What the hell is New Wave?

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Ok, I think of late-70s/early 80s New Wave as a blanket term for late 80s/early 90s music critics to define everything from Talking Heads to Elvis Costello to Flock of Seagulls and Culture Club. Basically, anything on the pop spectrum that tried not to be Prog,70s MOR & disco.

The question is about synthesizers. My coworkers argue that synth-driven pop from the era is "New Wave." I think that's crap and that that music is "synth-pop"--but would put synth-pop as a subcategory of the big box that is "New wave."

direct_program, Monday, 12 May 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.longmarchfoundation.org/curatorial%20plan/website/n4-7old/kun%20ming%20new%20wave%20news.jpg

Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahahahaha

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Useful resource:

New Wave Outpost
http://www.nwoutpost.com/

DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:08 (twenty-two years ago)

From New York to east California it was the new wave of what kids in America were listening to.

Apparently west Califonia could go screw itself.

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I warn ya!

Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Woah ooo!

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Decline of Western Civilization describes New Wave as what you call punk when you don't want to use the word punk and get thrown out of the party and no more cocaine.
I always thought it was an industry created term to describe bands that were image aware but not punk in attitude, who were going to get record deals.
As for synth-pop, it is it's own thing, not all new wave used synth.

Brandon Welch (Brandon Welch), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry-

new wave is here and it is called the chaos theory
new wave is coming
new wave is old and the old wave is new
new wave is participating in a new fundraising event
new wave is proud to introduce a new set of tools to help you build better decks
new wave is proud to present
new wave is not your typical historical survey
new wave is a symbol of the new generation of music
new wave is een lichte heupgordel
new wave is both a vast enterprise and a reading pleasure
new wave is new england's premier supplier of rechargeable batteries for both the serious racer and weekend enthusiast
new wave is a catchall term that described new music in the late 70s and the early 80s
new wave is much broader than that
new wave is part of a network of modern
new wave is old and the old wave is new ex
new wave is less reprehensible than the barrage of oldies by men at work
new wave is a development company dedicated to creating support products for tektronix logic analyzers
new wave is now selling and servicing aga full face mask and ocean reef full face mask
new wave is nonetheless a pleasing
new wave is now taking pre
new wave is total ass
new wave is an independent
new wave is a enrichment for the big screen
new wave is a music that is about music again
new wave is a fresh approach to the great art of mas making and a modern version of diversity in fashion
new wave is whatever american audiences want it to be
new wave is known as a top class service provider specialised in the storage and distribution of mainly high
new wave is providing direct dealer distribution to the final dealers or consumers in surrounding countries as well as replenishments to local european
new wave is to start at the first pull
new wave is all about punk that's meant to make you dance
new wave is long over; today elvis
new wave is flown with tree lines and a navigation bar
new wave is that many of the bands
new wave is the "growing
new wave is a quality release from silverline
new wave is mostly unremarkable
new wave is assessed a
new wave is assessed a final default payment with respect to license b372 in the
new wave is a youth center designed to keep the kids off the streets
new wave is alive in 2002
new wave is indeed an intellectual cultural trend in the iranian cinema
new wave is perhaps of greater significance than the music that accompanied it
new wave is actually defined in most comprehensive dictionaries and it does fit the former list of bands/singers
new wave is now a western
new wave is a jewish
new wave is an entirely different beast than what is generally referred to in science fiction circles as new wave
new wave is one of those albums that hits hard
new wave is a clothing company with the aim to establish
new wave is made of guys i love
new wave is one of the most exciting new groups in jazz
new wave is no wave by kim buresh
new wave is coming established storage and platform vendors face a new challenge
new wave is coming in this country
new wave is here october 16
new wave is now making boards for quiksilver
new wave is available in 6 different qualities – new wave 1 being a 6 row axminster and new wave 6 a 10 row axminster – so you can mix and match qualities
new wave is
new wave is the leader of the masters of disaster
new wave is about a new relationship between fiction and reality
new wave is probably the single most important element to the consideration of cinema as the septième art rather than just mass entertainment
new wave is hands down the best musical experience i have ever been a part of
new wave is one of at least 90 watering holes in the city which participate in regular dart leagues
new wave is created and maintained by marc dalesandro
new wave is quick and easy
new wave is constructed using a series of perforated plates that are bonded to the main chords that pass through them
new wave is indeed difficult to get
new wave is owned by 11 alaska native corporation investors that include askinuk corp
new wave is that these crimes are objectively documented
new wave is an attempt to bring science fiction into the literary mainstream
new wave is the result of new technologies not yet mature but rapidly advancing
new wave is coming from the cosmic space
new wave is taking us
new wave is responsive and i can get good air with it
new wave is hitting belgium
new wave is in fact nothing but dirty foam
new wave is the one source you can always trust
new wave is now
new wave is finally realizing some measure of respect
new wave is dead
new wave is the newest and best cleaner/degreaser from ardex
new wave is contemporary design at its best
new wave is a hairstyle
new wave is done

Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

"new wave is in fact nothing but dirty foam"

wise wise words, but not as good as

"new wave is a jewish".

Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

The term "New Wave" had the same function as "Alternative" did in the early 90's.

fletrejet, Wednesday, 14 May 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

seymour stein to thread

James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 13:22 (twenty-two years ago)

The term "New Wave" had the same function as "Alternative" did in the early 90's.

Except it was a lot wider, including a lot of very mainstream stuff.

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah while "Alternative" never included mainstream stuff. good call.

Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 21:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"Alternative" didn't include mainstream stuff until the mid-90s. Nirvana and Pearl Jam were never meant to be mainstream, and they weren't musically.

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 21:50 (twenty-two years ago)

The term "New Wave" had the same function as "Alternative" did in the early 90's.
Garage Rock -> Punk -> Post-Punk (-> New Wave) -> College Music -> Alternative -> Grunge -> Lameness -> Oblivion -> Creed Wannabes

Of course, the Brit version looks like this:
Garage Rock -> Punk -> Post-Punk -> New Wave -> Indie -> Lameness -> Oblivion -> Shed Seven

Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 21:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Where do 100 Reasons fit in?

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 21:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Circular File, on your left, next to the paper shredder.

Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 22:36 (twenty-two years ago)

100 reasons are better than Shed Seven, but they have worse haircuts

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Using that logic, Mike Score becomes God.

Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

100 Reasons will never produce anything as great as "She left me on friday".

cis (cis), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

'new wave is participating in a new fundraising event'

true.

Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

When I was a nipper, Secret Affair epitomised new wave, with their skinny ties and mod(ern) sound.

Daniel (dancity), Thursday, 15 May 2003 07:05 (twenty-two years ago)


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