Alternative Weekend: Mostly Berlin

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My memories of 1982 were facing another day at work, aka 'The Horrors of Kwiksave', unsuccessfully trying to get a girlfriend (while remaining a geek), catching the bus and trying to con the bus driver that I was still a schoolboy thus getting the fare at half price (while commuting to work), and keeping an eye on the music scene.

The bus drivers were getting wise to my attempts, even though I looked around 15 years of age.

That was 41 years ago, and looking back the music was quite extravagant compared to the current scene (that I ritually ignore). 41 years before 1982 would take us to 1941, which is the war years, filled with songs from Vera Lynn and the big bands.

History is not going to repeat itself, and I can't see another time period that might contain big spiky hair, more make-up on the boys than the girls and ridiculous 'put-on' voices that while obviously fake, were doubtless of some interest.

Drowning in Berlin – The Mobiles (Mobiles – 1982)

With @nathen007 in mind, this one came up in my memories. I know he has a thing for Hazel O'Conner who may be veering more to 'Punk' than 'New Wave' so I am confident he will remember 'The Mobiles' and their one hit wonder, 'Drowning in Berlin'.

As this was getting on half a century ago, it is getting tough to find decent video footage that's not a blur of pinks, yellows and whites. My mind's eye remembers clear images, but VHS tape tends to wear out after this amount of time and what remains is far from clear.

After some searching and dismissing several 'Top of the Pops' renditions, this one is a little clearer and shows 'Anna Maria's' 'amazing' dance routines.

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...'if you were a bloke then you needed to be blond to be a member. It was quite mandatory'...

Up, down, arms clasped, with some attempted robotic movements, it's quite laughable and the cheese level is high. The bloke next to the singer looks like a blond skin-headed zombie. Very standard fare for the times.

The song is still memorable to me, a dark sleazy synth driven number with some dodgy fairground music in the middle, and just look at how many of them are holding guitars! Can you hear even one guitar playing?

The Mobiles did nothing after this apart from one other minor hit. They were to split just two years later and vanish into the oblivion.

Like Flames – Berlin (Count Three and Pray – 1986)

While it may appear so, this post is not themed about the German capital, it just happens I picked a couple of songs that contain its name, and are totally unrelated.

I read with interest that the famous 'Take my Breath Away' resulted in the band disbanding just one year later. 'Count Three and Pray' did not sell very well, despite the monster balled being present and some members of the band were not happy that the song was not written by any of them.

Pride maybe? I bought the album (CD actually), some years later and found several gems including 'Like Flames' which appears to be some kind of anthem for this band.

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...'Terri Nun is not in the least German, but American and still in outstanding condition for her age. The voice may not have stood the test of time quite as well'...

Historically I tend to dislike anthem or signature songs. 'Naaa na na, Naaa nan na na' is hardly ground breaking stuff or thought-provoking material, nor is whistling through a tune both at the start and end, but I figure this is an exception.

Could it be I simply like the drive and power this track contains? Just like the previous song, I struggled to find decent footage but caught a good one after some searching.

Terri Nun's vocal range was hardly extensive, but she had something apart from being damned good looking.

Even the Spirits are Afraid – The Gathering (Souvenirs – 2003)

After posting two songs from the 1980's, I feel I have to add something that's not quite so 'dinosaur'. Just twenty years past is almost as bad, but at least it was written and produced in the current century.

I feel a decent way to pick out the highlight songs of any new band are to watch their live performances. Most performed songs will be their best ones and that will save you some time wading through the 'bloat' that bands add to their albums.

I am little disappointed this band is not as wholly decent as I expected.

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Some of their songs are not so memorable and having listened to 'Souvenirs' in its entirety, the title track and this brilliant gem stood out like sore thumbs.

'Even the Spirits are Afraid' has been performed live many times but lacks the gritty distorted guitars that meld with that doom synth overlay which makes the studio version so special.

If you're wanting to hear the real deal, along with an important and necessary simple piece of guitar work around the middle that culminates in a saturated grizzled resonance, this is the version your ears need to be opened to.

Work told me today that I am forced to take two weeks off at Christmas. Great you might think, but as a contractor I see it as loss of earnings.

That's if they even decide to extend my current contract which expires close to the end of the year. It could be the 'rock and roll' for me shortly' I fucking hope not.

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