My first exposure to Propaganda came one night at the end of an episode of what by then was called Whistle Test, when this memorable pop promo was played out over the credits sometime around early march 1984:-This was to be the second single released on the ZTT label - the first being the amazingly successful Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. I was immediately captivated by its charms - it was a big booming tune that offered something different each time you played it. Oh and in co-vocalist Susanne Freytag, they had one of the most stunningly gorgeous women in the pop world.
The single was only a minor hit, peaking at #27, and with subsequent FGTH singles also being multi-million sellers, the relatively small ZTT had to put all its eggs into one basket, so Propaganda were left to one side for the best part of 12 months and it was April 1985 before the follow-up single Duel was released.
For the rest of the year, the band enjoyed quite a high profile, including a number of TV appearances, live gigs and the release of the debut LP A Secret Wish in July 1985. Incidentally, the vinyl and CD versions of the album are very different - they were released some three months apart, and the CD has extended and slightly remixed versions of a number of the tracks.
I loved A Secret Wish. It was the sort of record I had imagined Simple Minds going onto make on the back of their earliest releases instead of gravitating towards the stadium rock behemoths they were becoming. And it was no real surprise that the Propaganda that went out on tour featured the ex-Minds bassist Derek Forbes.....
Incidentally, I still love the album which has aged very well indeed, including an excellent cover version of Sorry For Laughing, one of the early Josef K singles.
The debut single offered different versions on the 7" and 12". My 7" copy has long gone - a victim of stupidity when all my 7" singles were 'lost' in Edinburgh in 1986. I did once have a 12" version, but haven't been able to find it anywhere for years - I'm assuming it was loaned out to someone who never returned it. Or stolen....
Anyways, the other week I found a copy in a second hand store going for just £1.50, so without any further ado:-
mp3 : Propaganda - Das Testaments Des Mabuse
mp3 : Propaganda - Femme Fatale
There's another version of Dr Mabuse also tucked away on the b-side, but its just a bit too industrial for my liking today.
Happy Listening
5 comments:
Brilliant brilliant brilliant
Dr Mabuse remains one of my favourite tracks from the 80's.
HD
shame on you, big man. the more 'industrial' they got, the better they sounded! (to my ears at least).
also worth noting - aside from forbes - when steve jansen was playing with them they sounded very tight indeed.
the youtube clip i keep going back to is this one. possibly due to who is in charge of lead vocals....
:)
A Secret Wish is an album so good, they've released it on CD in four different incarnations. The original, the remix (Wishful Thinking), the meatier remix (Outside World) and a 20th anniversary that brings to CD the original analog mix plus rarities. The original is my fave album of all time, and Outside World is the best sounding of the reissues while the 20th has the best liner notes. So glad to see them again on the Trevor Horn concert DVD - here's hoping they reunite (again) someday.
Have visited your blog many times. Thought it was overdue to say - keep up the good work. Much of the music you post here soundtracked and illuminated my formative years in Aberdeen. Some of it I lost and was glad to renew our acquaintance via your blog. Thanks.
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