Style: Alternative Pop Rock. Similar artists: The Sundays, Mono, Tori Amos. Recording year: Sire, 1985.
Originating at the turn of the 1980s as a leader of the lite-jazz movement, Everything but the Girl became an unlikely success story more than a decade later, emerging at the vanguard of the fusion between pop and electronica. Founded in 1982 by Hull University students Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, the duo took their name from a sign placed in the window of a local furniture shop, which claimed "for your bedroom needs, we sell everything but the girl." At the time of their formation, both vocalist Thorn and songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Watt were already signed independently to the Cherry Red label; Thorn was a member of the sublime Marine Girls, while Watt had issued several solo singles and also collaborated with Robert Wyatt.
On their second album, Everything But the Girl took a more contemporary pop approach while retaining the spareness of their debut. They also upped the ante in their songwriting, tackling a range of issues from the Irish troubles to the troubles of movie star Frances Farmer, with lots of criticism of the stratification and sexism of the current social and economic system thrown in. Tracey Thorn's careworn voice proved an excellent vehicle for such essentially pessimistic sentiments, and even if Love Not Money made for a dour listening experience, it was nevertheless compelling. (The "special U.S. edition" of the album, released by Sire Records, differed from the Blanco Y Negro version from the U.K. in that it featured the pop-sounding "Heaven Help Me" and a cover of the Pretenders' "Kid." Neither enhanced the album's commercial appeal; it made the Top Ten back home, but did not chart Stateside.)
Genere: Rock/Pop. Styles: Alternative, New Wave, Indie. Similar Artist: Residents, Cabaret Voltaire, Devo. Record Year: Cramboy, 1985.
Tuxedomoon is an avant-garde, electronic-oriented collective whose music ranges from new wave pop to jazz fusion to more experimental synthesizer soundscapes (usually including saxophone and violin), which were frequently married in concert to performance-art shows. Tuxedomoon was formed in San Francisco in 1977 by two electronic music students at San Francisco City College, Blaine L. Reininger (keyboards, violin) and Steven Brown (keyboards, other instruments).
Brown's local theater connections supplied equipment and occasional vocalists in Gregory Cruikshank and Victoria Lowe, plus more frequent contributions from singer and performance artist Winston Tong. Punk and new wave were opening up the San Francisco music scene at the time, and Tuxedomoon landed an opening slot for Devo in 1978 at around the same time they cut their first single, "Pinheads on the Move." Lowe quit the band before their first EP, No Tears, which featured off-and-on members Michael Belfer (guitar) and Paul Zahl (drums). Tong and Belfer departed temporarily, and Peter Principle (b. Peter Dachert) joined as a full-time member. Tuxedomoon signed to the Residents' Ralph Records in 1979, which eventually got them overseas exposure.
Feeling that their ideas were more in tune with the European electronic music scene, the band toured Europe after 1980's Half Mute, for which Tong returned with filmmaker and visual artist Bruce Geduldig. After 1981's Desire, the band relocated in an artist's commune in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Within a year though they were forced to leave and moved to Brussels, to find first shelter in the Plan K. (a live p.a. club). Reininger began to branch out as a solo artist. Tuxedomoon was also hired to score a Maurice Bejart ballet, the results of which were released in 1982 as Divine. Reininger left for a solo career in 1983 and was replaced by Frankie Lievaart and horn player Luc Van Lieshout.
In between side projects and scoring, the band sought an international deal for their forthcoming LP Holy Wars; it was eventually released in 1985 and became the band's biggest commercial success. Tong left the group for good that year, leaving Brown and Principle the only remaining San Francisco members; multi-instrumentalist Ivan Georgiev was hired to replenish the group's sound for 1986's Ship of Fools album and tour. Scoring work from past projects has been reissued in Belgium. Reininger, Brown, Principle and Lieshout still record together as Tuxedomoon, whilst Reininger, Brown, Principle and Tong have all recorded as solo artists.
A group whose distinctly ethereal and gossamer sound virtually defined the enigmatic image of the record label 4AD, Cocteau Twins were founded in Grangemouth, Scotland, in 1979. Taking their name from an obscure song from fellow Scots Simple Minds, the Cocteaus were originally formed by guitarist Robin Guthrie and bassist Will Heggie and later rounded out by Guthrie's girlfriend Elizabeth Fraser, an utterly unique performer whose swooping, operatic vocals relied less on any recognizable language than on the subjective sounds and textures of verbalized emotions.
