Redhead Kingpin & The FBI: "Superbad, Superslick"

29 November 1989

"Look, He's got a CD round his neck."

— Ben

"I like that brring bit."

— Nick

"Energy without violence is just great too."

— Julian

"We'll all choose different records from this as our favourites but this is the one we all agree on."

— Migi

Over the last several months I have looked at bands doing guest spots as Smash Hits singles reviewers. Wet Wet Wet were the first group in some time to take on the task together (and certainly the first quartet to do so), with lead singers or prominent musicians handling said duties for the most part. The Scottish foursome came to a consensus, as did fellow Caledonians Hue & Cry a few months later. Erasure and Aswad also managed to agree on a Single of the Fortnight but this harmonious situation changed when Communards Jimmy Somerville and Richard Coles went with separate picks. Members of Bros, Brother Beyond and T'Pau followed suit. None seemed interested in compromising.

But that is what the members of Curiosity Killed the Cat have done in this issue of ver Hits. As drummer Miguel "Migi" Drummond says above, they each have their own personal faves but they decided to present a solitary SOTF in a show of unity. I have included my thoughts on each of their individual picks before I get to the one they all agreed on.

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Kate Bush: "This Woman's Work"

Julian, the "Kate Bush authority", opts for the dramatic second single from the highly anticipated The Sensual World LP. He makes the faux pas of referring to her as 'Katie' but he's bang on in every other respect. A Top 30 hit though it deserved to do better but I suppose Katie's thirtysomething fanbase had all been happy to snap up the album instead. Nevertheless, "This Woman's Work" is outstanding. Also features a captivating video starring British actor Tim McInnerny, who played Lord Percy and Captain Darling in Blackadder, as Katie's devoted but brokenhearted husband. He even touched her once.

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Glen Goldsmith: "One Life"

Easily the worst of the individual picks. Ben doesn't exactly come right out and say it but it's either this or the hopeless new single from Curiosity Killed the Cat and we're not going to go there. Sounds like generic R&B pop from about three years earlier and its chart prospects were even bleaker than the hopeless new single from Curiosity Killed the Cat.

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Van Morrison with Cliff Richard: "Whenever God Shines His Light"

A clear Christmas number one contender pretender. Nick is very taken with it and Ben is right there with him but, tellingly, the other two don't bother to chime in. I thought it was lame Jesus nonsense as a youth but now I just find it a bore. Van was capable of much better and, indeed, so was Cliff. Amazingly, it was Van's biggest Top 40 hit since all the way back in 1965 when he was a grumpy young man in Ulster group Them.

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Soul II Soul: "Get a Life"

They last had a hit with Single of the Year "Back to Life" and followed it up with "Get a Life" — what the hell was Jazzie B playing at? (I'm still waiting for their cover of Opus' "Live Is Life") Not as immediate as their earlier hits but but the kids chanting "what's the meaning" and the (possibly) sampled flute sticks with the listener. The Bee's raps on Club Classics Vol.1 were a bit more effortless but this is easily the most commercial thing featuring his voice. A near Christmas number one that was only held off by some charity wretchedness and a horrific Jive Bunny megamix. Soul II Soul had managed to tap into the zeitgeist earlier in the year but their luster was soon to slip a bit.

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As for "Superbad, Superslick", it's a solid compromise choice. I wasn't fussed by Redhead Kingpin's "Do the Right Thing" that I covered on this blog a while back but this is a marked improvement. As I think I have said before, hip hop artists could get caught up in the "message" of their records that they'd often forget about trivialities like hooks and melodies and, you know, crafting a sturdy song. It was easy at the time to be down on boastful rappers but nine times out of ten they bested the irritating positive types.

Relying heavily on an organ part that may or may not have been played by David "Redhead" Guppy and a stuttering guitar part in the chorus, "Superbad, Superslick" is largely free of rap cliches. Even the use of a James Brown sample towards the end is a little used "get into it" bit and not one of the Godfather's grunts nor that "Funky Drummer" part that was absolutely everywhere at the time. The Ginger even raps more forcefully on this. His style isn't particularly unique but he's a more than adequate rapper.

The single is superior to its predecessor is every way but this made little difference to the British public as it had a two-week stay in the lower reaches of the charts at the end of 1989. Happily, there was a new form of hip hop that had been emerging over the course of the year and it was soon to really take off. Redhead Kingpin & The FBI might've found a home in this subgenre of jazzy, quirky hippies who opted out of either boasting about themselves or the plight of the streets. I am very much looking forward to the Daisy Age as this blog moves into the nineties.

