I didn't live through this era, but man, what a GREAT song and terrific production by Trevor Horn.
Share your memories, thoughts on this fun tune!
Hip hop hooray!
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I didn't live through this era, but man, what a GREAT song and terrific production by Trevor Horn.
Share your memories, thoughts on this fun tune!
Hip hop hooray!
by Anonymous | reply 70 | December 4, 2023 4:17 AM |
This was the credit song for one of my favorite comedies, Hamlet 2.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 1, 2023 3:47 AM |
Fuck, that was a long time ago.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | December 1, 2023 3:47 AM |
Poison Arrow was the best and first hit they had.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | December 1, 2023 3:49 AM |
Sisters and brothers! Should help each other!
by Anonymous | reply 4 | December 1, 2023 3:49 AM |
I was obsessed with ABC in high school. I taught myself how to dance to their music, such that I became a platform dancer for the clubs in S.F. during the late 80's/early 90's.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 1, 2023 3:53 AM |
"If you judge a book by its cover/Then you judge a look by the lover"
Makes zero sense, but just a great lyric in a wonderfully overdone song.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | December 1, 2023 3:55 AM |
Be Near Me is my favorite, it’s just so English
Almost all New Wave bands were English but few actually sounded English
by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 1, 2023 3:55 AM |
What did late 80 and early 90 possess?
by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 1, 2023 3:57 AM |
ABC released an almost-unknown sequel to [italic]The Lexicon of Love[/italic].
by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 1, 2023 3:58 AM |
I was always convinced that Martin was family, because he dressed so well (to my American eyes). Just looked him up, and he's been married to a woman for decades.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | December 1, 2023 4:01 AM |
I was ia high school senior when this song aired on MTV. It was one of the music videos I looked forward to on rotation. Had the How to Be a Zillionaire album on vinyl my sophomore year in college, which was recorded with a mostly different lineup of the band.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 1, 2023 4:03 AM |
Be Near Me is my favorite as well.
But every one of their hits was excellent.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | December 1, 2023 4:16 AM |
Another thread stolen. This is getting nuts. Shooting an email to Muriel right now 👏🏽
by Anonymous | reply 14 | December 1, 2023 4:23 AM |
I LOVE this song. So much fun to sing along to it.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | December 1, 2023 8:47 AM |
[quote] I was always convinced that Martin was family, because he dressed so well (to my American eyes). Just looked him up, and he's been married to a woman for decades.
The British musicians of that era were generally very stylish, heavily influenced by Bowie and Bryan Ferry. How I miss those days…
by Anonymous | reply 17 | December 1, 2023 8:55 AM |
It brings back so many good memories. I had just turned 21 and was going to clubs and this song reminds me of that.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | December 1, 2023 9:01 AM |
R8
Thank you for the reminder of Be Near Me - what a swoon!
by Anonymous | reply 19 | December 1, 2023 10:32 AM |
[quote]Almost all New Wave bands were English but few actually sounded English
New Wave actually refers to the second Wave of British acts that swept America after the first wave of British Acts like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the Who the Kinks - the British Invasion. So I think for the most part aren't New Wave bands by definition British? Or am I wrong?
by Anonymous | reply 20 | December 1, 2023 11:06 AM |
Not all of them (Talking Heads, Blondie).
But most New Wave bands don’t sound particularly English, case in point OMD, because (assuming) they adjusted their voices to appeal to Americans, who were the bigger market
Listen how hard he comes down on his consonants and vowels (“We’ve gotta make LLLLAAAASSSSTTTTTTT”) like an American
by Anonymous | reply 21 | December 1, 2023 12:53 PM |
"Be Near Me" is my favorite too. It's just plain, old-fashioned romantic.
Love the whole "How to be a Zillionaire" album, even with the weird conceit of adding two members who essentially did nothing.
Never understood that.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | December 1, 2023 1:20 PM |
When Shmokey Shingsh
I hear violinshz
by Anonymous | reply 24 | December 1, 2023 2:34 PM |
I saw Martin Fry/ABC (it’s just him and session band members now) perform at Cruel World festival in July and he was incredible! He looks great but more importantly sounds exactly the same!
If you ever get a chance definitely go see him.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | December 1, 2023 2:55 PM |
WHET the rest of the bad? I was going to ask about all of them, but then you updated on the lead singer, R25... so now I'm curious why the others aren't touring.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | December 1, 2023 3:07 PM |
Loved the song and the whole album! I was 24.
