From New Wave to the 'NOW', experience the thrill of NEW WAVE from it's beginnings in the late '70s to the modern bands so obviously influenced by it! So, if you grew up in the '80s and still enjoy discovering new sounds as well as rediscovering old favorites, then read on!
PUNK! POWER POP! SYNTH POP! NEW WAVE! POST-PUNK!
In celebration of MADNESS' 30th Anniversary AND the release of their long-awaited (and critically adored) 2009 albumTHE LIBERTY OF NORTON FOLGATE(which I will be reviewing in the next few days), I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about my life filled with Madness moments...
My love affair with MADNESS started 30 years ago when I first heard their debut album ONE STEP BEYOND. Being in my mid-teens and hungry to hear as much new music as possible, the sounds that Madness created made my head spin. Sure, I knew what Ska music was all about, but to me, Madness were not a Ska band. They were something bigger...
The following year, I remember sitting in Drivers Ed class, waiting for the bell to ring so class would be over and I could hop on my bike and pedal myself down to the local Licorice Pizza (a music retail chain) and buy their second album, ABSOLUTELY. From the moment "Baggy Trousers" blared out of the speakers, I knew I was in for yet another treat... and I was right. I loved this album even more than the first one!
So, in May of '81, I see Madness are going to play in Reseda at a place called The Country Club. I begged for my allowance early from my folks and asked them to call and buy tickets for me. I might have even promised to mow the lawn every weekend for the rest of my life! But alas, the show as sold out!
My buddy Rick Intveld and my bro Michael were going to go see Robert Gordon at the Roxy a few days later and asked if I wanted to go. Since they had a spare ticket, I went. Well, guess who just happened to be attending that very same show? Five of the seven members of Madness!!
Being the slobbering fool that I was, I went up and introduced myself to them. I got all their names right except for Bedders, who I called Woody (they all laughed... stupid me) They were all really cool, but were certainly more interested in the hot L.A. babes than this little fan-boy. Suggs pointed me in the direction of Lee Thompson, who was standing apart from the rest of them and I went and had a nice conversation with him. I was in awe that this talented guy would talk to a schmuck like me, but I was in heaven.
Later on, while inside the club, Lee passed me in the corridor and said "Steve plus one!". I said "What?" And he leaned over and spoke in my ear, stating "Steve plus one. I'll get you on the guest list!".
Two nights later, I was at the Reseda Country Club watching Madness. It was one of the most fantastic nights of my life. I did all the fanboy stuff: spotted different band members in the crowd before the show and had them sign my LPs and singles. When the band came onstage, I yelled out "Chas!" Band member Chas Smash (Carl Smythe) spun around, walked over to me and shook my hand. I think I finally understood what the term 'fookin' brilliant' meant that night!
I continued to buy every seven inch and twelve inch single released by the boys and every version of their albums I could find (UK pressing, US pressing, German pressing, etc). 'Twas such a joy to collect their stuff and play it for friends, who were all usually gobsmacked by how great Madness was.
Within a few years, it seemed that everyone was finally catching on: "Our House" was a bona-fide U.S. hit! I wasn't 'proud' per say, but it felt good that people were finally buying their albums here in the states. I had NO idea how popular or unpopular they were anywhere else since I didn't know about UK magazines like NME, Melody Maker, etc. until a few years later.
Anyway, my friends and I drove up to L.A. when their U.S.-only album, Madness, was released, the band did an in-store at...hmmmm... I think it was Licorice Pizza! I stood in line to get their autographs (although I already had them from the Country Club show) and when I tried to talk to Lee Thompson about meeting him at the Roxy, he just said "There were a lot of people at that show, mate!" and that was it. I was bummed... but only for a few moments because I realized that, sure, I got to meet Lee Thompson, one of only seven members of Madness, but he's had the chance to meet thousands upon thousands of fanboys just like me... and I think we kind of all look the same! So, no harm, no foul!
As the years rolled on, many more Madness releases came, but then the world seemed to crumble once keyboardist MIKE BARSON announced he was leaving the band. What? Monsieur Barso leaving the nutty boys? Wassup wid dat?
Their post-Baron album, Mad Not Mad, was a much more somber, mature effort and initially caught me by surprise. But, upon second, third and fourth listens, I was hooked. "Yesterday's Men" still sounds wonderful today.
When Madness announced that they were splitting up in 1986, I was majorly bummed yet again. But you know what? I realized they had a great run and better to go off on a good note than just keep touring the band into the ground until all that was left was Suggs and six young musicians from L.A. touring the fairs as Madness featuring Suggs.
Because of Madness, my eyes were opened to a lot more styles of music. I'd go back and buy albums from the bands that they were influenced by. I'd buy records by bands that they picked to open for them. I'd buy any and all albums produced by Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley (who produced all of the Madness albums). I'd buy anything that former Madness members released, played on or produced. And almost everything was top notch (Feargal Sharkey's "Listen To Your Father" single is the best Madness song they never released so go check it out if you can find it).
A decade after they split, Madness reunited for live dates and the magic was back. In 1999, they released the album Wonderful, which certainly lived up to it's title! It was my favorite Madness album since Seven was released in 1981!
In 2005, their Dangerman Sessions album was released, which consisted of cover versions of songs that influenced them. As good as the album was, I'm not big on covers albums by anyone! So, it's got a ton of great things on it but I don't go back and listen to it as often as their other albums.
Now, 30 years after I first heard Madness, I sit here with a physical copy of THE LIBERTY OF NORTON FOLGATE at my fingertips, amazed at what I hear. Could this be Madness' best album yet? Find out when I review it here on the blog!!!
Thanks to those fine folks over at Edsel Records, a pair of overlooked albums in the LEVEL 42 catalog have just been upgraded and are being released in DELUXE two CD sets:
Level 42, led by bassist/vocalist Mark King and keyboardist/vocalist Mike Lindup, had already achieved great success worldwide throughout the '80s with their unique blend of Jazz, Funk and Pop. By the time they scored a U.S. hit with "Something About You" in 1985, their sound had become instantly identifiable and the hits just kept coming.
