I better write a book , just to ensure the real story . The Pic is not The Blitz Club its from a TV Show What Ever Happend to The Boy , the pic of 4 people on the right is Rober Elms and not on his right Boy George its Kim Bowen. Shapers of The 80's . Rusty Egan and Midge Ure created Visage adding Steve Strange as The Face. Chris Payne and Billy Currie created the music that Midge Ure and I turned into Fade to Grey.

I love this song so glad you are doing the new romatics ,takes me back to my pre teenage years

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Deb! be well

Fade to Grey was released in November 1980! In August 1980 Bowie released his Ashes to Ashes single …. The video of which feature Bowie walking along a beach with Steve Strange and and a few other of the Blitz kids dressed in religious outfits. It was also the most expensive music vid ever made at the time £250,000!!! So in true Bowie form, he got in on the act on the new upcoming scene before it had even broken into the mainstream with the November release of Fade to Grey.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

You just called tomorrows vid…. It’s all lined up to go but that’s the theme. Bravo.

One of my favourite songs

The song began life as a sound check ‘jam’ that Chris Payne, (Gary Numan backing band Keyboardist), and Billy Curry, (at the time in Numan’s Touring Principal backing band), Ced Sharpley on drums, (Numan’s drummer), created. Billy tamed up with Rusy and Midge etc and Midge pulled it together to create Fade to Grey. They put Steve out front and the rest is history.

OMG that was SO good to hear again! I remember when it was first played in Australia on a show called Countdown and it was absolutely FANtastic. I went on to love Kazoo, Flock of Seagulls and Spandau Ballet to mention just a few so THANKYOU for spotlighting this Guys!

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

More to come this week :)

@kimn9802

2 жыл бұрын

Me too. First time I heard/saw it was on Countdown. Might be Yazoo you're thinking of. Flock of Seagulls though...hmmm..maybe not for me.

Greetings from Australia. We had a compilation album at the time that had this song on it. Never gotten sick of it

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

I use to love those comp's

Wrong it had 2 guitarists John and Midge , Midge played with Thin Lizzy at one time, we made the theme to TOTP and John played with PIL The Banshees and became one of the best 80s guitarists , it had real drums played in a in time and it was also using all the latest tech synths and drum machines. The idea was Steve Strange would stand out , we were all in the dark. After Blitz was Club for Heroes and then Camden Palace now Koko. The comments are all wrong , its not a midge Ure masterpiece its Visage kzread.info/dash/bejne/c6F6wcyen867iJs.htmlsi=ApDK7lFmQEpFnDJa

@TheThamesmen

10 ай бұрын

@rusty. Sorry if we got it wrong. We are just two fans of your music from the Thames valleand honored to be corrected !! Rusty is there a track of yours you’d like us to react to? If so we’d be super stoked. Thanks for all your Amazing music. Cheers Alex snd George.

This song has been my phones tune for years. This is a masterpiece by Midge Ure. Also Sound of the crowd by Human League.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

I agree all round.....

Thank you so much. I gained so much appreciated knowledge on the New Romantics. In the US. We just thought it was all New Wave.

You could tie in your Aussie & New Romantic week together by listening to "Send Me an Angel" by Real Life.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Oh :)

@FionaEm

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! One of the best New Romantic songs for sure.

Again we Love and if you are from Australia the Picnic at Hanging Rock video for Whispers both by Visage.

Hello gents...l remember first hearing and seeing this song. The video made such an impression on me...l was fascinated by it. I am soo pleased that you are reacting to the Romantics..Keep them coming!!! All the best! 🤗😁

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening

What you've done there with the background is EPICCCCC! Never seen anything like it. You could take it a notch further maybe with two separate backgrounds that neatly form a whole?

Thank you thank you thank you for New Romantics week! Back in the day, I used to say I loved the politics of the punks and the creativity and aesthetic of the new romantics. A couple of corrections-Billy’s came first and when they outgrew it, they started Blitz and Visage actually started at Billy’s. Also, at the exact same time, a similar scene was happening in Birmingham especially with fashion (Duran Duran and DANCE came out of B’ham during this time). I think the reason I love steampunk and cosplay so much is because of how much I miss this perfect period of time when fashion and music came together to create a unique world where even misfits like me could find family. Additionally, there was a HUGE influence from the queer community and it would be wrong to omit that. You were definitely right-Bowie was their god-Steve Strange was in his Ashes to Ashes video (which I recommend watching) Bowie week might be a nice segue after this 😉 Loved the story about Alex’s friends mum! Such an iconic photo!

