Did some interesting things for their third album 'The Breathtaking Blue', including recording it with Klaus Schulze, and making a series of arty mini-movies for each song instead of standard videos, one of which won an Oscar for best short feature(!) Odd sidenote: the video for 'Big in Japan' was directed by Dieter Meier and Boris Blank, better known as the band Yellow...
― Rob Bolton, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 13:39 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 14:23 (9 years ago) Permalink
The whole 'concept' thing was rather bizzare - stuff about space exploration and 'mighty maomoondogs' (whatever they are).
― Rob Bolton, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 15:59 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 28 August 2003 01:56 (9 years ago) Permalink
However, "Forever Young" is a classic, and note that it has been in Warner's back catalog ever since its release. Wonder why it has never managed to crack the Virgin All Time Top 1000 albums as compiled by Colin Larkin.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 29 August 2003 00:31 (9 years ago) Permalink
They released four singles from "Forever Young" and three from "Afternoons In Utopia". Which ones do you mean? :-)
Anyway, I would say "Forever Young" (the album) is classic in its entirety. "Afternoons...." is patchy, but the three singles are all great.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:30 (9 years ago) Permalink
The four released in America ("Big in Japan," "Forever Young," "Red Rose," "Dance With Me").
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:32 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:34 (9 years ago) Permalink
i also like a lot of the remixes of their songs, for some reason.
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 22:03 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 22:06 (9 years ago) Permalink
Afternoons in Utopia still wins me over, though. "Jerusalem", "Fantastic Dream" (which formed part of my high school yearbook quote - EEK!), "Universal Daddy", "Dance With Me" and "Lassie Come Home" are wonderful.
― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 7 June 2004 11:34 (8 years ago) Permalink
― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 7 June 2004 11:35 (8 years ago) Permalink
― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 7 June 2004 11:48 (8 years ago) Permalink
Any more opinions on the first album? AMG seems to think it's an excellent synth-pop album, but I never hear anyone talking about it.
― Shushtari (res), Monday, 29 September 2008 04:15 (4 years ago) Permalink
I don't care much for "Big in Japan", but "Sounds Like a Melody" is superb.
― sensual harrassment (naus), Monday, 29 September 2008 06:56 (4 years ago) Permalink
I knew two people who were absolutely insane over Alphaville, one of whom was my roommate for a number of years. I taped a few songs from him. And also, when I was out at 80's night last weekend, the DJ played something from them that was really good. I don't think it was "Big In Japan", but I'm not sure, now.
― The More You Live The Faster You Will Die (Bimble Is Still More Goth Than You), Monday, 29 September 2008 07:03 (4 years ago) Permalink
As the video was mentioned by Rob in the first post:
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 September 2008 07:05 (4 years ago) Permalink
why does this guy's face remind me of Freddy Mercury?
― Shushtari (res), Tuesday, 30 September 2008 01:10 (4 years ago) Permalink
...mixed with Billy Corgan
If the Canon was decided exclusively by European Gen X'ers, then "Forever Young" would have been in the Canon. The Baby Boomers never understood Alphaville and they didn't do much in America either.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 30 September 2008 08:33 (4 years ago) Permalink
Is "Forever Young" a prom night standard in the US?
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
at the camp i went to they played it at every dance
― max, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:47 (4 years ago) Permalink
it was when i was going to proms, but that was quite a while back. still hear it every now and then, still brings the inner tear (or tear, either way).
― Calling All Creeps! (contenderizer), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 20:17 (4 years ago) Permalink
I thought this would be about the Godard movie.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 20:24 (4 years ago) Permalink
Forever Young sounded so massive blasting from my transistor radio last night
― I can't turn my face into a shart (dyao), Friday, 15 January 2010 01:28 (3 years ago) Permalink
sweet happy hardcore version of that.
― Isambard Kingdom Buñuel (jim in glasgow), Friday, 15 January 2010 01:32 (3 years ago) Permalink
why have i never heard "forever young" ... ?
― big (surm), Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:29 (3 years ago) Permalink
― I can't turn my face into a shart (dyao), Friday, January 15, 2010 1:28 AM (2 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
it IS kind of massive!
― big (surm), Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:32 (3 years ago) Permalink
tbh the song has never sounded as massive since :~( (good songs sound so much better when they come unbidden from your radio)
― 丫 power (dyao), Tuesday, 23 March 2010 15:33 (3 years ago) Permalink
I love every track on the first album, sentimental soft spot for most of the second album, some great songs on the third one. Took a risk on one of the later self-produced albums a few years back and it didn't click but I'd still drag one of those first three out for the occasional road trip
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 23 March 2010 17:32 (3 years ago) Permalink
Playing here in a few days, the first album is quite a guilty pleasure.
Anyone seen them live, what is the show like?
― RuPaul Weller (S-), Monday, 28 March 2011 14:10 (2 years ago) Permalink
Not seen them live, but the most recent album is probably their best since "Afternoons In Utopia" in 1986.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Monday, 28 March 2011 14:19 (2 years ago) Permalink
I LOVED this band in high school. People I knew got them mixed up with Animotion.
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (Mount Cleaners), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 22:36 (11 months ago) Permalink