Retro Spins: Stray Cats - Blast Off!


Unlike their previous album, 1986's Rock Therapy, recorded solely to fulfill their contractual obligation with EMI, Blast Off! was a true reunion effort for Stray Cats. They wanted to recapture that spark and moment in time where they were relevant, and further revive the rockability scene. Sadly, that ship had long sailed, and the album was met with minimal fanfare.

It's the last album on my journey with them through the 80's, and I suppose there's no reason to really delay getting into it. So, let's go!

I think I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder when firing this one up. A sense of, "Why do I have to listen to this?" Like as if somehow it was the band's fault.

I got over this relatively quickly as I was kicked in the face with a hard guitar riff and the band shouting, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!" The title track was in full delivery mode, and this was followed by the equally good, Gina.

From there, the momentum stayed high, but the songs fell into mediocre familiar sounds of the band. I will say that the track, Gene And Eddie was rather creative for its mix of various classic hits, combined to create the Stray Cats own tribute song.

What seemed odd, almost annoying, was the lyrics to many of the songs needing to shoehorn the word "rockability" into them. It's as  is the band wanted to make the point that their music was a tribute to the style of the 50's, but then even when this was obvious, and you got it, they needed to then repeatedly hammer you over the head with it, as if you'd forget the moment they stopped reminding you.

Overall, it was just okay at the end of the day. Nothing to really write home about, but nothing the pan and complain about either. Am I a fan of Stray Cats at the end of my journey? Nah, not really.

The band released a handful of albums in the 90's, Let's Go Faster (1990), Choo Choo Hot Fish (1992), and Original Cool (1993), but then went on hiatus again. They'd reunite again in 2013 for their last studio album to date, 40. They do remain active to this day, periodically putting on shows.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 17, 1983
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 17, 1988


Comics Corner: Ka-Zar The Savage 21

   

Title: Ka-Zar The Savage
Issue Number: 21
Release Date: December 1982

Highlights

  • Finally, Spider-Man
  • First appearance of Dr. Tuttle
  • First appearance of the Riverside Memorial Hospital location
  • Despite being wounded, Ka-Zar grabs Kraven as he falls off a building - Unfortunately, in his weakened state, he can't hold him, despite Shanna grabbing hold of him
  • Spider-Man saves Ka-Zar, Kraven, and Shanna from their fall off of a building
  • Shanna tells Peter about how her and Ka-Zar hooked up
  • Ka-Zar takes a turn for the worse on the operating table, eluding to him being dead
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Stray Cats - Rock Therapy


Stray Cats disbanded in 1983, something which founding member Brian Setzer tried repeatedly to justify, but would come back together in 1986 to record their fourth (overall) studio album, Rock Therapy. Despite receiving relatively good reviews, the album wouldn't be very successful outside of the USA, nor would i push enough units to obtain any sales certifications. Additionally, neither single, I'm A Rocker, and Reckless, would chart.

It's not uncommon for bands to break up, reunite, break up again, reunite, and so on. So, while it wasn't that odd that the Stray Cats would do it, before you get excited and say, "They missed each other," know that the only reason Rock Therapy was recorded was to fulfill the band's record contract with EMI. Perhaps this explains the album being overloaded with cover tracks, vs. original material from the boys. Minimal effort. Get in, get out, get back to our solo efforts.

Well...this is a bit of a downer note to start on. It certainly doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies. Thank goodness it's only around thirty-five minutes long.

Honestly, this can be a relatively short and sweet one. Rock Therapy offered me nothing. The whole effort felt phoned in. It was obvious the band didn't care, so frankly, why should I?

I didn't.

By track five I found myself saying in my head, "Why is this thing still on?" Candidly, it was boring. Beyond that, I don't have anything else to say about this one.

Upon the release of Rock Therapy, the band would once again take a hiatus, not reuniting again until 1989's Blast Off! Though it would be their last album of the decade, it would also set the stage for three (fairly) consecutive albums in the 90s, Let's Go Faster (1990), Choo Choo Hot Fish (1992), and Original Cool (1993). It would be another twenty-six years before they would reform, and release 2013's 40.

