New Wave Outpost Forum

As a ardent fan of new wave (and rock ) and watching it transform throughout the eighties from new wave to college rock to alternative, I have had discussions with like minded friends as to what song constituted the last great new wave song of the 80's. It seemed to me that after 1984, new wave transformed itself into more diverse directions including paisley pop, neopsychedelia, electro dance, britpop, etc. In fact, I thought true new wave was actually dead by 1986.

I would like to know what you think was the last greatest new wave song from the 80's. I know new wave encompassed many elements but you have to admit when Jefferson Starship sang "We Built This City", you know that true new wave was co-opted by then. Anyway, my candidate for this post is "Ahead" by Wire. This song appeared on their 1987 album, The Ideal Copy. When I first heard it, the song instantly took me back to 1982 or 1983. It has great synths and plenty of tension that true new wave encompassed.

I look forward to your thoughts on this. [:p]

Wow, another great topic!

The Church "Under the Milky Way". It's gettin' late by 1988, but it's so distinctly new wave sounding and such a great song. Kilbey's voice oozes "new wave", the lyrics are wistful, and the arrangement is soaring - befitting t

I bet you guys will hoot at me, but I always thought that "West End Girls" by the Pet Shop Boys was the last great New wave song. didn't much care for these guys, but when that song came out, I literally heard a "click" from the New Wave radio spirits...

I've always considered "The Promise" by When in Rome to be the last of new wave. Not that certain songs from the 90s didn't hark back to the good ol' days though, like "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals and "I Want You" by Savage Garden.

There are some great and very deliberate Retro-New Wave sounding acts out there now though. Fine China, Freezepop, etc.

One of the funniest and best parodies is by Reggie And The Full Effect it's called "Mood 4 Luv" from their "Under The Tray" album. B

I would go a little later and say that there were indeed some New Wave ripples even into the early 1990's. Shakespeare's Sister's "Stay" is a good example of some fantastic last stabs within the the New Wave musical format.

There was a time when new wave was beginning, that every song I heard made me go "wow! listen to that!". As the 80's waned on, that feeling faded. I would say the last songs to have this effect on me were "Nemesis" by Shriekback, "Innocence" by Kirsty M

Wow - - the new topics come so fast and furious I almost missed this one at the bottom of the screen.... excellent idea for a post - -

I think I actually agree with KYYX - 'west end girls' sure feels like the end of an era... I think of lp's like the C

Good Topic!
The first thing that also came to my mind was "The Promise" (A WLIR "Sreamer Of the Week", 1 OCT 1987). I also am not counting Groups such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, The Cure B-52's....

http://www.advancedspecialties.net/wlir.htm

Al

Thanks to all of those who have replied. Great choices have been listed so far!

Not really sure how to respond, as I think that there have continued to be great new wave songs long after the era ended. The last "new" song I heard that didn't sound like it was influenced by the era (rather, it sounded like I just missed it the first t

I don't remember a song that was the end but I clearly remember the moment in time when I realized New Wave was over. In 1988 I was at a Hooters concert that MTV was filming at the Tower Theater in Philly when during the warm up tunes Madonna's "Ill Dres

Hey Philware, I was living in Philly during the mid 80's going to college. Do you remember bands the Darrows, the Sharks, or Scram? I wanted to go to that Hooters concert but girlfriend (at the time) had other plans (yes I was hen-pecked!).

Hey Devildog,
I don't recall any of those bands. At the begining of the 80's I lived in the city and was much more into new bands. By the end of the 80's I was living and working in the burbs. I'm sorry you missed that Hooters show it was great.

I agree the hooters were an awesopme new wave band. Very similar to Brian Adams - his stuff was pretty far out there, although I guess hi stuff now is less new wave and more bashing rock. One of the last great new wave songs I remember was still in the 90