Buggles – The Lost Gig – Details announced
So, here are the details of the one off Buggles gig I mentioned here….
Buggles – The Lost Gig – 28.09.10
At last, ticket details for the technopop gig of the year. Trevor Horn and Zang Tuum Tumb present The Buggles – The Lost Gig. As previously announced, Trevor has regrouped The Buggles and gathered some very special guests to perform their ground-breaking début album, The Age of Plastic in full for the first (and quite possibly only) time ever.
Date: 28th September 2010
Venue: supperclub London (12 Acklam Road, London W10 5QZ)
Time: 7.30pm (VIP), 9.30pm (gig only)
Tickets: £300 (VIP), £100 (gig only) from www.seetickets.comA special venue for a special event: The Lost Gig will take place at supperclub london. Following renown venues in Amsterdam, LA and Istanbul, supperclub is an “experimental creative platform,” which owner Bert van der Leden describes as “a mix of food, music, performance, art… an evening at supperclub has been successful when all your five senses have been tickled.”
A special cause: This event is being staged exclusively to raise funds for the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. All proceeds both from The Lost Gig and accompanying online auction will be donated to the hospital. Active since 1854, the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability has a simple but very important mission: to add years to life and life to years.Tickets: Two ticket options are available. VIP tickets (£300 + booking fee) include entry at 7.30pm for a three-course dinner, a bed from which to watch the show and the full supperclub experience of entertainers in advance of The Lost Gig. General admission tickets (£100 + booking fee) covers entry at 9.30pm for The Lost Gig only.
Strictly limited: with only 100 VIP tickets (many of which are already allocated) and 200 general admission tickets, please book early to avoid disappointment. Tickets go on sale from 9am on Saturday 28th August, exclusively through Seetickets.
Trevor Horn: “The Buggles are finally going out to play our first live gig, only 30 years since we first got together… As part of The Lost Gig, we’ll play The Age of Plastic in full for the first time, and I’ll be joined by some special guests to help make this night a truly special evening… The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability is a very special cause, one that’s close to my heart, and I hope we can use this unique event to raise a great deal of money and to increase awareness for their great work.”
Now, I don’t begrudge the exclusivity and the very worthy cause that these ticket prices will contribute to, but I’m terribly disappointed. Being on the dark side of minted, this is well out of my reach and justification, no matter how big a Trevor Horn/Buggles fan I might be.
If the gig were to be held at Islington’s Union Chapel, as Thomas Dolby did back in February (and where TH performed) you could sell 800 tickets for £50 a pop and still make £40,000, only £10k short of the current venue. You could then sell a bunch of aftershow tickets with VIP access to the band after the gig and make up the shortfall, or just sell the tickets for £65 and make £52,000. I have no doubt whatsoever that you could sell 800 tickets to a one off Buggles reunion gig.
Ah well, unless there’s such a thing as a fairy godmother or I find £100-£300 lying in the street, this is one gig I will have to miss 
I guess the gig is just not for fans, which is a shame. However, I’m sure it will be a fab night, with a shed load of cash raised for a very worthy cause. If you go, please feel free to furnish me with reports, pics and videos 
)
Update on the Buggles event!!!
This just in from ZTT/Trevor Horn, following on from this post…
Trevor Horn and ZTT Records is proud to announce the return of The Buggles, live on stage for their first ever full live gig… a mere 30 years after their international #1 hit single Video Killed The Radio Star kick-started a generation of electronic pop.
Trevor will reconvene the original Buggles line-up, including Geoff Downes (Yes, Asia) and Bruce Woolley (Camera Club, Grace Jones), to preform their ground-breaking début album – The Age of Plastic – in full.
Buggles
No tour is planned, no DVD or live CD will be released… The Buggles – along with some very special guest artists – will perform live on stage for one night only on 28 September 2010 at at a special and intimate West London venue.
This unique event is being put together to raise funds for London’s Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. Active since 1854, the hospital has a simple but very important mission: to add years to life and life to years.
Further details – including surprise guests, support acts, and pre-show exclusives – will be announced soon. But to avoid disappointment, please click here to register your interest in what is set to be one of London’s – and technopop’s – hottest tickets of the coming months…
EXCITED, MUCH!!!!! 
