History hasn't really been all that kind to Spandau Ballet, and that really all stems from 1983 onwards when the single and LP True gave them enormous crossover appeal, success, fame and fortune. And I'm not going to sir here typing away any real defence of the band, for it was a very clear and distinct career move to shift away from the sort of music that had dominated the first two LPs into the bland, radio-friendly wine-bar shite that was incredibly popular in UK plc when Thatcher was at her most frightening.But I'll take issue with anyone who simply dismisses the early work just because it was a Spandau Ballet song.
Their debut single is one of the great synth-pop singles in an era where acts like Soft Cell, Human League, OMD and Depeche Mode were churning them out.
mp3 : Spandau Ballet - To Cut A Long Story Short
This was a huge hit, reaching #5 in the UK singles chart, and I don't mind admitting that I did lots of dancing to this, as well as their great follow-up The Freeze, in Glasgow discos in the early 80s. In fact, their debut LP Journeys To Glory, released in October 1981, along with Non Stop Erotic Cabaret and Dare by the afore-mantioned Soft Cell and The Human League, are about the only synth-dominated LPs from that era that I'm still happy to listen to all the way through almost 30 years later.
Not long after the LP appeared, we had the single that many of us will say was the high point of the band's output, the Top 3 smash Chant No.1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) . The band followed this up with Paint Me Down, another classy bit of pop-funk, but rather worryingly, the other tracks on the parent LP, Diamond, released in May 1982, were quite disappointing.
Looking back, it's worth remembering that the two albums were released only 8 months apart, so there's a case to be made that some of the material on Diamond was a bit rushed in an effort to stay in the public eye, and maybe if the band had been given another six or nine months, the LP would have been a lot stronger.
Paint Me Down only reached #30, which must have been a shock to the band and everyone associated with them given all previous four singles had been big hits, but that was nothing compared to the follow-up She Loved Like Diamond which only just made the Top 50. Something needed fixing.....
And so the record label sent for uber-producer Trevor Horn and he sprinkled his magic dust over the underwhelming song Instinction and produced brashy and bold bit of pop that soon had the boys back in the Top 10, on Top Of The Pops and in the pages of Smash Hits:-
mp3 : Spandau Ballet - Instinction (single version)
I finally picked up a copy of this bit of vinyl on e-bay the other day (along with a few other classics of the era), and I'm delighted to share it with y'all. Normally, I would also put the b-side up as well, but it really is a dreadful bit of pap called Gently, a self-produced number that really does put the band firmly on the road to the sort of stuff that was shoved on in the background so as not to interfere with the important chit-chat and gossip at the dinner parties...you know the sort of thing.....'Tristan just picked up his half-a-million bonus from the bank the other day after he persuaded the plebs to buy shares in the the Telecoms/Electricity/Gas companies they already owned. Tee-hee. Crack open another case of bolly....."
Oh and I havent a fucking clue what Gary Kemp meant with the words Stealing Cake To Eat The Moon.
20 comments:
I won't hear a bad word said against Spandau. Apart from Through The Barricades which was bollocks.
Spandau were the girlie pop band it was ok for the boys to like, and three of them went to my school, and I love Instinction (has to be turned up loud, to get the full impact of the Trevor Horn remix work) and the True album has some fantastic pop songs, Gold, True, Lifeline, Heaven Is A Secret, Foundation still sound good to my ears. And as for the marvel that is Chant No 1, even Weller liked that one (see Precious for proof)....
Oh and the 12" remixes...they were one of the first bands to produce dance remixes on 12" that didn't just sound like extended versions. Instead they were full of samples and loops, something which is the norm now, but back then was something quite new. But then they did start out as clubbers...
They left such a bad impression with crap like 'True' and 'Gold' that I don't usually admit to liking 'To Cut A Long Story Short' and 'I Don't Need This Pressure On'. Alas, you haven't added to that list with 'Instinction'.
oh the memories of seeing Spandau Ballet play at the Southampton Gaumont all those years ago...well i use the word 'see' in a literal sense as the girl in front of me sprayed hairspray in my eyes during the support act as I was pushing into her!...it was aurally a very good gig though.