But with success comes pressure and by 1987, the band's other two long-time members, brothers Phil and Boon Gould, had left the fold. King and Lindup carried on in a harder, slicker direction for the album Staring At The Sun (1988) but then cooled their heals and plotted their next move.
In 1991, with a new label (RCA) and a new confidence, King and Lindup (along with drummer Gary Husband and a few different guitarists including Alan Holdsworth and Dominic Miller) released Guaranteed, a mature and focused collection of songs that moved forward but also retained the Jazz/Funk feel of their hit '80s albums. The album was filled with stunning musicianship (everyone involved was at the top of their game) and gorgeous songwriting. The melodies of the album may not have been immediate at times, but would take root after a spin or two. The album's key tracks, "Guaranteed", "Overtime" and "My Father's Shoes", took the band to a new... er... level in terms of maturity and artistry. But as usual, when a band moves forward, their audience sometimes gets left behind in the confusion, which was the case with Guaranteed. All their audience wanted was another World Machine or Running In The Family but L42 were not content with living in the past. While the album was adored by the hardcore fan, the public at large were only mildly interested.
Nearly 20 years later, the album is now seen as a milestone in their career. With this double CD reissue, fans old and new can revisit a new and improved version complete with bonus tracks! Not only do you get every track from the original release (including the bonus cuts only available on cassette and CD versions) but you also get a bonus CD containing 16 single edits, 12" remixes, b-sides and live cuts! Personally, I'm a big fan of extended mixes like the ones included here, simple because you are able to hear musical elements of the song that may be buried or mixed down on an album or single version. And with Level 42, there is often so much going on in a song that you may understandably miss a little guitar line here or piano riff there. On these extended mixes, those wonderful moments are there for you to enjoy in all their splendor!
Not a moment is wasted in this package, which has been lovingly and respectfully compiled with the fan in mind. The package looks beautiful and includes lyrics, bio, photos and more. Totally ace!
(Review continues after this video break)
Three years later (which can be a lifetime in the world of Pop music unless you are Guns 'N' Roses), King and Lindup returned with Forever Now, one of the finest albums of their career. On Forever Now, Level 42 moves forward even further, incorporating then-current dance rhythms into some of their tracks while remaining true to their original Jazz/Funk/Pop fusion. Originally issued as an 11 track album, Forever Now featured career-defining tracks like "Love In A Peaceful World" and the title track alongside songs that have become firm fan favorites like "Billy's Gone", "The Sunbed Song" and "All Over You". The brief return of original member Phil Gould adds extra excitement to the proceedings as well.
The album was eventually reissued in 1996 with different artwork, a different running order and a handful of tracks replacing two that were dropped from the original release. As confusing as it was, this reworking of the album may have dropped the immediacy of the original release, but it added a new atmosphere and better musical understanding of the project as a whole.
This expanded reissue retains the original release's artwork but features the second edition's tracklist on Disc One. The bonus disc begins with the two tracks that were dropped from the initial release then adds 10 remixes and single edits, making this the ULTIMATE version of Forever Now! Once again, it's jam packed with great music, great liner notes and so much more.
So, there you have it: many great reasons to pull out a few bucks, slap 'em on the counter and yell "So, where are my LEVEL 42 Deluxe editions, mate??!!!"
EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHT SAID FRED(but were too sexy to ask!)
PART THREE OF THREE
An EXCLUSIVE interview with Richard and Fred Fairbrass By Stephen SPAZ Schnee
In Part One of our three part interview, we discussed the band's early days, the sudden success of "I'm Too Sexy", the making of their first two albums (Up and Sex & Travel) and lots of other revealing tidbits! Then, in Part Two, Fred and Richard discussed the difficult third album (Smashing) and the following two albums that coincided with their rebirth as one of the most exciting Euro Electro-Pop duos of the millennium: Fredhead and Stand Up. Now, in our third and final installment in this in-depth interview with the Fairbrass brothers, they talk about their brief foray away from the Electro sound on the album For Sale and then their triumphant return with this year's I'm A Celebrity album! Ladies and gentlemen, once again, I give you RIGHT SAID FRED!
SPAZ: In 2006, you released For Sale, which saw RSF tone down the dance beats and sound like a proper Pop/Rock band. Was this a conscious move away from club music? FRED: Yes and no. We moved away from the dance beats but, by the time we finished the album, we really missed the dance beats. We had had a lot of personal during this album disruption (I had pneumonia and was in the hospital for awhile), so I think that's why it's very hit and miss. I love some of it and some of it doesn't touch me. RICHARD: There are one or two tracks on that album of which I’m still extremely proud: "The Cost of Loving" and "I Wanna be Simple" being two that come to mind. "I Love My Car" was also a really cool song. The move away from dance beats towards more of a pop\rock feel was not right in retrospect, despite the process throwing up some good stuff!
SPAZ: Once again, the songwriting was top notch and the album was filled with tracks that should have been singles (“I Love My Car”, ‘Cry”, “Obvious”), yet you only released one from the album, a cover of “Where Do You Go To My Lovely”. Was the single chosen by the label or have RSF always been the ones to choose what singles are released? FRED: Yes, they should have been singles but the label (MOS) weren't interested in those songs as singles. “Where Do You Go To My Lovely” had a lot of radio attention and was very popular when we played it on tour, which is why it was chosen as a single. It achieved the highest chart entry we had ever had in Germany. RICHARD: I'm very proud of the songwriting on that album and you've reminded me of two songs I’m ashamed to say I’d overlooked ("Cry" and "Obvious"). We've always had a bit of a fight with labels over the choice of singles, trying as far as possible to come to some common ground. My choice at that time was for "Obvious".
