POO/OPO: The Psychedelic Furs

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ALL OF THIS AND NOTHING!!!!!! (Although I can also support "She Is Mine". _Talk Talk Talk_ is a ridiculously great album.)

Dan Perry, Monday, 8 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Ally, Ally, Ally....."Heartbreak Beat"? You cannot be serious! "Heartbreak Beat" was the absolute depth of their lowest possible period, when record execs dressed up the Butler brothers in glittery Judas Priest-circa-TURBO togs and poured a keg of sickly sweet production syrup all over their heretofore dignified, classily sparse sound. Argh!

Incredulous Alex in NYC, Monday, 8 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Actually, "Heartbreak Beat" works for me too, as a big descending ballad -- and I always love the concluding keyboard part right at the end. The rest of that album didn't happen, though. ;-)

Ned Raggett, Monday, 8 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

six months pass...
"president gas," for the part where they steal the cello portion from Stravinsky's Rites of Spring

(i've been listening to the Furs a lot lately again for some reason)

Tad (llamasfur), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

Love My Way. Mainstreamin' it!

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

Can I just repeat "All Of This And Nothing"?

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

Love My Way. Mainstreamin' it!

I see your "Love My Way" and raise you a "Pretty In Pink".

Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

I have a soft spot for "President Gas" as well, even though it used to be one of my least favourite furs songs.

I will always love "Pretty In Pink" because the associations it brings are too good and too strong.

Kim (Kim), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

P.I.P. is a likely no. 2 for me. Once again America's public reaffirms it often knows best.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:24 (twenty-one years ago) link


I like all of the above. No one's mentioned 'Susan's strange', that's
also good.

... wondering if there will ever be a band called the
Entheogenic Furs.

mu, Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

btw ...

- what ever happend to the furs

- anyone here ever see them live?

- anyone know more background info about the band

mu, Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

Let me repeat all my answers.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

so "president gas" uses stravinsky spring cellos ? i don't know, but i don't think it's a fair thing to say about any band because you might mislead a newcomer into thinking the band's like frank zappa

notwithstanding, i think that song is just as o.t.m. now as it was 20 years ago when it was loosely associated with rayguns and insanity -- seems that just as it is now, back then there was that same super annoying name that seemed to be somehow maybe the shadows of the problem, george bush

george gosset (gegoss), Thursday, 16 January 2003 07:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

two months pass...
I feel I should interject here, being as though I have adored the Furs for almost as long as I've been a fan of music.

The Furs' best music, IMHO, was crafted in the era of Todd Rundgren as their producer. Forever Now, I feel, is their best effort, and I never heard a song from that album that I didn't like passionately. I know, I know, I've heard the words "radio friendly pop" before, but I thought Rundgren did really well in highlighting the band's Bowie-esque modern pop sensibilities.

I do have to say that there are very few songs from the Furs that I don't like, but some of the songs post-Mirror Moves were quite... well, not up to the standards of a Talk Talk Talk, for sure. Even the band is/was aware of that -- the Furs absolutely HATED "Heartbreak Beat", and us Fursphiles recognize that Midnight to Midnight was the requisite "we'll just be rock stars now, so we're just going to f*** off and do a totally commercial album" album. Chris Kimsey [sp?] hasn't been very kind with the artists he's worked with, hasn't he?

Oh, and I didn't want the Furs to re-record "Pretty in Pink" for the movie of the same name -- I thought the original 1981 song was more than good enough. *sighs* Oh well, no one's perfect, hmmm?

Dee the Lurker, Wednesday, 2 April 2003 18:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

two years pass...
Madison Strays = NYC Psychedelic Furs Karaoke Tribute Band

Yet another NYC Anglophile rock band, yet another US band that launch their music in the UK first. This lot go by the name of Madison Strays - their debut single "Last Train" is released on May 16th in the UK. It's already picking up airplay on 6 Music and apparently Radio 1 - they sound like a complete rip off of The Psychedelic Furs.

You can listen to the track on Myspace.com

DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 2 May 2005 13:42 (eighteen years ago) link

"She Is Mine."

Whoever Dee the Lurker is, he was spot-on about the virtues of "Forever Now" and especially re Todd Rundgren'ss production. I only bought it four months ago and now think it rivals "Talk Talk Talk."

Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Madison Strays = NYC Psychedelic Furs Karaoke Tribute Band

I was really, really, really hoping you meant this literally.

The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:04 (eighteen years ago) link

YOU DIDN'T LEAVE ME ANYTHING THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND
GIRL I DIDN'T MEAN THAT STUFF I WANT TO TURN YOU ON

The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:05 (eighteen years ago) link

Madison Strays apparently have a song called "Imitation of Psychedelic Furs" instead of "Imitation of Christ"

DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:10 (eighteen years ago) link

ILM NewYorkers: are you aware of this band?

DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:12 (eighteen years ago) link

no

dan. (dan.), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:42 (eighteen years ago) link

Where is the 00s alternative band that steals the Psychedelic Furs sound? We've got Gang of Four, a zillion Cure soundalikes, plenty of Echo and the Bunnymen--yet nobody wants to sound like the Furs. It's a shame.

OPO: All That Money Wants

kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:32 (eighteen years ago) link

"Heartbreak Beat," because I have a thing about songs that are about listening to music.

Lyra Jane (Lyra Jane), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:39 (eighteen years ago) link

"India"

Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 2 May 2005 16:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Mr. Perry is a wise individual.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 2 May 2005 16:32 (eighteen years ago) link

Definitely Ghost in You.


In belated answer to mu: I must confess that I saw them a few years ago on the nostalgia tour B-52s/Furs/GoGos.

Phear my eightiesness, y'all.

The Mad Puffin, Monday, 2 May 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Definitely, "Until She Comes"

daavid (daavid), Monday, 2 May 2005 19:52 (eighteen years ago) link

"Heaven"

Seb (Seb), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:16 (eighteen years ago) link

"Highwire Days" by a considerable margin. Then PIP (original version ffs) then Sister Europe

Aaron A., Monday, 2 May 2005 20:59 (eighteen years ago) link

I opened this thread confidently thinking "I bet no-one else will have chosen "Run And Run"...."

So: either "Run And Run" or "India".

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 09:08 (eighteen years ago) link

"Where is the 00s alternative band that steals the Psychedelic Furs sound? We've got Gang of Four, a zillion Cure soundalikes, plenty of Echo and the Bunnymen--yet nobody wants to sound like the Furs. It's a shame."

On the BBC Ceefax review of the Killers new single, the writer says they wear their Psychedelic Furs influence on the sleeve and that the singer "even sounds like Richard Butler at times".

Can't see it myself. He's a bit more whiney then sneering.

Oh, and I'll have "So Run Down", for the bit where Butler barks 'I get some clerk/talk, talk, talk, talk'.

Peteski, Tuesday, 3 May 2005 09:22 (eighteen years ago) link

A singer sounding like Butler: I'd say the one in British Sea Power is doing this way more obvious than the Killers' singer.

willem (willem), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 09:55 (eighteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...
Whoa. The guitar player in Madison Strays used to play in a Canadian band in the early to mid-nineties called Red Autumn Fall. RAF wore their Smiths and Cure influences on their sleeves BIG TIME.

Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Thursday, 26 May 2005 14:54 (eighteen years ago) link

Will anyone defend "Midnight to Midnight"?

Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 26 May 2005 15:35 (eighteen years ago) link

"She Is Mine"

TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 26 May 2005 16:19 (eighteen years ago) link

six years pass...

how many times can one person repeat themselves on one thread?

anyway, I fucking love that song still

THIS TRADE SERVES ZERO FOOTBALL PURPOSE (DJP), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 21:26 (twelve years ago) link

Of the later albums, I'll pick "There's A World". It has that epic sweep and Richard's wonderful croon but with a touch of menace that puts it over the top.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 21:43 (twelve years ago) link

So many great songs.

I'm thinking the albums would go something like this:

Talk Talk Talk (classic)
Forever Now (classic)

then...

Psychedelic Furs
Mirror Moves (some great songs - production so-so)
World Outside (this one, BoD and MM can switch places depending on the day)
Book Of Days

and...

Midnight to Midnight (ooof)

mr.raffles, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 21:57 (twelve years ago) link

six months pass...

Heaven - such a great song, and video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_O90A0G8lA&feature=related

Campari G&T, Sunday, 21 October 2012 23:07 (eleven years ago) link

poor Butler -- he looks cold!

the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 21 October 2012 23:09 (eleven years ago) link

admirable of him to carry on with the video shoot though, despite it being such a rainy day.

Campari G&T, Sunday, 21 October 2012 23:48 (eleven years ago) link

How are they live in 2012? I haven't seen 'em since the early 80s.

curmudgeon, Monday, 22 October 2012 15:52 (eleven years ago) link

Anyone seen Blondie or the Psychedelic Furs this year?

I guess I should read this thread

curmudgeon, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 03:45 (eleven years ago) link

two years pass...

does anyone have any insight to what the backing lyric is at the end of The Ghost In You>

campreverb, Thursday, 12 February 2015 02:18 (nine years ago) link

I had a serious Jones to hear "Forever Now" the track this evening, after going through nearly all the CDs I have over here and tearing my bedroom to pieces (because the album somehow got separated from my Talkx3 and put in a dumb place), I find it and subsequently listen to "Forever Now" the track six times in a row. So I think I'll opo that.

