If You Leave was recorded for the film Pretty in Pink, a film I did see when it was released, but never again. I don't know if I could deal with the anguish of my passing youth if I had to see it again. Maybe it's best that it lives on in faded memory.
This UK 12" single wad released on April 28, 1986.
The band wrote "If You Leave" after John Hughes decided to change the ending to Pretty in Pink
after poor test audience reactions. Hughes had asked the band for a
song for the new ending two days before they were due to begin a tour,
and "If You Leave" was written and recorded in under 24 hours as a
result. The song was deliberately written at a tempo of 120 BPM, to match the speed of "Don't You (Forget About Me)", which the dancers in the scene had initially danced to. Despite this songwriter Andy McClusky later noted that an editing error meant that the dancing appears out of sync regardless. The original ending featured another OMD song, "Goddess of Love", which was released on The Pacific Age later in 1986. [source]
This release contains the extended version of If You Leave, plus 88 Seconds in Greensboro, a truly awesome OMD tune (even though it deals with the Greensboro Massacre), and a live version of Locomotion:
If You Leave (Extended Version)
88 Seconds in Greensboro
Locomotion (Live Version)
There are two 12" versions of this release. The single disc version contains three tracks:
La Femme Accident (7' Version)
Firegun
La Femme Accident (12' Version)
The other is a limited edition double disc with that contains the three tracks listed above, plus a live version of Locomotion and the studio cut of Enola Gay on record two. This is the double disc release.
I think that Junk Culture introduced the idea that OMD might be migrating towards a more mainstream sound, or at least a moderately more mainstream sound. In fact, So in Love and Secret became big commercial hits for the band. Bigger things were in store for the band with the Pretty in Pink soundtrack the following year. Even with the move towards the centre, the band still held onto some of the earlier experimentation, with tracks like Crush and The Lights are Going Out.
Watching the video for Bloc Bloc Bloc reminded me that there may really be life for a trombonist after all. It's not all William Riker. (I played the trombone for a few years when I was younger, and I have regretted the choice ever since. I wished I had chosen a more versatile and smaller instrument). Also, I have to say that I love The Native Daughters Of The Golden West.
If you want a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Crush, including studio footage, interviews, and the music videos, you should watch Crush: The Movie, but youtube seems to have removed it. (Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/156924990) Oh well.
I'd hate to give the impression that I do not like this record, because I really love it, even if it creeps, at least a little, into more accessible territory.
Discogs gives this release the title: "Enola Gay / Souvenir." I think that's incorrect. Those are simply the names of the tracks on side A. Side B has Motion and Heart (Amazon Version) and Annex.
So, who really knows what this is called? I'm tempted to use Super Sound Single, but that is really a series, not a title. The record labels don't help either, as they only contain the name of the band and the titles of the tracks.
Anyway, the important thing is that this 12" was pressed only in Germany in 1981. I would say that this is scarce. I have only seen one copy ever.
This version of So in Love contains the extended mix. The other two tracks are the same as the previous release of So in Love. I am not a huge fan of this extended mix. It's OK, but it's not so much better than the original.
This 12" single contains an extended mix of the title track with 66 and Fading on the reverse. If that tunes sounds familiar, it's because it's the synth part from Silent Running from Dazzle Ships, but it has been slowed down and reversed, or so I have read.
Wrappup is a remix of All Wrapped Up, also from Junk Culture. I was somewhat amazed that OMD covered the Velvet's Underground's Waiting for the Man, but one can never underestimate the influence that the VU had and continues to have. I prefer the original.
I'm not quite sure where I got this, but this US pressing of Tesla Girls has three versions of that track. They are:
Tesla Girls (Specially Remixed Version)
Tesla Girls (Instrumental Version)
Tesla Girls (Video Version)
This record came in a generic sleeve, and I am not sure if that was a replacement or the way it was issued. Discogs shows this release in a picture sleeve.
The third single from Junk Culture was Tesla Girls, about which Wikipedia says:
The song title refers to Nikola Tesla and was suggested by Martha Ladly, who had also suggested the Architecture & Morality album title. Tesla is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. "The references to electric chairs and dynamos is actually a reference to dynamos which was essential for the use of the alternating current and anything electrical basically," said Andy McCluskey in an on-line Q&A session in 1998.
