Thursday, 8 May 2014

That's Entertainment : The Psychedelic Furs


The Psychedelic Furs are one of the greatest, most under-rated bands to ever grace this Earth and along with Echo and the Bunnymen, it is criminal that both bands are as under-played and less well known as other contemporary acts that arrived in post-punk Britain in the late 1970's such as The Cure or Joy Division.  The Furs arrived during punk, though sprang from the artier edge of the punk spectrum before becoming - briefly - bona fide trans-Atlantic superstars, given due respect, by of all people, John Hughes.  Darlings of the US collegiate radio station networks, the Furs chipped away at the popular charts, garnering a number of 'hit' songs as well as decently selling, critically approved albums without ever really smashing in to the top echelon.  

Early on, they were spiky, raucous.  Over the next few years, their sound became soaring, majestic pop that saw them climb the charts with Love My Way, a quintessential early-MTV standard that found it's way on to The Wedding Singer soundtrack gaining them exposure and relevance once more.  These days, the Psychedelic Furs are critically acclaimed, often cited by bands as major influences and remembered for providing the title to a cherished Molly Ringwald and Jon Cryer film.

However, the Psychedelic Furs are much more than that.

One of those bands that took the DIY snot-nose aesthetic of punk and meshed it with the arty leanings of David Bowie, the Furs crafted amazing tunes that could make you pogo or bang your head whilst also making you dance.  Vocalist Richard Butler sneers better than John Lydon, but has more palette and music savvy.  In the era of the 12 inch dance club remix, the Furs utilised this format to add width and breadth to their singles, extended the tracks and turning them in to discotheque favourites.  Thankfully, late in the 1990's when the Psychedelic Furs were being remastered, a collection of 12 inch B Sides became available and it's worth every cent.  Funnily enough, they did end up with the mullets and poxy video clips and trench coats and over production that befell bands in the Eighties when record companies swore blind it was in the best interests of the band and it would 'sell'.  Still…I love it all.  The other thing was they were 'cool'…oh so 'cool'.  Singer Richard Butler just exudes cool swagger like a Johnny Depp and he has an amazing world weary voice that occasionally rasps its way in to you psyche.  And what's cooler than cool?  They also had a sax player!  

By the early 1990's, their brand of sumptuous pop was out of favour (ironic considering shoe gaze was prevalent) and the band parted ways.  Vocalist and frontman Richard Butler formed Love Spit Love (now a seminally influential mid-1990's band that are criminally under-played, almost unknown and oft cited by new bands as an influence) and they recorded two smashing albums, providing a cover of The Smiths' How Soon Is Now? for The Craft soundtrack, which was later reused as the introduction music to a little TV show called Charmed.  Lately, Richard Butler has released artworks and a couple of solo albums.  

So it was with much excitement in 2001 that the Psychedelic Furs reconvened for a string of tours and eventually released a new single in Alive, one of my all time favourite songs.  Please check it out!  They continue to tour - Lee and I saw them at the Enmore Theatre in 2006 [with Ratcat of all people, in support!] - and promise to release new material, none of which has materialised.  These days, they're playing live their classic album Talk, Talk, Talk in full.

For mine though, it was always the pop side that I favoured most that many of the hard core devotees probably sneer upon - Love My Way [gifting a TV show it's name], The Ghost In You, Heartbreak Beat, Here Come Cowboys, Heaven.  The bass line and production of Heartbreak Beat is stunning and Love My Way would easily sit in my Top 10 BEST songs of the 1980's, and nudge in to my Top 10 FAVE songs of all time.

And seeing them perform live in 2006 was a dream come true.  I was far too young to really remember them at their peak but they had lost absolutely nothing delivering a scorching and at times tender set list, full of angular fuzz and sweet gems.  Fans in their 50's were reliving their youth and I just sat there as they played all my favourite songs right to me (plus I got to see Ratcat in support :-) ).

The Psychedelic Furs will always hold a very special spot in my heart and on my I-pod playlists.  I doubt we'll ever get that new album, but why worry?  There's so much to pick through, to check out across their seven studio albums, and if you want a half decent collection of 'hits', check out If God Should Forget (2 CD best of).

















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