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Also of some cop

Jason Donovan: "When You Come Back to Me"

With three number one singles and an album that was massive, 1989 was Jason Donovan's year. (His records spent just under seventy percent of the year on the Top 40 but I was expecting it to be higher) His fortunes were to fall off somewhat the following year and "When You Come Back to Me" gives a taste of his imperial period drawing to a close. Not only did it fail to hit number one (which Jase made up for by appearing on Xmas chart topper "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid II) but it's duff even by his standards. The members of Curiosity despise it but they do admit to a bias due to their overall distaste for Stock Aitken Waterman. Well, I loved SAW at the time and still like some of their records and I can confirm that this is beyond horrible. Jason sounded lost on debut single "Nothing Can Divide Us" but he's probably the best thing about this. Kylie would be going strong for some time but Jason's fans wouldn't be coming back to him for much longer.

Siouxsie & The Banshees: "Candyman"

26 February 1986 (and here)

"She sings with a lot of sex — that's what I like."

— Dave Gahan

Yes, I know. The lead singer from Depeche Mode is all about sex — my mind is blown too. All that S & M gear and songs about nasty bedroom role play and taking your clothes off. Still, at least he's keeping clear of the hard drugs...for now.

Dave Gahan has returned to review the singles, having previously done so almost two years earlier. In that time much has changed: the blond streaks have been grown out, his band has become much darker and pervier and the magazine is much glossier and its assistant editor from a year earlier is now on the cover. There are also a lot fewer singles up for consideration this time round. Where Gahan gave his thoughts on no fewer than twenty-seven brand new records back in 1984, he's only had to deal with fourteen here in '86. Then again, he seems to have much more to say here, a contrast to the brief rundowns given last time.

While he was largely unfamiliar with previous pick Cocteau Twins, he has opted for a longtime favourite this time ("I used to go and see them quite a lot when I was younger, when I was a punk rocker"). In both cases, however, he's found himself going with something pretty run-of-the-mill. In my write-up on "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops", I mention that there are better Twins numbers from around this time (including "Lorelei" which I am still shocked to discover was never a single); in Siouxsie's case it's even more apparent. "Candyman" was their thirteenth Top 40 hit and is from their seventh album so they'd been around a while. (And, you know, once a band is past their fourth or fifth album they've probably peaked creatively) In isolation, much of the material from Tinderbox seems first rate but it pales a bit alongside some of their earlier LPs. Similarly, "Candyman" is a strong enough single on its own (though not so strong that it couldn't get past number thirty-four on the charts) but doesn't really standout compared to the likes of "Hong Kong Garden", "Christine" and "Swimming Horses". This isn't to fault Gahan's taste since he had the records he had and picked what he liked and that's fair enough. It's just a pity that the best stuff isn't featured in this space. At least not yet.

But Gahan also acknowledges that they had a "formula" and it wasn't something they were about to abandon now. (You could argue that the Siouxsie-Budgie extracurricular project The Creatures was their attempt to stretch themselves out a bit) I think we tend to do mental word association with the term 'formulaic', picturing cookie-cutter pop acts, interchangeable Vegas lounge singers and Status Quo, but it may apply to even the coolest of indie groups. And why not? If you had a charismatic singer with a distinctive voice, a powerful drummer and an underrated guitarist with a sound all his own you might also want to keep dishing up the same intriguing and haunting post-punk goth rock that no one else is capable of. It's not exactly my kind of thing but I can definitely understand the appeal. Personally, though, I prefer when the formula is avoided or dispensed with. When Banshee allies The Cure began ditching goth in favour of a broader stylistic approach they came up with "The Lovecats" and "The Caterpillar" and The Top — and a poppier sound remained in much of their best work from then on. A shame Siouxie never bothered doing something similar but hats off to them for doing what they did best.

So, "Candyman" is a by-numbers Banshee track but a worthy one nonetheless. For Siouxsie to tackle the subject of child abuse is commendable and for her to do so with "a lot of sex" in her voice is particularly bold. Being a part of the "formula" this is nothing new for her but the clash with the song's subject matter is a decision not everyone would make. A year earlier The Smiths' "Suffer Little Children" had caused controversy by depicting the victims of the notorious Moors murders in a supposedly insensitive light — and Morrissey sang it in his typically glum fashion. Presumably, Siouxsie isn't recounting an actual tale of paedophilia and isn't naming anyone but her sensual voice (with childlike "na na-na, na na-na" that bring to mind Kate Bush) could easily have caused offense. It didn't and a good thing too since it was the right choice. I like to think that Siouxsie is trying to lure this disgusting loser: how about instead of going after some poor little kids you follow me and I'll show you something about sensuality. The woman who "sings with sex" really taking one for the team.