And this
"Tesla Girls" met with a few detractors on release, including musician and writer Kim Wilde, who called the song "inane and monotonous". Critic Dave Thompson, in a retrospective review for AllMusic, described the track as "electrifying" and a "quintessential dance number", while praising its lyrics. Colleague Ned Raggett also commended the song's words, as well as its melody and "brilliant, hyperactive" intro. Louder Than War journalist Paul Scott-Bates wrote that "Tesla Girls" is "as perfect as pop singles get".
For me, this a a nearly perfect early 80s new wave pop song. The 12" contains Tesla Girls backed with Garden City and Telegraph (Live). A couple of notes about the release:
Band name appears as O.M.D. on the front cover, spine and sleeve credits,
OMD on the label credits and
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark on the label.
This 12" single was dropped on June 4, 1984. I have an original UK pressing. Side A contains an extended version of the titular track, while side B has an extended mix of Julia's Song, from the first record. Or, at least that's what the label suggests. In reality, each side has two separate tracks divided by bands. So, we have this:
A
Talking Loud And Clear 2:41
Talking Loud And Clear 6:09
I suppose a band has to ask itself what to do after confounding critics and fans with an under- appreciated album that was both way ahead of its time and a commercial failure. Prior to Dazzle Ships, OMD delivered a true musical masterpiece. Inevitably, perhaps, the band shuffled towards a more popular sound, but without completely giving up the experimentation.
On the commercial side, we have Talking Loud and Clear, Tesla Girls, and Locomotion, which are all terrific tunes. Some of the lesser known songs are equally good, like Never Turn Away, Love and Violence,Hard Day, and the calypsoish All Wrapped Up. And then there are a couple of songs that fall into the experimental category, like White Trash and the epic instrumental title track, Junk Culture.
It adds up to a fantastic record that brushes the fringes of a commercial record, but offers to enough to long-standing fans to keep them interested. More than anything, it presaged where the band would go next, with a true move into commercial territory.
This is another draft post that disappeared. The b-sides are Her Body in my Soul and The Avenue. The title track appeared, a couple of months later, on Junk Culture.
Months ago, I wrote a very long post about this LP. It was probably the longest post I ever wrote. It had quotes from newspapers, referenced Radiohead, etc. And, somehow it is gone. The draft disappeared. I am angry. I have no idea what happened. A couple of other posts are gone too, and I have no idea why. I cannot be bothered to even attempt to write it again.
Let me just say that I think this record is brilliant, though some critics hated it. Once again, critics suck. I think Paul Humphreys was also confounded by Andy's idea.
This is a US 12" promotional release that contains two versions of Telegraph, one shorter than the other, and Radio Waves. Both tracks are from Dazzle Ships.
Genetic Engineering was the first single from Dazzle Ships. On this Canadian 12" single, the flip side is Telegraph, also from Dazzle Ships. Wikipedia tells us: "The synthesized speech featured on the track is taken from a Speak & Spell, an educational electronic toy developed by Texas Instruments in the 1970s intended to teach children with spelling." Wikipedia goes on to discuss the song's reception and legacy:
Jim Reid in Record Mirror wrote: "Madly infectious hook-line propels a song absolutely dripping with 'moderne' references. A cold record, whose raison d'être lies in the application of studio technology and the manipulation of hackneyed gobbledegook. Should be massive – won't touch my turntable again." In Melody Maker, Paul Simper dismissed the track as "a load of old tosh".
US critic Ned Raggett praised the "soaring", "enjoyable" single in a retrospective piece for AllMusic, asserting: "Why it wasn't a hit remains a mystery."
Frontman Andy McCluskey has noted that the song is not an attack on genetic engineering, as many assumed at the time, including radio presenter Dave Lee Travis upon playing the song on BBC Radio 1.
McCluskey stated: "I was very positive about the subject." "People didn't listen to the lyrics... I think they automatically assumed it would be anti."
Music journalists have suggested that the first 45 seconds of the song were a direct influence on Radiohead's "Fitter Happier", which appears on that band's 1997 album OK Computer. Thoem Weber in Stylus argued that the Radiohead track is "deeply indebted" to "Genetic Engineering".
I love this track and sibe-b is phenomenal too. There is a slightly different version of this release which has the track 4-Neu as the b-side.
This UK 12" version of Maid of Orleans features the same track listing as the previous edition. Discogs notes:
This is an issue with printed silver sword and wings on the front of the
sleeve, a printed silver back of the sleeve and b-side listed on the
back of the sleeve as "Of All The Things We've Done" as well as
"Navigation".
