Try to guess what up-and-coming band these words were written about in 1980

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"The American media were taken aback by the semi-spoken, word-heavy, synthesizer-dominated rock. They realised that the material was derivative of absolutely nothing; that no act anywhere in the world was treading anywhere near the same ground, a common sentiment expressed by The Gavin Report tipsheet, which said: 'They sound like they've visited rock music in the '80s and are ready to lead us across the threshold."

-- Glenn A Baker and Stuart Cope, *The New Music*, 1980

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:12 (twenty years ago)

The Dooleys?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:17 (twenty years ago)

human league, but probably not eh

― rizzx (Rizz), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:18 (twenty years ago)

I'd assume Kraftwerk.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

Probably the Psychedelic Furs or similar.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

omd then

― rizzx (Rizz), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

nope on all guesses so far

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:22 (twenty years ago)

joy div

― N_RQ (Enrique), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:23 (twenty years ago)

probably something really obscure, more obscure than soft cell, maybe a flock of seagulls

― rizzx (Rizz), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:24 (twenty years ago)

zz top! well, the semi-spoken bit doesn't fit i guess. i was gonna say the fall, but the synthesizer bit is off. was there a fall/zz side project?

― philip sherburne (philip sherburne), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

Heh, probably Yes or ELP now that I think about it.

(It can't be TOO obscure depending on what is meant by 'the American media.')

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:25 (twenty years ago)

nah, more obscure than a flock of seagulls (or zz or fall), too.
i'd say pysch furs are the "closest" guess so far. but not *that* close

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

depeche

― N_RQ (Enrique), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Suicide?

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Gary Numan or M, actually.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

the stockholm monsters

(yeah right!)

― rentboy (rentboy), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

nope x 4

well, SORT of more obscure than the fall, and sort of not. these guys did briefly wind up on commercial radio in the states, which the fall didn't, at least at the time (or ever since, really). but i am probably giving too many hints...

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

actually nevermind they were later than 1980 anyway
xpost

― rentboy (rentboy), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

closest guess so far is now M.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

when did The Normal singles first come out?

― rentboy (rentboy), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:31 (twenty years ago)

TRIO

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:32 (twenty years ago)

Talk Talk

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:32 (twenty years ago)

The Buggles

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

Sigue Sigue Sputnik

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

Talking Heads

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

Nope on all counts, still.

I would guess that their debut album wound up higher on the US charts than any Fall album ever has, though I might be wrong. Albums by Trio and the Buggles may have charted higher, but it'd be close, I bet.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

Devo

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:36 (twenty years ago)

nah, more obscure than a flock of seagulls (or zz or fall), too.
i'd say pysch furs are the "closest" guess so far. but not *that* close

Joy Division

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:36 (twenty years ago)

Oh, whoops, someone already guessed that. Sorry.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

Landscape? Fashion?

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:39 (twenty years ago)

I was almost going to say early simple minds until those last few posts.

― flowersdie (flowersdie), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Some of these guesses are hilarious for chronological reasons. Publication date of quote = *1980*, people.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Ned OTM.

Guesses still zero-for-however-many

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

pulp (chrono may be out, but not by much)

― N_RQ, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

THE AMERICAN FRICKIN' MEDIA WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT PULP IN 1980.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

The Flying Lizards?

― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

I was actually thinking that myself, but hard to say a cover of "Money" is derivative of absolutely nothing...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

johnny cougar

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Magazine? (Probably not.)

I was going to say Flying Lizards, too! xpost

― Ian Riese-Moraine: Let this bastard out, and you'll get whiplash! (Eastern Mantr, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Ultravox, The Cure, other attempts to grasp at straws

― mike h. (mike h.), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

cab volt

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

flying lizards probably the closest yet, but still no cigar.

and yes, many people on this thread have a very skewed idea of what was getting media attention in the u.s. (or got onto commercial radio there - cabaret voltaire?????) (or even existed) in 1980. (though it's possible the AUTHORS may have a few skewed ideas, as well.)

