80's Stripped
My trip to LA happily coincided with a launch party for the ‘unplugged’ 80′s compilation for which I recorded a stripped down version of ‘Science.’ I mentioned in my blog a few weeks ago (April 20th) how this came about as a last minute recording before I went on tour.
The party took place at the seedy Viper Room on Sunset Strip. Several of the artists on the CD got up and performed live acoustic versions of their hits: Naked Eyes’ Pete Burn, The Go Go’s Jane Wiedlin, The Motels, Tommy Tutone, and Men At Work’s Colin Hay. The label asked me to play too, but it was too soon after my tour for me to get together a guitarist and a simple keyboard setup and fly them down to LA. So instead I offered to emcee the evening. This is something I’ve done once or twice before, and though I’m not a natural standup comedian, I can usually find something interesting to say. There was a ton of press and photogs there, as the CD is getting a lot of attention–even Howard Stern is playing it.
You have to be careful with these 80′s flashback things. It’s easy to get pigeonholed as a nostalgia act, unless there’s something current going on that has relevance today and for the future. People make up their own minds in a heartbeat which camp you’re in. And I have a theory: unfortunately, looks have a lot to do with it. If you put a lot into your pinup image back then, you’ve got a lot to live up to now. Duran Duran and Depeche Mode? They still look pretty darn great, and the press view their music as still relevant after all these years. Flock Of Seagulls and ABC?…. hmm, not quite so sure. It’s hard to imagine those guys coming up with something new that will balance out the nostalgia thing.
Then there are those who were always above pigeonhling. Kraftwerk were a bunch of staid-looking middle aged Germans when they started out! So who cares how they’ve aged. What matters is that their music is and always was fantastic, and it transcends decades and trends.
Another example is Colin Hay. At the Viper Room I got to sit in the front row and listen to him sing, which wasn’t practical at the 3 gigs I played with him earlier this Spring. He’s a wonderful, hilarious storyteller with a great stage presence. And my God, the man sounds fantastic. ‘Overkill’ wasn’t as big a hit for him as ‘Land Down Under’, but what a gorgeous song that is. His voice and guitar playing are pure gold.
BTW here’s a good one for the ‘misheard lyrics’ file: I always thought the chorus to that song was ‘Goes to beer and fade away.’ I even sang those words when he asked the audience to join in the chorus. I was little disappointed just now when I looked up the lyrics and found it’s actually ‘Ghosts appear and fade away.’
There’s a Yahoo review of the party here; you can buy the CD here.
June 3rd, 2006 at 9:15 am
It looks to me as if the UK edition of this CD has different tracks on it. Oh well I’ll just have to get both, the UK version for Tears For Fears: “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and the US Version (like I need to tell you why I want that). Some tracks are the same however, hmm, I’m getting confused?!?!
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:37 am
They used Colin’s acoustic version of Overkill on Scrubs (and Colin himself as well). It made for a couple of funny moments as a running gag that everywhere JD went this guy was playing a guitar and singing, but it built to this poignant climax that would never have been the same with any other song in any other style with any other singer. It was perfect TV for a brief bit, and it was all because of Colin.
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:39 am
I forgot to mention, it was Season 2, episode 1 in which Colin appeared doing Overkill. In case anyone is interested in tracking it down.
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:07 am
Now I’m imaginig you starring in Cabaret
Awesome!
; D
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:30 am
In the Joel Gray role? Or the Liza Minelli one??
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:14 pm
Well Thomas, my misheard lyric was that for a few years I thought “Opelousas’ Charity Ball” was “Old policeman’s Charity Ball”. I guess it helps to read the lyrics once in a while.
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Thomas, have you, in fact, filed that in the “Archive of Misheard Lyrics”? (http://www.kissthisguy.com/)
You know, when Overkill came out, I hated it (actually, it was in heavy rotation here in the States on MTV when MTV was still young and cool and played concerts like Thomas Dolby/Lene Lovich) But when I saw the episode of Scrubs that JimK described above, I fell in love with it. Truly a beautiful song. I just didn’t appreciate it in my youth!
June 3rd, 2006 at 1:02 pm
It seems kind of funny to me that I’m getting updates on new material directly from the artist. But I’m glad you are keeping us in the loop or I’d miss this opportunity for a new take on an 80s classic.
