inner nerd » 1981

Robot Rock du Jour: Starter – Minijupe (1981)

beaker — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:17:16 +0000

OK. So, pretend for a minute that lead singer Francis Foss DOESN’T look and sound like Dana Carvey taking the piss out of no wave bands.

In that hot minute, you will surely discover how rad this song is because you, after all, love les minijupes (miniskirts) as much as I do. And Korg MS-20s.

SCHEMATIC: Dana Carvey, record label and cover artwork, some band photos…

Dana Carvey – Choppin’ Broccoli (SNL Audition)

Starter – Minijupe 7″ (1981)

Starter – Starter LP (1981)

Starter – Band Photos

End of line…

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Robot Rock du Jour: Marcello Giombini – I Adore Commodore (198?)

beaker — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:20:17 +0000

Italian film composer and experimental synth maestro Giombini put up this track sometime in the early 1980s as a promo for the Commodore 64. I wonder if this video somehow inspired the seminal film, Weird Science?

SCHEMATIC: Cuts from Giombini’s landmark 1981 LP Astromusic Synthesizer…

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Robot Rock du Jour: Crash Course in Science – Flying Turns (1981)

beaker — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:00:54 +0000

This EP/12″ gets me all wound up with some serious non-goth electro industrial madness!

Crash Course in Science was formed in 1979 while the three members were attending art school in Philadelphia.Flying Turns is off their 12″ Signals from Pier Thirteen originally published on Press Records in 1981.

SCHEMATICS: More videos and MP3s from the 12″…

Clean, first pressings sell for upwards of $100, with second pressings from 1986 on LD Records fetching only slightly less.

Cardboard Lamb (2:41)

Crashing Song (2:35)

Factory Forehead (2:56)

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Party Time: Saturday Robot Party @ The Idle Hour (Baltimore, MD)

beaker — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:52:53 +0000

VIGR is in the house. 4+ hour rare vinyl set. Need I say more? Hope to see you there! I’ll try to keep track of the setlist…

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Robot Rock du Jour: Eberhard Schoener + The Police = Why Don’t You Answer? (1978)

beaker — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:03:42 +0000

I flipped when I found this at the record store today for CAN$8! Are you kidding me?! This incredible track is the result of a long-forgotten collaboration between the Roxanne-era Police and German composer/keyboard player Eberhard Schoener. Seriously!

Sting on vocals and bass, Steward Copland on drums/percussion and Andy Summers on guitar with Schoener laying it down heavy on the synth. Sting’s signature voice and the song’s slow build opens the door for uniquely anxious lyrics. Infectious and awesome.

SCHEMATIC: Weird Video Magic live performance video, cover art and record scans…

The song Video Magic pretty much sucks, but the video is weird enough to justify the post.

Why Don’t You Answer? first appeared in 1978 on Schoener’s album Flashback, only to return on the compilation Video-Magic in 1981.

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Robot Rock du Jour: Liaisons Dangereuses – Los Niños Del Parque (1981)

beaker — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:05:18 +0000

German EBM (Electronic Body Music) pioneers, Liaisons Dangereuses are goin’ for it full throttle on this track. This particular live version was filmed in Manchester in 1982. Acid synthlines abound, making this track a landmark Chicago/Detroit precursor. iSpy my favorite synth duo the Korg MS-20 and MS-50.

SCHEMATIC: Live in Düsseldorf, synths, famous female band member…

Synth goddess and band co-founder Beate Bartel was also one of the original members of the avant-garde band Einstürzende Neubauten. This next live version was filmed at a music festival in Düsseldorf. Check out pink hair at 1:21!!

For comparison purposes, I’ve also included a still frame video for the 12″ version.

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Robot Rock du Jour: Jo Lemaire + Flouze – Je Suis Venir Te Dire Que Je M’En Vais (1981)

beaker — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:25:32 +0000

Be still my robotic heart! Jo Lemaire’s 1981 cover of the Serge Gainsbourg classic is a sultry, breathy slow burn laid over some tight drum beats and layered, melancholy synths. “I came to tell you I am going…”

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Robot Rock du Jour: Logic System – Unit (1981)

beaker — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:06:20 +0000

From the Hideki Matsutake’s album Logic released in 1981. How can you argue with a hot (french) girl singing over smooth robotic beats? Get the Japanese pressing: It is sonically superior and not expensive (yet).

Oh? What’s that? You liked that, did you? Well, there are over 130 more videos on my painstakingly assembled youtube playlist. If you want to journey even deeper, I’ve compiled two related playlists that delve into the history of and equipment used in the production of early electronica.

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