We're way ahead of the game at this point though. First and foremost (tomorrow), we need to get through 1989's Blast Off! See you then.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 16, 1989

 

Comics Corner: Ka-Zar The Savage 20

   

Title: Ka-Zar The Savage
Issue Number: 20
Release Date: November 1982

Highlights

  • First appearance of Ron Frenz, and Bruce Jones
  • Ka-Zar and Kraven battle there way into a comic convention, damaging books to the horror of the people around
  • Reference is made to Astonishing Tales 2
Low Points
  • Still no Spider-Man
Oddities
  • Ka-Zar's got a bullet in his brain, but no visible wound when he takes the gauze bandage off his head
  • Said wound is also not hindering him with exception of making it so he can't talk, and giving him a headach
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Revisiting The A-Team


What comes to your mind when you hear someone say, "I pity the fool?" If you said Mr. T, you'd be right. However, if I asked you where that came from, and you said, "The A-Team," you would be incorrect. If you said, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," I'd say, yeah okay, but what else?

While most people associate the catchphrase with The A-Team, T's character never once said the iconic line on the show. Instead, it was spoken by Clubber Lang in Rocky III.

Growing up, The A-Team was a show that we would catch whenever possible. I say it this way because my brother and I were limited to what came through over the airways while living overseas. We were further hindered by whether or not our older sister would let us come into her room to huddle around her small black and white television.

While this built a fondness for the series, I really didn't remember much about the show as I grew older. Well, beyond the basics, such as Mr. T, the characters as a whole, and the formulaic hiring of the A-Team to get out of a bad situation.

In an era of DVD, it was a blessing to 80's fans to see the return of the series in its entirety. This began in 2004 with season one, and continued in 2005 with season two. Production was then sped up with seasons three, four, and five released in 2006.




The DVD's were re-released in 2013, again as individual seasons, but with different covers.




Additionally, these re-released versions got slapped together in a cardboard box, designed to look like the classic A-Team van, and were sold as the complete series.


A complete series DVD was also released in 2019, this time housing all the seasons inside one plasic DVD case.


Its this latter release which I added to my collection, and gave me the opportunity to watch the series from start to finish over the next several weeks.

As the pilot started up, something was off. There was George Peppard as Lieutenant Colonel/Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith, Dwight Schultz as Captain H. M. Murdock, Mr. T as Sergeant First Class Bosco Albert "B. A." (Bad Attitude) Baracus, and Melinda Culea as Amy Amanda "Triple A" Allen. However, who the heck was Tim Dunigan, and why was he playing First Lieutenant Templeton Arthur "Faceman" Peck?


As I soon learned, Dunigan was the first choice for the character. However, when the series was picked up the studio didn't feel that the actor was old enough to represent a character who served in Vietnam. This led to the hiring of the true Faceman, Dirk Benedict, who took over starting with episode two.

The first season quickly fell into the format and formula which would dictate the flow of the majority of the series. Someone is in trouble, typically being pushed off their land for some reason or another, they hire The A-Team, who come in strong, only to be captured in the second act, build some form of device, and finally defeat the villain of the week. The Team either rides off into the sunset from there, or gets chased off by William Lucking as Colonel Francis Lynch, who appeared in the show through season three.

What I found I missed as a kid was that Murdock was never proven to be a full member of The A-Team by the government. Though they suspected him, and he was involved with their mission that put them on the run, they could never catch him in the act.


Season two kept up with the formulaic run of the show. However, one major turn of events would occur starting with episode twelve, where Melinda Culea was unceremoniously written out of the show. Deemed to be a problem for producers, as well as not getting along with George Peppard, who wanted to rid the set of all female lead characters, her character got a brief narrative that she took an assignment overseas.

Beginning with episode fifteen, Marla Heasley joined the cast as journalist / reporter Tawnia Baker. However, she too was written out of the show in a two part storyline in season three. It's believed the only reason was because George Peppard continued to insist to the producers that the show didn't need a female co-star.

Additionally, Lance LeGaut joined the series as new army villain, Colonel Roderick Decker. He continued to make appearances on the show through the final season.


If you would have asked me as a kid who my favorite character was, and who the star of the show was, I'd have told you, Mr. T, and B.A. However, as an adult, my perspective has shifted. Howling Mad Murdock had definitely become the focal point for who I was tuning in for. His character was hysterical. In fact, I even likened his personas to how Jim Carey portrays a lot of (if not all) of his characters.

I'd also say that the stigma that haunted Peppard throughout the show, that Mr. T was becoming the leading star, may have been true at the time. However, I was definitely seeing him as the show runner from episode to episode.