Regarding the Scrubs episodes with Colin Hay, it was for that episode that I bought the series on DVD. Ever since seeing Colin Hay on there I’ve wanted to see you (Thomas) do a cameo on the show. If they can bring JJ Walker on, they can bring you on! But what would you play? I think ‘Hyperactive’ suits the general manic mode of the series. Or, perhaps ‘The Ability To Swing’ in one of their musical moments. Any chance of seeing you on there?
Hey, I know! You could play Dr. Acula in the musical version of JDs play and write something totally goofy just for that. (I’m thinking you were previously in a vampire genre movie…)
June 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Very rare are the instances in which I exclaim, “D’oh!” — however this is one. So easy it would have been to have made the short trek to that little black club with the chequered past. And relative to the world of pop culture, so worthy a reason. If only I had known.
Somehow over time, fortunately, a life intervened, but it would be disingenuous not to admit that during my formative years, I don’t think Mtv played “Overkill” and “Science” A SINGLE TIME without my rapt observation. (Alas, these numbers were nearly matched by Journey’s “Faithfully,” however a child cannot always choose what it eats. Incidentally, isn’t it odd how one morose ballad — i.e. Colin’s — can be such a beautiful and enduring thing — loved it then, love it now, he’s awesome — whereas another can provoke instantaneous vomiting?)
(No offense to Neil Schon; I know you guys have something in common.)
Having endured “pop-music” I quite loathed throughout the ’90s (Dolby out; grunge in; hey, thanks), here’s a perspective: Don’t worry your world-class entertainer head about nostalgia-pigeonholing. Absurd! Other video pioneers like Byrne and Gabriel have gone grey, but they still pack large venues (still making sure to include “Psycho Killer” and “Shock the Monkey,” respectively, as if they were written that afternoon). Pop-brilliance is pop-brilliance; it doesn’t have a date-stamp (speaking of which, having Martin Fry back and in good form is a real treat as well; the first two ABC albums, like the first two Thomas Dolby albums, may as well be considered Monuments to 80s Greatness). While marketing may skew toward cosmetics-minded children, artists who…shall we say…”don’t suck”?…shall always be welcome. And encouraged to give us more of what my generation experienced first-hand, and the next one dearly wishes it had!
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:27 pm
I can’t get to sleep/I think about the implications…
So very strange… yesterday, my brother passed away, and in trying to find some normalcy, I sat at the computer, sending e-mail, reading news… I put on my headphones and pulled up a soothing playlist I made a while ago on iTunes that includes some of your music and, in the mix, the acoustic version of “Overkill” from the “Scrubs” soundtrack. The phrase “Ghosts appear and fade away” has been going through my head since then, and I even signed off a few e-mails with it yesterday evening. To see those words in your blog entry today caught me off guard.
Sometimes the Internet makes the world a very odd place of coincidence that both can rattle you and calm you at the same time. A reassuring bit of synchronicity – you’re still connected to the world, even when feeling a sudden disconnect.
I’ll consider it a sign that I should trek over to Tower Records tonight and buy the Stripped CD. Maybe it will help me sleep.
Ghosts appear and fade away…
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:25 pm
Did you know Scritti Politti is playing live again after 26 years? And a new album is on it’s way…
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:57 pm
I’ve always held that the quality of a pop song can usually be judged by how well it stands up to a sparse arrangement (say vocals and piano or vocals aand guitar). IMO, a significant portion of ’80s music holds up well using this litmus test.
Some people use the term ’80s music like it’s an insult. Most people I run across who dislike ’80s music do so on the basis of the fashion, the hair styles, the synth-heavy instrumentation (which is asinine and narrow-minded) or simply their own negative memories. The music, when judged fairly on its own merits, is worthy of praise and remembrance. TMDR’s innovative tour and Colin Hay’s ongoing success are fine examples.
With regards to “Overkill,” it’s always been a favorite song of mine. “Business As Usual” was one of the first albums (err…cassettes) I ever purchased and I enjoy it equally today (in remastered CD form, of course). I actually ran across the Men At Work songbook about 10 years back and I’ve been learning their songs gradually on piano and guitar. I just learned “Overkill” about a month ago partially in honor of the superb TMDR/Colin Hay show at the Canyon Club.
Anyhow, I look forward to hearing this album and smiling in agreement with the concept and the result.
