New sounds transformed New Zealand music and society, giving rise to a culture of DIY where bands would organize themselves to produce and distribute their own work while rejecting conventional production models.
Danse Macabre, led by Nigel Russell of Car Crash Set fame, utilized synths effectively into their songs to generate excitement among music lovers. Despite initial criticisms of’mis-competence’ from music critics, their original sound quickly won over listeners.
The Body Electric
The Body Electric were one of New Zealand’s pioneering electronic bands and released their debut single “Pulsing” in 1982. At that time, their music provided a breath of fresh air as there were very few local alternatives (Auckland had Danse Macabre but their style was more synth-heavy). Pulsing has an infectious novelty quality about it and is easily identifiable as having influences from Kraftwerk, Ultravox and other UK exponents of electro genre in its rhythms and sounds.
Garry Smith’s theatrical vocal, which channeled Dr Who, and the use of feedback noise added an air of fun and playfulness to their music. Their EP, “Presentation & Reality”, contained two more songs which highlighted their fondness for humorous lyrics as well as sound effects and melodies in unique combinations.
The Body Electric’s musical heritage can be traced back to Maori immigrants arriving in Aotearoa and their traditions of waiata (song) and haka (dance). Richard Nunns and Brian Flintoff are notable members of this tradition, working to revive traditional instruments such as bone, wood and pounamu; both were awarded Queen’s Service Medals for their efforts in researching, documenting and revitalising Maori musical culture and its rich heritage of taonga puoro taonga puoro.
Alastair Riddell
Riddell began his musical journey by performing in local bands such as Original Sun and later Space Waltz, the latter of which released their debut single ‘Out on the Street’ to much acclaim on Auckland music scene in 1974 and charted highly that year before disbanding shortly afterwards as Riddell clashed with EMI over studio time allocations, according to former bassist Peter Cuddihy.
Early 1975 saw a reunion of the band to record a follow up album but this never materialised; Cuddihy recalls Riddell being unhappy with what he heard during recording and eventually returning back home – while other band members continued playing locally without ever again reaching such high profile levels.
“Flights of Fancy Flashing” could be seen as the group’s last gasp; its intricate composition captures their interiority while traversing blues, rock’n’roll, and psychedelia before arriving at something both emotionally engaging and commercially lucrative.
This Australian band attempted to break into Britain but were unsuccessful, eventually being dropped by EMI and returning home; except for Paul Crowther and Eddie Rayner who went on to form Split Enz; all members returned back home as the band eventually broke up in 1973.
Soft Cell
Soft Cell was an influential English synth-pop duo formed in the early 1980s. Their music was both innovative and catchy, their performances known for drama and theatricality; Soft Cell were also outspoken about their sexuality, contributing to discussions surrounding gay rights and equality during that era.
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret was their debut album and deftly opened up Soho’s world of peepshow and fetishism (The title song, Seedy Films and Frustration in particular), peered behind the bland white picket fence of normal English life to find unexpected spots of weirdness (‘Facility Girls’) while infusing situations with unexpected yet heartfelt poignancies (Bedsitter).
Almond’s empathy for his characters – and audience – manifested itself artistically; on “Bedsitter”, for instance, he sang an internal monologue as an imagined modern Venus at a typewriter herself; while in ‘Kitchen Sink Drama’ he impersonated an iconic 1940s movie noir character from Hollywood cinematic history. His vocal technique reflected this tension by sometimes falling flat but passionately reaching up towards heavens.
Soft Cell were pioneers of using archived footage in documentary films. Following in their footsteps, many other filmmakers have followed suit by using both contemporary interviews and historical context to tell an engaging narrative through documentaries about artists and bands that allow audiences to connect more closely with them than ever before.
Heaven 17
Sheffield’s left-field pop pioneers’ second album is an impressive display of commercial acumen and production techniques, while also making a political statement through songs like ‘Soul Warfare’ and ‘Let’s All Make A Bomb’ that take aim at Thatcher and Reagan.
John Wilson proved a welcome addition to this album’s mix, lending much of it a funky new wave sound and helping bolster its tough electro grooves. Black Sabbath took their early inspiration from Sheffield factory floors which can be heard throughout tracks such as Temptation, Play To Win and (We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang).
Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh had by this time explored new musical territory beyond Human League; Penthouse And Pavement features more mainstream sounds while still featuring experimental synth-pop elements; LinnDrum machines and Fairlight synths were frequently employed while Earth Wind and Fire’s legendary brass section (Phenix Horns Esquire) added vintage R&B flare to pieces such as This Is Mine and Flamedown for added percussion swagger.
Heaven 17 captivated listeners from their debut with their vibrant melodic sensibility and intelligent lyrics that broke from traditional conventions of their day. Unlike many acts at the time, they did not aim to define a genre but created their own distinct sound and style that became instantly identifiable with them.
Cabaret Voltaire
As punk exploded onto the pop scene in 1978, broadening pop’s musical language and fuelling an appetite for weirder, more caustic sounds, Cabaret Voltaire (or simply “the Cabs”) began finding an audience. Rejecting Factory Records’ offer to sign with them instead opting to work with Rough Trade who gave them access to a Revox tape machine enabling them to develop more structured electronic experiments aligned more with early industrial music and post-punk genres.
Cabaret Voltaire’s back catalogue remains just as captivating after forty years since their last release; Kirk and co-founder Stephen Mallinder worked their magic at their Western Works studio in Sheffield with tape splices, tweaked knobs, and synced beats with raw pulsebeat power that immediately inspired bands such as Orbital and New Order.
Cabaret Voltaire took their name from the Zurich cafe that became synonymous with Dadaism during the early part of the 20th century; its aesthetic philosophies of absurdism and structural nihilism greatly influenced their approach to making music. After leaving Cabaret Voltaire in 1994, Kirk continued working in similar vein through releases like Sweet Exorcist with Richard Barratt, XON with Robert Gordon, Citrus with Steve Cobby as well as solo efforts such as Sandoz.
Ultravox
After several outstanding yet unsuccessful albums with guitarist John Foxx, Ultravox regrouped for shows led by Midge Ure. Chris Cross on bass was added for support, along with Warren Cann on drums – this classic Currie/Ure/Cross lineup was widely applauded both fans and critics for its performances; soon after this they recorded a new album entitled Vienna.
Released in January 1981, Ultravox’s album became an instantaneous success in the UK and their first chart-topper. They continued this success with Rage In Eden and Quartet – each album becoming huge hits within months and cementing Ultravox as one of the leading synth bands around.
Vienna is considered a classic New Romantic ballad and features Midge Ure as the lead vocalist. Written originally by keyboardist Billy Currie, Vienna can often be heard compared with Roxy Music’s debut album The Man Who Sold The World.
Ultravox continued recording without major chart success during the late ’80s, producing their final album U-Vox in 1986 before disbanding soon afterwards. Currie then attempted reviving Ultravox under new lineup and name, however results were disappointing and group soon disbanded again; Midge Ure would continue working solo, producing critically-acclaimed album Fragile which would later go platinum.