I'll say it again: those were the days.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | December 1, 2023 3:07 PM |
r25, I saw him during an 80's revival show 7 years ago. He, Tony Hadley, Howard Jones, Dave Wakeling, Terri Nunn, were all really terrific- you could tell they really loved performing. Tom Bailey from Thompson Twins, Marc Almond, the guy from Naked Eyes, When in Rome, Human League, Flock of Seagulls, Missing Persons, Dramarama, and When in Rome were duds (I had to look up the lineup because I forgot about most of them).
If an 80's revival show comes around, definitely go- it's good clean fun.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | December 1, 2023 4:09 PM |
According to Wikipedia...
"After the success of ABC's debut album The Lexicon of Love and the disappointing reception to their follow up Beauty Stab, ABC's Martin Fry and Mark White decided they wanted a completely new image for ABC. To that end, they asked Powell to join the band as well as American David Yarritu.
Neither Powell nor Yarritu were allowed to contribute musically. When Powell admitted she couldn't play any instruments, ABC frontman Martin Fry replied "It doesn't matter. You can pretend. We want you because you've got a great look".[2] Vocals attributed to Powell as Eden on the album How to Be a Zillionaire were not performed by her either – for example, in the song "A to Z", the words "Hi, I'm Eden, and I want you to kiss my snatch" was actually Martin Fry's voice sped up and was recorded entirely without Powell's knowledge.[5]
Inflatable instruments were made for the band with the aim to be as luridly bright and "cartoony" as possible. Eden even wore a dildo belt she made on The Tube, the 1980s Channel 4 live music show, which was a belt covered in "ladyfingers" – very small white dildoes – to look like a bullet belt.[6][7] The new look ABC went over well enough; in the UK and the US How to Be a Zillionaire charted in the top 30,[8][9] while "Be Near Me" was the highest-charting track off the album at No. 26 in the UK[8] and in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100."
by Anonymous | reply 29 | December 1, 2023 6:23 PM |
I think Lisa Van der Pump appears in one of their videos.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | December 1, 2023 6:40 PM |
Saw Martin Fry singing out front of ABC on the YouTube earlier this year. He looks bloody good and still dapper with his white hair. Not bad at all for 65.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | December 1, 2023 8:01 PM |
Loved them. JUST LOVED THEM.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | December 1, 2023 8:07 PM |
The Interwebz
by Anonymous | reply 33 | December 1, 2023 8:08 PM |
OP I lived it. Came out when I was in college and when I had an arty persona. It was my favorite album for years. I found it thrilling and glamorous. A private passion since my friends were like, whatever. I still love it and think it's brilliantly crafted.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | December 1, 2023 8:48 PM |
It's funny how the New Wave were British bands sounding more American, and then you have American Bands 20 years later trying to sound New Wave British. Does anyone remember Elkland? I can't believe this song was 18 fucking years ago, but I remember it and how retro it sounded in 2005 - an updated New Wave.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | December 1, 2023 11:36 PM |
R35. That's cool. But really. 10K views. Quite obscure.
by Anonymous | reply 36 | December 1, 2023 11:44 PM |
It was the song that was playing on the stereo when I test drove a Toyota Cressida in the fall of 1982.
I bought the car the following week.
Strange that I always associate that song with that test-drive.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | December 1, 2023 11:52 PM |
Be Near Me is a great song along with The Look of Love and Poison Arrow - all very 80s.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | December 2, 2023 12:16 AM |
Another vote for When Smokey Sings.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | December 2, 2023 12:29 AM |
Tears are Not Enough, Vanity Kills!!
For more romantic pop a la Be Near Me - S.O.S.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | December 2, 2023 12:35 AM |
I think there were plenty of bands and singers that sounded British: Eurythmics, Haircut 100, Squeeze, Culture Club, Madness, Human League, Soft Cell, The Smiths, Thompson Twins, Spandau Ballet, The Fixx, Soft Cell, Thomas Dolby, Gary Numan, etc...
by Anonymous | reply 42 | December 2, 2023 2:23 AM |
The Christians.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | December 2, 2023 2:37 AM |
I love some of their other hits - like How to be a Millionaire.
When Smokey Sings and Be Near Me are too poppy and almost easy-listening adult soft-rock.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | December 2, 2023 2:42 AM |
OP- That should be called
The Look Of A HOMOSEXUAL
by Anonymous | reply 45 | December 2, 2023 2:51 AM |
This is when things started to go to shit for ABC. Not a bad song overall, but all the style and sophistication of their earlier work was gone. Martin Fry looks silly in the video. It was sad to see the great British bands of the early '80s transform their sound and image to follow the new music trends of the late '80s and early '90s.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | December 2, 2023 3:07 AM |
Be Near Me is a great song, my favorite of theirs.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | December 2, 2023 3:15 AM |
Egads that is a terrible song and video r46. Let's soothe our ears with Poison Arrow:
by Anonymous | reply 48 | December 2, 2023 3:56 AM |
I thought it somewhat borrowed to a degree from The Supremes’ hit 1970 single “Up The Ladder To The Roof.”
by Anonymous | reply 49 | December 2, 2023 5:10 AM |
Heavens above!
by Anonymous | reply 50 | December 2, 2023 5:21 AM |
I love 2/3rds of it, if that makes sense., It's amazingly catchy but somehow it wears out its welcome for me.