In 1982, the trio signed to 4AD, the arty British label then best known as the home of the Birthday Party, whose members helped the Cocteaus win a contract. The group debuted with Garlands, which offered an embryonic taste of their rapidly developing, atmospheric sound, crafted around Guthrie's creative use of distorted guitars, tape loops, and echo boxes and anchored in Heggie's rhythmic bass as well as an omnipresent Roland 808 drum machine. Shortly after the release of the Peppermint Pig EP, Heggie left the group, and Guthrie and Fraser cut 1983's Head Over Heels as a duo; nonetheless, the album largely perfected the Cocteaus' gauzy formula, and established the foundation from which the group would continue to work for the duration of its career.
In late 1983, ex-Drowning Craze bassist Simon Raymonde joined the band to record the EP The Spangle Maker; as time wore on, Raymonde became an increasingly essential component of Cocteau Twins, gradually assuming an active role as a writer, arranger, and producer. With their lineup firmly solidified, they issued The Spangle Maker, followed by the LP Treasure, their most mature and consistent work yet. A burst of creativity followed, as the Twins issued three separate EPs — Aikea-Guinea, Tiny Dynamine, and Echoes in a Shallow Bay — in 1985, trailed a year later by the acoustic Victorialand album, the Love's Easy Tears EP, and The Moon and the Melodies, a collaborative effort with minimalist composer Harold Budd.
The immediate follow-up to Treasure didn't match the effortless heights of that album, but still came darn close throughout, providing another brief, affecting precis of the trio at its best. The title track became another well-deserved Twins standard, a deceptively simple bass/guitar/drum combination driving away at its core, while Fraser sings beautifully over it all, matched by a swirl of Guthrie's production touches (piano, mock choir, and so forth). "Kookaburra" follows squarely in the path of faster Cocteaus tracks as "Because of Whirl-Jack," though here Fraser's vocals are more sweet and less dramatically piercing. Guthrie's guitar takes center stage here, starting the track with echoing swirls leading into the main riff. "Quisquose" puts piano up front as main accompaniment for one of Fraser's more adventurous vocals, mixing a high main lyric with a more free form performance set against it, calling to mind the slightly similar contrast in vocal takes on "Lorelei." The instrumental "Rococo" ends the EP with style, a quiet bass/percussion opening leading into one of Guthrie's trademark fusions of feedback, volume, and heavily-produced beauty. Raymonde's bass stands out strongly throughout as well, a fine combination.
Similar Artists: Kitchens of Distinction, The The, Teardrop Explodes
Recording Year: Geffen, 1985.
The atmospheric pop band the Chameleons formed in Manchester, England, in 1981 from the ashes of a number of local groups: vocalist/bassist Mark Burgess began with the Cliches, guitarists Reg Smithies and Dave Fielding arrived from the Years, and drummer John Lever (who quickly replaced founding member Brian Schofield) originated with the Politicians. After establishing themselves with a series of high-profile BBC sessions, the Chameleons signed to Epic and debuted with the EP Nostalgia, a tense, moody set produced by Steve Lillywhite which featured the single "In Shreds."
The quartet was soon released from its contract with Epic, but then signed to Statik and returned in 1983 with the band's first full-length effort, Script of the Bridge. What Does Anything Mean? Basically followed in 1985, and with it came a new reliance on stylish production; following its release, the Chameleons signed to Geffen and emerged the following year with Strange Times. The dark, complex record proved to be the Chameleons' finale, however, when they split following the sudden death of manager Tony Fletcher; while Burgess and Lever continued on in the Sun & the Moon, Smithies and Fielding later reunited in the Reegs. In 1993, Burgess surfaced with his proper solo album Zima Junction. He and his band the Sons of God toured America the following year.
