Most underrated band of all time?

[Melaszka]

Oh I think I remember reading about that in Bamboo... SJ drumming I mean. Also, Claudia Bruecken, their singer, was (maybe still is) married to the journalist Paul Morley who I believe said...

1. DS was "too fragile to ****"
and 2. "Japan were crap for the first 2 [or 3, or 4] albums"

Someone will, I'm sure, correct me if I am not 100% accurate. Anyway, six degrees of separation, eh?

Natasha

Yes, it mentioned Bruecken's marriage to Morley in Wikipedia, too (I read about it at the time, but it had slipped my memory, at some point over the past 20 years).

Morley has redeemed himself for the "crap" comment - he continues to push Sylvian tirelessly in the media and is obviously still a big fan (he gave DS's RFH gig in September a rave review in the Sunday Telegraph - about the only good review this tour got in a major British newspaper - and recently declared Tin Drum one of 30 albums everybody should own). [BTW, I don't keep quoting the Telegraph because I'm a braying Hooray Henry Tory. I read it solely because someone else in my house buys it, and I don't have to pay for it]

But, on the downside, he was a big wheel in ZTT Records, the label that horribly messed around both Propaganda and Furniture (there we are, Venn again!).

[Astronaut]

anorthercod:

(Paul Morley said): 1. DS was "too fragile to ****"
and 2. "Japan were crap for the first 2 [or 3, or 4] albums"

OK, I've heard the comment about making "crap" albums before, which is fair enough, PM is a music journalist and it's his job to comment on the music scene. I also accept that Japan's early work clearly isn't to everyone's taste, and that being in the public eye you expect/anticipate some criticism/comment on your work. However, the first comment seems a bit too personal to me. How on earth did PM know DS was "too fragile to ****" anyway? (I'm assuming he meant sexual liasons here and was not implying DS had some other bodily dysfunction?)

[anortherncod]

LOL about the bodily dysfunctions my little Astronaut... no, the **** is indeed the word that starts with F.

I think I know what Paul Morley meant by this. DS always had a kind of fragile image - probably because he's like that in real life anyway.

This reminds me of the thread where we talked about Simon Napier-Bell not liking RB. I never 'fancied' DS although I thought he was incredibly beautiful. Maybe he was too beautiful and/or fragile. Does that make any sense?

Natasha

[Lady Arcadia]

Interesting... this part of the thread reminds me of the reading of "The Vampyre" by John Polidori. It can be argued in that book, that a way to show dominance over another man, (in the book his Lordship shows dominance over Aubrey), is to show him in a female light.

This is probably what was happening with those previously stated comments. (Although to be fair, David did create a female angle to his image).

Many girls find something attractive about a male with a serious female image.... just think Nick Rhodes for example.

Morley's comments were probably just jealousy anyway.

[Melaszka]

LOL about the bodily dysfunctions my little Astronaut... no, the **** is indeed the word that starts with F.

I think I know what Paul Morley meant by this. DS always had a kind of fragile image - probably because he's like that in real life anyway.

This reminds me of the thread where we talked about Simon Napier-Bell not liking RB. I never 'fancied' DS although I thought he was incredibly beautiful. Maybe he was too beautiful and/or fragile. Does that make any sense?

Natasha

That's exactly how I've always thought about DS, too. I never saw the "too fragile" comment as an insult, more as a compliment - that DS in his prime was so beautiful and delicate and ethereal, that it would seem aggressive, obscene, almost blasphemous to view him in a sexual light.

PM was, I seem to remember, the editor of The Face, a publication that was at the forefront of promoting the 80s androgynous look. He is also a massive Sylvian fan to this day. I just don't see him making that comment with the intention of belittling our hero.

Posted by ellynsylvian
Interesting... this part of the thread reminds me of the reading of "The Vampyre" by John Polidori. It can be argued in that book, that a way to show dominance over another man, (in the book his Lordship shows dominance over Aubrey), is to show him in a female light.

That is very interesting and so true. That is one of the reasons I found the early 80s so exciting - men choosing to subvert the traditional patriarchal order by willingly making themsleves feminine.

[insight]

Just got to agree with Blue Nile being on here, the most underrated band for many a year and excellent live.....saw them at the Sage in Gateshead.

Going to see Clannad there in a few weeks....can't wait

How about these as bands / artists that should've had more success / attention

The Icicle Works
All About Eve
The Europeans
Bill Nelson
Fiction Factory
Julia Fordham
Lloyd Cole
Starsailor
The The

Mostly from the 80's, but some more recent

[Waves]

So The Blue Nile and Icehouse are underrated? Not in my list!!!!

Also Deacon Blue (CD Raintown) is being played by me several times over the years.
I like the songs Dignity and Born in a Storm verrrry much.

[sisterlondon]

4. Love and Money (Scottish Band)

Their first album is one of my faves ever! That was a great year for albums (loved lots of records in 1987 and 88!)

Edit to add, I also agreet about Raintown!

[Astronaut]

I know this is getting off topic so I'll be brief ...

LOL about the bodily dysfunctions my little Astronaut...

Hey! Glad I made ya laugh! I just had awful visions in my head of other 'stuff' ... OK so old blubber-chops Morley wasn't being rude about David. Just as well.

Many girls find something attractive about a male with a serious female image.... just think Nick Rhodes for example.

Yes Ellyn, and I'm one of them. However, I agree with Natasha's comments about not finding DS sexually attractive. I always thought (back in the day) that he was far too disdainful. Rather asexual in fact. Unlike NR who looked girlie but appeared approachable and more than a little bit naughty ... However, later on when DS ditched the lipgloss he looked PHWOAR!!!!