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:53 (twenty years ago)

i was 2 at that time so i'm not gonna bother anymore

psst birthday party

― rizzx (Rizz), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

scritti politti

― some best friend, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

hey man if pil could get on american bandstand...

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

ah the residents, must have had a commercial!

― rizzx (Rizz), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

actually, when i first heard this band in 1979, i thought they might be derivative of dire straits (who i also first heard in 1979), but that was just me. (dire straits on the other hand, seemed derivative of bob dylan, eric clapton, and lou reed, who these fellows did not.)

birthday party = NO AOR airplay in detroit, surprise!!

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

never having heard them, on a crazy whim - hawkwind

― jermaine (jnoble), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

cheap trick

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

heaven 17/b.e.f.

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

prince

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

Come on.....land the plane, Chuck...who is it?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

EBN OZN

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 19 September 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

no that's impossible scratch that

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

simple minds?

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

Ebn Ozn kinda close, but yeah, probably too late for 1980.

No others lately even remotely close.

Nobody is paying attention to my clues at all, sigh....

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

Wall of Voodoo?

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

blowfly

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

TEH BUGGLEZ

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

oingo boingo

― hubs, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

Throbbing Gristle?

― flowersdie (flowersdie), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

altered images?

― jermaine (jnoble), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

JUST FUCKING TELL US CHUCK WE'RE DYING HERE

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

aztec camera

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

Hmmm...afrika bambaataa and soul sonic force?

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Many of these bands lack synthesizers!

Many of them have been guessed twice!!

None of them sound anything like Dire Straits!!!

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

I'm going to dive in from left field and say Marillion.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

your dire straits hint made me guess aztec camera...oh well

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

The Cars

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

Working from your Dire Straits clue- The Tom Robinson Band.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Cars not really up-and-coming as they were on their 3rd album I guess.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

The Cars did not only 'briefly' end up on commerical radio, I'll warrant.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Toto?

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

Except it doesn't look like TRB had any US hits. I guess I won't guess The Steve Gibbons Band either.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

The Fabulous Poodles?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

missed that clue, whoops.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

Taxxi

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

The Vapors

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Chilliwack

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Novo Combo

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Marillon = no AOR play or US chart action, to my knowledge.

Cars = sort of close, perhaps, but are they more obscure than A Flock of Seagulls or the Fall? No, they are definitely not!

Toto like Cars on charts way more than briefly.

Tom Robinson Band? Er, no synths? Also, 2-4-6-8 Motorway never got played in Detroit, but who knows, maybe Detroit was just homophobic.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Marillon = no AOR play or US chart action, to my knowledge.

Eh, what about "Kayleigh"? (That wasn't until `87, though)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

>The Fabulous Poodles?<
>Vapors<

Getting warmer!

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

men at work.

― deaf leopard (haitch), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

fingerprintz!

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

The Vapors didn't have a synthesizer player, did they?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

Tubes?

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

Taco

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

The Vapors didn't sound like Dire Straits, either. But they sorta sound like the band in question. As do the Tubes. Though it is not them.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

look, a comprehensive fingerprintz discography:

http://fingerprintz.free.fr/Discography.html

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

flash & the pan!

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

The Boomtown Rats?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

just kidding about flash & the pan.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Scott, it is not the Fingerprintz! Or even Fisher Z for that matter! Though it may well begin with the same letter of the alphabet!!

Scott, you should NOT have been kidding about Flash and the Pan!!!!!

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

inxs?

― deaf leopard (haitch), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

i saw boomtown rats on the merv griffin show when i was a kid. and sylvester. he always had the hottest acts.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

Lipps Inc.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

The Motors? The Yachts? The Jags? What?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

okay, i'm not kidding. flash & the pan!

