Speak Up if you like New Wave and 80s Alternative!

[sunseeker888]

Hey all. Been listening to NW/post-punk stuff exclusively for a while now. Some of my favorites are Magazine, Gene Loves Jezebel, Fad Gadget, New Musik, Oingo Boingo, the Chills, and the Psychedelic Furs. Too many more to mention!

Last week I picked up a never-before-opened LP by Mi-Sex. Side A is "Computer Games" and B is "Graffiti Crimes". These sound incredible through my Grados BTW.

So what are some of your favorites? I'm very open to hearing about modern bands that sound like new wave too, since I know virtually no new music.

It certainly helps that most of this music is well-recorded and since it's forgotten for the most part, the record stores are practically giving away clean used copies!

 

[wovenhand]

Devo are forever in my heart. I used to actively collect, but haven't for quite a while now. Gems include is a Warner Bros. 12" test press of their "Devo Live" album & the yellow radiation suit issued by the Devo fanclub in the early 80s. Good stuff.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Yeah, a lot of this music is forgotten these days, so I've been filling out my collection from the used record stores. And you're right about the good recordings, too. These were the early days of CD, so you'll find both great vinyl and Red Book before the Loudness Wars.

It feels weird to think that this music is considered "old" today. I grew up listening to KROQ in Los Angeles (back when it was good) and they played New Wave/Alternative exclusively while the other stations played either classic rock or 80s pop. Still, most classic rock feels tired and the pop was forgettable. The New Wave still holds up for me. I'd like to think a revival is coming, but you never know.

 

[milkweg]

I still listen to a lot of that music. Stranglers, Simple Minds etc. Only I don't call it New Wave or Alternative because they are both Americanisms and I am British. I just call it post-punk, indie or plain old 80's music.

 

[GreatDane]

I'm class of '85 so I grew up with it...when MTV meant great music videos!

I still have my secret 80's playlist

 

[Signal2Noise]

My teen years consisted of:

Bauhaus, Love & Rockets, Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears, Simple Minds, Spoons, Images In Vogue, U2, Clash, etc.

And amazingly a lot of these artists are still around.

 

[sunseeker888]

+1 to all of the bands mentioned above.

Milkweg, I just proved how American I really am, huh! Of course it isn't considered alternative or new wave where you are! (forgive us, we listen to a lot of pop-trash and anything with a real instrument is alternative here

)

And yes it is easy to forget how good redbook can actually sound when it's done right!!!!! I have Alphaville, Big Country, REM, and New Order cd's from the 80s that sound incredible!

But the LP is where it's at for me, and this stuff just feels right coming out of a groove

 

[tru blu]

Does that mean Gang Of Four? Echo and the Bunnymen? A Flock Of Seagulls? Jesus and Mary Chain? The English Beat? The Smiths? Pet Shop Boys? Of course, the one I probably played the most was New Order.

Also really dug the Chills, but I think my favorite album, Submarine Bells, is from 1990.

Btw, is anyone familiar with the recent French band Nouvelle Vague, which does interesting, loungey-style covers of songs by Modern English, XTC, Joy Division, PiL, etc, etc? Turned out better than anyone expected. They were on Luaka Bop, David Byrne's label...still might be for all I know.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Signal2Noise /img/forum/go_quote.gif My teen years consisted of: Bauhaus, Love & Rockets, Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears, Simple Minds, Spoons, Images In Vogue, U2, Clash, etc. And amazingly a lot of these artists are still around.

Images In Vogue? I remember them from when I lived in Vancouver. Kevin Compton went on to form Skinny Puppy and Gary Smith I new enough to just say hi to as we hung out at the same clubs.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunseeker888 /img/forum/go_quote.gif +1 to all of the bands mentioned above. Milkweg, I just proved how American I really am, huh! Of course it isn't considered alternative or new wave where you are! (forgive us, we listen to a lot of pop-trash and anything with a real instrument is alternative here )

I live in Canada now and have for quite a long time so know what is meant by New Wave and Alternative. Classic New Wave is B-52's, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Blondie etc. Blondie is American though so how can they be part of a New British Wave?

 

[Quaddy]

love it more than you will ever know!

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Btw, is anyone familiar with the recent French band Nouvelle Vague, which does interesting, loungey-style covers of songs by Modern English, XTC, Joy Division, PiL, etc, etc? Turned out better than anyone expected. They were on Luaka Bop, David Byrne's label...still might be for all I know.

I just checked out Nouvelle Vague and that is the French term for New Wave.
I'll have to check it out as it might be an interesting combo.

I was just listening to Gang of Four the other day and their album Solid Gold stands the test of time. Simple Mind's New Gold Dream I play quite often still and the sound quality has to be up there with the best there is.

 

[Philimon]

I am listening to a post punk playlist right now. Postpunk/NewWave has been my favorite genre of music for the past year or so. Working on my collection still. I like to use allmusic.com to find recommendations on what music to get, as well as the Steve Hoffman forums on which particular version of an album to buy.
Talking Heads considered post punk? Atleast their earliest stuff? One of my favorite bands of all time.

 

[intoart]

I love Devo, The Tubes, Psychedelic Furs, Wire, Shriekback, OMD, The Fuzztones, Game Theory, and of course Talking Heads.

Submarine Bells is among my all-time favorite CDs, but I have never even seen (much less heard) anything else by The Chills.

 

[tru blu]

I picked up the double-LP The Name of This Band is…Talking Heads about a month ago. Think I had it on cassette way back when...boy, does it sound great on vinyl. I saw an Elvis Costello/Squeeze double bill in 1980; also saw T-Bone Burnett open one of Costello's shows a few years later.

…crazy about the Psychedelic Furs (that greatest hits thing, All Of This and Nothing, is ridiculously good), the B-52s and Blondie, but then I'm from New York (isn't it the law?)…btw, as postpunk landmarks go, nothing (and I mean, nothin') beats Television's Marquee Moon.