Generation X is beside itself over this one: The reunited Soft Cell -- singer Marc Almond and producer/instrumentalist Dave Ball -- are slated to release their first new album in 20 years this May. And as a teaser, the duo has teamed up with Pet Shop Boys to rework "Purple Zone," a song that will be featured on "Happiness Not Included," which is due out May 6. Have a listen -- it's quite good -- and feel yourself transported back to the Cold War era, a welcome relief from today's headlines.
What do you think of the latest Soft Cell song, from an upcoming reunion album called "Happiness Not Included"? ("Heart Like Chernobyl" came out over the summer.) I feel like the "Tainted Love" duo has come out of retirement more times than Cher -- wasn't 2018 their "farewell" tour? -- but it's always a good day when Marc Almond is on the scene.
Fun fact: My two fave Soft Cell songs are "Kitchen Sink Drama" and "What!," the latter of which I bought the 45 of because I've never been a fan of remixes so wanted to avoid the "Non-Stop Erotic Dancing" EP it appeared on. (The one other new track was a lousy instrumental.) Along those lines, I'll bet I never even listened to anything besides "Spotlight" on "You Can Dance"!
Complete setlist and upcoming U.K. tour(!) dates HERE.
Had dinner with my Boston DJ friend Taffy yesterday, who dazzled us with stories of his trip to the U.K. to see Soft Cell's wave goodbye tour. I probably wouldn't have gone even if I'd known about it -- you have to pick your battles with these things and Kim Wilde and Roddy Frame didn't even make the cut -- but if I'd known Mari Wilson was going to turn up onstage it might have made the difference. Sigh. I must be the most casual American fan who can sing every word to this melodramatic masterpiece off "The Art of Falling Apart," or as Taffy would say: "You actually know they had more than one album" ...
In a January 1983 interview with Melody Maker, Marc Almond said: "One of my favorite subjects [is the] the housewife. Again, the real sort of salt of the earth. People say, 'Oh, she's just a boring housewife.' But it's not true. Imagine being at home all day in your Barrett house, you're in your middle age and you're preparing the evening meal for your maybe very boring husband -- who's not interested in you anymore -- and he's eyeing up other, younger, women. It's that awful chauvinistic attitude that women have to be quiet, that they're there to do the housework, and that's all, that they don't have minds, that they don't have fantasies."
David Ball added that he played the song to his mother, who said "Oh, this is nice," then he told her to listen to the words, "and the smile disappeared a bit, which was good because it's actually achieving something."
I remember feeling guilty that I liked this better than anything on their landmark debut album, "Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret" -- but can you blame me?!
P.S.
A friend was just marveling about Rick Astley being on tour, Blondie having a new single/video and a previously unreleased Marc Almond single (from yet another best-of collection) just coming out. Trump seems hopelessly stuck in the '80s so why shouldn't we be?!
Damian and I marked 12 years together last night, a love affair I certainly never saw coming when I broke up with my longtime partner in ear...
Fake Jan Alert
My blog is featured in Susan Olsen's tell-all about the ill-fated "Brady Bunch Variety Hour"!
Little Kenny
Growing up in Madison Heights, Mich.
Back to the Old House
The Web leads to an unexpected return to a house I grew up in.
Oceans 11
Carlsbad, Calif. (2008)
1983
Go Behind the Music of my high-school band, A La Plage
A Death in the Family
Little Larry left us too soon.
Once I Had a Love
With Debbie Harry
'Jungle' Fever
With Robert Buckley
Roger & Me
With Roger Federer
Step Brother McMullen
With Ed Burns
Headline News
With Thomas Roberts
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