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I had a book signing at Borders in Virginia Beach this
past February 19th. I arrived a whole hour and a half early.
I don't know why, but yeah I was pretty early. I decided to
spend sometime browsing the magazine section and came across
the NME Originals publication 80's A-Z of The New Romantics.
When I saw Adam Ant in all of his make-up on the cover of the
magazine my heart swooned. Not for Adam Ant, but for the chance
to walk down memory lane. New Romantic music is considered to
be the music that formed in the UK. New Romantics were the opposite
of the punk movement of the late 70's. Some punk acts walked
the New Romantic line in the beginning. The New Romantics had
the look and the style. Some groups that started out rock or
punk turned New Romantic. Some New Romantic groups were also
considered to be pop or rock. Some New Romantic groups were
also considered New Wave. Heck, it got me to thinking once again--who
is pop, who is new romantic, who is punk and who is just new
wave.
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are the kings of the New Romantic movement.
Their slick videos directed by Russell Mulcahy changed the face
of MTV forever. They aren't the only artist who had videos that
were like mini movies, but one has to admit they were the first
group to have not only the mini movie style videos, but they
had the big budgets and the exotic locations leaving behind
the studio and filming in such exotic locations as Sri Lanka
(Hungry Like The Wolf, Save a Prayer) and Antigua (Rio). The
New Romantic movement was also about style. The flashy suits
and high fashion appearance. The boys wore a little makeup hear
and there and kept their hair just right.
A true Duranie knows how Duran Duran got their start and they
remember their debut self titled album. Duran's debut included
the songs "Planet Earth" and "Girls on Film."
Musically at this time, Duran Duran sounded more New Wave than
New Romantic. Their second album Rio had a much more pop top
40 feel to it. Combine that with the fashion and the big budget
videos and Duran Duran became the first internationally huge
New Romantic group.
Classification-New Romantic
Classic
New Romantic Video Moment-Simon sitting on the stern of the
boat at the end of the "Rio" video.
Where are they now? Duran Duran's latest album Astronaut is
in stores and they are touring. Visit them on the web at http://www.duranduran.com.
The Go Go's
Sure they hit it big with "We Got The Beat" and "Our
Lips Are Sealed" but when the Go Go's first hit the LA
and UK music scene they were much more of a rock/punk band than
they were sugary sweet top 40 darlings. Take a trip down memory
lane and listen to songs like "Surfing and Spying,"
"Johnny Are Your Queer," and "London Boys"
and you will hear that The Go Go's had the rock/punk thing down.
Well, somewhere along the line the girls found out what it took
to get played on the radio. Beauty and the Beat was a
huge success. Their debut album was followed by Vacation
and then 1984's Talk Show. By this time The Go Go's were
all pop and that rock/punk edge was a distant memory. I love
the Go Go's no matter what.
Classification-Pop
Classic
Pop video moment-The cute color coded band member segment at
the beginning of the "head over heals" video.
Honorable mention-the water skiing scene in the "Vacation"
video.
Where are they now? Guitarist Jane recently appeared on the
VH-1 series Surreal Life 3. The group will be doing a few shows
this spring/summer. Visit them online at http://www.gogos.com.
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Adam Ant
I love (loved) Adam Ant. Heck in the 80's I loved them all but
Adam held (holds) a special place in my heart for a very unique
reason. To me, Adam Ant represented this "Do what the F&?#K
you want to do" attitude. He wore make-up and his videos
were completely outrageous. Remember the dancing cow in the "Friend
or Foe" video? Or how about the whole pirate thing with "Stand
and Deliver?" Remember there was a time when the video for
"Strip" was considered controversial? He dared to be
different with songs like, "Picasso Visita el Planeta de
los Simios," which translates "Picasso visits the Planet
of the Apes." Adam was wearing make-up before Boy George
was a big hit and taking big fashion risks before all of the others.
Adam Ant was punk. His early songs like "Car Trouble,"
"Beat My Guest," and "Whip in my Valise" are
classic. Adam's big U.S. hit came with "Goody Two Shoes."
After the success of his album Strip, Adam left behind
the make-up and the pirate, 18th century fashion themed clothes.
Enter-Viva Le Rock. No make-up and wearing jeans a new
Adam Ant was born. The singles released from Viva Le Rock,
"Apollo 9," and "Viva Le Rock," had a much
different sound.
It seemed like Adam without the make-up had lost a little bit
of the magic. Vive Le Rock was not a huge hit and Adam
didn't release another album until Manners & Physique.
In my opinion, Adam became 100% New Romantic with the release
of Manners and Physique. He wore the suit. The live band
was gone. The music was pure pop. Adam crooned, women swooned.
"If You Keep On," was classic pop. Adam still dared
to be different on songs like "Bright Lights, Black Leather,"
but for the most part he was all the way pop. Manners &
Physique was followed up by 1995's Wonderful. Powered
by the title single, "Wonderful" found a home on adult
top 40 radio. Wonderful is easily one of the best and most
underrated pop albums of the 90's. Wonderful is currently
the last album of new material Adam has released.