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

Anyone guessing anything other than something beginning with F at this point really IS ignoring all of Chuck's clues!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

Dinah Shore had Iggy

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

Fucking Dr Feelgood?

― bg (creamolafoam), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

SCott wins!!!!!!!

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

fad gadget.

― philip sherburne (philip sherburne), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

oops shit, crosspost (and way off, i forgot the dire straits bit, got hung up on "F" there.)

― philip sherburne (philip sherburne), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

That was hugely anticlimactic.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

Oh. Never heard of them :(

― Crackity (Crackity Jones), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

who the fuck were flash & the pan?!

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

what do i win?

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

chuck you'll be the death of us all

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

Scott wins the entire Vanda and Young discography!

But Scott, why were you "kidding" about them at first? Which one of the clues confused you? It was so obviously Flash and the Pan from the beginning (now that you think about it), wasn't it?

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

That was hugely anticlimactic
As we all knew it would be.

Vapors starts with an 'F'?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

can we have another one?

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

I dunno, I got some release out of it

― Nick Harris, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

i always second guess myself. it's my thing.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

Never heard of them. Oh well.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

Hey St. Peter Lyrics

The morning was cold and lonely
City lights old and grey
The sun arose trying to smile
Gave it all away
The honky-tonk called a stranger
The stranger couldn't pay the bill
Made a stand, raised his hand
Sang a song, no time to kill

I said, Hey, hey, hey, St. Peter
I've got a tale to tell
I've just been down in New York town
It really feels like hell
It really feels like hell

Billy was out of fashion
Manhattan was years ago
Yesterday he wasted time
Money was kind of slow
Billy had friends of glory
Billy was a friend of fame
Took a chance, raised his hand
Sang a song, now he's back in the game

Hey, St. Peter
Before you ring your bell
Just been down in New York town
Done my time in hell
Done my time in hell

I said, Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, St. Peter
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, St. Peter
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, St. Peter
It really feels like hell
It really feels like hell
It really feels like hell

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Anyone guessing anything other than something beginning with F at this point really IS ignoring all of Chuck's clues!
No doubt there was some crossposting after this clue was finally dropped.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

I guess "Walking In the Rain" sounds like Dire Straits.....even Mark Knopfler sang dropped a lot of acid and sang with his fingers in his mouth.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Actually I had heard of them for many years, but I've never actually *heard* them. They were this name just kicking around. Now I'm curious to find out what they sounded like, hurrah for the modern Interweb and file sharing!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Seek ye "Walking in the Rain" and "Media Man".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:35 (twenty years ago)

That was the big hit that Chuck posted the lyrics to. Their other claims to fame were: being big brothers to AC/DC and recording "Friday On My Mind" back in the day as The Easybeats. They're sort of like an Aussie Flo and Eddie.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

Hm, so here's my question -- did they warrant the description at all at the top of the thread?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

No.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

....and history proved as such.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

But hats off to Chuck for the challenge. Interesting thread concept.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

though semi-spoken, word-heavy, synthesizer-dominated rock OMG TEH FUTURE seems kinda spot on

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

This is the funniest thing on ILM in about 1,000 years.

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:39 (twenty years ago)

it would have fit split enz better.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:39 (twenty years ago)

if we are going down under and all.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:39 (twenty years ago)

"The American blogosphere was taken aback by the semi-spoken, word-heavy, sample-dominated grime. They realised that the material was derivative of absolutely nothing; that no act anywhere in the world was treading anywhere near the same ground, a common sentiment expressed by the Pitchfork reviews column, which said: 'They sound like they've visited 'rock' music in 2009 and are ready to lead us across the threshold."

-- Glen E. Friedman and Stewart Copeland, *The New Music*, 2005

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

How did I know that Scott was going to be the only one on Chuck's wavelength enough to get it?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

(My quote is about Big & Rich, obv.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

This is them. ....Angus' big bro on the right.

http://www.jkkonsult.se/nostalgi/synt/Flashandpan_OKEJnr8-85.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

I think 'mer rock och mindre elektropop' is the finest slogan in ages! Who cares what it actually means!

