Just to give some indication of what Mark's getting at here, my old video tape of the complete series is rated PG - 'General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children'. Can you think of any drama series aimed at children today that would be rated PG? The '70s were fucking crazy, man! I used to get freaked-out by all kindsa weird shit back then.
In honour of the occasion, and as a salute to the first wave Futurists that I and Kid Shirt have been mentioning recently, here's a track by Mark's fave band ever:
MP3:
Before I started corresponding with Mark, I hadn't explored Ultravox's John Foxx period any further than the "Three Into One" CD compilation that Island released many years ago. This track comes from their third (and final album with Foxx) "Systems Of Romance".
Here's what they recommend in the Q special:
If you only buy one Ultravox album, make it...
The Island Years (Island, 1999)
Excellent introduction to the Foxx-era Ultravox, containing their three essential ballads: "My Sex", "Hiroshima Mon Amour" and "Just For A Moment", alongside the glammier "The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned" plus electro-rock classics "Quiet Men" and "Slow Motion". Just download "Dislocation" as well and you're done.
Right, I've sorted out that last bit for you, now go and buy the CD - it's bloody cheap!
Whilst I'm at it, time to pay out some serious respect to the late, great Frank Tovey, aka Fad Gadget, who was taken from us by heart failure in April 2002, just as he was on the point of making a comeback. "It's about time electronic music comes back to something more organic, soulful and powerful" he announced shortly before his death. Damn, life can be so cruel, sometimes.
MP3:
The opening cut on Frank's debut album "Fireside Favourites", released by Mute in 1980 (Stumm 3). Featuring Tovey's typically caustic lyrical wit over urgent, buzzing synth riffs (with Daniel Miller on electronic percussion), "Pedestrian" writes the electropop rulebook. Doff yer caps, all you latter-day wannabe futurist starlets - Frank was the fucking man.