SPAZ: Though For Sale was a slight change in direction, were you pleased with it as a whole? FRED: Not really, it wasn't focused enough for my liking. I like eclectic albums but this was just too fragmented. 'The Cost Of Loving' is probably my favorite track, I think we nailed the writing 100% and the production is fantastic. RICHARD: Although I still feel very good about the actual writing, we could've done more on the production, I think. There are "tracks" and there are "songs". Tracks have to be nailed on the production side to achieve a sense of completion; songs, in the simplest sense, can stand on their own without the need for too much messing with. It's just a rule of thumb… Readers can write in with exceptions!
SPAZ: Any particular memories about recording For Sale? FRED: We had great fun recording the guitars: we spent quite a long time on that...some would say indulgent. RICHARD: I really enjoyed working on this album but, ironically, for the wrong reasons. We were left entirely alone and we buried ourselves in the making of it for months… great fun! However, with not enough A&R input, we didn't focus as hard as we should have. Although I think it's a great album, it didn't have the first, and very necessary, fly away single that was needed to get the album recognized.
SPAZ: In 2007, the band was thrust back into the spotlight with a new version of “I’m Too Sexy” that was inspired by a detergent commercial that you appeared in. Can you tell us a little bit about how this came about? FRED: The ad agency approached us about using “… Sexy” and asked us to appear in the commercial: we liked the idea immediately. The product, Daz, is very iconic and reminded me of my childhood. We had resigned to Gut Records (don't ask me why) and they had a new radio edit of “I'm Too Sexy” recorded. It was way below what the song deserves. Re-recording a song as big as “… Sexy”, you either get creative and spend some real money or you just leave it alone, Gut did neither. We did some promotion around this release but no one wanted to hear the 2007 version! We found ourselves promoting the original version, only 16 years later! It was a real fiasco.
SPAZ: Were you planning to release a new album at this time? I seem to remember that your website stated that you were working on a new album for Gut? FRED: Yes, we were recording a new album. Half way through, Gut Records went into administration, so we were in limbo until we got all the recording rights returned to us. It was a tedious and expensive process. RICHARD: I should have my eyes put out for ever thinking that going back to Gut was anything but a lousy idea. In the words of Jim Carrey: "somebody stop me!" My therapist has advised me to erase all memories of this period from my mind. "Nurse, where's my medication?"
SPAZ: At the end of 2008, you released the single “I’m A Celebrity”, which saw you returning to the club sound of Fredhead and Stand Up. Was the song written about the cult of celebrity in general or the sudden fame that reality stars were experiencing in the public eye? FRED: “I'm A Celebrity” takes a look at today's celebrity culture, the good and the bad… and the ugly! People are famous and often the public have no idea why. It's an industry all on it's own. RICHARD: The cult of celebrity is not entirely new, although the advent of meaningless reality shows which today feed it, is. The notion of "famous for being famous" is fairly new and the song tries to illustrate both the emptiness and the transience of the celebrity game.
SPAZ: Shortly after the single came out, you released the album I’m A Celebrity, which is, once again, filled to the brim with infectious songs driven by floor-filling dance beats. Were these tracks that you’d been working on for Gut or a whole new set of songs? FRED: This was intended as the next Gut album. Although getting our rights back was painful, I’m delighted it didn't get released through Gut Records. RICHARD: All in all, I’m as proud of this album as anything we've recorded.
SPAZ: One track in particular, “Melanie”, is definitely one of the greatest pop moments in RSF history. What is the story behind this track? FRED: I'm so pleased you like this track. I think it's one of the best songs we've ever written. As a kid, I only had two posters on my wall: George Best (UK soccer legend) and Olivia Newton-John. The song “Melanie” is about looking longingly at my ONJ poster and just drifting off thinking all the things a hormone riddled teenager imagines when looking at someone as beautiful as she was... and is. RICHARD: This was fun to record. I love bass synth line and the chorus vocals, which we really nailed. Also, without sounding big headed, I think we got the production just about right.
SPAZ: The album is club-oriented, but there is such a variety of songs on the album, including the oddly ‘80s experimental sound of “Yellow Metal Car”, the ragga-fied “I Am A Bachelor”, the jaunty sing-along “Infected” and other fine moments. Do you feel more comfortable keeping things interesting, musically? FRED: We do mix it up quite a lot, partly because we don't know how NOT to. Whatever any one of us has been listening to recently finds its way into the studio. Clyde works with Chris Garcia from Trinidad which is how “I'm A Bachelor” came about. We all love the humor and chaos English bands like the Small faces exuded, so with “Infected”, we tried to recreate a bit of that madness. Humor and chaos is now sadly lacking in the UK music scene. It's a real shame. RICHARD: I think it's better to keep things interesting and run the real risk of messing up than to stick to overly familiar territory. I'm really happy with the mix we've got on this album; it reminds me a little of our first album, which was also pretty varied.
SPAZ: There’s a bonus remix of “I’m Too Sexy” stapled on the end as a bonus track: When all is said and done, has this song been a blessing or a curse? FRED: Definitely a blessing! I have many musician friends, some successful and some not, they would all give anything to have written “I'm Too Sexy” and, apart from that, I truly believe it's a great original record and I am extremely proud of it. RICHARD: "I'm Too Sexy" is both the golden egg and a lead weight. Despite everything, though, it's hard to express how proud of it I am. It changed our lives and makes me smile every time we perform it!
SPAZ: What’s next for Right Said Fred? FRED: We are negotiating a new deal, and we all know how much fun that is! We're about to record a couple of tracks with The Disco Boys and Nosie Katzmann so watch this space… Then we'll be on the road doing lots of shows and counting our blessings.
SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning on your CD and DVD players? FRED: (CDs) Lots of various dance tracks like Jennifer Hudson and Sneaky Sound System. Albums: Colin Hay’s Going Somewhere, Hotel Costes, Pet Shop Boys’ Yes, The Dresden Dolls’ Yes Virginia, The Infidels,Bruce Springsteen's Live in Dublin, Dandy Warhols’ 13 Tales, Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits. (DVDs) Family Guy, The Wire, CSI: Las Vegas, anything with Benicio Del Toro, Eastern Promises, Syriana, Canned Heat Story. RICHARD: I can't get enough of Bruce Springsteen performing "Pay Me My Money Down" with the Sessions Band! I love him, totally cool and totally committed! Recently, I also became completely mesmerized by Leonard Cohen's "The Stranger Song". Why doesn't anyone write stuff like this anymore? Other than the above, I listen to a lot of Sinatra, Aerosmith, McCartney, Dylan, Pink Floyd, and the Stones.