I do like the not-so-subtle use of a familiar font for the bandname.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

"More rock and less electopop"

For a long time I used to think "Driver's Seat" was by the same group.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

I posted vapors before the "starts with an F" clue for what it's worth.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

for some reason this thread makes me want to listen to fischer z.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

I just loved learning that, at one point, somebody really considered them the future of music! When in fact, not only were THEY not the future, but they never wound up influencing another band, ever. (Even though Grace Jones covered one of their songs.) Only caveat: the book quoted at the top of the thread was written by Aussies, who may well have exagerrated American reactions to their pet band. They DID get plenty of US AOR airplay in 1979, though. And after that? Pfft....

>For a long time I used to think "Driver's Seat" was by the same group.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:44 (twenty years ago)

I had charged back to the thread to guess Fischer Z! Right letter tho.

xpost nooo, beaten again

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:44 (twenty years ago)

Even the Swedes felt compelled to weigh in on this at-the-time raging controversy.

I posted vapors before the "starts with an F" clue for what it's worth.
Yeah, I know, sorry. But he said it was "getting warmer." I thought maybe since "f" and "v" are closely related sounds, chuck was dropping some phonetics on us.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, Driver Seat was Sniff N the Tears, who oddly ALSO sounded kinda like Dire Straits in 1979/80! It was very hard not to make any Sniff N the Tears jokes earlier on this thread, believe me...

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

ah yes,....

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008WT5E.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

>For a long time I used to think "Driver's Seat" was by the same group.

Sniff'n the Tears is pretty close to Flash'n the Pan.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

If somebody would have guessed Sniff N The Tears, I would have said they were so close that they were burning! But alas, nobody did.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

related thread alert:

Bands in the "Australasia" chapter of the 1980 new wave guide I just bought for $2 off a seemingly homeless guy set up on the sidewalk of St Marks

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

Despite that the fact that I've no clue who Flash & the Pan are and no real desire to find out, this thread made my morning.

More like this please. I bet Pitchfork has a ton of passages that could be used for similar challenges.

― Joel (aquabahn), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

If somebody would have guessed Sniff N The Tears, I would have said they were so close that they were burning! But alas, nobody did.
What do I get for mentioning them after the fact?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:56 (twenty years ago)

for some reason this thread makes me want to listen to fischerspooner

― Baaderonixx and the hedonistic gluttons (baaderonixx), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

>For a long time I used to think "Driver's Seat" was by the same group.

-- xhuxk (xedd...), September 19th, 2005.

I did too until just now!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

The entire Roberts and Netto discography!

I actually think this vaguely similar thread a started several months ago was a lot funnier; people amused by this one should check it out:

Which band did I just find out features, as one of its primary songwriters, the son of two of the best friends of my long-deceased parents?

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

I used to confuse "Driver's Seat" with "Radar Love" by Golden Earring.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

listening to fischer z for the first time in 20 years = anti climax.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Monday, 19 September 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

>The Yachts?<

Actually, fwiw, this was probably the best guess as far as bands who sound almost similar to Flash & the Pan without actually being them.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

Hmm. Well, I never heard 'em (and I used to listen to the radio CONSTANTLY in '79-80!) But I used to see that album with the beach-scene on the cover everywhere, so I guess SOMEBODY was buying their records.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 19 September 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

I just went to the Sniff 'N The Tears website to collect my prize and apparently they put out like ten albums! I'm trying to remember if and when that song plays in "Boogie Nights." Is it when they are driving over to the cocaine mansion to watch Al Molina dance around in his bathrobe to the tune of "Jessie's Girl" and then get showered in blood after they fcukup bigtime trying to steal his stash?

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 15:13 (twenty years ago)

"Waiting For A Train" was a UK top 20 hit as I recall, it was great! I have the album it was on somewhere I think.

