What's the significance of Map Ref 41°N 93°W ?

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How big was the UK popularity of Wire? Someone care to wax about their career trajectory?

― Tumililingan (ex machina), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 12:34 (eighteen years ago) link

Centreville: A real nice place to raise your kids up - NICE, I love to start the morning with a Zappa quote!

― SoHoLa (SoHoLa), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 12:57 (eighteen years ago) link

The significance is that it's the best song on 154.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:00 (eighteen years ago) link

How big was the UK popularity of Wire? Someone care to wax about their career trajectory?

They almost had a hit with "Outdoor Miner". They were due to appear on Top of the Pops but somebody went on strike (ah! the 70s, when the workers ruled!)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:19 (eighteen years ago) link

"Eardrum Buzz" was a US college radio hit.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Also, re: Outdoor Miner, there was some sort of 'EMI buying it into the chart' taint that stopped their 'chart' career...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:29 (eighteen years ago) link

Hmmmm, well EMI were very very keen that they become a big selling band, it's one of the main reasons they split up in the first place

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:31 (eighteen years ago) link

Well, if they'd have made "Dot Dash" the object of their attention, they could have done it...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:33 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh no, I think "Outdoor Miner" could really have broken through

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:36 (eighteen years ago) link

"Eardrum Buzz" was a US college radio hit.

I've heard it on a "alt rock" station's "retro lunch".

― Tumililingan (ex machina), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:36 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, EMI got Wire to lengthen "Outdoor Miner" for airplay (the piano and backing vox bridge). Got to #51, apparently - and then came the BMRB ban.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:42 (eighteen years ago) link

It wasn't EMI's idea so much as Mike Thorne's (with Colin Newman's connivance)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:44 (eighteen years ago) link

What I mean is, "Dot Dash", followed by "I am the Fly" and then "Outdoor Miner", would have been a big push.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:49 (eighteen years ago) link

"I Am the Fly" on the back of Tiswas of course!!!!!!!!!!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 14:50 (eighteen years ago) link

oooh I love the extended Outdoor Miner.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 15:06 (eighteen years ago) link

BMRB ban.

WOT?

― Tumililingan (ex machina), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 15:15 (eighteen years ago) link

British Market Research Bureau (compiled UK pop charts until Gallup took over in '83 or so); they decided "Outdoor Miner" showed signs of being hyped (EMI employees buying fistfuls of the 7" in chart-return shops) and deleted it from the chart.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 15:19 (eighteen years ago) link

All that stands between Wire and megastardom is an appearance in a commercial, really.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 15:25 (eighteen years ago) link

I remember "Kidney Bingos" being the 80s "hit" for Wire in the U.S., at least.

Actually, "Kidney Bingos" kinda prototypes the more poppy Disco Inferno numbers like "The Last Dance" a bit.

― donut ferry (donut), Wednesday, 27 July 2005 16:33 (eighteen years ago) link

fifteen years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-J7G7uGhBg

― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 1 May 2021 08:48 (two years ago) link

― imago, Saturday, 1 May 2021 08:58 (two years ago) link

Sweet.

― Authoritarian Steaks (Tom D.), Saturday, 1 May 2021 09:22 (two years ago) link

Iowa is pig latin for Wire

― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Saturday, 1 May 2021 09:48 (two years ago) link

I love this song so much

― brimstead, Saturday, 1 May 2021 16:28 (two years ago) link

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