Alphaville - C/D?

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I always thought these wacky Germans produced some of the best synth-pop of the 80s. Debut album 'Forever Young' is classic, and their second album 'Afternoons In Utopia' is (I realize I'm opening myself up to mass public ridicule for this) still one of my favourite albums of all time. Granted, that might be more of a nostalgia thing, but there ya go.

Did some interesting things for their third album 'The Breathtaking Blue', including recording it with Klaus Schulze, and making a series of arty mini-movies for each song instead of standard videos, one of which won an Oscar for best short feature(!) Odd sidenote: the video for 'Big in Japan' was directed by Dieter Meier and Boris Blank, better known as the band Yellow...

― Rob Bolton, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I recently relisted to Afternoons in Utopia again myself. Their four singles from the first two albums are really all you need but Afternoons rivals Men Without Hats' Pop Goes the World as a late eighties crypto-concept/prog album in synth pop/rock clothing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree about the singles. The 'Afternoons' album has a really great, epic sound. Not surprising, considering the heavy-hitting (and lengthy) production credits. Bit of a shock they used Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero, who mostly produced mega-rock bands. Someone at WEA must have really opened up the wallet on that one...

The whole 'concept' thing was rather bizzare - stuff about space exploration and 'mighty maomoondogs' (whatever they are).

― Rob Bolton, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Big In Japan is one of my favorite synth-pop songs of all time. Easy.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 28 August 2003 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

"Afternoons In Utopia" is patchy, but definitely has its moments (particularly the first three singles).

However, "Forever Young" is a classic, and note that it has been in Warner's back catalog ever since its release. Wonder why it has never managed to crack the Virgin All Time Top 1000 albums as compiled by Colin Larkin.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 29 August 2003 00:31 (twenty-two years ago)

five months pass...

Their four singles from the first two albums are really all you need

They released four singles from "Forever Young" and three from "Afternoons In Utopia". Which ones do you mean? :-)

Anyway, I would say "Forever Young" (the album) is classic in its entirety. "Afternoons...." is patchy, but the three singles are all great.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Which ones do you mean? :-)

The four released in America ("Big in Japan," "Forever Young," "Red Rose," "Dance With Me").

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:32 (twenty-two years ago)

OK. "Red Rose" I think wasn't a single in Europe at all. Here the singles were "Big In Japan", "Sounds Like a Melody", "Big In Japan", "The Jet Set", "Dance With Me", "Universal Daddy" and "Jerusalem".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:34 (twenty-two years ago)

alphaville is the CLASSIC hit-or-miss band in my book: they're capable of being REALLY good ("forever young," "big in japan," "monkey on the moon," "jerusalem") or being absolutely DREADFUL ("the jet set" among others).

i also like a lot of the remixes of their songs, for some reason.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

The ultimate classic album track by Alphaville is of course the beautiful "Summer In Berlin"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

I found myself singing "Summer in Berlin" this morning and decided to check my old thread - Geir is very OTM about this song. "Fallen Angel" is also fantastic.

Afternoons in Utopia still wins me over, though. "Jerusalem", "Fantastic Dream" (which formed part of my high school yearbook quote - EEK!), "Universal Daddy", "Dance With Me" and "Lassie Come Home" are wonderful.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 7 June 2004 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I also learned that they almost never played live during the 80s. Marian Gold has started playing live in the last few years, though.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 7 June 2004 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Just found a very odd and interesting interview with singer Marian Gold (real name Hartwig Schierbaum) here. It's from 1983 - just prior to the proper formation of the band.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 7 June 2004 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

four years pass...

Any more opinions on the first album? AMG seems to think it's an excellent synth-pop album, but I never hear anyone talking about it.

― Shushtari (res), Monday, 29 September 2008 04:15 (seventeen years ago)

I don't care much for "Big in Japan", but "Sounds Like a Melody" is superb.

― sensual harrassment (naus), Monday, 29 September 2008 06:56 (seventeen years ago)

I knew two people who were absolutely insane over Alphaville, one of whom was my roommate for a number of years. I taped a few songs from him. And also, when I was out at 80's night last weekend, the DJ played something from them that was really good. I don't think it was "Big In Japan", but I'm not sure, now.

― The More You Live The Faster You Will Die (Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You), Monday, 29 September 2008 07:03 (seventeen years ago)

As the video was mentioned by Rob in the first post:

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 September 2008 07:05 (seventeen years ago)

why does this guy's face remind me of Freddy Mercury?

― Shushtari (res), Tuesday, 30 September 2008 01:10 (seventeen years ago)

...mixed with Billy Corgan

― Shushtari (res), Tuesday, 30 September 2008 01:10 (seventeen years ago)

Any more opinions on the first album? AMG seems to think it's an excellent synth-pop album, but I never hear anyone talking about it.

If the Canon was decided exclusively by European Gen X'ers, then "Forever Young" would have been in the Canon. The Baby Boomers never understood Alphaville and they didn't do much in America either.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 30 September 2008 08:33 (seventeen years ago)

four months pass...

Is "Forever Young" a prom night standard in the US?

― Gukbe, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:46 (seventeen years ago)

at the camp i went to they played it at every dance

― max, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:47 (seventeen years ago)

it was when i was going to proms, but that was quite a while back. still hear it every now and then, still brings the inner tear (or tear, either way).