In other words, they butchered the song title. It's Of All The Things We've Made, which is probably an underrated track.
This is the original 12" single for Maid of Orleans. These notes accompany the release information on Discogs:
"Original Sleeve Design (embossed coin motif on a special silver foil sleeve)."
The foil cover has incorrect information, though the record labels are correct:
"The single was originally to have featured a B side track titled
Experiments In Vertical Take Off. The song hadn't actually been written
at the time, but merely existed as a title. The single sleeves were
subsequently printed with this title, but Andy and Paul had decided
against the idea, and chose a brand new song called Navigation."
That's odd. It must have confused people. And this:
"The
original sleeve design for the 12" version had used an embossed coin
motif on a silver foil sleeve. The band weren't happy with this sleeve
design, which led to the new stained glass version. A limited number of
the coin foil sleeves, however, were issued."
I don't think that this foil version is really rare. I've seen a couple over the years. It would be nice to know how many were released. Finally, discogs notes:
"The 12" stained glass sleeve design was printed on a silver reflective background front and reverse. Later versions of the sleeve were non-reflective and featured a grey back. A third issue
used a white back and made an attempt to correct the track listing.
However, it listed the third track as 'Of All The Things We've Done'."
So, the correct track listing is Maid Of Orleans (The Waltz Of Joan Of Arc) on side A with Of All The Things We've Made and Navigation on Side B. There are three other versions of this 12".
Needless to say, I love this track as well as Joan of Arc, the tune that precedes this one on Architecture and Morality. By the way, the songs carries the title Maid Of Orleans (The Waltz Of Joan Of Arc) rather than Joan Of Arc (Maid Of Orleans) in order to not have it confused with the previous single Joan of Arc from the same record.
There are a handful of records that I would call masterpieces and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's Architecture and Morality is one of them. In fact, this record is one of my favourite records of all time. I still remember the first time I heard this record and the epic opening to The New Stone Age, about which Allmusic says: "The New Stone Age," with McCluskey's
emotional fear palpable over a rough combination of nervous electronic
pulses, piercing keyboard parts, and slightly distorted guitar." [link] I nominate this as one of the best song openings ever. The first time I heard it, it stopped me in my tracks.
From there, the band moves into the haunting She's Leaving, followed by Souvenir, a track that I recall Andy McCluskey saying he originally didn't like. I really can't understand that at all. Sealand, which is partly ambient and partly hypnotic, seems to foreshadow Dazzle Ships, as does the title track and Georgia.Joan of Arc and Maid of Orleans, are simply amazing tracks. The album concludes with the peaceful The Beginning and the End. It's brilliant, a work of true genius. Everyone should hear this record. If you don't like it, there is something wrong with you :)
Oddly, this Canadian 12" single is credited to Orchestral Manoeuvres, rather than Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. I wonder why. It contains Joan or Arc, from Architecture and Morality as well as The Romance of the Telescope (Unfinished), a track that later appeared in finished form on Dazzle Ships.
This 10" Canadian pressing on dark green vinyl contains two tracks: an extended mix of Souvenir and Motion and Heart (Amazon Version), the latter of which originally appeared on Organisation. Unless you held this record up to a light, you might not even notice that the record is pressed on coloured vinyl. In fact, I had a copy of this record for some time before I realized that it was on coloured vinyl.
If a band released something these days with a label such as Amazon Version, one might conclude that the tune was an Amazon exclusive. It's odd how the word Amazon probably causes most people to think about the online store and not the river.
If the debut OMD record was a sort of homage to Kraftwerk, then Organisation is a sort of tribute to Joy Division. The record does contain the big dance-able single, Enola Gay-- the only single released from this LP -- but the remainder of the record is a much more moody affair. Even the big dance-able single is odd, given the subject matter. In truth, there are some upbeat moments, but much of the record is subdued. I think that's a good thing. Stanlow might make it into my top five OMD songs, even though one could not dance to it.
It may seem like heresy to some, but I think one could make the argument that this might the finest OMD record. It's a tough call between this and Architecture and Morality, but this LP is truly fabulous.
The is the record in which the band hired a full time drummer - Malcolm Holmes -- who replaced Winston, the band's tape recorder.
