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.

Echo and The Bunnymen — Bring On The Dancing Horses

• Artist: Echo and The Bunnymen
• Title: Bring On The Dancing Horses
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Echo and The Bunnymen, similar to Black Sabbath, made their best music on the first four albums. “Bring On The Dancing Horses” came later. I like it more than other later singles, but much less than the music on the first four LPs. Now this I find strange: The flipside is “Read It In Books” which was on their first record “Crocodiles” from five years earlier. Mary’s theory is that since the band was finally getting popular in the US they put that on the flip to encourage new fans to also get the back catalog stuff. I think if that was the reason they should’ve picked something more immediately appealing like, say, “Rescue.”

The Danse Society — 2000 Light Years From Home

• Artist: The Danse Society
• Title: 2000 Light Years From Home
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Tower Records in DC.
• Keeper: No

This is the most dreary version of The Rolling Stones’ “2000 Light Years From Home” I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard a few. The package is a gatefold holding twin 7 inches with a total of four songs. The three originals are better. This record belongs to Mary, but I have my share of music from The Danse Society. So, when I say that I found it boring, believe me, I tried to like it.

Echo and The Bunnymen — Crocodiles

• Artist: Echo And The Bunnymen
• Title: Crocodiles
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy / Mary
• Acquired: 1980 – No idea where I got my copy but my friend Jeff Arthur turned me on to the band.
• Keeper: Yes

1980 was a very good year for music. Echo and The Bunnymen is one of my all-time favorite bands and this was their debut. This album is full of “hits” and pretty much every other modern rock bar band in the ’80s did a cover of some song on “Crocodiles.” Usually “Do It Clean” or “Rescue.” Like “Louie Louie” or “Gloria” those songs are so good, and so simple that it’s hard to do bad versions of them.

It’s almost impossible to explain their sound, yet it sounds familiar. They’re arty and edgy, but they can rock. The lyrics are interesting and intelligent sounding, but not pretentious. I think often times singer/songwriter Ian McCulloch chooses words for how they sound instead of what they mean.

I think they’re geniuses and by most accounts so do they. More Echo and The Bunnymen records and stories to come as I continue to lap through the alphabet.

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?!?