That's not to say I didn't like the other characters. Far from it. The suaveness of Faceman, and his ability to con often served a critical point in each story, while when it was needed, B.A.'s muscles reduced any fight to a mere squabble.

Season three also remained formulaic to the show, and candidly, this is where things started to get a little boring for me. The show was becoming quite stagnant, and it definitely needed a change. However, the one that would come with season four wasn't what I would call the right move.


Celebrity guest stars became the name of the game with the fourth season. Among them were the likes of Hulk Hogan, who appeared in a couple episodes, Rick James, Isaac Hayes, and Culture Club. These episodes often felt hokey, serving no purpose other than capitalizing on the fame of their guests. This would be the point where the show jumped the shark for me. Mind you, as a child I probably would have lost my mind to see Hulk Hogan and Boy George fighting alongside the A-Team.

Jack Lee Ging also joined the series as General Harlan 'Bull' Fulbright, the final army villain added to the series. He remained through the final season. Fullbright would also be the only character in the entire series to die, being killed in the episode, The Sound Of Thunder. Another interesting fact about the character is that his on-screen daughter, seen in that same episode, was played by a very young Tia Carrera.


As fatigue set in, The A-Team threw in a last ditch effort. A trope often used in 80's sitcoms. They added a child.

Okay, not necessarily a child. Rather, Eddie Velez as Frankie "Dishpan Man" Santana, a new member of the team. With this came the biggest change to the show. No longer were the A-Team a group of mercenaries for hire. Instead, after a three part arc where they were captured, put on trial, and sentenced to death, after escaping, they joined up with Hunt Stockwell, a (former United States Army General) played by Robert Vaughn.

Stockwell essentially put the team to work as his own elite command group, promising them a full pardon upon completing a set number of missions. While this continued to include Murdock, he was formally discharged from the VA hospital, and worked on the side at a restaurant.

Probably the most intriguing episode for me in this entire season was Family Reunion. In this, we meet A.J. Bancroft, and his estranged daughter Leslie Becktall. As the episode progresses, we learn that Bancroft wants to rekindle his lost relationship with his children because he's dying. Mind you I said, children, and as the episode unfolds, we learn that his son is Face, which makes Becktall his sister. Unfortunately, while he confides this information in Murdock, Bancroft dies before he can tell Face. Murdock eventually breaks the news, leading to a rather emotional conclusion to the episode.

Perhaps the biggest change, and the one that I really disliked was the retooling of the theme song. Gone was that classic original intro with awesome guitars. In its place a synth pop, drum machine blah-fest. It took everything that made the original theme so iconic, and threw it straight off of a roof. It's horrible. Still, I get why they did it. They wanted people to know right from the start of each episode that this was a newer, fresher A-Team.

If you like, you can check out all five seasons openings in sequential order below.


Season five ends with no significance after just thirteen episodes. There's no resolution of threads, conclusion to the overall story, and definitely no pardon with The A-Team finally being free men. Instead, it's just another formulaic episode. Interestingly enough, there was an intended ending for the show, and this would have been episode twelve's The Grey Team. However, due to being aired accidentally out of sequence, this ruined the intended finale. With that said, even if it had aired in the correct order, it still wouldn't have resolved much of the storyline. Though in hindsight, it certainly would have been better than what was aired as the final episode.

Had The Grey Team been the final episode, the closing dialog would have hinted at the team returning to their roots, serving as helpers of the public, taking on tasks akin to those from prior seasons. Additionally, there was a visual queue from Murdock's character, who is last seen wearing a shirt which says, "Fini."

Several facets led to the show's eventual cancellation. While most of this is mainly based on the overall ratings, this dials in to multiple contributing factors. These included audience fatigue from the formulaic episode structures, retooling the series with new characters that weren't well received, and the rise of action stars who led violent films, casting a shadow on the lighthearted action of The A-Team. This was further not helped by issues behind the scenes, such as the continued fighting between Peppard and Mr. T.

Though formulaic, and generic by nature as a result, overall, the series had a good run. Ninety-eight episodes between 1983 and 1987 in no small feat, especially in the world of here today, gone tomorrow television.