Thanks to Fred and Richard Fairbrass. Special thanks to David Levine.
EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHT SAID FRED (but were too sexy to ask!)
PART TWO OF THREE
An EXCLUSIVE interview with Richard and Fred Fairbrass By Stephen SPAZ Schnee
In Part One of our three part interview, we discussed the band's early days, the sudden success of "I'm Too Sexy", the making of their first two albums (Up and Sex & Travel) and lots of other revealing tidbits! Now, in Part Two, Fred and Richard discuss the difficult third album (Smashing) and the following two albums that coincided with their rebirth as one of the most exciting Euro Electro-Pop duos of the millennium: Fredhead and Stand Up
SPAZ: In 1994, you recorded “Dance Dance Dance (Under The Moon)”, available on the Asterix In Amerika soundtrack. How did you get involved with that? RICHARD: Oh my God! I was rather hoping we'd got away with that one! Actually, the process of making that record was fun but I’m pretty sure none of us liked the end result.
FRED:Harold Faltermeyer (the Munich Music Machine), who wrote the music for Beverly Hills Cop, invited us to co-write. It was fun working with him but “Dance, Dance, Dance” is not one of my favorite RSF tracks.
SPAZ: Though the next two years saw some great singles like “Wonderman” and “Living On A Dream”, what took so long to release your third album, Smashing, in 1996?
RICHARD: I think the failure of Sex And Travel left us numb… more than we realized at the time. Looking back, before even considering making that album we should've got out and done some shows. At that time, all three of were pretty ignorant of who exactly was buying our music: we really needed to see the whites of their eyes! I think we hid from the world during the making of that album, the world had become a bit of scary place for RSF. The studio was comforting and safe so we buried ourselves there! FRED: We were drift wood for quite awhile. Although I think we nailed it with a few tracks like “Living on a Dream" and “Big Time”, our relationship with Rob was unraveling very fast and Gut had distanced themselves immediately after the second album. I like bits of Smashing, but the fun of being in RSF with the current line-up was fading.
SPAZ: Was recording Smashing a different experience than your first two albums?
RICHARD: Our label at that time refused to release any funds so we found ourselves in the position of paying for the whole thing, which inevitably added pressure and a strong sense of urgency to the process. In addition, working with Rob at that time was becoming increasingly problematic. I don't have many good memories of that period!
FRED: We recorded it with Gerald Elms from G-Club. Meeting and working with Gerald was a great experience, he's a fun and talented guy to spend time with. The writing and recording was much the same, probably more fragmented than before. Rich, Gerald and I did a lot of the recording by ourselves.
SPAZ: Any particular memories about recording Smashing?
RICHARD: None really, other than the fact that on some of the vocal tracks buses can be heard going passed the studio! FRED: Unfortunately, we were squabbling with Gut Records and finally parted company while recording this album. We were also bouncing from one manager to another, which didn't help the cause at all. Looking back, we were free falling but didn't realize it and no one on the payroll wanted to say anything in case we actually woke up and smelt the coffee.
SPAZ: After this album, why did Rob leave RSF?
FRED: Rob had started to drift as early as 1993, so by the time we got to 1996-97 it was very fraught. Richard and I wanted to go on the road; Rob was more of a home-body. Splitting with Rob was inevitable; fortunately, we managed to keep it friendly and civilized.
SPAZ: Fans had to wait another five years for the next RSF full length. What happened in the meantime? Had you considered laying RSF to rest and moving on?
FRED: We were disillusioned and had had the stuffing kicked out of us. We also had a few of our own personal problems that needed addressing: domestic unrest, drugs, alcohol, various affairs… You know, the usual weapons of choice. Luckily, we were financially secure so we thought “FUCK THIS.... lets chill for awhile”. We still did a couple of tours and stand alone shows… I have to admit, though, looking back, this period is still very very blurred. In the words of Ozzy Osborne: 'I might of had a car'. By 2000, we were swimming, not drowning, so I went to the Dance Music Fair in Amsterdam and met the BMG Berlin guys who showed a lot of interest in doing a new record with us. We had been writing a lot in the previous year and we were ready to do a new album.
RICHARD: Splitting with Rob was difficult. I think Fred and I both felt badly let down so it was inevitable that there would be a period of reflection and decision making. To be honest I think we did, from time to time, consider packing it in although not in any real way. We toyed with the idea, but in the end, songwriting and a deep seated refusal to allow other people to determine our future prevented us from making the necessary moves!
SPAZ: When Fredheadwas released in 2001, not only was the songwriting more melodic than ever, you seemed to have embraced Electronic music more so than before. What influenced this direction?
FRED: We've always loved dance music and Electronica, being signed to BMG/Kingsize, who were based in Berlin, Germany, helped to pull all the Euro influences together. At this time, we also met fellow songwriter and musician Clyde Ward, who's had a lot of chart success in Europe, particularly Germany. At the time, Rich and I were happy to soak up all that is Euro. Also we were very lucky to have a label as focused as BMG/Kingsize were at that time.
RICHARD: We've always embraced a mix of electronic and acoustic music. Up saw "Deeply Dippy" and "… Sexy" on the same album, so, for us, it didn't seem too much of a stretch. There's no doubt in my mind, though, that we were more focused and passionate on that album. It was also great to have hooked up with Clyde, who has proved to be a great songwriting partner.
SPAZ: How did you come to meet Clyde?