"It's 8:15, that's the time that it's always been"
This is the original, first UK pressing of Enola Gay, released on September 6, 1980. It is taken from the 2nd LP, Organisation. The flip side is a very cool tune called Annex. It's difficult to imagine that a catchier song about unwarranted nuclear devastation could ever be written. The Wikipedia page for this song has lots of interesting details. I find the following to be particularly bizarre:
Keyboardist Paul Humphreys and OMD manager Paul Collister
were not fans of "Enola Gay" (the latter originally threatened to
resign if it were released as a single). Collister did, however, believe
it was a surefire hit – a view that drummer Malcolm Holmes
did not share. Initially proud of the song, McCluskey's confidence
wavered: he re-recorded his vocal, but was dissatisfied with the final
mix of the track.
Red Frame/White Light is the second single from the band's debut record. It was released in a picture sleeve and in a generic sleeve, with different labels. Most 7" and 12' version have I Betray My Friends on the B side, with others having Dancing. Obviously, this is the version in the generic sleeve. Both 12" versions seem to be difficult to find in decent shape for reasonable prices. I love this track.
You also need to know this, as reported in Wikipedia:
The telephone box that inspired "Red Frame/White Light" is located at the junction of Birkenhead Road and Greenwood Road in Meols.
In the nearby pub "The Railway Inn" the band would meet and used the telephone box to organise their gigs and transportation. In the song's lyrics the phone number is mentioned: 6323003.
Fans would ring the number expecting to get one of the band members, but got a confused home owner in their own area code. Over the years it has become a kind of sacred place for OMD fans. In 2004 OMD fan Stephen Cork started a successful campaign to get the telephone box repainted in time for a fan tour on 10 April 2005.
On the evening of 18 August 2017 the phone box was removed by BT Group. It has subsequently been restored and returned to its original location as of October 2017. [source]
Messages was the third single from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's first LP. This 10" pressing features a re-recorded version of Messages, which originally appeared on the band's debut LP. Apparently, a few copies of this release with the original album track are extant. My copy is a UK pressing with grey 2 tone labels.
Surprisingly, this record contains a cover of the Velvet Underground's Waiting for the Man (written by Lou Reed). The other track is Taking Sides Again, an OMD original. Messages is one of my favourite, and top-5, OMD tunes.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, also known as OMD (or, as some people wrote back in the early 80s, OMITD), is one of my favourite bands from the 1980s. They have been called "The Beatles of synth pop." Right from the first note of the first song of their debut self-titled record, I was hooked, when I heard it sometime after 1980. My only regret is that I have a Canadian pressing rather than the original and brilliant UK die-cut jacket, created by Pete Saville, who did amazing graphic design work with Factory Records.
The band has been very open about taking some musical cues from Kraftwerk for this record, and that is apparent when listening. I can't say enough good things about this record. All tracks are amazing, but the one that people are most likely to recognize is Electricity. Other strong tracks are Bunker Soldiers, Messages, The Messerschmitt Twins, Red Frame/White Light, and Dancing.
Later, the band took a more commercial route, but even then I found the music interesting. Oddly, the band enjoyed success in the UK as a pop band, getting what I think was frequent airplay. In North America, they were relegated to "alternative" status -- back when alternative meant something - and so one had to listen to college/university radio or CFNY to hear OMD.
I do remember the day when a friend of mine came over and turned the tuning dial to my dad's console stereo system from 104.5 CHUM-FM or Q107 to 102.1 CFNY, the Spirit of Radio. That was quite the day. Momentarily disoriented to the odd sounds coming fro the stereo, I eventually found a new friend though I did not give up the old staples. That little station from Brampton made an enormous impact on me, and no other radio station experience, no other forays into new music, for that matter, has ever been so important as that early exposure to a world of unique music. That station was my constant friend, until everything blew up in the late 1980s. Now, radio is in the hands of corporations and fools. "And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools..."
The compilation LP was released only in the UK, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Does this speak to the band's fan base? My feeling is that they were not popular in Canada. I don't believe I ever heard this band's music on the radio. Anyway, I have a copy of the UK pressing.
