Tubeway Army "Replicas"!? Sign up for early access on Patreon (or just wait for public release in the future) www.patreon.com/posts/tubeway-army-74548363

Ok, who remembers people yelling "UNDERPANTS" when he sings underpass ?

@sexpistol7712

Жыл бұрын

Ha ,just commented on that .

@marlonstpeters2505

2 ай бұрын

always lol

Iconic record, iconic track. Bought this in 1980 when I was 14. John Foxx has been a pioneer with Ultravox and still is with his solo works until this day. Great reaction and a lot more to discover from John Foxx.

This song always makes me think of a J.G. Ballard novel.

His next single, " No one driving, " is also very good.

Excellent. More John Foxx please.

Try "Europe after the rain" from The Garden. A masterpiece.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

I disagree. Numan was the catalyst for an entire movement late 70s/80s!

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@Katehowe3010 No doubt, but the first inspiration was John Foxx, and Gary Numan readily admits it, nor disputes it !

@davidcopson5800

Жыл бұрын

@M Karlsson Max Ernst.

The first 3 Ultravox albums, when John Foxx was still a member, deserves a listen. Quirkiness with a stranger beat.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

Surely Numan would have been a better choice. The effect he had on the eighties puts this guy in the shade!

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@Katehowe3010 Without John Foxx, Gary Numan would be nothing. I'm sure the latter would approve ! 😉

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

@@a.k.1740 Its a matter of who took it on and changed the industry for a while. It certainly wasn't John Foxx!

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@Katehowe3010 The thing is, Foxx and Ultravox came before Numan, so there's no questioning that.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

@@a.k.1740 I'm tired of this already tbh. I'll just finish by proclaiming that Foxx may have passed the baton on, but look what Numan went on to do with it!

Finally!!!! Foxx is a genius , amazing vocalist, lyricist , poet, photographer and musician ! You will love his music

Bought Metamatic in 1980 - superb, glacial sound.

"Underpass" is still a haunting song for me after all these years (over 42 years after its release). I never would have thought to make the connection with "The Art of Parties", but somehow it's not so out of place, although the track from Japan is closer to a funky new wave. For my part, I have always associated "Underpass" (released as a single in January 1980) with "Games Without Frontiers" by Peter Gabriel which appeared shortly after (February 1980) probably because these two were played at the same time on the radios. Not that these two songs are alike, but these two have a very cold, almost detached rendering but at the same time they give off a strange and unforgettable feeling with a unique vocal delivery and weird sounds. Note that the two albums were recorded over the same period of time (between Summer and Autumn 1979) and that they were released in 1980. Metamatic is a great cold wave synth-pop album and you could keep exploring it. Otherwise if you want to delve deeper into Ultravox with John Foxx, then try their excellent album Systems of Romance (released in 1978 and Co-produced by Conny Plank) which makes the transition between the solo career of John Foxx and the future adventures of Ultravox with Midge Ure. Justin, you made me laugh with your comparison with AK and the assault rifle, but with the difference that I am not an AK47 for a long time but a 57 ! lol 🤣

@JustJP

Жыл бұрын

Lol! AK57 sounds pretty good as well :) Ty AK

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@JustJP Thank you Justin for your relevant comments and reactions and your sense of humor ! 👍

I’ll join in and recommend Systems of Romance , by Ultravox . This dark sounding synth pop has stood the test of time . There are many bands still doing it today, Drab Majestry, the Soft Moon, Boy Harsher, Cold Cave , Actors to name a few.

I saw Ultravox in concert with John Foxx and guitarist Robin Simon (who replaced original guitarist Stevie Shears) at the Whiskey A Go-Go in West Hollywood, California in March of 1979, I was 23 at that time. Unfortunately John Foxx quit Ultravox (he had his reasons why, and he was the founding member of Ultravox in 1974) before the end of that month, and guitarist Robin Simon quit shortly afterwards. I was right up in front of the stage and I held my right hand up as high as I could, and while John Foxx was singing, he bent down and gave me a five. That was a very cool moment for me.

I was a big ultravox/John Foxx fan back in the day,, great memories,, the original "quiet man".

I worked at a record store when this came out. When this song played, a friend of mine thought he was saying Under Pants!! It stuck and we’d all say under pants when the chorus came. I still crack up at this!! Saw Ultravox live 3 times.. alway a great show! Love the channel and thanks again !!!

