There are significant similarities between the creation of The Smiths’s anthemic 80s “How Soon is Now?” and previously featured New Order’s dancefloor masterpiece “Blue Monday.” Not that they sound at all alike (they do not), but both tracks were openly developed with some of their best tidbits being nicked from other artists. And not unlike a common criticism of AI, there should be little illusion … Continue reading The Smiths ~ How Soon is Now? [1984]
From the tragic ashes of the extraordinary band Joy Division would arrive, as a phoenix reborn, a rebranded New Order. The heartbreaking and untimely death of iconic vocalist and lyricist Ian Curtis would bring about a metamorphosis, not from pupa to chrysalis, but perhaps rather monarch to glasswing. This newer variation would build … Continue reading New Order – Blue Monday [1983]
“I write phrases constantly and I have about 15 different notebooks going at the same time. I’ll write lots of different things in each book. I have to lay them all out in the same place and pull things from each of them to write a song. I was on tour and I remember recording it on my four-track with Twiggy [Ramirez, bass] and my drummer Ginger [Fish] in a hotel … Continue reading Marilyn Manson ~ The Beautiful People [1999]
Martin Gore famously paraphrased co-producer Daniel Miller’s shellacking of his demo tape, stating, “The songs aren’t good enough, there aren’t any singles and it’ll never get played on the radio.” That demo tape would become the basis of Depeche Mode’s fifth studio album Black Celebration. Lead single, “Stripped”, would be described as an “ominous and intriguing pop song”, reaching the top ten in five European countries (Finland, Ireland … Continue reading Depeche Mode ~ Stripped [1986]
I cannot count the number of times I was warned of regrets for inaction, but never reminded that actions themselves could also be rued. That gut hurt, that vulnerability more mental than physical we dolefully feel when we disappoint ourselves and others. We are all human, and therefore fallible, but that is of little consolation when mistakes are made that cannot be retracted or adequately amended, especially when unclear. “God … Continue reading Portishead ~ We Carry On [2⊘⊘8]
