Overlooked New Wave bands

[moecurlythanu]

Fiat Lux

I'm surprised these guys didn't make it in the first half of the 80s when the New Romantics thing was going on. I never even heard of them until several months ago. Apparently Bill Nelson's brother was in the band.

[interbellum]

I had Fiat Lux on tape and listened to it many times, while waiting for a good CD-version. I believe that never happened.
I'm glad someone made me a great compilation-album with a lot of their songs.

[moecurlythanu]

^ Yeah, no CD, and no LPs either. Everything spread across several EPs and singles.

[interbellum]

Fiat Lux

I'm surprised these guys didn't make it in the first half of the 80s when the New Romantics thing was going on. I never even heard of them until several months ago. Apparently Bill Nelson's brother was in the band.

The latter seems right according this nice site: http://www.hiredhistory.co.uk/the_band.htm
Apparently Ian Nelson died in 2006 at the age of 50.

I'm just listening to the fine compilation I mentioned and some of the music reminds me of the Danish De-Film:

[Oreb]

What happened to Peter G? Has he changed his name again?

[per anporth]

I have some Fiat Lux on coloured vinyl - I must dig it out!

Possibly stretching the notion of "new wave", but back in the day I liked Swans Way a lot - especially the great single "Soul Train." It was this performance on The Tube that first brought them to our attention: https://youtu.be/mdv2onk-UZY (warning - very poor sound quality - but great performance!)

[Sunlight Caller]

^ definite stretching the definition, but I loved this single too, and have the original vinyl. I'll dig it out and spin it later.


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[interbellum]

Possibly stretching the notion of "new wave", but back in the day I liked Swans Way a lot - especially the great single "Soul Train." It was this performance on The Tube that first brought them to our attention: https://youtu.be/mdv2onk-UZY (warning - very poor sound quality - but great performance!)

Played the Swans Way LP "The Fugitive Kind" very often and was glad it was released on CD by Cherry Pop a couple of years ago.
Of course the CD couldn't replace the wonderful LP-album cover, but it has some nice sleeve notes with the history of the band plus some bonus tracks.
Favorite track is "Stay".

Here's a full concert:

[Mythos]

For me, the 2nd greatest 80's release is/was the Chameleons: Script of the Bridge, it remains a simply flawless release of dark, moody swirling guitars, it was a very unrated release. (Greatest release IMO was JD: Unknown Pleasures).

Another super obscure 80's release that flew under most everyone's radar was The Wild Swans: Bringing Home the Ashes

[Sunlight Caller]

For me, the 2nd greatest 80's release is/was the Chameleons: Script of the Bridge, it remains a simply flawless release of dark, moody swirling guitars, it was a very unrated release.

I never could fathom why The Chameleons could not reach a wider audience, they had everything that their more successful counterparts had. Script For A Bridge is a terrific album indeed.

[hippypants]

Let's Active
The Motels
Echo & Bunnymen
The Ruts
The Connells
Mission of Burma
Missing Persons
Men at Work
Berlin
The Plimsouls
The Raincoats
Young Marble Giants
The Motors
Bram Tchaikovsky
Shoes
Graham Parker
James White & The Blacks
The Contortions
The Pop Group
Au Pairs
The Slits
The Fall
Cocteau Twins
Eyeless in Gaza
Fad Gadget

[per anporth]

Cocteau Twins - The Fall - The Slits - The Pop Group - Echo & the Bunnymen... "overlooked"???

The Motors - Graham Parker (& the Rumour) - Bram Tchaikovsky...all pre-punk pub rockers

The Ruts...punk

As for Men at Work...!!!

Still, thanks for taking the time to share a list!

[Taped Rugs]

I'm sure somebody(s) will find fault with whether these are overlooked or are New Wave, but just for fun, here's a few not on the list:

Tuxedomoon
MX-80 Sound
Japan
Red Noise
The Modern Lovers

[interbellum]

Last year Party by The Tapes was released on CD: https://www.discogs.com/The-Tapes-Pa...lease/12980312

[interbellum]

And was Sad Lovers & Giants mentions already?

Sad Lovers & Giants are still active. Last year they released a new album, called Mission Creep, while Cherry Red Records brought out a nice 5-CD box-set in 2017m called Where The Light Shines Through 1981-2017: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/...7-5cd-box-set/

[Progbear]

Has the Spizz canon been mentioned yet? “Where’s Captain Kirk?” is the song everyone mentions, likely more due to the pop-culture reference than any quality, but I vastly prefer the Athletico Spizz 80 album, Do a Runner. First-rate art punk.

I personally think that The Tourists and Eurythmics are distinct personalities. For one, The Tourists were largely [the late] Peet Coombes’ baby. For another, their styles were quite different; the Tourists being more of a power-pop act (roughly Blondie mixed with the Cars). On a slightly different tangent, more people need to hear Eurythmics’ Conny Plank-produced debut, In the Garden. A curious mix of minimalist compositions mixed with maximalist arrangements. There sure aren’t enough Annie Lennox flute solos on later albums! And just look at the cast of characters that played on this record!

For some reason I feel compelled to mention Combo Audio, despite the fact that they only had one great song. Maybe because it was, I repeat, a great song:



There’s also Hilary, who only ever released the one four-track EP, but I can vouch for it being good from start to finish. Here’s a taste:

[rcarlberg]

Last year Party by The Tapes was released on CD

Still one of the very few releases from that decade that I can listen to.

[Munster]

No mention that I can see of the Only Ones. The band was prone to self-destruction but the second album, 'Even Serpents Shine', is a classic (although, admittedly, a bit bleak). Guitarist John Perry is one of the unsung greats in my opinion.

[GeneTull]

The Edge from 1980 with Glyn Havard (Jade Warrior), Jon Moss (Culture Club) and Lu Edmonds (The Damned, PIL).

http://jazzrocksoul.com/artists/the-edge/

[Progbear]

No mention that I can see of the Only Ones. The band was prone to self-destruction but the second album, 'Even Serpents Shine', is a classic (although, admittedly, a bit bleak). Guitarist John Perry is one of the unsung greats in my opinion.

I have the first one on CD. I didn’t even know there was a second. I remember picking the disc up on the strength of the singled “Holiday” and “We Are What We Are.” Overall, kind of B-52s-lite.

[Mythos]

Clan of Xymox were pretty cool...

Their first release is nearly better than EVERY New Order album...

[Munster]

I have the first one on CD. I didn’t even know there was a second. I remember picking the disc up on the strength of the singled “Holiday” and “We Are What We Are.” Overall, kind of B-52s-lite.

I think you are referring to The Other Ones, a German-Australian band. The Only Ones were from England, produced three albums and had a minor hit with 'Another Girl, Another Planet'. They were not B-52s-lite in any shape or form! The excesses of their lead singer/second guitarist rival those of Keith Richards.

[Progatron]