@JustJP

Жыл бұрын

I can hear it :D Ty Chris!

Nice reaction and thanks for delving into John Foxx, I bought several John Foxx singles in the early eighties and owned the first three Ultravox albums, though my interest would quickly diminish after Foxx left... Check out 'Hiroshima Mon Amour' & 'Quiet Men' by Ultravox & 'Miles Away', 'Europe After The Rain', 'Your Dress' ,'Dancing Like A Gun' & 'Endlessly' by John.... John Foxx was part of the inspiration for Gary Numan, I seem to remember Numan naming 'My Sex' by Ultravox as the track that did it... Both artists are legends and both still around...

I heard this on Top of the Pops when I was a kid and then bought the single - it took me another 15 years or so to try his music again!!

I seem to remember at the time some people thought the chant sounded like 'underpants!'. Good tune though.

If you heard this in 1980 in the Blitz Covent Garden it would of blown your cheese box

If I see another person claiming that Depeche Mode created electronic music I will need to be restrained from murdering someone.

Great Ceasars Ghost! I had forgotten all about this song. Can't believe I remember all of the lyrics. Click click drone.

Bought this single back in 1980. Great track. Sadly overlooked by a lot of Americans who only caught onto the Euro-Brit electro scene a few years later.

The first Ultravox album (self titled) is outstanding' particularly "I Want To Be A Machine'. The last album he did as a member; their third, "Systems Of Romance" is arguably the best, with such evocative tracks as "Maximum Acceleration" and "Slow Motion".

@tszirmay

Жыл бұрын

add Dislocation and Just for a Moment

Try also from 1980 Stay with me tonight by Alex Ferguson.

Listen to Slow Motion by Ultravox! The album Systems of Romance is an all time favorite...

Wow I really didn't expect to hear a John Foxx reaction....took me back to my teens.......Isolation is a great song by Mr. Foxx,well worth checking out. I'm in agreement with a lot of comments... really Gary Numan really was the drive behind "electronica"......his Tubeway Army opus is brilliant......I'd love to see a reaction to "everyday I die".

I really like The Garden album. Love the haunting title track, Europe After the Rain and Systems of Romance.

Love John Foxx! Great reaction.

John Foxx, always interesting. On his collection "Glimmer" there is a fantastic version of "Endlessly" that was only available as a 7 inch single back in the day where it sounds a lot like "tomorrow never knows", I also recommend "Shifting City" the single/track.

Metamatic was a great minimalistic album. The follow up album ‘The Garden’, was more lush, and bigger budget, and nowhere near as good imho 🤔 Spot on with the Japan comparison btw 👍

Justin, try 'My Sex' or 'I Want to be a Machine' from the first Ultravox! album (1977).

Underpants, we used to call it. Sort of Kraftwerk meets Low era Bowie. I quite liked it at the time, but it doesn't mean anything to me now. I find it strange that this song is more accessible to modern ears than Alternative Ulster.

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

Maybe because over the years that cold synthetic sound has had quite a few emulators and Stiff Little Fingers' basic punk rock (good as it is) may have seemed more mundane in comparison....

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

I'm with you mate. There's no doubting the attraction of cold wave and synth music in general, but that SLF album was huge for me!

@delorangeade

Жыл бұрын

@@a.k.1740 I don't think it was because it was mundane, so much as JP didn't have the context, musical or sociohistorical, to relate to it. And, as you say, emulation may have made those synth sounds more familiar or relevant. But Jake Burns passion vs John Foxx's purposeful lack of same, I find it interesting that the latter should communicate more effectively in this instance.

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

@@Katehowe3010 I agree that Inflammable Material is a good punk rock album and I listened to quite a few of SLF's first four albums (including the excellent live Hanx!) in the early 80s. My favorite remains Go for It which incorporates more the influence of reggae, on the other hand I find Now Then... (1982) uninteresting.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

@@a.k.1740 Its only music mate. Hang on a second, did i really just say that? 😁

The guy who started this change into cold elecronica was Gary Numan. His debut single, "Are Friends Electric' was the catalyst for hundreds of bands to ditch the guitar and reach for the Roland's and Moogs. He was also a big hit with the early hip hop movement, who literally viewed him as some kind of musical messiah! He's still going strong today, and selling out concerts with ease. It begs the question Justin, why you've continued to steer clear of this synth general? 😊

@AriadneJC

Жыл бұрын

Yes, if someone had played me this without telling me who it was, my immediate reaction would have been "Gary Numan?" And also yes... still going strong today, over 40 years on. (Edit to add: Uh... Gary Numan still going strong, I meant.)

