Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s
1 journaler for this copy...
From the back cover: New wave is the unquestionable defining movement of the 1980s. It started as a response to punk, was groomed by the disciples of Bowie, and exploded with the help of MTV. Mad World is the ridiculously entertaining and irreverent cultural history that celebrates the phenomenon through the voices of more than 35 of the biggest artists of the era alongside a parade of vintage photographs. In all new interviews, the musical stars of the decade discuss their breakthrough songs, histories, and place in the scene, creating a vivid picture of this colorful, idiosyncratic time. Included are:
Adam and the Ants--"Kings of the Wild Frontier"
Gary Numan--"Cars"
Duran Duran--"Girls on Film"
New Order--Blue Monday"
ABC--"Poison Arrow"
Devo--"Whip It"
Echo and the Bunnymen--"The Killing Moon"
Spandau Ballet--"True"
The Human League--"Being Boiled"
Heaven 17--"Temptation"
Dexys Midnight Runners -- "Come on Eileen"
Bow Wow Wow--"I want candy"
The Waitresses--"I know what boys like"
The Normal--"Warm Leatherette"
Kajagoogoo-- "Too Shy"
Thomas Dolby--"She Blinded me with Science"
The Psychedelic Furs--"Love my Way"
Depeche Mode--"New Life"
Yaz---"Only You"
Kim Wilde--"Kids in America"
Howard Jones--"New Song"
Berlin--"The Metro"
A Flock of Seagulls--"I ran"
Modern English--"I melt with you"
Soft Cell--"Tainted Love"
A-Ha-- "Take on Me"
Joy Division-- "Love will tear us apart"
The Smiths--"How soon is now?"
Tears for Fears--"Mad World"
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark--"If you Leave"
Ultravox--"Vienna"
INXS--"Original Sin"
Thompson Twins--"Hold Me Now"
Simple Minds--"Don't you (Forget about me)"
Animotion--"Obsession"
Band Aid-- "Do They Know Its Christmas"
---------
Less interesting book than I had hoped. I did learn a little bit, most notably that Michael des Barres wrote and made a good life for himself, the song "Obsession" ("by" Animotion---a pop band manufactured for this song).
"Bowie-- The voice, the hair, the videos, the clothes. The way he cut words up to construct lyrical collages. The way he juggled genres. Pretty much every musician who drew breath in the 80s owes everything to the career blueprint of David Bowie."
"The amount of words I will say to an audience during a tour is a page of a notebook, and they would mostly be "thank you". I don't like talking much between songs. It's a degree of shyness and a degree of not seeing the point in saying any of those things. I don't feel the need to go 'Are you having a good time, fill in the name of the city. "--Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs. [Interesting to me, because as of this writing I have seen them 3 times and heard Richard Butler say a grand total of 2 words in 3 shows....
"Now if you just go 'Be happy and be positive' and its done in a shallow way--if you do that without having grappled and fought the battle with yourself--then I don't think it carries any weight. If my music has any effect, it's because it was born from this battle I was having with myself the general thinking that you have no control over your future. It's not true." --Howard Jones
"New Song' is probably my favorite. It is radically different from what you'd hear in most pop songs. The line 'Challenging pre-conceived ideas' you would never hear that in a pop song. That song is packed with stuff like that: 'Don't crack up/ Bend your brain" don't be thrown or side tracked, don't succumb to weakness, be strong. And "See both sides" that's really important to see both sides of an argument. -- Howard Jones
"What is love?' questions the idea that romantic love is the Holy Grail. "Maybe love is letting people be what they want to be"--not putting them in a box and tying them down and making them what you want. To really love somebody, you've got to let them express themselves and not try and dominate them and want to make them be like you." --Howard Jones
"Terri [Nunn] and I nearly got married. ... I met Terri and we fell in love instantly and were never apart for a year and a half. 'The Metro' was a perfect storm: great female vocals, a catchy chorus, and a story about lost love. It was exotic rather than erotic. It had a driving dance beat that still works to this day. It's about 168 beats per minute! You put that song on, and you cannot sit on your ass." --Richard Blade, KROQ DJ.
Journal Entry 2 by PokPok at Controlled Release (Vista) in -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, trades, California USA on Monday, December 29, 2014
Released 9 yrs ago (12/28/2014 UTC) at Controlled Release (Vista) in -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, trades, California USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Welcome to BookCrossing!
Thank you for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry on the BookCrossing site (www.bookcrossing.com) to let me know that this book has found a good home with you. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (its free). If you join, please consider indicating that you were referred by PokPok. I hope you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you’ve finished reading. Whenever you’re ready to send it on its way, make release notes if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
Thank you for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry on the BookCrossing site (www.bookcrossing.com) to let me know that this book has found a good home with you. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (its free). If you join, please consider indicating that you were referred by PokPok. I hope you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you’ve finished reading. Whenever you’re ready to send it on its way, make release notes if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.