Was (Not Was) - classic or dud? S/D.

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Chris Herbert called them the Beck of 1980 on the "Going Hip Hop" thread, which I kinda like. Anyway, this lot are long overdue an ILM appraisal.

I'll say classic: they were far too clever for their own good, but always managed to avoid sounding patronising. The early singles on Ze and the first 2 LPs are peerless IMHO. I like What Up Dog? too (one of the first records I bought in that new-fangled CD format IIRC). Sweet Pea Atkinson and "Sir" Harry Bowens were both terrific singers. And how Mel Tormé ever agreed to do "Zaz Turned Blue" I'll never know.

― Jeff W, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Woodwork squeaks and out come New Answers (he says, impatiently).

― Jeff W, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love "I'm In Jail" and "Earth to Doris" - but other than that, I can do without 'em.

― Dave225, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They have a permanent place in my heart for their willingness to get incredibly strange on records with huge pop hits on them, re-recording the same non-hit song in a new arrangement on every album they ever made, doing a soul cover of "Listen Like Thieves," pulling in Leonard Cohen, Ozzy Osbourne and Mel Tormé for guest lead vocals, "Shadow & Jimmy," "Wheel Me Out," "I Feel Better Than James Brown"...

I'd also like to point out that P.J. Harvey later covered "Zaz Turned Blue."

― Douglas, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Both "Born To Laugh at Tornados" and "What Up, Dog?" are pretty great albums.

― John Darnielle, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hello DAD? I'm in Jail!
Hi Dad? I'm in JAIL!
Happy birthday from JAIL! JAIL! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!
I like it here! It's nice!
Throw away the key!

How can you not love that?

― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Then I was discouraged by YOU!!!!!

― Andy K, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

So how come Don Was isn't that much of a producer? Competent enough, yes.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

their cover of 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone' RoXoR. Apart from the rap break in the middle. Rap breaks SuXoR.

― DV, Monday, 6 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i like them because when i play 'shake your head' at my house, people go 'hmmm what's this' and i say 'ozzy osbourne and kim bassinger' to dumbstruck stares.

'ooooh let's go to bed'

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four weeks pass...

it is freely expressive. it is every parent's nightmare (you can guess my age!), yet it's what the kid got himself into. the rest of the album, except for "I Feel Better than James Brown," is the usual 90's disco/house music crap. It's not any different than the rest of disco crap. Then again, the money which that dreck generated allowed Was (Not Was) to be able to record "I'm in Jail." I want to get home before it rains heavily, and i wish I was 25 again.

― johnny boffo, Thursday, 6 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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