Naturally, I have subscribed for info 
One wonders how big the “intimate” venue might be and therefore how many tickets will be up for grabs. Also, the fact it is a charity do might mean higher than normal ticket prices. We will have to wait and see.
Either way, this is going to be a very special night. I wonder how much Trevor was inspired by the Thomas Dolby “Circumnavigating The Flat Earth” gig at the Union Chapel earlier this year, where Trevor and Bruce guested on a performance of Airwaves.
Counting the days!
Sarm Studios
On a recent trip to London, I visited Sarm Studios in the west of the city. Sadly, this visit wasn’t anything more than an external homage, but it was great to be out side the place where so many influential and legendary pieces of music have been recorded.
Sarm is owned by the SPZ Group, Trevor Horn’s company that also includes ZTT Records, Stiff Records, Perfect Songs publishing and Musicbank, the backline hire and rehearsal space company.
Here are some of my pictures of my trip there…
The Buggles Will Return… 28.09.10
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
And breathe!!
This just appeared on Trevor Horn’s website… (and subsequently on ZTT.com)
The Buggles Will Return… 28.09.10
Watch this space.
Buggles
Buggles were a duo consisting of Trevor Horn & Geoff Downes, with occasional help from people like Hans Zimmer and Bruce Woolley. They released two albums, “The Age Of Plastic” and “Adventures In Modern Recording”, the former containing their most famous hit, “Video Killed The Radio Star” and the latter being recently re-released, for the first time on CD.
Quite what this return will involve is anyone’s guess at the moment, but this is massive news for any Buggles/Horn/Downes/ZTT aficionado and promises to be quite special. I’m on the research case and will bring you further news as it arrives
In case you need reminding, some Buggles past & present….
ZTT – New Collectors Editions and Compilations!
A Secret Wish
ZTT. One of my favourite record labels, owned and run by my favourite record producer, Trevor Horn.
Nowhere near as popular or influential as they were, but still home to an eclectic bunch of artists. However, one of it’s strengths is it’s back catalogue and under the guidance of curator Ian Peel, the Element series of re-releases continues unhindered and unabated!
Coming out on July 19th 2010 (conveniently 10 days before my birthday!) are two exciting releases. Firstly, we have the 25th anniversary re-release of Propaganda‘s “A Secret Wish“. Often overlooked at the time, it spawned some awesome tunes and influenced many. Sadly for Propaganda, a Teutonic quartet based in London, Frankie Goes To Hollywood were blowing everything else out of the water, including Propaganda, their own label mates. But the upshot was that the things learned with the production of “Welcome To The Pleasuredome” (also recently re-released as a collectors edition) were taken and refined and used in “A Secret Wish”, with Trevor Horn stepping back as an Executive Producer and allowing Steve Lipson to produce this masterpiece of art pop.
I have the rare SACD version of this album in glorious digital 5.1 and it still blows you away today, but this double disc edition with remixes, b-sides and rarities is a worthwhile addition to anyone’s collection.
Influence
Also on the same day, we will witness the first, and probably best, all round Art Of Noise collection. Usually, you have to settle for a collection centred around particular incarnations of this art pop collective, but the release of the aptly named “Influence” sees all era’s of AON united under one album sleeve. From early works to the slightly embarrassing late 80′s period and back to the “almost” original line up in the 90′s and 00′s, this 2 disc collection features some of the finest, most pretentious pop you will ever have the pleasure of hearing.
With both sets only costing £7.99 each, you have no excuse!!
One November Monday…
This lucky bastard (Kevin Foakes, no offence intended!) got to delve into the “ZTT Cupboard”, a cupboard full of priceless gems!!
A fascinating article with many lovely, breathtaking photos!
Thomas Dolby, Trevor Horn & Bruce Woolley – Airwaves (Live)
Thankfully someone captured this moment, although the sound leaves something to be desired. Such a shame that the audio from the gig failed to get recorded
Anyway, many happy memories for me watching this back…. it was an awesome night and this little trio was particularly special for me…
Welcome To The Pleasuredome – 25 Years on….