@a.k.1740

Жыл бұрын

Gary Numan was directly inspired by the song "My Sex" by Ultravox (John Foxx period) to build his solo career, and it sounds very close vocally or musically (it's obvious!). So it was Foxx who was the trigger, although I recognize Numan's talent which is undeniable !

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

@@AriadneJC We agree. Party at my house, Wednesday, 7pm! 😉

@paulbrien9902

Жыл бұрын

Err… David Bowie?

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

@@paulbrien9902 Overall, i would agree it was Bowie, but with "Are Friends Electric", Numan's effect on the industry was invaluable!

Wow, that’s a treat. This is one of the very few songs I’ve first heard in a club and actually went up to the dj to ask what it was because it was so brilliant. Took me ages to find a copy afterwards, but I eventually bought an unnecessarily expensive compilation just for this song. And since you are asking, the only other songs I ever asked a dj about right after hearing them were Tales of Taboo by Karen Finley (clearly that is not Anne Clark), Fata Morgana by Dissidenten and The Strokes’ The Modern Age (the ep had just come out). I need to go out dancing. We all do. Even you!

We used to sing " what colour are your...underpants"

Water is much healthier than Coke. If my informations are correct the synth is the iconic Yamaha CS 80 which is also well kown by Vangelis f.e. the soundtrack of "Blade Runner". And I would like to support the recommendation of the first Ultravox albums. I first knew them from a TV show where they performed "The Frozen Ones" which has a punk attitude. So I was a little bit surprised whem I heard their other stuff. I am still impressed.

@maraboo72

Жыл бұрын

@@group-music Thank you for the information. Now I know better.

Definitely the first two Ultravox lps.

Our Dennis from Chorley. Amazing artist

You're listening to John Foxx now? My, how how you're digging deep into music!

I believe this was the first fully electronic album by a UK artist. Foxx has been a huge influence, directly or indirectly, on so many people, from Gary Numan to the wonderful Hannah Peel, since the 1970s. The first three Ultravox albums are excellent, particularly Systems of Romance, and his first four solo albums are very different from one another. This one is very stripped back and cold, intentionally so, but the others embrace his musical influences from Velvet Underground, Floyd, The Beatles etc. He's well worth further exploration and it's great to see someone react to Foxx. Thank you.

@JustJP

Жыл бұрын

Ty Me-g :)

Justin, at the impressionable age of 15, The Number One Song In Heaven by Sparks, Cars by Gary Numan and this bad boy hit me like hammers and changed my musical path. This was all so NEW and exciting. By the way, it's me, Harri from Finland. Travelling incognito. PS. You haven't done Cars yet? Tubeway Army's fine, but the Numan stuff is bettah.

Futuristic, dystopian and blew me away as a teen. Thanks to the guys who recommended this to JP.😀

The whole structure comment made sense to me as I noticed the structural similarities between "Hocus Pocus" and "Harem Scarem". I think the latter was a better song but the former was more famous.

@-davidolivares

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, thank you very much.

Brilliant ,from Andy james

Together with Gary Numan, a giant of electronic music!

May I respectfully suggest Cabaret Voltaire's "Sensoria".

Top 👍

The word 'underpass' as used by John Foxx is likely to refer to what I believe you call a 'pedestrian underpass' in most of the US.

My first listening to John Foxx came by way of the ' Three into one ' album , which was a selection of cuts from the first three Ultravox albums , of which Foxx was the lead singer. A very different band when Midge Ure took the lead on , but definitely appreciate both versions of the band...... John Foxx's solo output though is an acquired taste maybe , the highlight for me is the mid eighties album ' The Golden Section '. Do love this track though. Which brings me to the early incarnation of The Human League (1st 2 albums) Pure synth heaven. ' Circus of Death ' , sheer class.

Gary Numan MK2? I love electronic music but this early 80s pop style doesn't hold my attention for too long. I much prefer the 'traditional" German stuff - Harmonia, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream etc.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

MK2 indeed! Then why after so long have we had no MK1?

