Post by petrolino on Mar 28, 2021 0:14:52 GMT
'Blitzed : The 80s Blitz Kids' Story' (2021) is a documentary about the social scene that grew around the short-lived London club, The Blitz. The roots of the "new romantic" arts movement in the south of England can be found here (there were also things going on in the north with regards to synthesiser pop). It's directed by Bruce Ashley.
The Blitz
'Sweetheart Contract' - Magazine
The Blitz was located in Covent Garden and all attendees were bonded by their worship of David Bowie. The club was frequented by musicians and some of the core members would also go into fashion design. Spandau Ballet were the house band and Visage materialised from the Blitz (members of Magazine, Tubeway Army and Ultravox played on the first Visage album).
"When my phone rang in January 1980, little did I realise its message meant: "Put out the cat. You're coming to the party of your life." The voice on the other end spoke without pausing: "My name's Steve Strange and I run a club called the Blitz on Tuesdays and I'm starting a cabaret night on Thursdays with a really great new band.... they combine synthesised dance music for the future with vocals akin to Sinatra, they're called Spandau Ballet and they're going to be really big…"
How could I know that this was my invitation to the Swinging 80s, where daily life would never sound or feel the same again? Paris and New York had steered the 1970s; now London was to become the creative powerhouse as Britain rode out a recession and its youth culture leapt back into the world spotlight.
How could I know that this was my invitation to the Swinging 80s, where daily life would never sound or feel the same again? Paris and New York had steered the 1970s; now London was to become the creative powerhouse as Britain rode out a recession and its youth culture leapt back into the world spotlight.
One band defined a new direction for music and shifted its driving rhythm from the guitar to the bass and drum. They also made it hip to play pop. They were Spandau Ballet, who within three years went from leaders of a cult to one of four British groups (with Duran Duran, Culture Club and Wham!) who led dozens of stylish young clubland acts into the charts. They spread the new sounds and styles of London around the globe so that designers of its street fashion, too, became the toast of world capitals. And all because, unknown to a backward record business, a vast dance underground was gagging for a revolution in club culture."
- David Johnson, The Observer
Spandau Ballet
Nuevos Románticos : Spandau Ballet rock Spain in 1981
I learnt a few things watching this documentary. One is that David Bowie went to the Blitz and recruited clubgoers for the music video to 'Ashes To Ashes', a single off 'Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)' which has become a sacred text to electropoppers. Another is that Sade was a Blitz regular.
TRIVIA : The Techno Twins went to the Blitz and they are credited with being the inspiration and name source behind "techno" dance music.
'TODAY WAS THE DAY in 1980 when London’s now fabled Blitz Club was blessed by a visit from David Bowie. He came with a purpose – to whisk away four of the most outlandish Blitz Kids to strut with his pierrot through the video for his new number, Ashes to Ashes, from an imminent new album. It earned each of them £50, helped Bowie to No 1 in the singles chart the following month and boosted demand for black ankle-length robes among trendsetters.'
- Shapers Of The 80s
- Shapers Of The 80s
Wilf Rogers & Boy George
'Blocks On Blocks' - Visage
The stage musical 'Taboo' is a celebration of the Blitz and its subculture. It's accompanied by a book by Mark Davies Markham and has original lyrics and music by Boy George (working with Kevan Frost, Richie Stevens and John Themis).
