Song: Warm Leatherette
Artist: The Normal
Album: Warm Leatherette
While I jumped into this obscure 80’s week, I really didn’t have five songs picked off the bat. But I had thought, just because it’s so strange, that I needed to highlight this oddity from the “Me Decade.” But it also got me thinking of the state of the industry, and really how conservative it all is.
The Normal is the name used by English producer Daniel Miller, the creator of Mute records. He ended up only releasing one vinyl single… “Warm Leatherette.” The song despite, or maybe because of it’s strangeness, has been covered by artists ranging from Nine Inch Nails to Duran Duran.
Now while this song wasn’t like a huge pop hit, it reminds me that the 80’s for better or for worse were a really interesting experimental time in music. This is not to say that experimental music is dead, but it certainly lives well beyond the fringes of the mainstream… and while acts from the 80’s could take odd (and or novelty) ideas and turn them into hits… it just doesn’t happen now-a-days. Not to sound like an old man here but am I wrong?
Wow, shame of shame… I just realized this song was released in 1978. Oops!
Enjoy.
Grace Jones… wow.
Trent Reznor’s Take
Duran Duran live
1 comment:
As you know, Warm Leatherette is a big, big favorite of mine. I remember being so surprised when I found out you'd heard of it and liked it because it's so strange. iTunes is rife with neat covers of it, so it's worth a quick search.
I just emailed you two little gems from the 80s, both virtually completely unknown. I hope you can use 'em.
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