The A-Team remains a classic piece of American television, and a fine staple of the 80's. To an extent, the episodes even hold up today. Sure, the overall premise is hokey, and unbelievable at times. However, the iconic characters keep you invested. You know they're going to get out of it in the end, but the journey of how they do it easily keeps you tuned in. Getting the chance to revisit this series as an adult was awesome.


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Retro Spins: Stray Cats - Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats


Things were on a rapid uphill climb for those kooky 50's crooners known as Stray Cats. Though their first and second albums were limited to where they were released, based on their sales, the compilation Built For Speed was put together, creating their first official US release.

Built For Speed went multi platinum, boosting the Cats popularity across the globe, and launching them into stardom. Looking to capitalize, the boys returned to the studio to record and release their third studio album, but only second in the US, Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats (1983).

Despite going platinum, Rant failed to perform to the level expected, underperforming Built For Speed. It did, however, spawn the top ten hit, (She's) Sexy + 17, and the top forty hit, I Won't Stand In Your Way.

The problem with playing back to back albums from a band is that fatigue starts to set in. The ears can only take so much. It's because of this that my review of the album may be a bit biased.

Overall, it's just more of the same. There doesn't appear to be any "growth" from the band in their three years of working together. Though, I may not be the only one to feel this way. 

Upon hearing it, Robert Christgau  of The Village Voice stated that despite his improved guitar playing, Brian Setzer was a poor songwriter and "A preening panderer, mythologizing his rockin' '50s with all the ignorant cynicism of a punk poser". Well, that's not very friendly.

Overall, I take (She's) Sexy + 17 with a grain of salt. It's not among my favorites, but rather falls more so in the category of, "Yeah, I know that song." As for the rest of it, it's passable for me. In fact, at this point, I'm also going to take a bit of a break before diving into the groups remaining albums from the 80's. Of course, for you, the reader, that means nothing. Despite the time I take away from them, tomorrow will still see me diving into the next album.

As for Stray Cats, success started to take its toll on the band, resulting in conflict amongst the individual members. Slim Jim Phantom would get married around this time, while Brian Setzer went on to work with other notable acts, such as Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, and Robert Plant. They'd come back together in 1984, adding new member, Tommy Byrnes on guitar and harmony vocals.

However, after completing a tour of the US and Europe, Setzer would make the decision to disband the group, resulting in animosity from the other members. Setzer would frequently attempt to justify his decision in the interviews which followed, stating that while he had enjoyed the five years with the Cats, he, "Got bored with it. In the last year I stopped getting that feeling, that great kick that twisted in my gut."

Setzer would embark on a solo career, forming a new band, Brian Setzer & the Radiation Ranch. Meanwhile, Phantom and Lee Rocker would join up with David Bowie Guitarist, Earl Slick to form Phantom, Rocker & Slick. Despite this, things weren't done and over for Stray Cats. They would reunite in 1986 to record the album, Rock Therapy, which as noted above, we'll talk about tomorrow, despite my taking my own hiatus from the band.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 15, 1984

 

Comics Corner: Ka-Zar The Savage 19

   

Title: Ka-Zar The Savage
Issue Number: 19
Release Date: October 1982

Highlights

  • Kraven the Hunter makes a cliffhanger ending appearance
Low Points
  • Still no Spider-Man appearance in the story arc
Oddities
  • When Norm radios from the plane, he informs the person on the other end that they have, "a sick man onboard", except he's not sick, he was shot in the head - Maybe instead say, "critically injured"?
  • In issue 18, they're referred to as Ramona and Dr. Cortland. In issue 19, it's now Courtland
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Stray Cats - Gonna Ball


Hot on the heels of their 1981 self-titled debut, the Stray Cats released their follow up, Gonna Ball. Whereas their debut saw massive success, and spawned multiple chart singles in the UK, their second album didn't fare as well. While the single, You Don't Believe Me would chart in the UK, it would peak at fifty-seven, a far cry from the top ten hits their debut spawned.

Playing through it, Gonna Ball essentially offers a carbon copy of their self-titled debut. In fact, it could have easily been a double LP album released as part of it. This, however, is not necessarily a bad thing.

Amongst the various songs, I found some new tunes to tap my toes to, and ultimately add to my shuffle list. These included, Baby Blue Eyes, Wasn't That Good, Cryin' Shame, You Don't Believe Me, Gonna Ball, and the awesome instrumental, Wicked Whisky.

