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The Go-Betweens, "Cattle and Cane"
The Go-Betweens are one of my favorite bands from the '80s that survived my taste changing from rock to more electronic-based music like Depeche Mode and Thomas Dolby. Their sound was a little bit different from other bands, and they could add pop appeal to their songs and not lose that uniqueness. I hear a bit of the Go-Betweens living on in older bands like the Wedding and newer bands like Belle and Sebastian.
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from Bellavista Terrace: The Best of the Go-Betweens (1999, Beggar's Banquet [Original release 1983, Before Hollywood/Rough Trade])
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Joe Crow, "Compulsion"
Joe Crow and other Cherry Red bands like the Marine Girls, Thomas Leer, and Ben Watt created some wonderful music. Joe Crow's electronic sounds do not seem less dated than Martin L. Gore's cover from 1989. There's some talk that Radiohead was influenced by Joe Crow, and when I play “Idioteque” I do think there's at least some echoes from something similar.
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from Pillows & Prayers, Vols. I & II (Cherry Red, 1982-1984) released in 2000 (Original 7" release 1982, Cherry Red)
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The Assembly, "Never Never"
Vince Clarke's involvement with electronic music has influenced too many artists to name. He brought us Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure, and added much musical credibility to the whole synth-pop genre. The Assembly intended to produce a series of singles, but nothing other than this amazing song came out of the project.
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from Never Never (Original 12" release 1983; CD single re-released 1986 on Mute)
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Sparks, "Angst in My Pants"
I like to joke that Sparks was playing '80s music in the '70s, but it really is not a joke. Sparks is recognized as influential to such LA new-wave bands as The Go-Go's as well as modern bands like Franz Ferdinand. Sparks' 30-plus year career includes some misses, but many gems, and it is always a pleasure to listen (and laugh) to their albums.
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from Angst in My Pants (Original release 1982, Oglio Records; re-released 1998)
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Propaganda, "P-Machinery"
Propaganda is an underrated synth-pop band that wasn't as popular as their labelmates Frankie goes to Hollywood and Art of Noise. Their sound was darker, and "Wishful Thinking," a remix of "A Secret Wish," takes this even further.
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from A Secret Wish (Original release 1985, ZTT Records/Polygram)
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Brian Eno, "King's Lead Hat"
Brian Eno's influence is legendary across many genres: punk, glam, ambient, and more. I don't hear may people talking about older punk-sounding songs like this one, and in my opinion that's a bit of a shame.
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from Before and After Science (Original release 1977, Astralwerks/Virgin)
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Wire, "Strange"
From its start as a British experimental punk band, Wire has been in a constant state of musical change. Their talent and ability to change their sound has allowed them to survive for 30-plus years while retaining stylistic relevance to current popular sounds. Punk, industrial, and electronic were all mastered by Wire. I hear many influences in indie-rock bands that have a leaning toward electronica, and their songs have been covered by bands like R.E.M. and Fischerspooner. The similarity between Elastica's "Connection" and Wire's "Three Girl Rhumba" was shamelessly admitted by Elastica in a 1995 lawsuit.
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from Pink Flag (Original release 1977)
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Fad Gadget, "Ricky's Hand"
Fad Gadget's synth-pop from the edge is some great dark pop music. The few years when electroclash music was in style, Fad Gadget's dark aesthetic hovered over bands like Adult, Tok Tok vs. Soffy O, and Ladytron, whose dark pop once again instilled a desire to put on black clothes and stomp around a poorly lit dancefloor in the bad part of town.
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from The Best of Fad Gadget (Original single released 1980, Mute)
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Meat Beat Manifesto, "10x Faster than the Speed of Love"
Many experimental bands came out of industrial music that was popular in an underground way in the late '80s. Meat Beat Manifesto caught that wave, and when it died out, morphed into techno. Still touring as DJs, Meat Beat Manifesto puts on a great show to this day.
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from 99% (Original release 1990, Mute US)
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Simple Minds, "Life in a Day"
John Hughes, director of Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and other '80s teen films, tried to ruin many of my favorite bands by featuring their music in his movies. Simple Minds was not ruined, but it's hard to find people who know any of their songs besides "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (which was written for The Breakfast Club). There's so much more good music on Life in a Day and Real to Real Cacophony that they deserve a listen. Other John Hughes casualties like the Psychedelic Furs and Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark (OMD) also have quite large catalogs with lots of good stuff. If you need a dose of teen angst, these bands will give it to you.
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from Life in a Day (Original release 1979)
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– Compiled by Cliff Skolnick
Posted February 2007
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