Don A Henley And Get Over It (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 12 February 2015 07:58 (nine years ago) link

underrated aerosmith's dismissal of Forever Now is one of the most depressing and rong things I've read on ILM.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 12 February 2015 12:58 (nine years ago) link

What is Butler up to these days, just running on the reunion tour wheel? I liked his mellow solo album.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 12 February 2015 14:34 (nine years ago) link

one year passes...

The first three (or four) Psychedelic Furs albums are like buried treasures waiting for some young act to dig them up after the entire world has totally forgotten about them.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 October 2016 14:01 (seven years ago) link

this band only grows in stature imo

rip van wanko, Monday, 17 October 2016 14:17 (seven years ago) link

Actually the disc I listen to most often is AOTAN. Maybe their albums never really congealed for me. But that litany of singles is fucking manna.

rip van wanko, Monday, 17 October 2016 14:21 (seven years ago) link

I'd never heard this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52DUrv1gCUw

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 October 2016 14:42 (seven years ago) link

Great, classic band. They were too kitsch at the time and seemed derivative but show me three 80's guitar albums better than Talk Talk Talk.

simmel, Monday, 17 October 2016 15:05 (seven years ago) link

Let alone better, more cooly distinctive singers than Butler, who transcends his Bowie-isms with that asthmatic rasp and a sneer you can practically hear.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 October 2016 15:17 (seven years ago) link

Richard Butler's one of my favorite lyricists, and I don't care much for lyrics. OTM on that run of three albums.

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 17 October 2016 15:22 (seven years ago) link

Also a great use of saxophone as much more than just smooth '80s solo cameo. It's honking and abrasive, like early Roxy Music.

Josh in Chicago, Monday, 17 October 2016 17:01 (seven years ago) link

Picked up Book of Days last month, largely because of solid ILMy advice. it's v good, not early-good though.

wishy washy hippy variety hour (Hunt3r), Monday, 17 October 2016 17:26 (seven years ago) link

Talk Talk Talk would most certainly make my all time Top 40 or 50 albums if I ever attempted such a list.

rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 02:33 (seven years ago) link

What do you think of the two Love Spit Love albums? I really like them a lot.

Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 04:00 (seven years ago) link

Love those Love Spit Love albums, a return to the edgier early material in feel though obviously not in style.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 13:05 (seven years ago) link

Had no idea Love Spit Love featured future nu-GNR guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer!

Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 13:34 (seven years ago) link

just dropping in to declare my enduring love for TTT in particular, it all came together on that record

sleeve, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 14:40 (seven years ago) link

I need to revisit those LSL albums, but even considering my love for TTT, "Fall on Tears" may be my fave thing that Butler ever did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kExdhOCO0J8

rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 14:51 (seven years ago) link

I'm not sure that I previously registered the similarity between the start of "We Love You" and "Needles In The Camel's Eye." Have always been a big fan of We Love You.

dlp9001, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 15:05 (seven years ago) link

I suspect TTT is one of those albums beloved every person whose taste I admire.

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 15:12 (seven years ago) link

Anyone have decent MP3s of the unreleased LOL stuff like "Dusk" and "New Green"?

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 02:36 (seven years ago) link

LSL not LOL, damn autocorrect.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 02:36 (seven years ago) link

My list of the best.

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 02:40 (seven years ago) link

Thought this revive would be Alfred-related.

Special Ore-ida Blues (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 03:39 (seven years ago) link

Sorry, wrong thread.

Special Ore-ida Blues (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 03:39 (seven years ago) link

The first three (or four) Psychedelic Furs albums are like buried treasures waiting for some young act to dig them up after the entire world has totally forgotten about them.

The Rapture did try this...

fajita seas, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 04:11 (seven years ago) link

forever now is the only one i can still listen to now

velko, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 05:59 (seven years ago) link

one year passes...

"should god forget" sounds like what i was told blur / oasis would

reggie (qualmsley), Saturday, 7 July 2018 20:36 (five years ago) link

Man that 2nd album Talk Talk Talk is an alltime immortal super duper mega classic.

kornrulez6969, Sunday, 8 July 2018 02:35 (five years ago) link

Cry Cry Cry did a lovely version of "Ghost in You" when last I saw them.

nonsensei (Ye Mad Puffin), Sunday, 8 July 2018 02:38 (five years ago) link

So Run Down

nicky lo-fi, Sunday, 8 July 2018 03:03 (five years ago) link


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