FRED: We met Clyde in Hamburg during a recording session in 2001; Kingsize introduced us to him. He's a very talented writer and musician. We are able to talk very openly with Clyde about music and say what we like and don't like. When we're writing and recording no one has to walk on eggshells, which is very rare in this industry.
SPAZ: From this album onwards, RSF perfected the ultimate Dance/Pop formula: House dance beats, infectious melodies and, unlike most club music, plenty of acoustic guitars (often times, more felt than heard). Is this the way you had always envisioned RSF to sound?
RICHARD: Absolutely! Mixing up the acoustic and the electronic has always been something we enjoy. Having said that, anything is up for grabs. It's always been a mystery to me as to why bands are expected to stay in their groove. Having a "sound" shouldn't exclude the desire to mess with it from time to time! It's risky (see Tin Machine), but always worth a shot!
FRED: “I'm Too Sexy” originally had a lot more guitars in it, electric and acoustic. We love dance music but, apart from the Chic-era, guitars are often over-looked. I think an organic acoustic guitar against tough beats can sound really infectious. Even with Fredhead and Stand Up, we had to fight tooth and nail for the guitars to stay in.
SPAZ: Any particular memories about recording Fredhead?
FRED:Fredhead was a lot of fun and, in many ways, very similar to recording Up. Like “… Sexy”, “You're My Mate” was a big hit while we were recording the album: this gives you an enormous sense of 'we're on it' which I think you can hear in Up and Fredhead. Having had the experience of the previous albums, we were much more aware of enjoying the moment this time round.
RICHARD: It was summertime. We did a lot of the work down at Clyde's home studio! I remember that period with a lot of affection. I could tell at the time that we were pretty on it and, although it might sound an obvious thing to say, a motivated label helped give us a clear sense of purpose and direction.
SPAZ: The following year, Stand Up was another solid album, filled to the brim with great songs and topped Fredhead as your finest work to date. Had you envisioned the title track, “Stand Up (For The Champions)” as an inspirational sports anthem?
FRED: “Stand Up…” was written soon after 9/11 and the idea of the song was when things go really wrong and the shit hits the fan, what the world then needs are the real heroes: the firefighters, paramedics, police, nurses etc… RICHARD: The champions on that day were all the emergency workers. I don't recall any celebs getting the call to come on down to shift rubble and dowse the fires!
FRED: I'm delighted it's been picked up as an inspirational anthem for sports and other team activities. We get a lot of very positive mail about “Stand Up…”
SPAZ: Any particular memories about recording Stand Up?
FRED: Recording Stand Up was also fun but we were aware of the pressure. Sex And Travel had failed Up as the follow-up album and we didn't want that happening again. Obviously, we were very happy that Stand Up was so successful.
RICHARD: You know, for some reason, I don't recall the making of Stand Up anywhere near as clearly as Fredhead. There were moments or real pride, however, concerning particular tracks. "Bombay Moon", I still love as much as the day we recorded it. "Night Night", too, has a sweetness that made performing at the end of live shows really enjoyable!
SPAZ: In 2003, you released the single “We Are The Freds” plus an alternate version with different lyrics, “We Are The Champs”. Which version was it originally intended to be?
FRED: We moved labels. Although we had been very successful with BMG/Kingsize, they failed to pick up the option for album three so we signed to Ministry of Sound who were also based in Berlin, Germany. “We Are The Freds” was the intended version, “We Are The Champs”, we did for a sports channel. Us and the public got very confused about the versions!
SPAZ: 2004 saw you release a cover of Madness’ “The Wizard”, a duet with Doris Dubinsky, from the soundtrack to a German film called Der Wixxer. Have you seen the film? The scenes from the RSF video look very intriguing?
RICHARD: We saw the film at the premier; couldn't understand a bloody word, of course, but enjoyed it nevertheless because it's a pretty slapstick visual movie. FRED: The film was really good and it's a cool song. RICHARD: Can't remember much about the video apart from Doris not turning up and then refusing to do promotion. Perhaps she was having a little trouble with the limelight! FRED: People like that bore the crap out of me.
STAY TUNED for the final installment of our three part EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with RIGHT SAID FRED! Coming Friday, May 22nd!
EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHT SAID FRED (but were too sexy to ask!)
An EXCLUSIVE interview with Richard and Fred Fairbrass By Stephen SPAZ Schnee
“I'm too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love, Love's going to leave me!”
Those words first came blasting out of radios and discos in 1991 and, nearly two decades later, they are still greeted with cheers when the song is played in clubs all over the world. Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” has infiltrated the very fabric of pop culture and is known and loved by people everywhere. It doesn’t matter what age, sex, race, class or creed you are: chances are you know every lyric to that song, whether you like it or not! If the only thing you’ve heard by Right Said Fred is “I’m Too Sexy”, then you have some serious catching up to do! Yes, they burst upon the international music scene in 1991 with one of the most successful singles of that decade, but the band has continued to create their own unique (and highly infectious) brand of Electro-Pop ever since. While the band might currently be labeled as ‘one hit wonders’ in the U.S., they have a track record in Europe that has earned them both success and respect. Singles like “Deeply Dippy”, “You’re My Mate”, “Stand Up (For The Champions)” and “Don’t Talk Just Kiss” have ensured that RSF are more than one trick ponies. Over a decade and a half since their debut album was released, the boys in RSF have just issued I’m A Celebrity (Promark Records), their seventh album overall, but only the second in the U.S.! Like the six albums that came before it, I’m A Celebrity is a smorgasbord of Pop music delicacies and Electro dancefloor classics in the making. From the title track (and first single) through to the album’s final notes, it is plainly obvious that RSF are still creating great music and having a fun time doing it. Their songs are a combination of hook-laden tunes influenced by classic ‘60s British Pop/Rock and electronic Disco symphonies ala Pet Shop Boys. There’s really no other band quite like Right Said Fred. Band members Richard and Fred Fairbrass took time out of their busy schedules and graciously (and patiently) answered a series of career-encompassing questions from Stephen SPAZ Schnee that would have driven most musicians bonkers! From their first single to their latest, no stone is left unturned in this in-depth interview with one of Pop music’s finest (and most under-rated) outfits.