As the '90s came and went, the four members of the Chameleons UK continued to work on music and see one another on a personal basis. While their own musical projects kept them busy, a reunion was practically inevitable. The Chameleons reconnected in January 2000 to prep for three May dates in England. The acoustic-based, self-released Strip was available by showtime and for a limited time only. Additional European dates followed throughout the summer, and by fall the Chameleons UK played their first American shows in nearly 15 years. Several live efforts appeared shortly thereafter. Why Call It Anything? (2001) marked the Chameleons' first studio album since 1986's Strange Times. This Never Ending Now appeared two years later.
Similar Artists: Cuddly Toys, The Sisters Of Mercy, Southern Death Cult
Recording Year: Red Rhino, 1985.
Skeletal Family are a gothic rock band which formed in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England in December, 1982. The band formed from the remaining membership of an earlier group, called The Elements, and took their name from the title of the song "Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family" from the 1974 David Bowie album, Diamond Dogs.
Skeletal Family are the only group that sprang up from Keighley, West Yorkshire in the early 1980s.[citation needed] The original lineup was Anne-Marie Hurst (vocals), Stan Greenwood (guitar), Roger 'Trotwood' Nowell (bass), Ian "Karl Heinz" Taylor (keyboard/sax), and Steve Crane (drums). In 1984, the band signed on to indie label Red Rhino and recorded their first single for Red Rhino, "The Night," just after losing their original drummer Steve Crane. Crane was replaced by Howard Daniels. Daniels was soon replaced by Martin Henderson (formerly of The Last Laugh). Skeletal Family's first album "Burning Oil" was released by Red Rhino in the autumn of 1984. The band began touring with the likes of The Sisters of Mercy during the Sisters' First and Last and Always tour. The group released "Futile Combat" in 1985 along with the "Promised Land" single. The group then signed with Chrysalis Records and Anne-Marie Hurst along with Martin Henderson left the band to develop new projects. Anne-Marie Hurst would eventually team up with Gary Marx in Ghost Dance. Martin Henderson teamed up with ex-March Violets vocalist Simon D to create The Batfish Boys. Vocalist Katrina Phillips replaced Anne-Marie Hurst and Kevin Hunter replaced Martin Henderson. The remaining members of the group soon disbanded after being dropped from the Chrysalis label. In 2002, Skeletal Family reformed. Since reforming they have played several high profile shows including the Wave-Gotik-Treffen three times and Drop Dead New York.
They are currently working on their new album 'Love, Hope and Despair.'
Is a gothic rock rock band that helped establish what came to be known as the deathrock scene in Los Angeles. The band was formed in 1978 by American rock singer Patrick Mata influenced by Killing Joke, Throbbing Gristle, David Bowie, Public Image Limited, and Joy Division. Mata also introduced his own influences, inspired by the 1916 Dadaist Movement, Anti Art, noise & musique concrete, plus the "cut up method" invented by Brion Gysin but executed by William Burroughs into his music. Though initially named Kommunity Fuck, the band's name was soon shortened to Kommunity FK by Patrick Mata. Mata has stated that the band's name was inspired dually by the cold shoulder given him by local unimaginative media venue talent buyers and industry powers. He dubbed the trio "kommunity fuck," and by a piece of paste-up art he created of the same name.
Kommunity FK's one supreme moment came right at the start of its second album with the brilliant "Something Inside Me Has Died." Theatrical, dramatic, but above all its own majestic dreamy force instead of deriving from earlier goth role models, it's a compelling song, Mata's singing quavering but still strong, with just the right treatments added to his vocals to pump up the atmosphere. Add to that an excellent full-band performance, with Margaret Arana's synths adding the right mysterious sheen on top of Mata's searing guitar work, and a catchy but not sugary hook that relies on the tight turns of the rhythm section, and the result is Kommunity FK in excelsis. The rest of Close One Sad Eye lives up to that fantastic start, a bit more polished and focused than The Vision and the Voice, as well as more varied in its musical aims and goals. Though Matt Chaikin's drums in particular call to mind the rumbling semi-tribal feel of the earlier album, the more romantic, mysterious flow of the songs -- Mata helps here with some appropriately psych-inspired guitar parts -- adds to the overall picture. One song in particular, "The Vision and the Voice" itself, is another standout, with slyly addictive music that's almost -- almost! -- goth power pop and a great delivery from Mata, at once flat and seemingly bored but still naggingly focused. There are still some clearly derivative moments -- "Junkies" has a guitar line and feel that immediately called Joy Division's fierce "Colony" to mind, for instance. Overall, though, Close One Sad Eye is a definite high point for American goth/darkwave, a listen that stands up well over time while still being a product of its era.