I recall the day well. It was October 1984 and at lunchtime, a girl whose name escapes me now, returned from the town centre, back into the 4th Year common room at high school. In a Woolworths bag was a copy of the new Frankie Goes To Hollywood album, “Welcome To The Pleasuredome”. We all huddled around as she withdrew it from the bag and we marvelled at it’s pristine white cover that contain weird, Picasso-esque paintings by Lo Cole of things that looked like animals entering the glans of a giant phallus! The front picture of the band, bodies askew and in various hues, was instantly recognisable.
I don’t think many of us had even experienced a double album before. Some of us, myself included, had believed that the double album was the reserve of well established artists, already on to their 6th or 7th album, not some excessively hyped bunch of Liverpudlian upstarts with a massively produced sound and a penchant for leather and fetish wear.
The girl moved to the record player that we had been allowed to have and placed Side One on the deck and applied the needle to the record. None of us really knew what to expect. We’d already heard Relax & Two Tribes in all their glory, with surfeit of mixes and versions. But this band, and the hype behind them so masterfully conducted by the legend that is Paul Morley, had us on tenter hooks. And then it started….
The opera singers voice, followed by massive chords and gongs, like some other worldly ceremonial announcement of arrival…. then Holly speaking the words, “The world is my oyster….” followed by his maniacal laugh and a chord reminiscent of Relax….. then a plucked acoustic guitar and more operatic vocals…. and a bell like melody… more Holly and the extended “Yeeeeeeaaaahhh” from Two Tribes… and then, emerging from track two, the sounds of a jungle, vocoded vocals, Holly singing the first line of Ferry Across The Mersey…… the flute….. more animal sounds and ambience (recorded by dangling a microphone out of a Sarm West Studio window, as legend would have it), more synth, more vocoded vocals….. welcoming us to the Pleasuredome…. and then, BANG…. into the funky intro of the title track.
If the term had been as popular back then as it is now, we’d have all gone, “What the fuck?????”
Some of us had appeared to have been baffled, others not bothered, and those like me, utterly transfixed at this sonic delight appearing before us. As the titular track grooved on, building in the most awesome production, feet started tapping, hips and shoulders swaying and we all ended up ensnared. The spellbinding combination of the sound, the image and the style working it’s intended magic on us teenagers. If we weren’t already sold, this pushed the rest over the edge.
And so the album went on…. Relax, War, Two Tribes…. all there, but in new versions… more remixes to complement the already burgeoning collection of 12″ variations. Tracks interspersed with clever, witty segues, Chris Barrie doing his “Prince Charles”, babbling on about orgasms. And then Side Two, with it’s covers of Bruce Springsteen and Dionne Warwick, the Neo Synth Funk of Wish The Lads Were Here, into the sexual Ballad of 32. Krisco Kisses, Black Night White Light & The Only Star In Heaven being the first time we had heard successive new compositions from the band/production team. And then the grand finale of The Power Of Love. It’s sumptuous textures and sweeping vocals were divine.
And then it was over. Such a journey. And when you went back for a repeat play, it felt like it was the first time all over again.
Then there was the artwork. Images punctuated by cryptic, arty quotes. None of us really knew what Morley was on about, but it made us feel intellectual and cool.
It may not be considered as a classic album. It’s not held in great esteem alongside some of the great albums of the 20th century, but for me it is worthy of inclusion into those ranks. It was the culmination of catchy pop songs, superb Trevor Horn production, brilliant marketing and the energy of five young lads from Liverpool. The boys loved the lads, the girls loved the lads. Holly Johnson was this quirky little guy, full of style, audacious attitude and a great, unique voice. Paul had soothing BV’s and was as handsome as fuck. Mark O’Toole was the pretty boy on bass and Nash (guitar) & Ped (drums) were the bits of scally rough
This album, a triumphant success, was to be their high point. the follow up, “Liverpool”, produced this time by Steve Lipson, found them full of great pop, but the moment had passed. I don’t know where or why, but it had gone. And it was shortly after that Frankie said goodbye. Holly had a brief spell of success as a solo artist (working with my good friend Steve Howell on his first album, Blast) and then moving onto painting and becoming a renowned artist with brief forays back into music. Paul moved to New Zealand and settled, Mark moved on to Trapped By Mormons and Nash & Ped all but disappeared, briefly releasing various bits of solo work. A brief reunion minus Holly & Nash took place at the Princes Trust gig for Trevor Horn’s 25th anniversary of being “in the biz”. It was nice, but it wasn’t the real Frankie.