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Also Reviewed This Fortnight

Kate Bush: "Hounds of Love"

For such an all-conquering album of the decade, the Hounds of Love album never managed to deliver the truck-load of giant hit singles that it deserved to. This, the title track, did manage to outperform its better-remembered predecessor "Cloudbusting" but even so its Top 20 placing seems disappointing. Oh well, I'm not one of those 'buy the single and the album' types so why should I retroactively lecture the punters on their consumer choices. Managing to get more out of a cello than Jeff Lynne ever did, this song sneaks up on the listener with poignant lyrics and subtle musical touches that grab one's attention and grows into an epic sound experience — and all in a very swift three minutes. Even alongside the eleven other great songs on her peerless masterpiece, "Hounds of Love" is an extraordinary work.

Kate Bush: "Running Up That Hill"

14 August 1985

"It's definitely, um, what's the expression? Uh, er — look, I'll come back to you on this one..."

"Er, amazing? No — too obvious. Uh, hang on a mo..."

"...appetising? No — hey don't go away..."

"...provocative? piquant? tantalising?..."

"...interesting? Yes, that's it — interesting!"

— Ian "Jocky" Cranna

Interesting? Interesting? Well, that's some hefty praise from Red Starr Ian "Jocky" Cranna. Perhaps years of being decencitised to this particular adjective as an ESL instructor (sample teacher-student exchange: "Why do you like horror movies?" "Interesting") leaves me with the feeling that His Nibs doesn't really mean it. Or he's baiting us readers (or "viewers" as ver Hits liked to label the increasing number of young people who shelled out 43p to "view" every fortnightly issue) by using increasingly flowery language to get us to follow along with him to the end of the page only to finish with something so trite. Whatever his intentions, who can blame him? How does go about describing such an extraordinary record as "Running Up That Hill"?

Cranna has put together one of the most "interesting" of reviews this issue. The SOTF isn't in its by now customary spot at the top of the page on the left and it's being presented as if he's going through the records while doing his write up. Early favourites ("God bless Marc Almond!", "God bless Propaganda!", "God bless Shakatak!": he sure wants to keep ver Lord busy blessing moderately popular "stars") are quickly dispensed with, each one failing to live up to Cranna's lofty expectations. Bland offerings from The Thompson Twins and a Mike Barson-free Madness are similarly dispensed with before he comes to the latest single by Kate Bush. "Now this is how to return in style!" he enthuses.

It was quite a return for Kate Bush. A star since her late teens when all of Britain fell for "Wuthering Heights" (and who could blame them?), she began losing momentum with 1982's The Dreaming. Many critics didn't think it was much cop (though David Hepworth reckoned it was rather good, commenting that "it's good to see someone go over the top and come back in one piece"), it didn't sell as well as its predecessors and only one accompanying single, "Sat in Your Lap", managed to "dent" the hit parade. Then, she promptly disappeared. Rumours began spreading that she had fled to the south of France or she'd been using her layover to binge on junk food and had ballooned to two hundred and fifty pounds. Whatever else may have been going on, the dumper beckoned.

Not that that mattered in the slightest to Kate Bush. The Dreaming didn't sell but it strengthened her resolve. While the gossipers were having a field day, she was busy starting her own recording studio and perfecting the material that would return her to the top of the charts and fully establish her reputation as a major figure.

"Running Up That Hill" kicks it all off with clearly her most astonishing piece since "Wuthering Heights". Cryptically singing about gender issues and the need to swap roles, she brings up making a "deal with God" (the song's original title until she was strongarmed into changing it for fear of offending some — possibly some of the very same folk who are always whining about political correctness) to allow the sexes to understand each other better. Fine intentions, of course, but in less capable hands this could be dangerous territory to tread upon, issues having the tendency to overwhelm the songs they're utilized in. Bush being too much of an individualist to make this a feminist lament, she acknowledges not really being able to comprehend being male any better than a man can understand being a woman. She doesn’t expound upon much — just what she’s offering God in this deal, is her beau likely to agree to a sex swap — but what would be a Kate Bush track without leaving more questions unanswered in the end?

Vocals, instruments, production are all tied together beautifully with every detail immaculately thought out. Elements of prog rock, art rock and so-called world music have all been stirred up (Bush’s musical open-mindedness was such that Chris Heath had to admit in his glowing review a month later in Smash Hits that “it’s the sort of record your parents will probably like too and will pinch off you to play”) and talented multi-instrumentalist brother Paddy’s balalaika playing is a particular highlight, giving it the feel of Eastern European peasants digging ditches and cooking up cast iron pots of borscht.

The only problem is that "Running Up That Hill" is almost on its own, with just the gorgeous piano ballad "Under the Ivy" on the record's flip to accompany it. It's a sparkling single but an even better opener to her masterpiece Hounds of Love. Then again, releasing the first cut as a teaser could only have made everyone salivate over what was to come — and they wouldn't be disappointed. Amazing? Appetising? Provocative? Piquant? Tantalising? Interesting? All of those — and so much more.

