Act's Laughter, Tears and Rage: C/D

I actually haven't heard Propaganda yet and only have one Act song, the 7" of Snobbery and Decay, but need to get this, as I've considered Thomas Leer a personal idol since Dave T. sat me down and said...you like Cabaret Voltaire and electro-funk and synth-pop, here listen to this, and I promptly dropped whatever import price I had to pay for Thomas Leer's Contradictions comp on Cherry Red, of course this was back when Dave actually made me pay for Co-Op Bookstore CDs(Amon Duul on Captain Trip for $1.99? ok...)

Word is Act didn't last due to friction between Trevor Horn and Thomas Leer. I can only imagine. Leer was one of the most interesting producers of the era, accomplishing so much on his own, I can't imagine him needing the input of anyone, certainly not someone as (rightfully) heavy handed as Horn.

The 3-CD version of the Act album is way excessive (so of course I had to have it). I loooooove Propaganda (at least A Secret Wish/Wishful Thinking-era Propaganda), and was hoping that the Act album would be better than I remember it. It's not. I do like "Snobbery and Decay" and "Absolutely Immune" (and the other single, "I Can't Escape From you"), but it's underwritten in general, and the production is chintzy and bombastic, not a good combination. The CD also includes some B-sides, including a really, REALLY ridiculous cocktail-bar version of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now."

Oh, my God, Dan, you have to get Wishful Thinking and/or the "p:Machinery (Beta)" 12-inch (the one with the purple/mesh sleeve and John McGeoch playing divebomb guitar). I guarantee you will enjoy them.

Act. one excellent single the rest didn't really do it for me. whereas Propoganda were ace at the start. ZTT released excllent cd/DVD set last year that collected all the good stuff together - the rare remixes (mabuse/duel/p-machinary etc) from the first lp. a superb collection and saves all that ebay b-s.
now that we are onto ZTT .. ahem .. one more time - Nasty Rox Inc .. CA$H album on cd .. anyone ? anyone ? c'mon. there must be one ILM'er with said product hidden up in the attic.
onwards !

Yeah, Dan, Dave T. didn't steer you wrong. He, of course, turned me onto this as well.

As for Propaganda, well, they're just totally brilliant — in Dave T.'s words, the unification of Abba and Human League. And though I like the Wishful Thinking remix cd quite a bit, I'd go with A Secret Wish first. I'm now contemplating blowing $100 on this Act set, the Propaganda remix set and the Frankie Twelve Inches 2-cd set at ZTT.com.

BTW, I just learned the other night that the string arrangement on "Snobbery and Decay" is apparently by none other than David Bedford! Further proof that the root of all great pop music is in prog.

In 1987, there was a "Tomorrow's World" special about music technology which was based on Act recording their album. Included interviews, snippets of songs, the lot. I can remember watching it at a tutor's house (I was babysitting) thinking "At last, Thomas Leer might have a hit". It was not to be.

Haha I think that Tomorrow's World is most people's lasting memory of ACT.

I have quite fond memories of their cover of 'Heaven knows I'm miserable now', however.

Douglas, I went ahead and ordered the Act set anyway. I agree re. "chintzy and bombastic," but really truly badly need more mixes of Snobbery and Absolutely Immune. And yes, that cover of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" is ludicrous -- it sounds distinctly like the accompaniment was played by a store demo or something...

This thing is a must buy - no question.

Well, believe me: I TOOK my doctor's advice!

found this yesterday.

the packaging is gorgeous, somthing ZTT never managed to care about with the FGTH reissues - something that completely baffles me.

the excessive remixes of snobbery and decay make the purchase completely worthwhile, and yes Heaven Knows is completely bizarre .. makes me laugh out loud. possibly the desired result ..

i have read comments that the 3cd set scrapes the barrel, well so what i say. if you're gonna give a 3 cd boxset . .you may as well fill the f*cker to the max. ya gotta love that fairlight cmi groove ..

We could do with a Thomas Leer 3CD retrospective, mind you. The Howard Jones we should have had?

thomas leer : http://www.karvavena.com/

still no details on the new stuff however.

new Thomas Leer album out - "parts of a greater whole"

melodic electronica with vocal cuts ups and all sorts of noisy extras ..

liking this - lots

m.e

Hmm.

I saw Act live when they first appeared (supported by Fairground Attraction!!!) And I enjoyed a lot. Then I bought the album and was completely disappointed.

I'm inclined to second the view that the singles are what's worthwhile. OTOH I haven't listened to it for about 15 years ...