Meaningless musical descriptions

[Melaszka]

I seem to remember a while back some of us remarking on what a useless expression "New Wave" is - less an identifiable musical genre, more an all-purpose lost property envelope into which lazy music journalists can stick just about any 80s band with guitars in it that doesn't comfortably fit into any other category.

Here's another one: "post-punk". Can anyone explain to me what this "genre" means and how, if at all, it is noticeably different from plain old "punk"?

[The Analog Kid]

Post-punk was a popular musical movement beginning at the end of the 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid 1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental. Post-punk laid the groundwork for alternative rock by broadening the range of punk and underground music, incorporating elements of Krautrock (particularly the use of synthesizers and extensive repetition), Jamaican dub music (specifically in bass guitar), American funk, studio experimentation, and even punk's traditional polar opposite, disco, into the genre.

It found a firm place in the 1980s indie scene, and led to the development of genres such as gothic rock, industrial music and alternative rock. Post-punk's biggest influence remains in the vast variety of sounds and styles it pioneered, many of which proved very influential in the later alternative rock scene.










ok so i copied this from wike hehe

[heartofdavid]

Speaking of terms, I never liked the label "New Romantic"; tagging a modifier on like that always made me wonder - who are the "Old Romantics", or the "Slightly Used but Still Serviceable Romantics", and are there any "New and Improved Romantics?"

David's solo work was often dubbed "New Age" in the early days, and that's where it was placed in the record bins (at least here in the US). Weird.

[Melaszka]

Ah, well that's me told! Thanks for that.

I think the term is frequently misapplied, though. What made me think of it is that I borrowed a book from the library today by the Scottish writer Martin Millar, who always used to be described in the blurb as a "punk novelist" and now he seems to have become a "post-punk novelist". What does that mean in literary terms, I wonder? And I've frequently seen it applied to bands that used to be "punk" and haven't noticeably changed their style.

EDIT: heartofdavid, our posts crossed. I think "New Romantic" is generally acknowledged to be one of those "genres" invented by record label spin doctors or accountants, which very few bands actually embraced (I seem to remember that Duran Duran were once mocked for their provincial lack of sophistication by their London peers, because they committed the faux pas of actually using the term about themselves)

[godisinthesilences]

didn't have more to do with the styling of the group rather than the music itself? The new romantic I mean. If you look at some of the early duran clothing styles with the big frills shirts (poet shirts) and some of the other clothing styles was reminescent of the 18th century clothing style of the "romantic" era. This is how i took it. I never in my wildest imagination tacked it onto the music, because 80s music was far from the "romance" era of classical music.

[The Analog Kid]

Ah, well that's me told! Thanks for that.

I think the term is frequently misapplied, though. What made me think of it is that I borrowed a book from the library today by the Scottish writer Martin Millar, who always used to be described in the blurb as a "punk novelist" and now he seems to have become a "post-punk novelist". What does that mean in literary terms, I wonder? And I've frequently seen it applied to bands that used to be "punk" and haven't noticeably changed their style.

in literature it is an (even more) meaningless term that actually means "ageing/former punk novelist" - same with the New Romantic tag - I tend to agreed with HoD's explanation and indeed it was considered to be VERY bad taste to actually refer to yoruself in that way

[godisinthesilences]

hhmm well i like the term new romantic

[heartofdavid]

...indeed it was considered to be VERY bad taste to actually refer to yoruself in that way

Seemed that the press at the time used the term New Romantic most often in a derogatory way; bands whose music was considered more style and flash than substance. It didn't last very long as a music label since the bands they tried to lump into this category had little in common musically - Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, Culture Club, Duran, Japan - most of these bands evolved and changed in style over the years anyway. Poor Japan - I think they got stuck with this tag for a while because nobody could figure out how to neatly describe them.

[sisterlondon]

I have to admit that I loved the term new romantic! Even if I was too young when it started, in 1987 I was still somehow going to high school dressing a bit in that fashion. In fact once a punk spat to me and called me so and I felt very proud, LMAO!

[Meyrav]

I have to admit that I loved the term new romantic! Even if I was too young when it started, in 1987 I was still somehow going to high school dressing a bit in that fashion. In fact once a punk spat to me and called me so and I felt very proud, LMAO!

Go sista!! I'm proud of you too!!!

[Melaszka]

I have to admit that I loved the term new romantic! Even if I was too young when it started, in 1987 I was still somehow going to high school dressing a bit in that fashion. In fact once a punk spat to me and called me so and I felt very proud, LMAO!

I also have to admit I have a certain affection for the term. I was about 12 when the industrial quantities of eye liner/frilly shirts/wearing your mum's tablecloth look took off - far too young to know that calling yourself a New Romantic was "bad taste" - and I have always loved the look and, like you, continued to wear it evem when it was out of fashion.

I remember the first time I saw and heard Duran Duran on Saturday morning children's TV I thought that both visually and aurally they were the most exciting thing ever. Even though I know it's not musically accurate, it's that kind of sound I always think of as "New Romantic" - the heavy use of (then) new synths technology but within the guitar-based sound of a traditional band (as opposed to the stark, wholly synth-based sound of futurism),