I was going to guess The Fixx, did they have synthesisers?

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Monday, 19 September 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

I was going to guess The Fixx, did they have synthesisers?

http://www.monkeyview.net/id/663/concerts2003/fixx/Fixx3.jpg

Umm....yes.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

am i too late to guess xtc..

― sandy blair, Monday, 19 September 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

When in fact, not only were THEY not the future, but they never wound up influencing another band, ever

What about Men at Work? I've actually never heard Flash & the Pan, but the combination of Dire Straits and synths seems like it could have spawned something like them.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

k/l - i know "sister christian" is in the coke deal scene. im not sure if anything else is...

― petesmith (plsmith), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

>they never wound up influencing another band, ever
What about Men at Work?<

Not out of the question, both being Aussies and all. (A couple months ago I came up with the theory that Men At Work might have been inspired by the Little River Band. Flash and the Pan make as much sense as them, I guess!)

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

I just found this thread. My Flash & The Pan Record is completely broken in two, but I can't bring myself to part with it.

I would have guessed UFO.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:27 (twenty years ago)

My memory's faulty, but I *think* it may've been used to accompany some montage-type scene halfway through. It's not a song I can definitively link to a scene like "Sister Christian" or "Do Your Thing" but it's definitely in the film. (LOVED that movie!)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:34 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure Men at Work heard Flash & the Pan and the LRB, but in terms of influence, I'd sooner cite the Police.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Well, yeah, obviously the Police, that's totally a no-brainer Alex. But we're talking about their additional AUSTRALIAN influences.

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

Dang it, I found this thread too late! I might be the only one here who bought the Flash & The Pan record when it was new (used to play "Hey St. Peter" on my high school radio show)

I used to confuse "Driver's Seat" with "Radar Love" by Golden Earring.

Oddly enough, both songs are used as bumper music on the Art Bell show.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

for years my flash & the pan record was right next to my sinceros record ( i don't alphabetize), so every once in a while i would play hey st. peter and then take me to your leader (i love take me to your leader) and then i would put them back again.it was a tradition of sorts.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

> I might be the only one here who bought the Flash & The Pan record when it was new<

Nope, you're not!! (But I might not count.)

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

My best friend in junior high school bought it too! But I guess he's not here.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

fabulous poodles -vs- the romeos

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

Bought mine new too.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

There's this whole radio/rock/pop era from 1979 to 1981 in America that I suspect is deeply underrated.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

Like The Records! Starry Eyes rules.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:40 (twenty years ago)

Starry Eyes YESSSS! Rhino's DIY resuscitated this lost gem for me a few year back. Now I cover it and none of the "kids" know it's a cover...

― declan zimmerman, Monday, 19 September 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

I bought a Flash & the Pan album in 1986.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

Also had something like "Lights in the Night" by F&tP on some radio-taped cassette. Always tho't it cool (at 16 or so) but never enuf to seek out a record...

― declan zimmerman, Monday, 19 September 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

"There's this whole radio/rock/pop era from 1979 to 1981 in America that I suspect is deeply underrated."

well, a lot of the major label u.s. stuff was just powerpop/sunshinepop/beachpop stuff heavy on the organ and wearing a skinny tie. made by people who had probably been in bar bands for a zillion years until the cars and "new wave" hit it big. it was more 60's-ish than the u.k. major label stuff that was coming out at the same time. not as punk as 999 or alternative tv or the vibrators or the buzzcocks (though those bands were plenty poppy.) a lot of the stuff from down under was bouncy like that too. heck, even 50's-ish really.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure you could dig up something that nobody has fully appreciated yet, but I'm not sure who has underrated it up to this point.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

>powerpop/sunshinepop/beachpop stuff <

"No Surf in Cleveland" by the Euclid Beach Band, for instance!!

