Multi-Generational Synth Rarities (?)

Having to define musical genres can be so annoying!
Is it post-punk? Cold-Wave? Proto-Industrial? Electro? New Wave? Who knows, who cares?

Guerre Froide, "Ersatz", from Untitled, Stechak Records 12", France 1981

 Wikipedia / Official Website / Discogs

Tokow Boys, "Swinging Pool", from Petite Rockette, Virgin France S.A. 12" Maxi, France 1980

Discogs

Police des Moeurs, "La Politique de la Division"

This Montreal, Canada band formed in 2010.

Bandcamp / Discogs / Soundcloud

Circa Tapes, "Adam and Eve", from Adam and Eve,  Romance Moderne digital EP, US 2013

Chicago musician Adam Killing (a.k.a. Adam Sieczka, also from Kill Memory Crash) records under the name Circa Tapes, whose EP was released in 2013.

Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Discogs

Modèle Mécanique, "Dark of the Moon" ca. 2010

Soundcloud / Facebook

Oppenheimer Analysis, "The Devil's Dancers", from Oppenheimer Analysis, Minimal Wave Records 12" remastered EP, US 2005. (Originally released on a 1982 cassette (ed. of 200) entitled New Mexico)

Official Website / Discogs

Department S - Is Vic There?

Department S was a London post-punk band that emerged from the ska scene, as members of an obscure 2-Tone band, Guns for Hire (which has a clever story about them), as well as Madness. They were originally active between 1979 and 1982. "Is Vic There?" is their most well-known song.

Department S, Is Vic There? Demon Records, UK 7", 1980

Front above and rear below.

James Chance

I'm on a James Chance kick lately. He's one of the coolest sax-playing No-Wave heroes of late 70's NYC (Yes, there are actually more than one.) He was in Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Contortions, and James White and the Blacks. His music is aggressive, funky disco-punk mixed with free form jazz. YES!

Brian Eno likes it. 

With the late Anya Phillips who was his girlfriend, manager, and muse. She's a super cool No-Wave hero too.
She died too early in life, in 1981 of cancer.

With Richard Hell.

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Ok, now time to watch videos and hear the songs:

James Chance & The Contortions - Contort Yourself  live at the M-80 Festival, Minneapolis, 09/23/1979. Wish I could have been there!!

James White & The Blacks - Sax Maniac

James Chance & the Contortions - I Can't Stand Myself 

James White & The Blacks - Contort Yourself  This version is different than The Contortions version, more disco and funky.

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James Chance's website

Spandau Ballet, Chant No. 1

This is one of my favorite songs of eternity. Click on the link to download.

Spandau Ballet: Chant No° 1

ABC - Tears Are Not Enough

The ABC single Tears Are Not Enough/Alphabet Soup was released in 1981 on Neutron Records (purveyors of fine product) which was ABC's own indie label formed in 1979. They released an early comp EP (1980: The First Fifteen Minutes, which I NEED) and a couple other singles, but ABC was really Neutron's only band.

"Tears are Not Enough" is also on the 1982 album, Lexicon of Love

The interior artwork is after the jump

Delta 5, Anticipation/You

Delta 5, Anticipation/You, Rough Trade UK 7", 1980

Front cover

Side A, Anticipation (option-click)

Front Cover

Side AA, You (option-click)

Miscellaneous

Harry Callahan, Untitled (Atlanta), 1984

Arthur Siegel, Untitled, from the Series In Search of Myself, 1951

Clock DVA, "Sons of Sons" Download this song by option-clicking.

Verner Panton

Miscellaneous

Poster (or maybe magazine ad) for the 1970 MGB/GT. 

 I know I've expressed interest in this car before, but I will go ahead and repeat how cute I think it is.

The caption translated from Italian: "Audrey Hepburn on the Côte d'Azur. When she does not work, the actress inhabits a villa on Lake Geneva with her husband Mel Ferrer and their son Sean."

The Pop Group. I heard that they've reformed, and that they're playing a few European dates. They should come here!! 

Here's "She is Beyond Good and Evil" (option-click to download)

Miscellaneous

Billie Holiday and Mister by Carl Van Vechten, 1949. 

Living Portraits is a really fantastic collection of Van Vechten photographs of notable African Americans, taken between 1939-1964. Most of the shots are styled with brightly colored textiles and lively props. This photo, though it isn't so bright, is from that series. What a peculiar composition!

Bow Wow Wow, by Andy Earl

Another ring by H. Stern. This one is part of a collection inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

The Pop Group.

I've posted this song before, so I'll just repeat it to match with this image. It's one of my favorite songs anyway, so let's hear it again!

She is Beyond Good And Evil

Option-click to download.

Cult Hero

Cult Hero: I'm a Cult Hero

Robert Smith was in this band, and a few of their songs are on the Rarities version of "Seventeen Seconds"

Department S, Is Vic There?

Department S: Is Vic There?

I love this song! Strangely they also made an Italian version.

Click the link to hear/option-click to download.

Favorite Songs

Here are my favorite songs lately. You can hear them by clicking on the links or you can download them by option-clicking.

Standing on the Verge of Getting it on by Funkadelic

Radio Clash by the Clash.

The MacManus Gang: Town Called Big Nothing (Really Big Nothing)

Ok, this song comes from the Alex Cox movie "Straight to Hell." I've never seen it, though I want to really bad. I just know it's going to be FILLED with awesome shit, because it stars people like the Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, pre-fame Courtney Love, The Pogues, Grace Jones, and Dennis Hopper.

The song is basically by Elvis Costello. Not sure why there is a different band name, maybe something to do with contracts.

Damn! I want those ladies to be my friends! Not only are they awesome, they look like a good time too! Did you know that the singer's (Ari Up) mom is married to John Lydon?

I love the English Beat! This song is my ring tone.

The English Beat: Too Nice to Talk to.

I guess this one is probably their most famous song in the US -- the one that gives them the "one hit wonder" title:

The English Beat: Mirror in the Bathroom

On a related note, check out Ranking Roger's skunky hair! AYAYAYAYE!! This is General Public era. I wish I could have found a better picture.

One of my favorite songs. I posted it for download before on this page.

I also realize I have shown an image of the 12 inch before too, but it is too copacetic to not put it all together in one spot.

Additionally, don't you feel like the singer looks kind of like Draco Malfoy?

The Pop Group

The Pop Group: She is Beyond Good and Evil

Western values mean nothing to her.

Miscellaneous

This is a part of a Virgin Records dust cover, it's most likely from an XTC album from around 1979 or 1980, but it's possibly one of their generics.

Yeah! I posted a song by these guys a while back, but just found the cover. "Hail Unlikely" can be downloaded from this page.

Scene from Kenneth Anger's film "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome"

I know that in my own life I have had possibly 3 versions of this album (all with different songs in different orders), but this is crazy talk.

Well hello...

Au Pairs, Come Again

Au Pairs: Come Again

Above is the original cover and LP from 1981 and below is the re-release cover, from 1992.

Virna Lindt

Virna Lindt: Attention Stockholm

Virna Lindt is a lesser-known "non-singer" from Sweden who was on the label Compact Organisation in the early 80's. She released two albums and a handful of singles.

"Attention Stockholm" was her first single from 1981. What I especially like about it is that it's really cool, like an international spy movie. It gives me jet-setting visuals when I hear it.

Click the link so you can hear it too.