Similar Artists: Cudly Toys, March Violets, Sex Gang Children
Recording Year: Rebel, 1985.
(Disco dedicado al orate del Erick, espero te guste y no lo tengas)
A product of Britain's early-'80s Batcave goth punk movement, the North London-based Alien Sex Fiend were led by the eccentric Nick Wade, better known as the macabre Nik Fiend. A staple of the London scene as a member of such relatively obscure groups as the Earwigs and Mr. & Mrs. Demeanour, he made his recording debut under the name Demon Preacher; several other short-lived projects followed before he formed Alien Sex Fiend in 1982 with wife and synth player Christine (aka Mrs. Fiend), guitarist Yaxi Highrizer (born David James), and drummer Johnny "Ha Ha" Freshwater.
Mixing the theatrical horror-movie antics of Alice Cooper with the menacing synthesizer pulse of Suicide, Alien Sex Fiend debuted with the single "Ignore the Machine," a favorite among goth club denizens; the full-length Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain? appeared in 1983. A series of indie chart hits followed in 1984, including "R.I.P.", "Dead and Buried," and "E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon)"; the success of the album Acid Bath further increased the group's visibility, and in Japan, Alien Sex Fiend became major stars, resulting in the 1985 live release Liquid Head in Tokyo.
Following the departure of Johnny Ha Ha, the group continued as a trio to record 1985's bleak Maximum Security. After the following year's "It" the Album, released to coincide with Alien Sex Fiend's opening slot on Alice Cooper's Nightmare Returns tour, they recorded 1987's Here Cum Germs, the final offer to feature Yaxi Highrizer; now essentially a duo, the Fiends explored more synth- and sample-oriented territory on 1988's Another Planet, a trend continued on 1990's Curse, which featured the minor hit "Now I'm Feeling Zombified."
With a revitalized lineup including new guitarist Rat Fink Jr. and keyboardist Doc Milton, Alien Sex Fiend resurfaced in 1992 with Open Head Surgery. After a 1993 live album, Altered States of America, they composed the music for the CD-ROM game Inferno; with the release of the compilation The Singles 1983-1995, the band's affiliation with longtime label Anagram ended, and the Fiends soon established their own 13th Moon Records imprint. With the release of the trance-influenced 1996 EP Evolution, Alien Sex Fiend traveled even further away from their goth beginnings into the realm of electronica, a move continued on 1997's Nocturnal Emissions.
Artistas similares: The Stranglers, The Saints, Chelsea
Año de grabación: Off Beat, 1985.
The Damned es un grupo de Punk y más tarde de Rock Gótico formado en Londres en 1976.
Fueron la primer banda punk inglesa en lanzar un sencillo (New Rose), sacar un álbum (Damned, Damned, Damned), y recorrer los Estados Unidos. La música de sus comienzos (más o menos entre 1976 y 1980) y en especial el estilo de batería de Rat Scabies fueron una gran influencia para la creación del Hardcore punk en los Estados Unidos. The Damned han sido considerados también como unos de los fundadores del rock gótico.
El grupo se ha separado y reagrupado muchas veces y sólo el vocalista Dave Vanian se ha mantenido constante en cada alineación. Sin embargo, las alineaciones siempre han incluido o bien al guitarrista Captain Sensible o bien al baterista Rat Scabies.
En esta ocasión FOH te presenta dos de sus álbumes más representativos de ambas épocas, su primer disco de 1977 -Damned, Damned, Damned- grabado en la disquera 'Stiff Records' y Phantasmagoria de su época Gótica, que lo disfrutes.
The Damned is a Punk group and later a Gothic Rock band formed in London in 1976.
They were the first English punk band to record a single (New Rose), record an album (Damned, Damned, Damned), and travel to the United States to promote it. The music of their beginnings (more or less between 1976 and 1980) and the style of drummer - Rat Scabies- was a great influence for the creation of the Hardcore punk in the United States. The Damned has also been considered like one of the founders of the gothic rock movement.
