R.I.P. Mick Karn.

Sigh. I can't believe I'm typing this right now, but here goes. Mick Karn, prolific bassist for seminal Romantic band Japan, Peter Murphy's musical partner in side-project Dali's Car, and accomplished solo musician in his own right, has passed away Tuesday evening from advanced cancer.


There was always such an avant-garde approach to his craft -- his riffs could be recognized from a mile away, they were so distinctive; forceful yet delicate, intricate things. It really saddens me that he's passed on. From the brilliant debut Japan record Adolescent Sex of 1977, to 1981's Tin Drum (on which he played all the wind instruments, as well), to 1993's Bestial Cluster, to his work with Bauhaus' Peter Murphy as one third of Dali's Car (seriously: check out their 1984 album Waking Hour -- it's pretty freaking awesome), and his collaborations with the great Japanese artist Yoshihiro Hanno, Karn was all over the map, never satisfied with sticking to one genre or other.


He was a greatly talented muso, a renaissance man in his own right, and he will be fantastically missed. Rest in peace, Mr Karn -- and thank you so very much for all the great musical memories. Amen.


Here are a few of my favourite Japan tracks to share on this sad day.

japan

"adolescent sex"

adolescent sex

japan

"art of parties" live at the old grey whistle test '82

tin drum

japan
"life in tokyo"

And here's Karn with Peter Murphy in Dali's Car's "His Box" recorded live at the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1984.

It's A Wham! Christmas!

Recently voted as one of the "most irritating Christmas songs ever," Wham!'s "Last Christmas" sure does earn that accolade. But due to the fact that electronica, goth, new wave, and dance really don't have much in the way of holiday music (Depeche Mode's brooding "Christmas Island" might make an appearance later, though it has nothing to do with Yuletide caroling) -- so what can I do? Here's some schmaltz, and here's a very young George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley cavorting with young, pretty people on a ski holiday! Look at the hairstyles! Look at George's teeth!

Released in 1984 as a B-side on "Everything She Wants" for the coveted Christmas #1 spot in the UK, it was of course beat out by "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Wham! ended up donating all the money earned through sales to the Ethiopian famine, too, so bully for them! But my God, it's an irritating track, alright. But here it is, in case you dig it.

Love, and many happy holidays,
Second Drawer Up From The Left

wham!

"last christmas"

everything she wants 12"

Do They Know It's Christmas?

Honestly, did you really think I wasn't going to have this track on my playlist? Now, a load of people out there have attacked this track, "Do They Know It's Christmas?", by noting that:

A) Indeed, rains do fall and there are in fact rivers in the mighty continent of Africa,
B) Many folks in Africa probably don't know it's Christmas, if only for the fact that they might not be Christians, and
C) The song itself, comprised as it was of a veritable who's-who of mid-'80s British pop royalty, was (and let's face it, it's kind of true) a little on the twee side.

Bono's impassioned lyric "Well, tonight thank God it's them ... instead of yoooooouuuuuu" notwithstanding, I'd like to just share it today, on baby Jesus' birthday. The sun is out and shining bright, galah parrots are taking wing from a small grove of gum trees, and a red-bellied black snake is sunning itself on a crag next to the neighbouring garden. 'Cos really, when one thinks of it, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" still has a pretty awesome calibre of coolness to it.

Written by Bob Geldof (Boomtown Rats) and Midge Ure (Ultravox) in order to highlight the plight of Ethiopians in the midst of one of the worst droughts of all time, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was released 29 November 1984 and became the Christmas #1 single, selling over three million copies and becoming the (at the time) biggest-selling British single of all time (knocking "Bohemian Rhapsody" out of the water in the process). With John Taylor from Duran Duran on bass, Phil Collins (back when he was still kind of cool) on drum duty, Ure on keyboards, and Mr Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet on guitar, I really have to say that the music certainly outshines the lyrics.

And what a treasure trove of vocalists! There were the gals from Bananarama, Simon le Bon, Bono, Sting (back when he was cool), Paul Weller, George Michael (Wham!), Paul Young, Boy George (Culture Club), Adam Clayton (U2), Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Kool & the Gang, Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes To Hollywood), Martyn Ware (Heaven 17), the blokes from Big Country, and (recording their voices on tape and mailing to Geldof after the fact) David Bowie and Paul McCartney.

We here at Second Drawer Up HQ wish you, our dear readers, a very happy, healthy, and safe holiday season! Thanks for reading, and keep in touch -- SDU's TOP 5 ALBUMS of 2010 are coming up, and boy oh boy are they corkers, or what?

So -- here's Band Aid and the single "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Enjoy!

band aid

"do they know it's christmas?"

Congratulations To The Church.

We here at Second Drawer Up HQ would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Marty Wilson-Piper, and Tim Powles (drummer Richard Ploog's replacement, after his tragic psychological meltdown) of Australian band The Church on their induction into the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Hall of Fame this last Wednesday the 27th of October, 2010. It's been one hell of a ride for The Church, with a career chockfull of highs, lows, changing fortunes, drug addiction, musical successes, and commercial failures. I have to say that The Church has never been anything less than interesting -- personally, I count them as one of my favourite bands of all time. From their beginning in 1980, with the audacious debut Of Skins And Heart, the new-wave and synth-y Seance and Remote Luxury, the massive success of Starfish and its runaway hit single "Under The Milky Way," the psychedelic musical maelstrom of priest = aura, and to lackadaisical but still quite charming Gold Afternoon Fix, The Church have always gone their own route; they've always done things on their terms, and damn the consequences. They're true mavericks, in the truest sense of the word, and I salute them. Carry on, may you prosper onwards, and always have a trick or two up your sleeves. I'm very proud of you!


And now for a couple of my favorite songs. This is "Constant In Opal." One of Kilbey's greatest strengths is his razor-sharp wit, and way with words (You can watch his speech here - it's just freaking awesome). The clowns creep me out a bit, though.

the church

"constant in opal"

remote luxury

Ah, "It's No Reason." What a gorgeous, gorgeous song. I love the women's voices in the background - one could lose oneself in this tapestry.

the church

"it's no reason"

seance

This, "The Unguarded Moment," was their very first hit single. Goddamn, if the guitars don't excite you, then you just might be a zombie, mate.

the church

"the unguarded moment"

of skin and heart

And, here's probably my favourite track of theirs, "Destination" from their 1988 album Starfish. Here it is being performed live for an Italian TV show - pretty awesome.

the church

"destination"

starfish

Electro Classic Jukebox: Severed Heads.

Hello, all! Sorry I've been so inactive these past few weeks - I've been out and about, investigating new grounds, fertile and action-packed. I'm afraid I've been derelict regarding my blogging duties - it won't happen again! ANYWAY, back to the electro-madness that you all enjoy so very much!

Hailing from good old Sydney, Australia, here is a great example of electronic music that branched out separate from the usual Anglo- and Euro- twig of the electronic tree. Severed Heads sprouted in the year 1979, but they originally went by the name of , and I'm not kidding, Mr and Mrs No Smoking Sign. Apparently, as a joke, they changed their name to the aforementioned Severed Heads and have not felt good about it ever since (really!).

One of the few Australian synth-pop/industrial bands that sprung from the Sydney punk-scene of the late '70s, I think the Severed Heads (Richard Fielding and Andrew Wright) were way ahead of their time, considering the year and the state of their continent at the moment - i.e., how removed from England they were.

But I digress. Here, from 1984, is Severed Heads with their classic track, "Dead Eyes Opened."