-Synth80s
P.S. Hey Thomas: In repsonse to one of your previous threads, I know the Canyon Club and other “dining club” venues may have seemed offputting from your perspective, but we were equally enthusiastic and involved. Considering that the last time I had the opportunity to see you play was at the amazing ’101′ Rose Bowl show in 1988, I never thought I’d be sitting right in front of a stage sharing dessert with my lovely wife watching you start your show. We only made dining reservations so we could sit in front of the stage and admire the show!
June 4th, 2006 at 1:55 am
Colin Hay is a fantastic comic actor. He had a fairly major role in an Australian movie called “Cosi” (as in Cosi Fan Tuti) about a group of inmates in a psychiatric hospital who stage a production of said opera. Colin plays – strangely enough – a deranged scotsman, and he has some great lines. The film also starred Toni Colette (Muriels Wedding, Sixth sense), Ben Mendelson and David Whenham. It cleaned up lots of local awards and had a great soundtrack. Anyone outside this ‘land down under’ heard of it? P.S – I was most amused to read thomas’s story of mistaken song words…..
June 4th, 2006 at 2:33 am
Y’know, Marco, you have a Perfect Way of leaving a posting.
It’s kind of funny, too — every white British 80s icon seems to have their chosen American soul fave: Green had Aretha, Martin had Smokey, and of course Thomas has (at least) George ‘n’ Stevie. Would Peter have a career without Marvin and Otis? Doubtful!
(Very incidentally, I am aware that Peter Gabriel had something of a career going on before the 80s.)
With a nod to Saucy, her semi-countryman Michael Hutchence certainly borrowed as much from James as he did from Jim (and, alas, brilliantly).
Colin, though…he seems to have been inspired by…Colin!
(Haven’t seen that movie, but shall seek it out for a double-feature with Rockula. Did enjoy the Live Down Under show slightly after Live Wireless, though.)
This is a jokey posting, but a moment of silence:
.
Kind condolences, Merujo.
June 4th, 2006 at 6:26 am
Joel Grey Silly-But you do have the Legs for the sally Bowl role-
so read for both ; D
June 4th, 2006 at 10:21 am
I still enjoy music from the 80′s, but try not to be too nostalogic about it. Staying current with some of the musical choices that are out there today keeps you from looking over your shoulder too much.
I think when a performer is still as much involved in creating excitement with his/her music, fans tend to overlook shortcomings in appearance . Believe me, we all have changed — just some more dramatically than others. If the music’s good and significant, you’ll always have a following.
June 9th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
I always thought “Overkill” said “Goes To Bed and Fade Away.” HA!
June 11th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
merujo, my condolences as well.
It seems this thread has turned into a Colin Hay theme. Ok, my minor brush-with-greatness thread. Got to see him a few years back when he just started playing solo. Got great seats in exchange for work I did for the show promoter.
The place was a small venue that was part of a church, the Seabury Center in Westport, CT with amazing acoustics. But, it requires an artist to leave the stage and head out into the audience when the show’s done.
Anyway, he was a really good story teller. That night he played just one Men At Work song. (Maybe the audience expected a MAW greatest hits show, but his then new material was great.) My children were with me as well, with my daughter sitting on the aisle.
So, long story longer, as he’s heading out after his encore towards us, said 11-year old daughter decided she wanted to leave first, and promptly jumped in front of him, causing him to almost trip before I was able to pull her back.
That was a long way to go for a story, but I had to go there.
;-p
“…Colin plays – strangely enough – a deranged scotsman, …”
Actually not so strange considering he was born in Scotland, and only later moved down under.
June 22nd, 2006 at 8:00 am
What I look for to tell the difference between the nostalgia/relevance divide is does the band produce new material that the fans embrace?
I saw ABC in Sellersville, PA last week, at the same Theater that we saw Thomas Dolby in early this year. I went because my wife was a fan (I was listening to Styx in 1983…), and I basically knew one song. Their strongest piece was their newest (a song called Ride), IMO, but there was only one. They were clearly a nostalgia act. Nothing wrong with that, but you’re not going to grow your audience that way.
July 15th, 2006 at 11:59 am
power chair walker holder…
I never thought about this ….
February 29th, 2008 at 1:17 am
80\’s music…
Uhhh. Very Interesting….