So, this album is up there for me. Mainly because I was one of it’s intended victims. I was of that age group that ZTT, under the guidance of Paul Morley, was after. But also because as a blossoming musician, I fully appreciated the immense production work that went into it. Not taking anything away from the band, but Trevor’s excellence shines through on every second of this opus. It’s fair to say that aside from Holly, the rest of the band didn’t have a great deal to do with the making of it. Holly has told me stories of late night sessions, trying out all sorts of things like playing instruments on roofs to get certain tones & timbres.
But this album should be held up as a great work. Excellent song writing, brilliant production and undeniable energy from the band.
And now, it has been re-released by ZTT through Salvo/Union Square, 25 years on, in a 2 disc package. Disc 1 features the entire album, remastered. Disc 2 features mixes, b-sides & out-takes.
CD1
1. “Well…” (Gill/Johnson/Nash/O’Toole/Andy Richards) – 0:55
2. “The World Is My Oyster” – 1:02
3. “Snatch of Fury (Stay)” (Gerry Marsden) – 0:36
4. “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” – 12:58
5. “Relax (Come Fighting)” (Gill/Johnson/O’Toole) – 3:56
6. “War (…and Hide)” (Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield) – 6:12
7. “Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment)” (Gill/Johnson/O’Toole) – 3:23
8. “(Tag)” – 0:35
9. “Fury (Go)” (Marsden) – 1:49
10. “Born to Run” (Bruce Springsteen) – 3:56
11. “San Jose (The Way)” (Bacharach/David) – 3:09
12. “Wish (The Lads Were Here)” (Gill/Johnson/O’Toole) – 2:48
14. “The Ballad of 32″ – 4:47
14. “Krisco Kisses” – 2:57
15. “Black Night White Light” – 4:05
16. “The Only Star in Heaven” – 4:16
17. “The Power of Love” – 5:28
18. “Bang” – 1:08
CD2
1. “Relax (Greatest Bits)” – 16:59
2. “One September Monday” – 04:49
3. “The Power of Love (12 inch version)” – 09:30
4. “Disneyland” – 03:07
5. “Two Tribes (Between Rulers And Ruling)” – 04:10
6. “War (Between Hidden And Hiding)” – 04:00
7. “Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Cut Rough)” – 05:40
8. “One February Friday” – 05:00
9. “The Ballad of 32 (Mix 2)” – 11:03
10. “Who Then Devised the Torment?” – 00:16
11. “Relax (Greek Disco Mix)” – 06:18
12. “Watusi Love Juicy” – 04:03
13. “The Last Voice” – 01:14
If this CD isn’t already in your collection, it deserves to be.
Malcolm McLaren 22 January 1946 – 8 April 2010
It was with great, great sadness that I learned today of the passing of Malcolm McLaren.
Malcolm was behind, involved with or created much of the music that formed my early youth in the late 70′s and early 80′s.
I will be honest and say that I didn’t always have good words to say about him. As a fiercely loyal Adam Ant fan, the fact that he stole the original Ants so blatantly to form Bow Wow Wow made me hate him with a passion, but the fact that he introduced Adam to Burundi drumming made me love him. For it was that inspiration to Adam that then inspired me to take up the drums.
A few years later, his seminal album, Duck Rock, changed the music we all listened to forever. We in the UK had barely heard of Hip Hop & Rap or the music from the townships of Soweto. Yet this piece of sublime yet extreme fusion, constructed by Trevor Horn under Malcolm’s guidance and using the Fairlight for a lot of it, was to open our ears to some of the finest world music has to offer. And in classic McLaren style, he then went on to influence the Hip Hop scene himself, after having plagiarised it so obviously.
His sheer and utter belligerence in getting the Pistols out there was instrumental in inspiring the rest of the new wave scene. With Vivienne Westwood, he took fashion in the 70′s and set it alight, influencing, if not creating the whole image of the punk movement. The clientèle in SEX on the Kings Road read like the who’s who of punk.
His influence in the music industry has been nothing short of legendary. He may have never received the full credit for his impact but we sure haven’t seen his like since and I fear we never will.
Put simply, he mattered.
Rest In Peace, Malcolm.
