Various Artists — Wave News – The New Generation of Music

“Wave News”? Must be a German thing. Gotta love that sweet colored vinyl. We’ll definitely keep this “limitierte auflage” compilation because it’s a crazy mixed bag of “new generation” music from 1980 and ’81, released in ’82. I split the foldout in two so you can get a good look a whats-his-face from Depeche Mode. What is he, thirteen? Sporting that look I doubt he made it to lunch before being mistaken for a girl. My favorite track is definitely “Disco Man” by The Damned, followed closely by “Countdown” by U.K. Subs. Mary says she got this at a record store in D.C.

Tracklisting from Discogs.com:

A1	Depeche Mode	New Life (3:42)
A2	Damned, The	Disco Man (3:18)
A3	Max Meldau	Shutdown (3:46)
A4	Lovely Previn	From A To B (3:13)
A5	Eyeless In Gaza	Faceless (3:11)
A6	Jo Broadberry & The Standouts	Footsteps In The Dark (3:26)
A7	China Doll	China Doll (3:18)
A8	Medium Medium	Hungry, So Angry (3:56)
B1	Au Pairs	Inconvenience (2:55)
B2	Fad Gadget	Pedestrian (3:14)
B3	Dead Kennedys	Too Drunk To F… (2:39)
B4	Thomas Leer	Letter From America (4:36)
B5	Exploited, The	Hitler’s In The Charts Again (2:36)
B6	Eddie Maelov & Sunshine Patteson*	Another Teardrop (3:46)
B7	Bloodless Pharaos	Bloodless Pharao (6:09)
B8	UK Subs	Countdown (4:55)

Fad Gadget — Under the Flag

• Artist: Fad Gadget
• Title: Under the Flag
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Olsson’s in DC
• Keeper: Yes

Tracy says it’s all about emotional attachments, and I have ’em to this LP. My logical grown-up self says, “This record screams early ’80s pretentious goth rock”, but my inner teenager says “I remember when I was in art school, the 9:30 Club played ‘Collapsing New People’ between band sets (a Fad Gadget song not on this LP), and I went to poetry readings.” Poetry readings? I must of had a lot of free time.

The music consists of keyboards, some neat sound effects, a drum machine, and topped with arty lyrics in a Bauhaus vocal style. Like the kids say (said) on American Bandstand, “it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to dance to”, or at least to brood to.

I bought this in Washington in early 1984 or late 1983 in that store on Dupont Circle, Olsson’s? I want to keep it. And why is it in the middle of The Fall records, and shouldn’t it be before Faith even? F-A-D. Oh Well. I also didn’t see the 12″ of Collapsing… If I had to choose between the two, I’d keep the 12″ over this. Oh, I’ll rate it a 5.

Fad Gadget — One Man’s Meat

• Artist: Fad Gadget
• Title: One Man’s Meat
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Olsson’s in DC?
• Keeper: Yes

After just one listen to “One Man’s Meat” you might think it’s just angsty, electronic, New Wave, disco. You wouldn’t be completely wrong, but there’s more to it than that. It definitely sounds like the early 1980s, so yes it’s a bit dated, but it’s also pretty interesting. The flip, “Sleep”, is a plodding arty electronic bore. Or, is that just his serious side? The package included another 7 inch of “Collapsing New People.” We’ve already played and logged that song in 12 inch format on a previous letter F day.

Fad Gadget — Collapsing New People

• Artist: Fad Gadget
• Title: Collapsing New People
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Olsson’s in Dupont Circle, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a proper 12″ single with two mixes of Collapsing New People and one B side that is ultra-goth. One cool tidbit is that the “guest musicians” are Einstürzende Neubauten. Frank Tovey, the man behind Fad Gadget, has been all over the music map. I would describe this single as an artier, more interesting version of early Depeche Mode. I’m sure EN contributed a lot. The photo attached is the backside. It’s fun to see the crowd from 1983.

Anyhow, this song screams for a heavy metal cover version. I’m ready to get the band back together! Who’s with me?!?