The group has separated and often regrouped, only the singer Dave Vanian has stayed constant in each alignment. Nevertheless, the alignments has always including either to guitarrist Captain Sensible or the drummer Rat Scabies.
In this occasion FOH presented two of its more representative albums of both times, its first album of 1977 with punk style, - Damned, Damned, Damned- recorded with ' Stiff Records' and Phantasmagoria of its Gothic era. Hope that you like them.
Artistas similares: Pixies, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag
Año de grabación: SST, 1985.
Grupo formado en Minnesota en 1979 por el guitarrista Bob Mould, el bajista Greg Norton y el baterista Grant Hart. Husker du quiere decir «¿te acuerdas?» en noruego; añadieron las diéresis para darle un toque más misterioso.
Mould y Hart se repartían a partes iguales las tareas de escribir los temas y cantar. Aunque nunca fueron ampliamente populares, tuvieron un enorme impacto, mucho mayor de lo que sus modestas ventas pudieran indicar. Después de una serie de discos relativamente exitosos, como Zen arcade (1984) y New day rasing (1985), saltaron de la discográfica independiente SST Records a Warner Bros. Records, convirtiéndose así en una de las primeras bandas underground que dio el salto a una gran multinacional (junto con sus vecinos y colegas de Minneapolis The Replacements.
En 1987, Hüsker Dü se separaron, Mould formó Sugar a comienzos de los 90's; Hart y Norton han estado más ociosos desde entonces en lo que a música se refiere.
A pesar de su escaso éxito comercial, Hüsker Dü influyeron a varios grupos desde mediados de los 1980 hasta finales de los 1990, como lo son Pixies, Nirvana, Soul Asylum, Foo Fighters entre otros.
Buen disco de estos camaradas, disfrútenlo.
Group formed in Minnesota in 1979 by the guitarist Bob Mould, the bassist Greg Norton and the drummer Grant Hart. Husker du means “you remember” in Norwegian; they added the diaeresis to give more mysterious touch him. Mould and Hart distributed to equal parts the tasks of writing and to sing. Although never they were widely popular, had an enormous impact, much greater than its modest sales they could indicate. After a series of relatively successful discs, like Zen arcade (1984) and New day rasing (1985), jumped from the independent SST Records to Warner Bros., becoming thus one of the first underground bands that gave the jump to a great multinational (along with its neighbors and colleagues of Minneapolis The Replacements).
In 1987, Hüsker Dü separated, Mould formed 'Sugar' at the beginning of 90' s; Hart and Norton have been idler since then in which to music it talks about.
In spite of their little commercial success, Hüsker Dü influenced to several groups from mid the 80's until the end of the 90's, like Pixies, Nirvana, Soul Asylum, Foo Fighters among others.
Género: Alternative rock, Spoken word Artistas similares: The the, PJ harvey, Peter murphy
Músico australiano, Nicholas Edward Cave nació el 22 de septiembre de 1957 en Warracknabeal, Australia. Su fama se debe, en mayor parte, a su banda "Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds". Con una larga andadura que comenzó a principios de los años setenta, su música se caracteriza por un tono de desolación oscuro y siniestro. A pesar de que muchos grupos musicales producen música etiquetable del mismo modo, el sonido de Nick Cave evita los recursos habituales del género, como música "fantasmagórica" afectada o distorsiones digitales. Con una importante base de guitarras eléctricas (y piano en los últimos álbumes de The Bad Seeds) y unas letras cuidadas en extremo.
'Firstborn is dead' es su seguna producción, realizada en 1985. En el primer corte 'Tupelo' se escucha una lírica muy bien combinada con los sonidos obscuros, sin pasar de lado el ambiente de cloaca auditiva producida por los -Bad Seeds-, el cual iba a ser uno de los elementos característicos del grupo a lo largo de los años. Este estilo se ve acrecentado en el track 'Black Crow King' en el que se trabaja con los coros multitonales y una guitarra muy sucia, característica en el oeste estadounidense. 'Wanted Man' es también una pieza a resaltar por el empleo del piano en tonos muy graves.
Muy buen disco para escucharlo en un día lluvioso (Como los que imperan hoy día en México, capital).