"Be Near Me" is their best work.
And I never knew what to make of the chick and the bald twat not actually being musicians (or attractive).
by Anonymous | reply 51 | December 2, 2023 6:05 AM |
Mark White was pretty hot in a couple different incarnations.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | December 2, 2023 2:10 PM |
Jesus Christ! Gary Numan sounded British? Did he say HEEA-UH IN MY CAHHH or HEEEEERR IN MY CAARRR
Most of them purposely tried to avoid sounding too British. They come down heavy on the final consonants instead of clipping them like the English.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | December 2, 2023 5:31 PM |
See these guys clipped their r’s. “Down in the city, night is a WHY-AHHHH.”
by Anonymous | reply 54 | December 2, 2023 5:37 PM |
What does r possess?
by Anonymous | reply 55 | December 2, 2023 5:42 PM |
Professor Higgins in the house.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | December 2, 2023 5:45 PM |
To R7, I agree, but it's a great line& I understood what they meant by reversing the words.
I called the song "The Look of Lust"
The Human League, Thompson Twins, Bananarama, Cindi Lauper, 80's Madonna and of course the Disco from the late 1970's.
Give me an illegal black dance club near Northwestern U or in Chicago, I was there.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | December 2, 2023 6:14 PM |
To R9...To me, it was Freedom from my past. I changed my name& danced through college.
Danced in the clubs, finding freedom from other men.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | December 2, 2023 6:35 PM |
R57, what was the illegal black dance club near Northwestern? I was there from 1991-1999 (school and a few years after). Was this before then? Where was it? In Evanston, or right over the border in Rogers Park or something?
by Anonymous | reply 59 | December 2, 2023 6:37 PM |
Phillywhore - what years were you at NU?
by Anonymous | reply 60 | December 2, 2023 6:46 PM |
r3, yes to a teenaged Chicagoan, he sounded British. There were also American bands that tried to sound British- Styx, The Sparks, The Beau Brummels, Talking Heads, R.E.M.,
Heaven 17 was a great British band that sounded British as well:
by Anonymous | reply 61 | December 3, 2023 1:21 AM |
Heaven 17 is one of my favorite bands ever, love them so much, but most people don't seem to care much for them or even have heard of them beyond maybe "Let Me Go" and possibly "Penthouse and Pavement".
by Anonymous | reply 62 | December 3, 2023 3:01 AM |
[quote] Give me an illegal black dance club near Northwestern U
So is that in Evanston, Skokie, or Northbrook? Maybe at The Bagel in Old Orchard Mall?
by Anonymous | reply 63 | December 3, 2023 4:33 AM |
[quote] I changed my name
Were you previously known as EvanstonWhore?
by Anonymous | reply 64 | December 3, 2023 4:34 AM |
Be Near Me is my favorite, and David Yarritu is a delicious gay sized snack
by Anonymous | reply 65 | December 3, 2023 4:58 AM |
When did Styx sound or try to sound British??
They were midwestern boys who sang about their very American upbringing.
I love the Paradise Theater LP, I recently bought it for my phone and still knew all the words. They never sounded British to me.
Admittedly, Kilroy Was Here was a sort of weird departure for them, but it became their best selling album, didn’t it?
by Anonymous | reply 66 | December 3, 2023 5:37 AM |
Styx is terrible. Fun fact: I did a Kilroy Was Here puppet show in fourth grade with my friend, I shit you not. We had seen the Mr. Roboto video (all we did was watch tv) and read the liner notes of the Kilroy Was Here album and the story associated with it. My mom ran a preschool, so she had hand puppets. We made cardboard guitars and keyboards and used a small plastic toy drum kit and had the puppets rock out to a couple of songs. I'm sure my teacher was "wtf?"
by Anonymous | reply 67 | December 3, 2023 5:52 AM |
This was always one of my faves with the Contessa Lady V rap in it.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | December 3, 2023 6:44 AM |
r66, for sure with their Grand Illusion album.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | December 3, 2023 3:10 PM |
Another band from Chicago that sounded British:
by Anonymous | reply 70 | December 4, 2023 4:17 AM |
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