Best of 1988- The Album List

In the 20th Century, the year 1988 was the year with the most Roman numeral digits, but more important, in science and technology, it was a year of the first Internet-based chat protocol between the USA and Europe.
On the music level, the charts were still dominated by the Stock- Aitken-Waterman hits who received the Brit Award for their music production skills. On the different floors, House music was slowly emerging, while Alternative and indie rock were even more diversified into various other musical sub-genres.

Retrovision: The Fall - Victoria

One last tribute and farewell to Mark E. Smith from the Fall who released "Victoria" thirty years ago. Throughout his impressive music career, Mark E. Smith remained as the only constant member of the Fall since its foundation in 1976 with a band that featured over 60 different members in forty years.

As the Fall, Mark released more than 30 albums, numerous EP and more than 50 singles. He died in the age of 60 after a long illness. RIP Mark!

Best of 1984- The Album List

The growing popularity of Michael Jackson which started in 1983 also set foot in 1984 especially after the video for "Thriller" was released. Even though the content of the video was controversial at that time, it was also groundbreaking and it revolutionized the music industry and the world of pop by breaking down the racial barriers and transforming the music video into a work of art.

Even at the other end of the Atlantic the 1983 started with a small scandal which involved Frankie Goes To Hollywood who got banned by BBC for almost a year due to the explicit lyrics in the and provocative video for their biggest hit "Relax". Despite this fact, the band managed to have major success around the world with their debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. This was also the first big success for ZTT Records and three times platinum in the UK. Towards the end of the year the Frankie Goes to Hollywood ban was slowly lifted and "Relax" was the ultimate anthem of 1984 introducing the Frankie Says Relax trend. 

With the growing popularity of MTV, in 1984 the first MTV Music Awards were given away at the  Radio City Music Hall in New York. Among the winners were Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Herbie Hancock. Madonna was not up for awards, but manged to make prominence and shake the pop world with her performance at the VMA's. 

Just ahead of Christmas when 1984 was in the fade out, a group of musicians headed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure got together for a good cause forming Band Aid. This was a group of musicians who recorded a song to raise awareness and funds for the Ethiopian famine in 1983–1985. It included more than 40 musicians and it sold over two million copies around the globe and raised more than $24 million. 

Towards the end of the year New Gold Dream which could easily be translated as the golden era of new Wave slowly began to vanish and became clear that the new musical term was Pop.

 

November Singles Round Up

November Singles Round up is here. What was hot? Little Boots has returned with her first official release since 2009. The new single is called "Shake" and it's also announcing a new album, yet untitled, for 2012. Erasure have released a seven track CD single "Be With You" which includes five different remixes of the song. The Fall have issued "Laptop Dog", the first song from their new album released this month too. Closing this round up, comes Amanda Lear with her latest single Hi-NRG style "I Don't Like Disco", new album for her again next year.

That's it for this year.
Next Round up in January!
Stick Around!

The Fall- Ersatz G.B.

The Fall are releasing releasing a new album this November. Their new album will be called 'Ersatz G.B.' and it will be their 29th studio album and their first release for Cherry Red Records. 'Ersatz G.B.' will be issued on CD, LP and digital formats, and will be proceeded by a new 7” single, featuring an exclusive B-side track. The Fall will be playing several dates to promote the album’s release, including a UK tour in November and an appearance at All Tomorrow’s Parties in December. The album is out on November 14, 2011.

Tape Delay: Confessions from the Eighties Underground

New book recommendation comes from the author Charles Neal who set about interviewing the major protagonists working in sound, word and image. Concentrating on the most challenging and confrontational, he deliberately chose those individuals and groups most at odds with the mainstream. His aim to produce a collection that reflected the cutting edge of the Eighties underground.

With only his tape recorder as defence, he solicited hundreds of hours of interview material, as well as photos, original writing and illustrations. His findings were as intriguing and diverse as the artists included. Often encompassing the taboo and perverse, the opinions of Nick Cave, Genesis P.Orridge and Michael Gira now read like lone voices against the tide of creeping commerciality that abounded in the Eighties music scene.

Contributors to Tape Delay include: Marc Almond - Dave Ball - Cabaret Voltaire - Nick Cave - Chris & Cosey - Coil - Einsturzende Neubauten - The Fall - Diamanda Galas - Genesis P. Orridge - Michael Gira - The Hafler Trio - Matt Johnson (The The) - Laibach - Lydia Lunch - New Order - Psychic TV - Boyd Rice - Henry Rollins - Clint Ruin - Sonic Youth - Stevo - Mark Stewart - Swans - Test Dept. - David Tibet (Current 93)

Sinner's Day Festival

A newcomer festival from Belgium comes with its second edition this year. This indoor festival which already hosted the greats from the New wave and Punk world will open its gates again. The date is October 31, 2010, during the All Saints weekend. Check out the official page and Facebook fan page for more information.

http://www.sinnersday.com/

The Fall- Your Future Our Clutter

The Fall have released their 28th studio album, their first for independent record label 'Domino'. The album was produced by Ross Orton and Mark E. Smith and it is entitled 'Your Future Our Clutter' It's out in the UK since April 26, 2010. Just click on the link to listen to the album.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/apr/21/fall-album-your-future-our-clutter

The Fall- Imperial Wax Solvent

'Imperial Wax Solvent' is a studio album by The Fall - the band's 27th - released in the UK on April 28th, 2008. The album features a new British-based lineup after the departures of the American musicians involved in writing and performing 2007's Reformation Post TLC - Mark E. Smith, keyboardist Elena Poulou and bassist Dave Spurr remain from the previous incarnation. They are joined by guitarist Pete Greenway (a guest guitarist on the previous album) and drummer Keiron Melling.