information society - new wave's last gasp?

[2Nu]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]
<br> "Running" made its way to the East Coast where it became a hit in the Puerto Rican clubs, and was brought to the attention of Tommy Boy.

Sorry to be a know-it-all, but hey, InSoc and I come from the same town!
[/quote]

It's funny how 'Running' came off initially as a 'Guido' club record around these parts (LI NY) given its 'urban' styled-infused synth riffs and vocals. It initially didn't get any airplay on WLIR.
It was after 'Pure Energy WOYM' came out and made a splash on WLIR that the NW and alternate dance music crowd warmed up to the previous release.[8D]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]

Sorry to be a know-it-all, but hey, InSoc and I come from the same town!
[/quote]
<br>Wow Ollie!, given your punk pedigree, I'm impressed that you would know of these guys, much less talk about them! [;)]

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[MARV]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]
<br>"Running" made its way to the East Coast where it became a hit in the Puerto Rican clubs, and was brought to the attention of Tommy Boy.[/quote]

This is true, I remember that. What town is that anyway Ollie?

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[bpdp3]

Ollie, I stand corrected, I was unaware of their local Minneapolis releases prior to the lp I mentioned; something to keep an eye out for in the used bins. That's why I love this site - talk about "information society"!!!

I was in a dance club near NYC once in the late 80's and remember hearing 'Running', not knowing who it was. This was months before their breakthrough. It definitely has that sound of the latin freestyle that was all over the clubs at the time.

[Sean]

I would say New Wave's last gasp would be Information Society
and Anything Box.

[Frau_Blucher]

I'm inclined to agree with a lot of what's said here but worry that it's sort of revisionist to say Info Soc was new wave's last gasp. I mean, New Order's Tecnique came out the following year to a huge tour. Morrissey was going strong again with his first couple of albums. I remember KROQ making big splashes about these tours. It was almost a revival of the excitement of a few years ago. Info Soc made much less a splash from what I personally recall. Maybe in the clubs it did but that doesn't necessarily equate to what's really new wave. Even then, The Pet Shop boys and Erasue were making just as big or even bigger splashes among the new wavish crowd (Always on My Mind, Domino Dancing, A Little Respect, etc). Heck, even the movie Lost Boys from around then refueled some Echo & the Bunnymen interest with their People Are Strange cover. Oh, not to the mention the truly epic new wave single Under the Milky Way by the Church. I consider Info Soc only part of this last great but brief resurge. I know we've talked about this period before.

[KYYX4ever]

Yes, we've discussed this before, and I just love reading everyone's thoughtful responses and intelligent discourse. I am quite fascinated by this topic, b/c it gets into the definition of "What is new wave?". If one's new wave is synthpoppy, then NW may have ended at a different time than for someone to whom new wave was defined by guitar pop or whatever.

For me, I maintain that new wave's last gasp was "West End Girls" by PSB. Or even PSB in general.

[marie3]

[quote][i]Originally posted by marvymarv[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
<br>New Order's 2005 Waiting For the Sirens Call isn't bad either. [:D][:o)][/quote]

Ahem, Depecehe Mode's Playing the Angel [:p]

Info. Soc. were definitely on to something. I remember playing that when I worked in the mall around '88-'89. People dug it, without question.

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[/quote]
Marv is right about Depeche Mode in 2005.

[2Nu]

I dunno, it seems that right at the end of the 80's there was a flurry of wavish synthpop groups all cloned from established NW DNA making a (brief) splash on WDRE and in the local clubs here in NY.
Take for example:
(DM)> Camouflage - The Great Commandment,That Smiling Face, Love Is a Shield
(DM)> Cetu Javu - Situations
(DM)> Red Flag - Russian Radio, Neighbors
(New Order)> Box Car - Freemason (You Broke The Promise)
(Cure) The Essence - The Afterworld
(NW Mix) Xymox - Obsession, Imagination


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[bpdp3]

I admit I was being kinda glib when I posted the title for this thread; as the front-page editor for the Weekly World News it's not uncommon for me to use questionable claimes like "two-headed goat boy advises Bush!" or "master tapes reveal Clapton played the guitar part on New Order's Blue Monday!"

Really the thread was excitedly posted after an enjoyable listen to the album, nothing more or less - - everytime I listen to Kraftwerk I walk away convinced they were bigger than Jesus and God both (to borrow from John Lennon). But in reality it's probably true Information Society was NOT a major player or even a "new-wave's time-line" tickmark. I just wanted someone to read my headline in the supermarket line that is NWO. And the responses are brilliant.

But I do stand by my claim that they were a late-80's new wave "couldabeen" when that breed of band was few and far between. (although West End Girls does has that feel of the end of an era, doesn't it....)

Blir the fact that you used the term 'revisionist' makes me love you man - - you have a true passion for this crap (as do I) and if not us NWO members, then WHO? KYYX was right on the money, I do (and at the same time don't) want an answer to what exactly was new wave. ANYONE can give an opinion but is there a universal truth? (of course not - but Blir tries as hard as anyone I've ever seen with his statistical analysis). And the fun is in the pursuit.

We, the members of this site, may be the only intelligent new wave life left to give out information to future generations!

Sorry, but it's early (pre-6am), I've just consumed two cups of coffee and am sitting here avoiding going to work (yes on a Saturday).

[Frau_Blucher]

[quote][i]Originally posted by bpdp3[/i]
<br>I admit I was being kinda glib when I posted the title for this thread; as the front-page editor for the Weekly World News...
[/quote]
[b]WHAAAAT????!!!!!!![/b] Holy freaking hell, you're my hero. You've got the greatest job in the world. I'm amazed! [:0][:p][:D]

[bpdp3]

um, I hope you know, um, I was only kidding....

[Frau_Blucher]

[quote][i]Originally posted by bpdp3[/i]
<br>um, I hope you know, um, I was only kidding....
[/quote]
Dammit!!! I so deflated...and without any sense of tongue-in-cheek sarcasm apparently. [V]

[Ollie Stench]

[quote][i]Originally posted by 2Nu[/i]
[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]
Sorry to be a know-it-all, but hey, InSoc and I come from the same town!
[/quote]
<br>Wow Ollie!, given your punk pedigree, I'm impressed that you would know of these guys, much less talk about them! [;)]
[/quote]

I'm an anomily (sp?) in the punk rock world... I got into punk via New Wave (most people I know were into metal and then got into punk).


[quote][i]Originally posted by Marvymarv[/i]
This is true, I remember that. What town is that anyway Ollie?
[/quote]
Minneapolis

[Ollie Stench]

[quote][i]Originally posted by bpdp3[/i]
<br>Ollie, I stand corrected, I was unaware of their local Minneapolis releases prior to the lp I mentioned; something to keep an eye out for in the used bins. [/quote]

Good luck. I've only ever found 2 copies of Creatures Of Influence. The first EP used to show up around here about twice a year, but it's probably been 2 years since I saw the last one in the record shops. At one point I had 5 copies but ended up trading all but 1 away.