flame is the sound of my tears mixed with the sound of the rain falling down outside. Yes, it's March 1989, I'm 22, Eternal Flame is rocketing up the charts and I've woken up on my first Monday without having a job to go to. I was totally devastated. Not because I liked the job - it was actually okay - but I was going to miss being with all my mates. I worked in a large central London bookshop and had done for the past year. Everyone else who worked there was in exactly the same boat. Just left university with not much of a clue what to do next except to be in London. It was enormous fun. We went out every single night. In retrospect it was exhausting, but I wouldn't have missed it. Everyone there was on a temporary week by week contract that could come to an end at any time, all depending on the mood of the legendary owner, who'd sweep in once a week more or less unnoticed and pick at random. So my day had come. What was I going to do now? If I hadn't been made to leave I might still be there now, it must be said. I'd be one of those unhelpful and rather bitter middle aged men who've lost all social skills except to raise a superior eyebrow and tut. March became April and I remember rainy visits to the Piccadilly Circus branch of Tower Records, looking out the little window of the soundtrack department onto the street below and thinking how much I liked London in the rain. So rather than get despondent, I bucked up. I spent the summer varying between relaxing and lying-in, lying to my parents that I was working full-time, signing on, learning to touch type, doing wine deliveries around London for a friend of a friend who ran a shop in Holland Park where I also did a bit of work, and where Ruby Wax lived over the road, all the while not letting being skint get in the way of having a buoyant social life. And we had a great flat overlooking Battersea Park, £45 a week all-in, including bills. All the while I was applying for jobs. And then something turned up. But that's another entry. (Can't embed from YouTube at the moment). Vid coming soon.
Can you prove you were raised in the greatest decade to be a kid: the ’80s?!
I don’t know about you but old photographs of the Christmas of yore are rather remarkable and fascinate me to no end. All those shiny aluminum trees dripping in tinsel, standing next to the …
It's never the same after the first time.
The typical Lisa Frank design would depict something like dogs playing on the beach, penguins hugging each other on an iceberg, and bunny rabbits doing ballet on rainbows painted by an enthusiastic…
My son was right; I miss Mama’s random bags of stuff at Christmas too. Just like those bags, my Mama overdid it when it came to loving us.
Must Have Nostalgia: Snoopy Sno Cones - See. Want. Must Have!
There are two things that keep my spirits up when everything seems to be going wrong—daydreaming and nostalgia. If you’ve got the blues, there’s nothing like cuddling under a warm blanket, grabbing a mug of hot tea and some childhood snacks, and thinking back to the good old days. (Preferably with an old movie, game, or soundtrack to help you get in the right mood.)
DS would flip if I handed him a Mickey popsicle. I wish they still made them. If anyone has a leftover box in their freezer from the late 80's, I'll buy it;)
Obsessions: Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2012-2013 Fashion Campaign, Mister Sullivan, My Fashion Database, PUNK: Chaos to Couture, Prada SS 2012 Lookbook
Tang Instant Breakfast Drink was invented in 1957. Back in the days, Tang was known as the orange breakfast drink of choice for the ...
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For children, playgrounds are where magic happens. And if you count yourself among Baby Boomers or Gen Xers, you probably have fond memories of high steel...
70s/80s memory triggers
70s/80s memory triggers