Despite the group line up changes and changes in style, Adam always
dared to be different and his trademark lyric from Prince Charming,
"Ridicule is nothing to be scared of" defines his music
and a generation of his fans who are not afraid to take risks.
Classification-Punk turned
Pop or the father of the New Romantic movement?
What's
next for Adam? Antbox remastered will be released this April.
Visit http://www.adam-ant.net
for more details.
Go West
"We Close Our Eyes" got them on the radio but "Call
Me" proved to stand the test of time when it popped up
on the soundtrack for "Grand Thef Auto-Vice City."
The duo of Peter Cox and Richard Drummie hit pop gold with their
1990 hit "The King of Wishful Thinking" which was
featured on the Pretty Woman Soundtrack.
Classification-Pure pop
Cool fan site-http://www.gowestback2front.co.uk/
Tears For Fears
Tears for Fears hit it big with their sophomore album Songs
From The Big Chair but in my opinion (and many TFF fans),
The Hurting is their best album and quite possibly one
of the best albums released during the 80's. The album didn't
have the commercial success as their latter releases. How can
I explain The Hurting. It is quite possibly the most
devastatingly painful album I have ever heard in my entire life.
Years of pain and emotion wrapped into pop songs.
Although hard to listen to, songs like "Start of the Breakdown,"
"Memories Fade," and "Pale Shelter" touch
my soul. To this day I always have my copy of The Hurting
within an arms reach. The group released the more radio
friendly songs "Change," "Pale Shelter"
and "Mad World." The album with the extended versions
is so much better. I enjoy "Songs From The Big Chair"
but that is such a different album. It was so radio friendly
and happy.The Hurting touches my soul and I really enjoy
that album. Tears for Fears had to cheer up and smile to hit
it big in the states but I so loved the darker more moody version
of Tears for Fears. They didn't have the style to be New Romantic
and they had such a different style on The Hurting than
their future releases.
Classification-New wave turned
pop
Classic video moment-Curt and Roland walking as the leaves fall
in the "Pale Shelter" video.
Where
are they now? Tears for Fears current album Everybody Loves
a Happy Ending is in stores now. Visit them on the web at http://www.tearsforfears.net/index.html
Missing Persons
Dale Bozzio and the boys are New Wave all day long. Guitarist
Warren Cuccurrolo went on to be a member of Duran Duran for
nearly 15 years. With songs like "Words," "Walking
in L.A.," "Windows," and "Here and Now"
Missing Persons were New Wave all day.
Classification-New wave all
day
Classic video moment-Dale
Bozzio in the "Right Now" video.
Visit group member Warren Cuccurullo on the web at http://www.cuccurullo.tv/
Haircut 100
Haircut 100 is the perfect example of a band that could
have been huge. Things went awry after their huge debut Pelican
West and Nick Heyward launched a solo career. The band never
really was the same after the first album. "Love Plus One"
is classic and the band was recently featured on VH-1's Bands
Reunited.
Classification-Haircut 100-In
a class all by themselves
Nick Heyward-New Romantic
Where
are they now? The group was recently featured on VH-1's Bands
Reunited. Visit them on the web at
http://www.haircut100.net/
Spandau Ballet
"True" made the ladies swoon and is one of the most
recognizable ballads from the 80's. "True" made them
huge but "Gold" has always been my favorite Spandau
song.
Classification-Look at those
suits and the hair! New Romantic all day!
Official website-www.spandauballet.com
Wham
To me you know nothing about
Wham until you have listened to Fantastic from start to finish.
Many American Wham fans think
that the story of Wham started with "Wake Me Up Before
You Go Go." Not so. There is a whole Wham story before
the release of Make It Big. The early Wham sound was
very reminiscent of the late disco music of the 70's and the
early 80's. Album tracks "Love Machine," "Come
On," and "Ray of Sunshine" were pure disco. Wham
experimented with rap on the song "Wham Rap." The
boys made it to radio with "Bad Boys," "Young
Guns," and "Club Tropicana." The Club Tropicana
video was the first time Andrew and George showed off their
sexy side.
More artists....
Billy Idol- Billy
was more punk that pop or rock
when he came out with "Dancing With Myself" but he
transformed himself into the quintessential rock/pop icon managing
to maintain the respect of the rock and punk fans and finding
a resting place on the top 40 charts for most of the 80's. Billy
recently released my favorite new album of 2005 Devil's Playground.
Classification-Punk/Rock/Pop
http://www.billyidol.com
Talk Talk- Gosh.........."It's My Life." Need
I say more. Even No Doubt digs this group.
New Wave all day
The Clash-Kings of punk. London Calling is simply classic
but it took a "Rock The Casbah" for them to get airplay
in the states. Kings of the Punk Movement
ABC -ABC were so new romantic.
The bottom line is
that twenty plus years later I still don't know the difference
between pop, punk, new wave or new romantic, but it sure is
awfully fun to remember the old days and try to figure things
out!
Article written by webmaster for imissthe80s.com and thabiz.com
Dorrie Williams-Wheeler. www.dorrie.info
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