Ok, Ultravox with John Foxx and Ultravox with Midge Ure, Two different sounds in a way. I'd not heard this solo work since it came out. I did like the last John Foxx/Ultravox album "Systems of Romance", but I leaned more Midge Ure Ultravox at the time. Early Ultravox was an influence on Gary Numan. Billie Currie, keyboardist and violinist for Ultravox did play on some Numan tracks. Regarding your comparison to Japan, I'm sure they're Bowie-esque influence would be parallel.

This is a lovely surprise! How I know this one myself is, it was on a great Virgin Records compilation album called Machines in 1980, and I picked up a secondhand copy of that later in the 1980s.

@scatterkeir

Жыл бұрын

@@group-music the UK version. I didn't know there was a US version, I knew there was a European version that had some different tracks.

@scatterkeir

Жыл бұрын

@@group-music The UK version I had (still have it I think) was the one with Dalek I, the international version (it seems it wasn't just Europe but also Australia and New Zealand) had Crash Course. It was indeed a great album!

Ultravox Systems of Romance is my favorite with John Foxx.

When Gary Numan meets Peter Gabriel.

Wasn't familiar with this song or this artist. Sounds very similar to a lot of synth pop that was around at the time. Probably a bit more basic than some of the stuff that came slightly later. Just off the top of my head, some artists in this genre at around the same time were, Gary Numan, Human League, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manouevers in the Dark (although maybe they were a little bit later). Influences can all be traced back to Kraftwerk, of course.

John Foxx has made numerous albums (none are really in the same style) Try Cathedral Oceans to see a complete contrast to Underpass.

More Foxxy please, perhaps 'Europe After The Rain'. :-) **Yes I love Japan's 'Art of Parties' too, call it zeitgeist!

Sinth pop was Poppy sinths that sound dated today. John Foxx and Gary Numan have never been sinth pop. Early Ultravox (with John Foxx) & John Foxx and Gary Numans music sounds as fresh and powerful today as it did then. Timeless and more powerful than today's Poppy electric bands that just don't understand how to use the synthesiser sound properly.

Touch and Go, from Metamatic is excellent too. You could also listen to Mr X from Ultravox as a comparison. It seems Foxx, when with Ultravox wrote Touch and Go and Ultravox used some of this material in Mr X. Oh and when did you react to Art of Parties, or did you listen to it secretly 🙂

@JustJP

Жыл бұрын

I've listened to quite a bit of Japan on my own lol :D

From the same album, I urge you to react to No-One Driving ... a special song.

Shake or Fist? What of the thumb grab, Justin? 😄

Underpants

Interesting to get to hear Foxx post Ultravox. Their first three albums with him are the most 'artistic' and quirkiest albums by Ultravox. I freely admit, though, I am more a fan of the poppy, melodramatic later Ultravox with Midge Ure. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qWueqZeNqK-8eNI.html

No John Foxx, no Gary Numan or David Sylvian. You need to research the first three Ultravox albums, those with with Foxx. Systems of Romance sets up Metamatic when you strip out the band.

JP, why is your hat on backwards? 😱(Now, every time you change the way you wear your hat, I'm reminded of when you said someone asked why you're wearing your hat backwards... and I just can't let it go)😛 So as I'm scrolling through the comments, to see what people think of this music, I had to check to see if Jfergs also commented (it's almost a rule now) 😛and I must say, I see why he hates this. I also see the 'Games Without Frontiers' comparison too, though I don't know if I would've seen it, had I not seen the comment 🙂 I'm kind of in the middle on this. I think it was 'interesting' to listen to, so I'm glad I took the time to listen to this. Not in love with it, but I see why some like it... and some don't...

@JustJP

Жыл бұрын

One day I'm gonna wear my hat upside down lol

@Lightmane

Жыл бұрын

@@JustJP 🤪

Remember when synth-pop was the future? Well that was 42 years ago and as Gary Numan had already reached the pinnacle with 'Are Friends Electric?' virtually everything else was superfluous. (Not so of course, 'Complex' was maybe a better single and the early Human League quite exciting) You can carbon date this from the first ten seconds and it's OK but the genre was tired and looking for a new direction even then.