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Ohhhh so much more to watch this week for you!!!

I was around 12 when this came out loved it then love it now, so many new sounds coming out in the late 70s early 80s, I didn’t care about genre good and great music to me was just that, loved it and still ahead of it’s time today 🤘Thank you Thamesmen! Ps Old saying If you can stand up! “Stand Out”

steve also appears on bowie's ashes to ashes video

Love that you're doing this, can't wait to see who you're going to include. I was not a 'Rock' chick, I was all about this music and have only in the last decade or so, begun to appreciate the 'other side', so kinda you, in reverse. Lol.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

More to come!

I was a night club DJ in the late 70s and early 80s, at the time this came out... Excellent dance tune and went well with Cars from Gary Numan, Enola Gay from OMD, Ultravox, Spandau Ballet,

Brilliant reaction, greatly enjoyed it and I appreciate that you talked about the birth of this movement, it's a story worth recognizing! It's an era when the disco became the night club and it also influenced so many musicians! What better way to kick off the week than with this amazing track, one of my favourites for sure! Looking forward to see what other songs you've picked! Speaking of UK clubs that influenced a lot, maybe another idea for a themed week would be about Madchester and the Hacienda? Lot of great songs and stories!

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Oh I went to the Hacienda...... Not as glam in my memory as others have it!!! I loved that era. I was living in Sheffield and so into the Stone Roses it was silly

@maelmoor

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen Oh that's still really cool! I read Mick Middles book about Factory Records, fascinating stuff! The 24 Hour Party People movie seems to capture it rather well too :)

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

@@maelmoor I loved those days...... I still love early house, such as Lil Louis, French Kiss etc. Did you make it up to those clubs?

It was happening accross the country. Art school influencers who were into the 20's and 30's surrealist style and took Dahli and the underground british art scene and started wanting music to go with it. In the North of England we took on Human League who played at obscure clubs round here. Japan were frorerunners too. There was a strong anti-punk feeling too. We saw it as agressive and ugly and wanterd Glam without the crassness of the 70's. Escapism basically - and for some of us, the late 70's needed escaping from. If you were arty and Alt, you needed a clan and this lot brought it to TV. It was a wild time. Xcuse bad spelling. I'm old and on rum. (The ONLY drink for New Romantics!)

Great song. I wonder how Japan and Magazine fitted into this scene? Maybe they were a bit of a spin-off, or a parallel "new wave" movement...

This was one of my favourites when it came out.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

This has caught up with me over the years

It's ART❤️

I was 13 when this came out in the UK ,this Ultravox ,Rush Permanent Waves,Throbbing Grisle ,Human League,OMD,changed my life when it came to music.

@johnord684

Жыл бұрын

But you can here The Weapon by Rush in the Visage original.

Hey guys.. Great choice.. I used this song as an excuse to get to know my sisters beautiful French friend, by asking what they were saying in French in the song.. Lol Fantastic song..

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

No excuse needed for that

@grantnealon5101

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen Indeed.. Was a good call.. Still happily married, with 4 kids, living in France.. Lol

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

@@grantnealon5101 Where in France? Mother, family live there and I am due there soon

@grantnealon5101

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen In the Dordogne.. South of Limoges..

After the Blitz, Rusty Egan & Steve Strange opened the Camden Palace (15:25) not the Astoria. But you're right, it was much bigger and still had the strict dress code.

@TheThamesmen

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the correction, always appreciate the help!

the British pop groups of the 80's definitely marked this era. I've always identified more with British pop music than US pop music.

That's a strange thing the things you did not like when we were young all the sudden you hear it today it sounds brilliant I was a mod /rude boy I had a lambretta I hated this synth stuff but now I cant get enough of it

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

HA HA..... I know!!