Though their first LP, the whole of their early output on the Postcard label, and a few well-chosen singles are preferable to this greatest-hits sampler, this is still a great record by one of the U.K.'s best-of the unappreciated. In fact, now that they are gone, we can all take a Stalinist view (borrowing a Mick Jones phrase there) of the recordings they made after You Can't Hide Your Love Forever, while Edwyn Collins fished about trying to reinvent himself as something of a white soul singer, even if his talent meant that you still got the occasional great throwback record like What Presence?! Interestingly, the demand for this collection can be felt: in interview after interview it has become clear what an inspiration this great Scottish group has proved to be the modern scene, starting with the Smiths and moving on to acts on labels like Creation Records. Six boos to the Polydor label for dropping them (causing their breakup) then releasing this, though. What craven jerks! [source]
Yeah, but I am not a fan of the crazy cover image.
I find it interesting that the label created by Orange Juice is called Holden Caulfield Universal. That's a very interesting name for a record label. This 12"single contains a long version of the titular track, plus Tongues Begin to Wag and Barbecue.
I never had a vinyl copy of this mini album, until I found a sealed 2013 repressing for about $5 or $6. It was a deal that was too good to resist. Why this band was not bigger, I have no idea.
Alas, this is not an original pressing. I never had a vinyl copy of this release until 2013 or 2014, when I found a new, sealed copy, for under $10. I snapped it up. It's good.
Obviously, there is a strong biblical and, possibly, misogynistic reference in this track:
"And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Genesis 2:23 - I had to look that up, as I am not a biblical scholar and I think religion is one of the worst human inventions).
The meaning is less clear in this Orange Juice track. From Discogs:
"Some copies of the 12" release included a 10" x 10" card photo of a band member. Different prints existed for all four band members - see images. There was only one print inserted per copy and it was assigned at random."
After John Lennon's murder, Yoko took her anguish into the recording studio and emerged with this raw collection of songs. From the gunshots before the cut "No, No, No" to John's bloody glasses on the cover, this is harrowing stuff indeed. But it's surprisingly good, if only for the fact that the whole world was feeling similarly at the time. One of the most essential Yoko Ono releases, it's powerful and chilling. [source]
I am not a Yoko expert, but I think it's clear that this is one of her better records, along with her first Plastic Ono Band record.
Mike again employed Maggie Reilly in his quest to be a pop star. I'm not sure if it works. My gut feeling says no. ELO also has a record called Discovery. it's sitting in my basement in a crate of records that I am not quite sure what to do with. The other name for the ELO record is Disco Very.
The original UK pressing places Crises, the 20 minute + title track, on side A, but the Canadian pressing inexplicably flips the order, and places all of the short tunes on Side A (though in a different order) with Crises on side B. I have no idea why. In High Places features Jon Anderson, from Yes, on vocals. The other recognizable tune is probably Moonlight Shadow, again featuring Maggie Reilly. There are several cover versions of that song floating around.
This is a very strange record. Side one contains Taurus II, a sequel to Taurus, which appeared on QE2. Side two has the lengthy Orabiboo plus three of what I can only call pop songs, notably Family Man, later recorded by Hall and Oates. The original version is sung by Maggie Reilly. It's a good version, but I also like the Hall and Oates cover version. My fav piece on this record is the title track, also featuring Maggie.
This is another of those records that I paid about $1 for. Disc two contains edited versions of Tubular Bells and Incantations. It's a pretty good record.
What happened? This is a solid record, but it pales in comparison to the earlier stuff. Some love it, but it leaves me a little cold. Or, maybe it's just that I preferred the earlier stuff.
This is the first and clearly the best Oingo Boingo record. I love some later tunes, but this one ranks up there.
"Later cited as an influence by such diverse bands as Nirvana, Mr. Bungle, and Fishbone, this album stands up well to the test of multiple listens and would make a worthwhile addition to any album collection." [source]
On the Miss America LP, this track is listed as A New Day, but here, it is listed as Anew Day. I fell that this was as design consideration, but Discogs takes it verbatim. In any case, this is one of the highlights on the LP. The 12" single also has a live versions of To Cry About and When You Know Why You're Happy.
Many years ago, I used to hang out with a guy who was sort of fearless and possibly a thrill-seeker. Maybe those are not the right words, but he was (is?) the kind of guy who would approach anyone and just introduce himself and start talking. Because of him, I found my way into the backs stage areas at several concerts. One day, we were chilling on Queen Street West and we saw Mary Margaret O’Hara in the bar. Before I knew it, we were hanging out with her. On my own, this would never have happened. I have always felt that celebrities do not want to be disturbed, but she was very nice and it was a fun time. This was probably in the early 1990s (but I have lost track of time) so who knows?