How about a bit about that wonderful band 'Fashion' and the magnificent 'Streetplayer' single?
Sorry, just didn't get them or any of the New Romantic stuff at all. To me it was just horrible, a bunch of preening peacocks making soulless non danceable, dance music. Thatcher's children one and all.
I don't know what he meant with the word Instinction - never mind the rest of it.
Rich C
hmmh ... wonder what i will think of the tunes when i get home and download them: believe it or not, here in Germany you never heard ANYTHING from Spandau Ballet before Gold and/or True ... and this wasn't the case with 'the other New Romantic bands' from that era: their early stuff was rather well known .. even over here.
Ah, the Spands....... such memories. But, like JC, for me it was the first 2 albums only, and the smattering of singles before True and Gold, even Communication as a single was OK.
But the Diamond album was fantastic. The 4 tracks on the b side, which seemed to meld together so brilliantly were never off my turntable.
These first albums have never been properly remastered, the 12" versions of the singles never properly put together with the albums, nor the b sides of those singles (remember Glow?). EMI/Chrysalis/Reformation need to get their multiple fingers out of whichever pie they are in and do something about it. I have my own double CD versions of the albums, with accompanying tracks, which never leave the car.
Yuk. Sorry, but dreadful.
yup never heard of them in Canada before True either.
that song instinction is really bad and not in good way.
JC - even though I'm on holiday this week, I have to step in on this post. You are bang on it - with your Spandau summary which can be divided pre and post True..
First half hipper than hell, and made Duran look like Stars In Their Eyes' New Romo's. Second half (post Tr**) soul boy stodgers.
JC. Have to agree with you earlier spandau was best but even with true & the like can anyone deny TH had one hell of a voice ?
I have just finished reading Martins(Stephenson) book you reviewed a few weeks ago and have noticed in the past few days there have been a couple of comments left by Rich C. If this is the same Rich C. that was co-author may I thank you for a very informative & intersting read if not Quell coincedence !
Also JC have you started camping outside Waterstones yet ?
Cheers Son of the rock.
alas...I'm working on Thursday night and wont make the Grace/Edwyn event at Waterstone's.
Rich C?? Could very well be. I'm not the sort who goes reading the profiles of those who leave behind comments (well, not often)
JC you reply quicker than twitter ! what an excellant blogger!
Son of the rock.
OMD's Electricity was the synth-pop song that got our crew out on the dance floor lo those many years ago!
Have to say I agree with Simon on much of what he says...Spandau pre True are a rare and important pop band who outclassed most of the New Romantic group they came up with. But I can not find fault with the True album...certainly there is a move away from the fractured pop, but that world was morphing into the New Jazz pop and spitting out Wham! and Animal Nightlife to name a few... True and its follow up Parade are a pair of perfect pop albums. Songs like Gold and Communication are glossy but intense pop. and I'll Fly for You and Round and Round are strong and memorable.
Yes, Through the Barricades is a bit desperate, but it was made by a band that was splitting at the seems and maybe fancying itself a bit to much. Spandau Ballet belong among my favorite 80's pop alongside Soft Cell, Heaven 17 and early OMD...there's a subject to debate.
Then again it was very common in that era to start with some great, innovative albums and turn utter shite when the call of hits and fame came along.
Think Human League, OMD, Simple Minds and even Ultravox who also ran along the same lines - or is that me being an elitist indie wanker? (As has been suggested by close friends and my wife.)
Herbal T
Couldn't have summed it up better myself.
Read the Andy Taylor biograpy recently when he said the Duranies rushed out to buy Spandau's first single 'To Cut A Long Story Short' and they all thought it was bollocks.
Can't say I agree with them as I loved all the early Spandau & Duranie output
Gold truly was horrible, as was communication, though thought barricades was ok at the time. Chant no.1, though, holds its' own with many of the tracks of the time.
Early SB were great, ''Journeys to glory'' and ''Diamond'' were masterpieces (but I love also their ''after True'' period), they were an original band, I really love their minimalistic new wave and their white funk (Chant no.1 is a gem!). ''The Freeze'' is hypnotizing and sexy.
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