What's cool about American pop music of all stripes circa 1979/1980, I eventually figured out, is that, whether you were in a new wave group or a metal group or a disco group, chances are really good that, 15 years earlier, you'd been in a garage-rock band. That helped!

― xhuxk, Monday, 19 September 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

the brits were covered in gloom and over here rhino was still putting out big daddy records.(i am oversimplifying like crazy cuz i'm a simpleton.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

although the brits were the first people to fully realize the genius of the stray cats.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

The Records were british I think.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)

I never even heard of big daddy until last year!

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)

A few years back I heard the telltale tinny sound of too-loud headphones, but then it coagulated into an actual

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

guitar line, which was the solo from "Starry Eyes" which I verified with the guy who was getting off at 47-50th Street, presumably at Atlantic Records.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

to go to work at

must...control...caffeine...intake

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

Why did I post this? The Records? Yeah, I believe they were British even though they had a song (I assume is) about a record store on Bleecker Street in NYC, "Girl In The Golden Disc." Will Birch was the main guy. I think one of the songs on Dave Edmunds' Trax on Wax 4 is one of his- "A1 On The Jukebox."

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 19 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

Bought mine new too.

bought mine new, too. (one of the first albums i ever bought.) bought the followup new, too!

wbcn in boston played three songs off the debut album back in the day. it was a hit up there!

and though perhaps they never influenced no one ever, lcd soundsystem should cover "walking in the rain."

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

The Ronettes song?

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

Oh, sorry, I got confused because of the Little Steven thread. Fcc, you should check in over there.

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

i saw the little steven thread and decided to steer clear of it 'cause it would get me all wound up and i don't have the time!

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

I really dislike Glenn Baker. I'm not surprised he would write this about Flash & The Pan

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

What's to dislike about him, Tim? I've never heard of him before, and his book is actually really fun (though maybe just fun in *retrospect*, since it ably captures a fun moment that isn't very well documented, I dunno.) Any way, what is his other writing like? Is he famous down under? Like the Dave Marsh of Australia or something?

― xhuxk, Tuesday, 20 September 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

Despite that the fact that I've no clue who Flash & the Pan are
-- Joel

I'm not sure if this has been covered upthread (probably has), but most people will know about (Grace Jones's cover of) Walking in the Rain. Also, of course, they were the original and best AC/DC production team of Vanda and Young.

― moley (moley), Friday, 23 September 2005 04:17 (twenty years ago)

"What's to dislike about him, Tim?"

He's Australia's first and foremost musicologist, which means he gets drafted in to make comments about music on a lot of TV shows, generalist documentaries etc. He has two schticks:

a) staunchly entrenching canonical choices (e.g. "Good Vibrations" is objectively the best single ever)

b) blithely bucking (a) whenever it comes to the worst Australian music (e.g. John Farnham is up there with Elvis)

To do this of course requires a gymnastic shuttling between registers - SCIENCE and VAGUELY PATRIOTIC SENTIMENTALITY. So gymnastic, of course, that if effectively becomes one register: he is the Sentimental Historian of Objectively Patriotic Musical Home Truths,

... But it's possible a lot of that is because this is precisely what the people who ask him to appear on TV want. Also I've only been aware of him (and most other things in the universe) since about the early-to-mid 90s so maybe he's changed a lot. But the absurd overrating of Flash & The Pan is the kind of thing I can just see a younger version of him doing.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 23 September 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

I get it. Sounds like Aussie rock crit might be a lot like Canadian rock crit, or at least with what pisses off, say, Scott Woods and Phil Dellio about it. Except one thing: Flash and the Pan were great! He didn't so much overrate THEM, I don't think, as overrate THE FUTURE. (Though he did overrate American reactions to them. From this side of the pond, though, that just seems sweet and goofy, definitely forgivable from my perspective. But then again, I don't think most Americans are very good as seeing foreigners as engaging in patriotic sentimentality...to us, that's something mainly other Americans do.)