SPAZ: What types of music were you exposed to while growing up in the Fairbrass household? RICHARD FAIRBRASS: Our record collection at home consisted of about 10 albums, most of which was easy listening stuff like Dean Martin, Sinatra and, bizarrely, Bob Newhart! I grew up with a love of crooning and swing jazz only getting into more contemporary music when I was into my early teens FRED FAIRBRASS: Mum and dad loved Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Glen Miller, which we loved as kids and still do, but some friends of theirs went traveling and left their record collection which was a different bag of treats altogether. There was lots of Motown, Beatles, Stones, Sam and Dave, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, 50's Rock ‘n’ Roll, The Surfers, all sorts of great stuff we wouldn't have heard otherwise. A little later on, I worked Saturdays in our local record shop which is where I got to hear Frank Zappa, Kraftwerk, Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Alex Harvey, MC5, The Ramones, Jethro Tull, Family, The Tubes, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, early pre-hyped punk, and lots of US disco imports.
SPAZ: Do you remember an exact moment or experience when you realized that you wanted to be a musician? FRED: Yes I do, I saw a band at school called The Game playing Hendrix’s 'Hey Joe' in the main hall during lunch break and the audience was 99% girls so I thought: “Now there's a job for me, I’ll be my own boss and I won't have to get up early.” Then some bright spark invented 'Breakfast TV'....DOH..! RICHARD: I think two occasions really made an impression on me. The first was hearing T Rex's “Ride a White Swan” and the second was watching the Beatles movie Let It Be. What a cool way to earn a living, I thought, sitting around in some studio with your mates making music and loads of money! Was I ever that young?????
SPAZ: Were you avid record collectors when you were younger? It seems that every single you have released contains either a non-album cut or versions of songs not available elsewhere (which shows that RSF are a band geared to collectors). FRED: I worked Saturdays in Grays, our local record shop, so I got into limited editions and imports from about the age of 14-15. In those days, it was mostly vinyl so lots of different colored plastic and great sleeve designs. I've always enjoyed bands who do bonus tracks and different edits for different releases and territories. RICHARD: To be honest collecting records never really struck me as something I should do! We did have an extensive collection of old Motown singles which I now realize were pretty cool! At the time, though, I had no idea how valuable they were and, because we were given many of them, I didn't appreciate how lucky we were!
SPAZ: Did you both initially decide to work together in creating music, or did things just happen to fall into place that way? FRED: I started playing guitar first (I think I was about 13 years old). Then Rich picked up the bass and the writing just fell into place. I was doing most of the singing at the time which was our first mistake. Playing other people's songs never really appealed to us. RICHARD: Fred got into the whole thing first! He started guitar lessons in his early teens and began writing songs on his own soon after that. Being very smart, I soon realized that he wasn't that bad so I cleverly decided to shove my oar in and tag along!
SPAZ: Where did the name Right Said Fred come from? FRED: It's taken from a song of the same name recorded by an English actor called Bernard Cribbins in 1962.
SPAZ: How did you hook up with Rob Manzoli? FRED: We met Rob through Simon Taylor at The Ritz Studios, which was our local rehearsal studio in Putney, South West London.
SPAZ: Do you remember the first song all three of you worked on when you realized that everything was coming together? RICHARD: I think Fred and I differ in our recollection of this, I thought it was “I'm Too Sexy” but actually it was probably something long forgotten. FRED: Initially, the three of us sat around in my flat drinking tea, dunking biscuits and hanging out. “I'm Too Sexy” was the first completely original new song that we wrote together. We had written other songs, but those had generally grown out of old ideas that one of us had had lying around.
SPAZ: How did you hook up with Gut Records in 1991? FRED: Tamzin Aronowitz, a friend of Rob's who later became our manager, knew Guy Holmes who ran Gut Reaction, a radio and TV promotions company. He played it in his car; the passengers apparently loved the track so he felt confident enough to submit it to The Simon Bates morning Show on Radio 1. The audience response was amazing so Gut Records was then set up solely to service “I'm Too Sexy”.
SPAZ: Your first single was the worldwide smash hit “I’m Too Sexy”. Did the success of the song catch you by surprise? RICHARD: To say the success of “I'm Too Sexy” caught me by surprise would be an understatement of enormous proportions! We were all absolutely dazzled! It sounds ridiculous, but until it happened, I’d never even figured on having a hit outside the UK! I remember flying to Belgium on promotion for the first time and thinking "Oh my God, this is amazing! You can have a hit abroad, too! Who'd have thunk it!" FRED: The speed of the success was daunting, amazing, disturbing, euphoric and destructive all at once. No one, especially us, were prepared for it. The downside with a meteoric rise is that the people who gather around you are there because you're a cash cow and there's instant revenue, not because they believe in you or what you do.
SPAZ: Many people miss the humor in the song. Can you explain the song’s origins? FRED: Richard had the initial idea of “I'm too sexy for my shirt”. It was a hot day in a basement studio in West London and the same track (I think it was called “Heaven”) had been running on a loop on the computer for what seemed like a decade. Then, out of nowhere, he started singing the lyric to the bass line melody. To be honest, at first I was a little skeptical but it didn't take long for me to 'get it'. We were laughing a lot and then spent the next few weeks writing the 'I'm a model, you know what I mean' section. It was just about the whole 'super model' culture that was huge at the time and how nobody can really be 'too sexy'. The premise of the idea is that trying to be ‘too sexy’ is impossible… there will always be someone who's bored sleeping with you.
SPAZ: “I’m Too Sexy” is quite unlike anything else you’ve recorded. Was it written and/or recorded differently than they way you usually work? FRED: No, it was written and recorded in exactly the same way as most of our other tracks. I think sometimes artists capture a mood that is inexplicable and not repeatable. Richard's vocal on “I'm Too Sexy” is the original demo vocal. We tried re-recording it and it just didn't work as well as the demo. The original demo plus Tommy D's very cool programming and Phil Spalding's excellent live bass made up the final master. RICHARD: The only thing I can say is that, from my point of view, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing! The song was unlike anything I’d heard before, I’d never sung that low before and wasn't at all sure that any of it made any sense, but then what do I know?