Steve told me that Mick Jagger couldn’t get in because they had reached capacity for fire safety and the authorities were camped outside keeping and eye on them. Steve knew this and was actually pained to turn Jagger away, but he had no choice as the eyes were watching him.

Really enjoying binge watching your channel, all these songs were my genre, great to look back.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Be well.

This isn't a Linn drum. It's live drums played by Rusty Egan. The electronic percussion that you hear is the Roland CR78. The song is from 1980, not 1981.

@80ssynthfan48

11 ай бұрын

The drums on this were played by Cedric Sharpley. Rusty played on other Visage tracks.

ニューロマンティックの頃に出て来たバンドは皆んな大好きでした。今でも良く聴きますよ❤

Steve was just beginning to enjoy a resurgence with Visage and his new The Face club nights when he was cruelly taken away from us. He was such a dear man, a sensitive man, and a friend.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Hello hello.... do we have a founding Blitz club member? Send us an email on Thetnewhamesmen@Gmail.com and lets chat

Perri Lister alert! Dive dive dive!

This was a great track back in the 80s

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Still great now.

YEEEESSS!!! standing outside of WOOLWORTHS in a queue I was about 18 & waiting to buy the single. Great times. Another great reaction guys .

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

HA HA WOOLWORTHS......... The king of pick and mix

The Blitz Club eventually ended up at The Camden Palace.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Cool!!!

This song is such a classic; it was a great way to start the 80s. The video seems pretentious now but the song has survived with that wonderful atmosphere intact. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Does have a classic sound. Thank you for your support we very much appreciate it

Great song, I remember it well, although I only ever listened to it and any 'new romantic' era songs on the radio and would never spend my hard - earned on it. That said I do remember buying the first Culture Club album and every Bowie album as well...so I outed myself a bit there. I was far more into Pink Floyd, The Who, Genesis, AC/DC, and all the heavier rocker stuff just like you 2 gents. Ohhh, just remembered another artist ...Annie Lennox (and Dave Stewart). She was a bit androgenous in her early days. Looking forward to the rest of the week.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Trev....rocker you and me squire... Its great to hear this with new ears

Hey! I still got the 7" I bought in 1981!

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Excellent !!!!! You were cooler than I was

@pillmuncher67

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen No, not really. I was a pimply overweight 13yo with greasy hair. I only became cool two years later when I lost weight and became a Punk Rocker.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

@@pillmuncher67 HA HA,...... I was the tie dye hippy in the sunflower field.

🇬🇧 Norfolk that brought back the past

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Perfect!!!! Welcome Norfolk

I'm not sure the original producers were so "vogue" as well? See Chris' own deconstruction and story in his attic. It was an instrumental they just couldn't sell to any label, and then Visage threw the vocals and lyrics onto it. If you didn't believe in higher forces leading to good things...

really like this

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

So do I!!! Thanks for you message, also thanks for being here. Take care G&A

If you search for 'making of fade to grey' there is a terrific 15 minute video delving deep into this song. there is also an alternate video to this one out there which is worth watching.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Ohhhh I will do!! Lunch listening - Thanks

This was my era. Loved the synth music and fashion back then.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

You were sharper than I was!!!

@Mind-your-own-beeswax

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen 😂😂. Yeah well after seeing Kraftwerk in the mid 70s I knew where my musical taste was.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mind-your-own-beeswax whats cool is I am realizing that new wave set the BPM for house

Gents. Androgynous looks may have started just a tad earlier than the early '80s. Bowie? Bolan? '20s Paris, '30s Berlin? That said, great song. Pretty sure Bowie raided the New Romantics in the club for his Ashes to Ashes clip.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Ohhh. Watch the Bowie one.,. Day 2

Another bit of trivia for you, Princess Julia who appears in the video told me that she couldn’t speak a word of French and had to lip-sync phonetically to Rusty’s girlfriend’s French words :D

I think the successor to The Blitz was called Club For Heroes.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Wow... didn't know that, that must have been Hero's as in Bowie's track

Guys can you play an 80s band called REAL LIFE from Australia they had a hit in 1983 called CATCH ME IM FALLING worth a look.