― xhuxk, Friday, 23 September 2005 15:03 (twenty years ago)

I mean, raving about Flash and the Pan is just about as staunchly UN-canonical as you can get. But maybe that's the equivalent of, say, all of Dave Marsh's sweet and goofy reviews in the first Rolling Stone Record Guide book, which came out right around the same time...

― xhuxk, Friday, 23 September 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

Flash & The Pan is probably the most recent record that Glenn A. Baker has bought in his life! His entire existence since then has consisted of going on TV in a stupid hat to answer OMG trivia questions about Elvis and Teh Beatles, god he's such an expert, how does he keep all that info in his head Jim? I don't know, Sally, he's a national treasure, now to the weather.

Stuart Coupe does an alt-country radio show and has a record label these days, and still writes.

― kit brash (kit brash), Friday, 23 September 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

I'm really sorry I missed this thread, certainly an ILM high point. We should do this sort of thing more often.

BTW, to answer Dan's question, the Records were indeed British.

― There's a Tipsy Ghost on the edge of my couch (Bimble...), Saturday, 24 September 2005 02:28 (twenty years ago)

i just want to say i like glenn a. baker.

― minna (minna), Saturday, 24 September 2005 15:59 (twenty years ago)

Is this the cover for the American issue of the first album?

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d737/d7373460407.jpg

Doesn't seem like I see this record around much. I'm curious to hear it. Didn't know they were people from the Easybeats.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 24 September 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

this is the US cover for the one I bought in '79.

http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=flash+and+the+pan/v=2/SID=e/TID=I047_86/l=IVI/SIG=12icgutpc/EXP=1127701023/*-http%3A//www.crabsodyinblue.com/flashandthepanflashandthepan.jpg

All this talk is making me lust for this album once again.

wbcn in boston played three songs off the debut album back in the day. it was a hit up there!

OTM !

― jim wentworth (wench), Sunday, 25 September 2005 02:10 (twenty years ago)

that "the new music" book is hilarious. am i thinking of the right one chuck? with MADNESS on the cover?

― jon dale, Sunday, 25 September 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

fuck we talked about flash and the pan at the fap friday. what other records did vanda & young do in the 70's? did they produce bro angus band acadaca?

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Sunday, 25 September 2005 07:26 (twenty years ago)

did they do tha angels?

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Sunday, 25 September 2005 07:38 (twenty years ago)

>that "the new music" book is hilarious. am i thinking of the right one chuck? with MADNESS on the cover? <

yep!

and the angels are in the australasia chapter (which there is also a thread about, somewhere)

― xhuxk, Sunday, 25 September 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

yeah V&Y did early AC/DC (I think Alex said this upthread) and indeed returned to do a recent album

― kit brash (kit brash), Sunday, 25 September 2005 21:14 (twenty years ago)

Of course Vanda & YOung wrote most of John Paul Young's material, including ... ladies & gentlemen ... Love Is In The Air

― mentalist (mentalist), Monday, 26 September 2005 07:44 (twenty years ago)

i prefer the day that my heart caught fire.

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Monday, 26 September 2005 07:48 (twenty years ago)

there's a copy of 'the new music' at a local record store, i should really pick it up, stroll down memory lane and all that. i was actually given that book by one of my brothers when i was, what, 10, 11, or something, and read it cover to cover, over and over again. i blame it for a lot of my subsequent problems.

from recollection the flash and the pan section was quite big wasn't it, with a huge photo of vanda and young? am i recalling correctly? i haven't seen that book for well over a decade...

i heard "hey st peter" at the supermarket last week. it was a traumatic experience.

― jon dale, Monday, 26 September 2005 07:56 (twenty years ago)

I bought "Panorama", the UK only compilation issued in the wake of "Waiting for a train"'s success, on tape in 1984 and loved some of it, but cannot find a track listing to remind myself which ones I liked beyond "Waiting for a train". It must be in my attic somewhere.

― Rob M (Rob M), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

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