SPAZ: Your 1992 debut album, Up, featured more great singles including “Don’t Talk Just Kiss”, “Love For All Seasons” and the extraordinary “Deeply Dippy”. To your credit, not one of these songs sounded remotely like your debut single. Were you ever tempted to just go in and repeat the same musical formula and hope that lightning would strike twice? RICHARD: I learned a lot about lightning at school and I knew for certain that it never strikes the same place twice so better not to even try! Also, it always smacks of defeat somehow to try to get into repeat or formula writing. It's also very boring! FRED: “… Sexy" has a life of its own. I believe a lot of that is the lyric, Richard's vocal and the pitch of his voice. That backing track with another lyric and another vocal performance wouldn't be nearly as engaging or successful.
SPAZ: Any particular memories about recording Up? FRED: Holy moly, it was very odd! “I'm Too Sexy” was already creating a lot of heat so recording our first Freds album was weird. We were fast becoming famous and successful during the making of our debut album, so it added a flavor to the sessions that most debut albums don't experience. It was very exciting recording Up. Everyone involved felt we were capable of delivering a big album. There was a confidence and a creativity that was infectious and really exciting. RICHARD: Apart from all the related stress in making an album and being up to my nipples in promotion, the moment I remember the most clearly was hearing for the first time the brass section in “Deeply Dippy”! I was completely knocked out, I just knew that hit or no hit this was very very very fabulous!
(The interview continues after this video break!)
The Up Videos:
SPAZ: In 1993, you recorded the Comic Relief single, “Stick It Out”. How did this come about? FRED: We were approached by the Comic Relief team to do a song. Personally, I didn't enjoy this at all; I think it took us away from focusing on writing and playing live. I would rather have just made a donation. Stupidly, we bowed to label pressure.
SPAZ: That same year, you released your sophomore album, Sex And Travel. Once again, there was no sign of a carbon copy of “… Sexy”. In fact, the album showed a maturity in songwriting and production, compared to your debut album. Were you frustrated or confused when that album didn’t get the push it deserved from Gut? RICHARD: In many ways, I’m still very proud of that album. I still believe that Sex And Travel (or Fuck Off, as we came to know it) contains some really cool songs. "She's My Mrs." had some very neat lyrics with a great chorus and "I Ain't Stupid" had a wicked smooth play out! In retrospect, the wrong single was chosen to lead the album and we were pretty wiped after such a long period of promo for Up. We should've chilled out before we started and got our heads clear, but hey we were riding the wave, what could go wrong? FRED: We broke rule #1: you never split up a winning team. We changed producers and studios and this was a mistake. RSF and Gut Records had fallen out with Tommy D who produced Up. We should have all been more humble and professional and settled our petty differences. The album took too long to record, the production was too elaborate and the cracks were already starting to show. There was little unity between Richard, myself and Rob, no unity between RSF and Gut and there was way too much money coming in AND going out... Gut Records gave it an initial push, but the minute it stalled, almost everyone around us ran for the hills. In fact, Gut Records moved offices, changed their numbers and didn't tell us… you couldn't make that shit up!
SPAZ: Any particular memories about recording Sex And Travel? RICHARD: Some of it was great fun but, to some extent, a lot of our energy was sapped. The whole thing took too long, cost too much and stressed us out. We did meet Macca (Paul McCartney) and Linda, though, and that was great! He knew who we were! I was very big headed for a while after that! FRED: I couldn't wait for it to end. All I could see was huge studio bills and lots of hangers on. Because “… Sexy” had broken so quickly and the debut went multi-platinum all around the world, there had been no time for trust and belief to grow between the band members or between RSF and Gut Records. It really was an accident waiting to happen. As the artist, you have to take responsibility for your own decisions. Unfortunately, we'd chosen to work with some very incompetent, skanky people. We're not the first band to make this mistake and we won't be the last.
SPAZ: Was your label annoyed that you never bothered to rewrite “I’m Too Sexy”? FRED: Gut Records were annoyed about a lot of things. We couldn't rewrite “… Sexy” even if we wanted to… nor should we. RICHARD: It's in the nature of labels to follow rather than lead. It's the job of artists to lead whenever possible.
My passionate love for MENTAL AS ANYTHINGstretches back nearly 30 years. I was aware of the band when they released their debut in 1979 but didn't get a chance to hear them for nearly a year or so when an import version of that debut album, Get Wet, finally made it into my hands thanks to those fine folks at Aron's Records in Hollywood (unfortunately, Aron's no longer exists).
A few years later, their American debut album, If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?, made it into the shops and other U.S. fans were able to feast on the Mentals' unique and easily accessible sound. In fact, KROQ picked up on a few songs including "I Didn't Mean To Be Mean", "Too Many Times" and, of course, "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?" This American album was a collection of sorts, featuring many of the tracks from their Aussie album Cats & Dogs plus some singles and a few remixed versions of choice tracks from Get Wet.
The Mentals sound was (and is) a mix of Squeeze-like pop songwriting smarts, a Nick Lowe/Rockpile roots-rock foundation and a healthy dose of pure Australian humor and atmosphere.
While the band never quite caught on in the U.S., they continued releasing great albums in Australia, keeping the same five man line up for over 21 years! But the band did eventually lose original members Peter O'Doherty (bass/vocals), Reg Mombassa (guitar/vocals) and David "Bird" Twohill (drums). Now, the Mentals continue to tour and record with original members Martin Plaza (guitar/vocals) and Greedy Smith (keyboards/vocals), who were the main vocalists and hit songwriters. Though the original band is not intact anymore, the Mentals still have much to offer... and TWO releases are heading to a store near YOU!