Of course, everyone went crazy for Nothing Compares 2U, a tune penned by Prince. For me, the best track on this record is I Am Stretched on Your Grave, with that stolen drum pattern. Allmusic makes this statement:
Aside from being a brilliant album in its own right, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got foreshadowed the rise of deeply introspective female singer/songwriters like Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan... [source]
My first copy of this album was on CD and, later, I found a vinyl copy. I really only know her first two records, and then I either lost interest in her or my musical directions changed. I honestly haven't listened to this record in ages, maybe 15 or 20 years. That's probably because I heard it too frequently after it was released.
It's amazing what one can learn from Wikipedia, if one has confidence that everything on Wikipedia is accurate. For example:
- O'Connor recorded the album while heavily pregnant with her first child.
I didn't know that. I also wonder what "heavily pregnant" means.
- The title of the album is from Psalm 91:13 "you will tread upon the lion and cobra"
I didn't know that, but I pay little attention to the fairy tales in the bible.
- The track "Never Get Old" opens with an Irish language recital of Psalm 91 by singer Enya.
I didn't know that either.
- The photograph of O'Connor on the album cover was taken by Haysi Fantayzee member Kate Garner.
I didn't know that.
- The covers of the United States and Canada issues differed from the European release, as it was decided a more subdued pose would present a "softer" image of O'Connor.
I didn't know that. I do wonder how if soft is the right word. I'm not sure a photo of a bald woman would be considered as soft.
- The first single, "Troy", peaked at number eight in the Netherlands and number 12 in Belgium.
I didn't know that.
- The second single was "Mandinka", was a mainstream pop hit in the UK, peaking at number 17 in the singles chart, as well as number six in her native Ireland.
I didn't know that.
"I Want Your (Hands on Me)" was featured in the 1988 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.
I didn't know that, probably because I did not see the film
The album charted worldwide, reaching number 27 in the United Kingdom and number 36 on the US Billboard 200.
I didn't know that.
I'm trying to remember what I thought when I first heard it. It was probably something like, where did she come from? It's like she came out of nowhere with a pretty compelling and confident debut record. I always felt that she had a powerful voice. I guess the first song we all heard was Troy, and I think I liked it. Today, I find the track to be overwrought. I have always preferred Jerusalem. And, by the way, I applaud her for ripping up a photo of the pope. I would have set the photo of that grade a jackass on fire. He a homophobic misogynist who shelters pedophiles.
This is the first US pressing of the 12" single of Express Yourself. Side A has an extended mix of the track, along with Express Yourself (Bonus Beats). Side B an extended mix of Straight Outta Compton and a track called A Bitch iz a Bitch.
The first time I heard this record I was floored. I was simultaneously trying to comprehend the rampant use of cursing (and the n-word), something that I don't know was widespread at the time. All rap/hip hop I had heard, until this time, was clean, for lack of a better word. And then there was the anti-police element, most notably in the track, _ _ _ _ the Police.
This record is civil disobedience. It's a plea for justice. It's anger. It's also sexist. Whatever it is, it's powerful in music and message and tone. I don't think this songs were played much on commercial radio, but that didn't stop it from being a big hit, a notorious hit.
Unlike Ice-T,
there's little social criticism or reflection on the gangsta lifestyle;
most of the record is about raising hell -- harassing women, driving
drunk, shooting it out with cops and partygoers. All of that
directionless rebellion and rage produces some of the most frightening,
visceral moments in all of rap, especially the amazing opening trio of
songs, which threaten to dwarf everything that follows. [source]
I have no idea of what it must have been like to have been a black person in LA in the 80s, but it looks like it was rough and that institutionalized racism was widespread, and I am sure still is. The Rodney King verdict was a clear injustice. How can you object to statements of rage like this one? I don't play this often, but it's an interesting listen, from time-to-time.
Savage is another excellent record from Mr. Numan.
Savage (Songs from a Broken World) is a concept album centered around the blending of Western and Eastern cultures in a post-apocalyptic world that has become desertified as a result of global warming. "The songs are about the things that people do in such a harsh and terrifying environment," Numan stated in an interview. "It's about a desperate need to survive and they do awful things in order to do so, and some are haunted by what they've done. That desire to be forgiven, along with some discovered remnants of an old religious book, ultimately encourages religion to resurface, and it really goes downhill from there." [source]
