Friday, September 11, 2009

Present Tense

It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of San Francisco (nice place to visit, wouldn't wanna live there -- where have I heard THAT before?!). But I sure wish I'd been a Bay Area boy last week when a reunion concert was held for 415 Records, the small music label named for both the area code and the police code for disturbing the peace that flourished in the early '80s. The show featured Translator ("Everywhere That I'm Not") and Wire Train (what, no Red Rockers?), but the real star of the show was Debora Iyall, the poetic new wave goddess who along with her Romeo Void bandmates, defied expectations with three critically acclaimed albums and two huge singles, the college radio classic "Never Say Never" and the top 40 hit "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)." My love for Romeo Void is well-documented, but my affection endures most of all for the recently married Debora, who still looks and sounds great, and was kind enough to mail me a copy of post-RV project's CD (Knife in Water) a couple years ago when I was unable to locate one here in New York. I'm not sure what the complete set list was at the reunion (I hear they also did a show at the Knitting Factory in L.A.), but I found these clips of "Just Too Easy" and "Never Say Never" on YouTube, and for a minute there I felt like I was going to neon all over again. (Don't get it? Rain on you.)


 

FOOTNOTE: Debora's recent presence on Facebook has been a real treat. Remember that clip of Madonna putting John Oates in his place at a New Music Seminar in New York City from back in 1984 I posted over the summer? Well, it turns out Debora (and Joe Ely of the Psychedelic Furs) were there, too. Check out some rare photos a fan posted online. Some great stuff. Now, of course, I can't wait to ask Debora all about her interaction with the Boy Toy in training. ...

  • Previously: Music Box: Romeo Void
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