Various Artists - Greatest Hits of The New Romantic (3 Disc Set)



Quite a collection of some of the 1980's best music is available on this set - and there is surely something for everyone. The term "New Romantic" came to me probably a little late, I first recall hearing it in 7th grade when groups like Duran Duran and Culture Club were scoring big chart hits but not yet registering on DaddyRich's musical radar. As with most "scenes" in music, it's fans and closest adherents is what turned me off of the "movement". It was basically a bunch of guys with spiked, frost-tipped hair and eye-liner in too-tight pants that the girls liked instead of me. More than enough reason to hate it, in my book. Boy those fellas must cringe when old photos are brought up to them. DaddyRich never took the eye-liner plunge, thank God. They all reminded me of the "Anarcho-Romantics" in Cerebus "High Society" (recommended reading if you haven't already), kinda wimpy and over-dressed. But I digress (yes again), and am putting you all to sleep with my stories of the old days. Enjoy the goodness and be kind to the short, fat nerds - they grow up to be handsome music bloggers sometimes. Again, only 2 of the 3, I have been busy lately...


Disc: 1

1. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
2. Spandau Ballet - Gold
3. Duran Duran - Girls On Film
4. The Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
5. Ultravox - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
6. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Tesla Girls
7. Kraftwerk - Showroom Dummies
8. Heaven 17 - Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry
9. Simple Minds - Glittering Prize
10. China Crisis - Wishful Thinking
11. Talk Talk - Talk Talk
12. It Bites - Calling All The Heroes
13. Classix Nouveaux - Inside Outside
14. Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science
15. Midge Ure - If I Was
16. Cabaret Voltaire - Sensoria
17. Japan - Visions Of China
18. Erasure - Sometimes


Disc: 2

1. Duran Duran - Planet Earth
2. Heaven 17 - Temptation
3. Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder - Together In Electric Dreams
4. Talk Talk - It's My Life
5. The Human League - Love Action (I Believe In Love)
6. Spandau Ballet - Chant No 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)
7. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
8. China Crisis - Hanna Hanna
9. Classix Nouveaux - Is It A Dream
10. Devo - Whip It
11. Kraftwerk - Neon Lights
12. Simple Minds - Promised You A Miracle
13. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Joan Of Arc
14. Ultravox - We Came To Dance
15. Erasure - Who Needs Love (Like That)
16. Japan - Cantonese Boy
17. Mick Karn & Midge Ure - After A Fashion
18. Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

Disc 3 - Here it is!

1. Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
2. Kraftwerk - The Model
3. Duran Duran - The Wild Boys
4. The Human League - Open Your Heart
5. Ultravox - Vienna
6. Spandau Ballet - To Cut A Long Story Short
7. Japan - Ghosts
8. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Enola Gay
9. Simple Minds - Life In A Day
10. Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive!
11. China Crisis - African And White
12. Classix Nouveaux - Guilty
13. Belouis Some - Imagination Listen
14. Spandau Ballet - True
15. Yazoo - Only You
16. The Human League - Mirror Man
17. Culture Club - It's A Miracle
18. Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf



links in comments

80's Hits Stripped - Various Artists



Since I am on the 80's tip here for the moment (we never know what's coming next, do we?) I thought I would add this for the other old fogeys who visit the Ape. A good 10 of these 15 tracks were well worn on my record player on a regular basis back in the old days, so if anyone else feels any guilt about that like I do - these versions will validate your youthful indiscretion. I tried to ignore my love for a lot of these for the last 20 years, claiming to have "moved on", but I suppose I never totally did.
In a time when image seemed to matter so much more than actual talent some groups and individuals really made some music that has stood the test of the last 25 years and most likely will continue to as well. Even though my 1980's tastes have usually run to to the more alternative acts for a long time now, there is quite a bit to appreciate here.



1. Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl
2. Colin Hay of Men at Work - Down Under
3. The Outfield - Your Love
4. Berlin - The Metro
5. Howard Jones - No One Is To Blame
6. Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
7. The Motels - Only the Lonely
8. Tommy Tutone - 867-5309/Jenny
9. John Waite - Missing You
10. Heart - These Dreams
11. Thomas Dolby - Blinded Me With Science
12. Naked Eyes - Promises, Promises
13. Asia - Heat of the Moment
14. Jane Wiedlin 0f The Go-Gos - Our Lips Are Listen
15. Billy Squier - The Stroke


link in comments

Duran Duran - Live At The Hamersmith Odeon November 16. 1982



Oh boy, how I did hate Duran Duran back in those days. I was a hip-hop kid as most of my readers and friends here know. You could not get further from hip-hop and in 1982 than these young lads. It took a few years for me to be able to admit that they had more substance than style but it was only a matter of time. They were all very solid musicians and the songwriting was catchy and superb. Although I told no one at the time, I kind of liked the early singles - it was just something I had to keep to myself for fear of being clowned. Looking back on their career now it is full of great songs and performances and I applaud them. (Sound of DaddyRich clapping). This is an earlier show from the Rio tour and surprisingly the sound os top notch as well as the performance. So, put on some eye shadow and leg warmers and start doing that dance.


01. Intro.
02. (Waiting for the) Nightboat
03. New Religion
04. Save a prayer
05. Planet Earth
06. Friends of mine
07. Careless Memories
08. Rio
09. Hungry like the wolf
10. Make me smile (Come up and see me)
11. Girls on film
12. Outro

links are somewhere around here....

Psychedelic Furs - All Of This And Nothing

It just gets better and better here, doesn't it? Another of the overlooked classics from the 1980's. Please don't think of them as the band-with-that-song-from-that-movie because it's just not correct. Well before and after the movie The Furs were putting out great music that was narrowly defined by critics as part of new-wave. More than New Wave, they were a great band that had real musical skills and a gifted singer in Richard Butler. Blessed with one of the most distinctive and wonderful voices in all of popular music this albumcontains 14 of the choicest cuts of their career. I believe there could have been a wonderful double disc made from their songs but I am just a lowly music-bloging-stay-at-home-dad. So, thrill to the sounds of 'Ghost In You', 'Love My Way' and 'Highwire Days' - which contains one of my fave Psych Furs lyrics "get smart/get scared". Indeed and as before, I have many other Furs albums that will find there way here before too long.

Check It Out...
http://rapidshare.de/files/32755729/All_Of_This_And_Nothing.zip

Bauhaus - Swing The Heartache: The BBC Sessions 1980-1983 (Released 1989)

These are the BBC Recordings of the great Bauhaus from the early 1980's, before any of their albums were made. Some songs were later released in slightly different forms on later LP's and singles. In my opinion Peter Murphy is is much better form here vocally than on later releases as evidenced on 'Ziggy Stardust', 'A God In An Alcove' and other gems. This is the boys with only sparse production and sans overdubs and is, therefore, a truly unique musical memoir of what it would have been like to hear them play in the early days. I have many Bauhaus bootlegs from both era's of their lifespan and very much recommend this as the top of the heap for early material. Also, 'Party of the First Part' is just pure fun.

Enjoy my good friends, Enjoy!

http://rapidshare.de/files/32689602/Swing_the_Heartache.zip

Oingo Boingo - Alive (1988)

Another personal favorite from the vaults that way too many people have never heard of. I have Jeff to thank for my appreciation of these guys and myself to blame for never geting to see them in concert. They were a California band and I was a California kid and I figured they'd be around forever. And why not? Didn't they consistently sellout every show of every venue they played with their legendary concerts? Why fold and call it a career at the height of your popularity? Please address your questions to the mercurial Mr. Elfman. Regardless, this album of live re-recordings is as close as some of us will ever get to experience a Boingo show. If you do enjoy this 2 disc adventure (and you will) I highly recommend the dvd of 'Farewell' that captures the last show - it is bar none the best concert dvd I have ever seen. So, thanks for coming by and tell your friends.

http://rapidshare.de/files/20608873/Boingo_Alive_Disc_1.zip
http://rapidshare.de/files/20611009/Boingo_Alive_Disc_2.zip


p.s. comments are appreciated.

Tears For Fears - The Hurting (Expanded Edition)

A blast from the early 1980's that still sounds good today. Fans of the Donnie Darko movie may recall having heard the song 'Mad World' sung by another singer on the soundtrack - Gary Jules. Many good cuts here and, in my humble opinion, every bit as good as their smash 'Songs From The Big Chair'. Hope you enjoy.

http://rapidshare.de/files/32217462/Tears_For_Fears.zip