― Calling All Creeps! (contenderizer), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 20:17 (seventeen years ago)

I thought this would be about the Godard movie.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 20:24 (seventeen years ago)

eleven months pass...

Forever Young sounded so massive blasting from my transistor radio last night

― I can't turn my face into a shart (dyao), Friday, 15 January 2010 01:28 (sixteen years ago)

sweet happy hardcore version of that.

― Isambard Kingdom Buñuel (jim in glasgow), Friday, 15 January 2010 01:32 (sixteen years ago)

two months pass...

why have i never heard "forever young" ... ?

― big (surm), Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:29 (sixteen years ago)

Forever Young sounded so massive blasting from my transistor radio last night

― I can't turn my face into a shart (dyao), Friday, January 15, 2010 1:28 AM (2 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

it IS kind of massive!

― big (surm), Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:32 (sixteen years ago)

tbh the song has never sounded as massive since :~( (good songs sound so much better when they come unbidden from your radio)

― 丫 power (dyao), Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:33 (sixteen years ago)

I love every track on the first album, sentimental soft spot for most of the second album, some great songs on the third one. Took a risk on one of the later self-produced albums a few years back and it didn't click but I'd still drag one of those first three out for the occasional road trip

― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 23 March 2010 17:32 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

Playing here in a few days, the first album is quite a guilty pleasure.

Anyone seen them live, what is the show like?

― RuPaul Weller (S-), Monday, 28 March 2011 14:10 (fifteen years ago)

Not seen them live, but the most recent album is probably their best since "Afternoons In Utopia" in 1986.

― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Monday, 28 March 2011 14:19 (fifteen years ago)

one year passes...

I LOVED this band in high school. People I knew got them mixed up with Animotion.

― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (Mount Cleaners), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 22:36 (thirteen years ago)

six years pass...

Okay here's a special edition speaking my language (and not just German). Release date March 15:

Forever Young
Track-Listing:

Super Deluxe (LP/DVD/3CD)

CD1 & LP
Original Album Remastered

1. "A Victory Of Love (Remaster)"
2. "Summer In Berlin (Remaster)"
3. "Big In Japan (Remaster)"
4. "To Germany With Love (Remaster)"
5. "Fallen Angel (Remaster)"
6. "Forever Young (Remaster)"
7. "In The Mood (Remaster)"
8. "Sounds Like A Melody (Remaster)"
9. "Lies (Remaster)"
10. "The Jet Set (Remaster)"

CD2
Original Singles, B-Sides, 12" Versions

1. "Big In Japan (Single Version) (Remaster)"
2. "Seeds (Remaster)"
3. "Sounds Like A Melody (Single Version) (Remaster)"
4. "The Nelson Highrise Sector 1-The Elevator (Single Version) (Remaster)"
5. "Forever Young (Version Rapide) (Remaster)"
6. "Welcome To The Sun (Remaster)"
7. "The Jet Set (Single Remix) (Remaster)"
8. "Golden Feeling (Remaster)"
9. "Big In Japan (Extended Remix) (Remaster)"
10. "Sounds Like A Melody (Special Long Version) (Remaster)"
11. "The Nelson Highrise Sector 1-The Elevator (Remaster)"
12. "Forever Young (Special Extended Dance Mix) (Remaster)"
13. "The Jet Set (Jellybean Mix) (Remaster)"
14. "Big In Japan (Extended Instrumental) (Remaster)"
15. "The Jet Set (Dub Mix) (Remaster)"

CD3
Demo Versions

1. "A Victory Of Love (Demo Remix) (Remaster)"
2. "Summer In Berlin (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
3. "Big In Japan (Demo Remix) (Remaster)"
4. "To Germany With Love (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
5. "Fallen Angel (Demo Remix) (Remaster)"
6. "Forever Young (Demo Remix) (Remaster)"
7. "In The Mood (Demo Remix) (Remaster)"
8. "Sounds Like A Melody (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
9. "Lies (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
10. "The Jet Set (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
11. "Leben Ohne Ende/Seeds (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
12. "Traumtänzer (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
13. "Blauer Engel (Original Demo) (Remaster)"
14. "Romance (Demo Sketch) (Remaster)"
15. "Colours (Instrumental) (Remaster)"
16. "Into The Dark (Demo Remix) (Remaster)"

DVD
New 60-minute documentary "Never Grow Up - The Story Of Forever Young," featuring new interviews with Marian Gold and Bernhard Lloyd (Alphaville), Wolfgang Loos and Colin Pearson (the album producers) as well as the designer of the original album artwork.

Original music videos: "Forever Young", "Big In Japan," "The Jet Set & Sounds Like A Melody"

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 29 January 2019 20:40 (seven years ago)

Is anyone else watching "Counterpart" on Starz? Pretty engrossing, if you're open to slow reveals, flipping loyalties (theirs) & sympathies (mine), and seeing actors playing 1-2 versions of the same character, "Orphan Black" style. J.K. Simmons, Olivia Williams, and some new actors to me (Nicholas Pinnock, Harry Lloyd, Sara Serraiocco).

Anyhow, this Alphaville album plays a pivotal role in a recent episode, and the show as a whole.

― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Tuesday, 29 January 2019 21:15 (seven years ago)

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