The first, Essential As Anything, is a CD/DVD combo featuring 20+ bona-fide hits on the CD PLUS 30+ amazingly cool videos on the DVD! While the title is a slight misnomer (EVERY Mental song is an essential addition to your collection), it is a great introduction to a worthy band that you might have missed the first time around... or maybe you just want to take a trip down memory lane?!!!
The second release, Tents Up, is a brand NEW album! Now, I have not heard anything from this album (no pun intended), but both Martin and Greedy remain supreme songwriters and I'm sure that it will be nothing less than wonderful! I'll certainly be reviewing this album once I get my grubby little hands on it (and, to be honest, I don't even have Essential As Anything yet, but I know every song backwards, forwards and inside out! I'm anxious to own all those videos, though, since I spend hours on youtube watching and rewatching them!)
So, although I only meant to add a quick little mention of these two import releases, I can never write something about this band and NOT go a little overboard. So, keep an eye out for more Mentals info as it comes in!
An EXCLUSIVE three part interview with British Pop duo RIGHT SAID FRED.
This interview is so in-depth, it'll surprise even the most hardcore RSF fans around!
Check out a few of these quotes!
"I couldn't wait for it to end. " - Fred
"I don't have many good memories of that period!"-Richard
"It's always been a mystery to me as to why bands are expected to stay in their groove. Having a "sound" shouldn't exclude the desire to mess with it from time to time!"-Richard
"People like that bore the crap out of me."-Fred
Just what on earth are they talking about? Find out beginning Monday!
And don't forget to check out their new album, I'm A Celebrity, available NOW!
I'm extremely under the weather and haven't been able to post for a bit, but I'm getting better so don't you worry your pretty little heads!
Until I can sit up straight without a snotterfall pouring out of my nose, I'll post more reviews, updates and more. Until then, enjoy this lil' widget courtesy of EMI and the band EMPIRE OF THE SUN. Me loves their song "Walking On A Dream".... certainly one of the great singles of 2008 and 2009..... You access videos and more here so have fun!
The boys in RIGHT SAID FRED (Richard and Fred Fairbrass) in conjunction with Promark Records, are proud to debut their brand new video right here on our very own Discussions Magazine Blogspot!
Welcome to the world premiere of RIGHT SAID FRED's "I'm A Celebrity", the first single from the album of the same name!
Remember... Right Said Fred's new album,I'm A Celebrity, is available now in all fine record outlets and your favorite online stores!
My love for the music of ELVIS PRESLEY is legendary around these parts. He remains, after all these years, my favorite vocalist of all time. With that being said, it may surprise a few folks when I say that I believe BUDDY HOLLY may have had a bigger impact on my musical tastes than the King did! Some seem to think I named my daughter Holly in honor of the Christmas season.... Let's put it this way: it was a lot better than naming her Buddy!
When you look back at the body or work that Rock 'N' Roll icons have left behind, from Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis to Elvis and Chuck Berry, you'll find that much of what they recorded were variations on Rhythm & Blues and Hillbilly music (the two main ingredients of the golden era of Rock) but Buddy was different. Yes, he cut his share of R&B and Hillbilly sides, but when you listen to tracks like "Peggy Sue", "That'll Be The Day", "Maybe Baby", "Everyday" and "Words Of Love", you'll hear a melodic element in his music that is haunting, original and, as it turns out, very influential. It's as if he channeled music from a different dimension.
Nobody was like Buddy Holly in the '50s. Even when the Everly Brothers came along, they touched on that melodic element that Buddy perfected, but tossed out the R&B elements, making them unique and mesmerizing, but certainly not as versatile.
Buddy's ability to write his own tunes directly inspired The Beatles. You can hear his influence on all their early albums from Please Please Me up through Rubber Soul, whether it's a chord change or John & Paul's harmonies. The fab four even did an excellent cover of "Words Of Love", one of Holly's finest moments. It goes without saying that, without Buddy's influence, The Beatles would have been a very different band.
In turn, every band that The Beatles inspired has kept the Buddy Holly influence flowing, from generation to generation. The entire Power Pop movement of the late '70s is heavily indebted to Buddy, as is every form of Power Pop that has cropped up in the three decades since. Over a decade ago, in the pages of POPsided (a fab fanzine), I stated that Buddy Holly was the first real Power Pop artist and I still stand by that statement today!
Over the years, there have been dozens upon dozens of import Buddy Holly collections that have done him proud, but, apart from the two CD Buddy Holly Collection, the American market has largely ignored his back catalog save for the occasional budget compilation. Until now, that is....
While legal issues have made the box set an impossible task, Decca/Universal have released two excellent collections to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Buddy's death: Memorial Collection(3CDs) and Down The Line: Rarities(2CDs). Although there is some overlap, both are essential purchases for any Buddy fanatic of music fan in general.
If you just want the absolute cream of the pop crop, then go for Memorial Collection, which features 60 fantastic tracks beginning with his days as part of the duo Buddy & Bob and ending with undubbed demos he recorded in his apartment in the months prior to his death. Every single track here is worth your while. NOTE FOR COLLECTORS: While his final studio sessions were recorded in stereo, the versions of "True Love Ways", 'Raining In My Heart" and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" are the mono mixes.
Down The Line: Raritiesis a double disc collection of rare tracks, alternate versions, out-takes and even more of those final apartment demos. If you've never heard these demos, they are both amazing and haunting. Buddy knew a thing or two about recording and these are just as crystal clear as his studio tracks, but are also warm and atmospheric... and a bit emotional, too. These are demos of songs he was writing at the time, preparing for the next phase of his career, which would sadly never come. Again, an excellent collection should appeal to more than just the true Holly aficionados.
And what is truly amazing is that every note contained on these two collections was recorded within a span of five years, from his early recordings with Bob Montgomery, right up until the month before he died. That is roughly the same amount of time that most bands today spend making one album (raise your hand, Billie Joe!).
And Buddy did it all by the time he was 23. I don't even think I was out of diapers by then!