Huh . . . good song, but I don't remember it at all. I don't think it got much radio airplay in the USA; for my family, we hadn't gone to cable tv yet, so if it was on MTV I missed out too. Good start to the week though!

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Cool.... I love the song. It's style in a box.

Grailknights , Pumping Iron Power

Have you done a vid on Gary Newman Tubeway Army. ?

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Not yet!

Check out Mandragora Scream's version of this Iconic song. It's good.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Will check now.

Although this was the beginning of the New Romantic genre, some of its origins are a little more ‘lively’. Gary Numan’s Cars, for instance, having live drums and bass in addition to the synth, is very groove-based. I struggled more with stuff that was purely electronic and quantised to death by MIDI. Whenever bands melded the traditional rock instruments with synths I was much more enthusiastic. Thomas Dolby, The Cars, Howard Jones, ABC, etc.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Ah now..... this early early stuff was NOT sequenced, meaning every note had to be played!! Midi came later :)

@Mind-your-own-beeswax

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen exactly right. There were very few sequencers around then and the ones that were cost more than a house. The Fairlight is the most well known of course.

@sean---the-other-one

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen You’re right, I probably didn’t clarify what I was saying well enough. I liked this when it came out, and still do. It’s not completely soulless, but I do find there’s degrees of electronic stuff that I struggle with (I mean, whilst I know Def Leppard is beloved by many, their highly produced sound is a ‘live band’ example of what I was meaning about over quantised stuff). I’ve been playing in a 70s disco band for a few years and have been trying to introduce some of the early electronica into that repertoire, like I Feel Love. Now, that’s far more electronic than Fade To Grey, but I find it still palatable, as is even Giorgio Moroder’s Chase. What I was talking about that I really struggled with was House Music, which as you said, this scene spawned. House Music was a real low point for me as a type of dance music, given that 70s disco is arguably the pinnacle of dance music (I know, on the surface that’s a big claim, but hear me out). In the 70s the production level was growing even better than ever, as was musician skill level on traditional rock instruments like guitar, bass, and drums. So, we ended up with monster players like Bernard Edwards and Nike Rogers fuelling bands like Chic and Sister Sledge, or killer outfits like KC & The Sunshine Band or Rose Royce or The Sylvester (check out some of their live work to see some amazing performances), playing music that existed purely to get people on a dance floor. It often had little artistic value in terms of songwriting, but it was groovy, funky, and/or driving stuff. If it hadn’t been attacked so directly and violently, it probably would have had much more of an organic metamorphosis into other dance music, but to compare Chic’s Good Times to Bas Noir’s My Love Is Magic, and the difference is astounding. Virtually any dance music since has been created more than played, often originating from one workstation without any collaboration between musicians (although sampling did go a reasonable way in melding dance beats with good/great songs). This became a lot longer and more rambling of a response than I intended, and I’m not sure if I did anything to help clarify what I originally meant, but it’s the best I could do on my phone before my breakfast and the first coffee of the day. 😂 Anyhow, keep it up, I’m looking forward to seeing/hearing what else you guys come up with on this week’s theme, and future themed weeks.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mind-your-own-beeswax I adore old Synths.... Fairlight, Juno etc I just need youth back and endless time just to try and get 1 note out!!!

Not the best song of the early 80s but arguably the most iconic - just screams early 80s

They video was bad and it almost broke them saw live at ritz and Pete shelly interactive I liked everything like seeing xtc and skin heads

WHAT A PAIR OF FOOLS NO IDEA

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

The bands not that bad.

Midge Ure voice ?

@80ssynthfan48

11 ай бұрын

Backing vocals. He wrote the lyrics.

What happened to the Aussie stuff you were going to do - It was the only reason I subscribed.

@taniaPBear

2 жыл бұрын

They did explain that they were doing this first, patience mate. This was awesome.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

We work a few weeks ahead for editing and well, also we have jobs and kids :) We will get back to Aussie week butt have Bowie week between, so give it a few weeks.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Tania.

I can appreciate the artistry of the video but the musical aspect of the video was not for me.

@TheThamesmen

2 жыл бұрын

No worries, what about the track?

@rickfairman5640

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheThamesmen I enjoyed it for what it was and the artistic value.