@kenl2091

Жыл бұрын

@@group-music I think you're misreading my opinion - I'm not saying that Gary Numan (or Tubeway Army - same thing) was the first synth-pop artist. I just think that nobody was likely to touch 'Are Friends...' after it came out and it would become the measuring stick thereafter. I was fully aware of the early Foxx-led Ultravox!, OMD, YMO and other such bands in the late 70s but not blown away by them. Actually, I'd like to revise my opinion - Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' (unless you argue that it's synth-disco rather than synth-pop) might have been the pinnacle and that was even earlier! Soft Cell's 'Tainted Love' did come close a couple of years later though.

@kenl2091

Жыл бұрын

@@group-music Indeed they do! Tainted Love came out in a summer I remember fondly and was the biggest seller at the time so is imprinted on my memory though Memorabilia may be better in retrospect. I take it Retrospective Channel is on KZread so I might check it out. Always nice to have reasoned discussion in the comments.

@group-music

Жыл бұрын

@@kenl2091 Retrospective Channel is my own older synth attempts between 1980 and 2008. I will be starting a second KZread channel for my newer material when I have some presentable things to share. Your learned criticism is welcome. I'm still learning after all this time. 👍😊

I hope you can react to the band man man. The album life fantastic

Loved the beat and the synth line. Hated the vocals.

Song is a total mood ❤

I think this is why I used to mainly listen to dinosaur music, back in the day. This kind of thing was OK for being drunk and still awkward to, straying into the wrong clubs and somehow surviving that, intact. Good for pogo-ing up and down on the spot to, and calling that "dancing". (Got cornered by a scary guy wearing makeup on the landing of some stairs I was descending on my way to go and be an outsider somewhere else, so got a bit of a fright. But then it turned out he was just our MAG gunner, saying hi. Phew! Will live to see another horrible day.) (Hmm ... went to the bright and flashy looking club we'd always drive past on "The Esplanade" heading elsewhere, once, with an uncle of mine who didn't know he was "old". Went to the toilet right away going in, came back, and there was chaos. Small German man with levels of aggression to match threatening a man mountain with chaotic red hair and beard, and surrounded by angry people. Step diplomatically into the gap, since it doesn't look like one of those situations where it's best to just start hitting first, and then make peace first if you live through it. Difficult manoevre. Steer angry smaller man a bit closer to the door, turn and try to show friendly intent to the big scary one, get outflanked my smaller man attempting to kill the mountain of man, steer him some more, apologize again, try to get a clear escape line to the door, and just as it calms down again, here comes one's angry uncle from another angle, making another suicide attack... and so on ... right down to getting chased with violent intent after making it outside - because one's uncle has stopped to shout unpleasantries enough to destroy all the good effects of diplomacy all over again.) Yes, you guessed right. Gay bar. How was I to know? And someone felt his leg. Course they did. He was a cute little guy. (Nearly got attacked, myself, for saying that to him. He never got to the point where he could see the funny side of it.) All we'd wanted was to go and get drunk somewhere a bit livelier than the back yard. Oh well, I think we did in the end. (He got me into a lot of trouble. By rights I should've spent most of my life in a wheelchair as a result. Still miss him, but it was often like waiting for a bomb to explode.)

I’m not a fan of autotune but this track could use it. Even with a remaster, I wouldn’t want to listen again. 21-pilots can sound like this and I do like them. Must be the performance.

@jaybird4093

Жыл бұрын

@@group-music Source? Perfect pitch is a rare gift. I did go back and listen to some live recordings. I admit, Foxx can sing and he does have a good sense of pitch. This is my first exposure to him. Not a good a first starting point for me.

I didn't rate this BITD. There was lots of this stark, dreary electronica going round, and this guy seemed at the weaker end of the scale, to me. Hearing it on release I thought... meh. Hearing it now I just found it toe-curlingly embarrassing. Basic repetitive riff, looped, knocked out on a cheap casio, and poor vocals to boot. And so horribly dated. This just hasn't aged well at all. No, as others have said, I think it took Gary Numan to really up the ante on this genre. He certainly brought me into the fold.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

Hurrah! Join the small club my friend.

@jfergs.3302

Жыл бұрын

@@Katehowe3010 👍

I bought into the whole cool vibe from Ultravox with John Foxx so imagine my surprise when he went solo and this single came out and I bought it and it turned out to be shite ! I felt so dumb .. he’s crap , this ding is crap and he cannot hold a tune .. sorry that’s just my honest opinion . 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Gary numan does it better.

@tszirmay

Жыл бұрын

Gary would disagree with your comment.

@Katehowe3010

Жыл бұрын

I'm with you Paul. 👍