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Also Reviewed This Fortnight

The Woodentops: "Well Well Well"

A London quintet with a musical debt to The Smiths and one Animal Jesus (XTC's Andy Partridge in yet another in-no-way on the nose alias) doing production duties, The Woodentops looked like the next indie darlings when the emerged in the summer of '85. This lot weren't watching Paul Young croon at Live Aid a month earlier. Energetic and raw, "Well Well Well" is good sketch of where they were but it seems a long way off from the superb Giant album they would release a year later. A pity I know what is to come which prevents me from fully enjoying what they've done here but at least they didn't piss their promise away.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions: "Man Out of Time"

5 August 1982

"Excellent, but so is everything Elvis does. What he needs is another "Oliver's Army" — a big hit that will become a standard — and this is not it."
— Tim De Lisle

Did The Beatles give everyone the wrong idea about creativity and success going hand in hand? The fact that they were able to parlay their wildly popular early hits into works of increasingly greater experimentation, introspection and sophistication all the while maintaining their commercial dominance is probably more astounding today since no one else has been able to replicate it. Even among the Fab Four's contemporaries there was little correlation between artistic achievement and the charts. The Beach Boys were starting to falter commercially just as Brian Wilson was delivering his masterpiece Pet Sounds, The Byrds found themselves releasing one better album after another with ever decreasing sales and The Kinks best album suffered the indignity of missing the charts completely. (Of course I'm cherry picking examples that suit me here but it only goes to show that there was never a rule to go by; not that anyone ever suggested there was a rule...is it possible to strawman yourself?)

The Beatles example may have been what virtually everyone aspired towards — even if they had denied at the time — but few could have expected even a fraction of the same for themselves. Elvis Costello, a passionate devotee of every genre of music from rag time to ye ye and something of a pop music scholar, would've known that better than most.

Tim De Lisle is concerned with Costello's lack of Top 40 action, urging readers to "Buy This Now!" all the while acknowledging that his self-composed singles hadn't gotten nearly enough punters to shell out the requist bob since "Oliver's Army". (I wonder if it rankled the man a touch that following his almost number one hit he only had two more placements on the Top 10, both of which were covers; on the other hand, maybe the old scamp musicologist took extra pride in getting his renditions of "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" and "Good Years for the Roses" into the upper echelons of the charts) Last week, I wrote about Marshall Crenshaw's "Cynical Girl" and how critics must have scratched their heads in wonder at the clever singer-songwriters they'd slather with praise that would never catch on beyond a loyal cult following. That's Elvis Costello, ramped up to someone people generally knew about and whose albums still sold pretty well but just didn't get the mass acceptance the press felt they deserved.

The centrepiece of Costello's one true flawless album, Imperial Bedroom, "Man Out of Time" is its lengthiest track but a swift five and a half minutes nonetheless. Opening with some a chaotic (possibly drunken) rock-out from the L.P.'s early sessions, it glides smoothly into the song's piano/organ-led dream-like melody. (So effortless is the abrupt transition that you'd think it all been recorded en masse) Tinkling away as if randomly at the keys, Steve Nieve's playing acts as a response to Costello's lyrics with some gentle mocking, adding some levity to what could very easily be an over-melodramatic tale.The nobleman/prominent politician depicted in the song is about to be found out, his entire life is about to crash down upon him — maybe he's going to get caught up in a sensational tabloid scandal or maybe a murder-suicide or maybe he's just a great big paranoid git who's built up guilt in his head and imagines that everything is about blow up: who the hell knows? Whether real or delusional, the pleas of "Will you still love / A man out of time?" are among the most poingiant Costello ever crafted, indicating that his own experiences or thoughts are hidden in the at least a part of this, his greatest song.

Applied to Costello as well is another meaning in the title. Clearly by 1982 he wasn't especially interested in contemporary pop — or even if he was, he certainly wasn't about to start making some of his own, or so everyone must have thought — and he was situating himself deliberately in another era. (At least as far back as the sixites but even to the days of Gershwin and Porter, two of his prime musical heroes) Drafting in Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick is evidence enough of that. Hence the lack of chart success that everyone felt he merited. But he'd soon be giving it all a rethink.

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Also Reviewed This Fortnight

Kate Bush: "The Dreaming"

There are people out there who think that the valley of her career — between the peaks of her astonishing debut single "Wuthering Heights" and her just-as-astonishing album Hounds of Love seven years later — is the real Kate Bush. I don't know any myself, I haven't bothered researching them but I know they're out there because of course they are. And they aren't necessarily wrong. Erratic, sure, but Kate's the type who needs to be all over the place. "The Dreaming" tackles issues with Australian aborigines but all in her own uniquely Bushian style. Barmy stuff but if Kate Bush isn't going to do this type of thing, who would?