The same "problem" I had with their debut is what I found myself experiencing here. While the songs are good, they start to all mesh together, sounding the same from track to track. It was so bad that at one point I didn't even know what song I was listening to.

But again, I did enjoy listening to the album. It was another nice entry into the rockability 50's style. Additionally, unlike their prior release, it also avoided the pitfalls of combining elements of punk. Basically, it was straight up malt shop rock and roll.

Despite its lackluster release, combined sales of both their first and second album were sufficient for EMI America to compile a selection of tracks from both, six from their debut, and five from Gonna Ball, to create the compilation, Built For Speed. This would serve as the band's debut album in the USA.

This was followed up in 1983 with their third album, second in the US, Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats. You'll catch me there next time...you know, tomorrow. So far, so good.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 14, 1985


Comics Corner: Ka-Zar The Savage 18

   

Title: Ka-Zar The Savage
Issue Number: 18
Release Date: September 1982

Highlights

  • First appearance of Ramona Coutland, Dr. "Doc" Cortland, and Norm
  • First appearance and death of Charles, Tyrannosaurus rex, and Dimetrodon
  • First appearance of Ka-Zar's treehouse, and the Cortland's seaplane
  • Ka-Zar takes a gunshot to the head, and must be transported to Manhattan from the Savage Land
  • The artwork is actually really good
Low Points
  • No Spider-Man, but the beginning of a story arc that will eventually lead to him showing up
Oddities
  • Editor's Day Off: Shanna says, "You think all have to do...
  • How exactly does one survive a gunshot head to the head, let alone a flight from the Savage Land to Manhattan?

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Stray Cats - Stray Cats


A little bit of trickery helped keep the Stray Cats on the scene, and it's quite comical the way they went about it.

The band was formed in 1979 by New Yorker's Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker (AKA Leon Drucker), and Slim Jim Phantom (AKA James McDonnell). Engrossed in the end of disco, the rise of punk, and synth pop on the horizon, the Stray Cats took a different approach, ignoring them all. They would focus their sound on the roackbility style of 50's rock, keeping the spirit of rock alive, while also continuing to shape the genre, specifically through their massive hit, Rock This Town.

Though they were building a steady following around their local area, the boys found themselves facing a challenge with club owners who didn't want to promote repeat acts. To get around this, the three would change their name from show to show to trick owners into booking them for consecutive nights. These included names like The Tomcats, The Teds, Bryan And The Tom Cats, and so on. The would continue to use a cats moniker in their names, a somewhat inside way of allowing fans to know it was them, while duping various owners around town to keep hiring them.

When the boys heard of the teddy boy revival building in England, they did the unimaginable. They packed up, and moved to the UK. Perhaps as a result of that scene, or from their own doing, the Stray Cats contributed heavily to the scene, even going so far as to base their looks on the era their music mimicked, dawning drape jackets, brothel creepers, and western shirts, while mixing in elements of punk to keep them heavily rooted in the late 70's / early 80's.

It was during this time that they garnered the attention of labels, Virgin, Stiff, and Arista, the latter which they would ultimately sign with. However, it was when word spread and groups such as Rolling Stones, Who, and Led Zeppelin began attending their shows that it attracted the attention of producer Dave Edmunds. Edmunds would offer the Cats an opportunity to work with him, and record their first studio album.

The self-titled debut was released in February, 1981, peaking at number six on the UK charts. Additionally, it produced two top ten hits, Runaway Boys, and Rock This Town, both peaking at number nine, and the number eleven hit, Stray Cat Strut. Rock This Town would also go on to be noted by The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as one of the five hundred songs that shaped rock and roll.

Despite its success, Stray Cats (the album), would not see a US release until after the 1982 compilation, Built For Speed was released. However, we'll dive into that one a bit further down the road. First, we pause here to fire up their debut, and have a listen.

Firing it up, I'm immediately greeted to the sounds of my childhood. Mind you, not the 80's pop music that filled my cassettes. Instead, I'm talking about that jukebox malt shop memories that my mom used to play while we all cleaned the house on the weekend.

It's perhaps with this appreciation that I found myself bobbing my head to both the first and second tracks, Runaway Boys, and Fishnet Stockings. To say I was fully all in would be an understatement. Further, I found myself excited to hear more.

Things kind of settled down, and even shifted into punk elements with songs like, Storm The Embassy. Admittedly, these weren't my favorite songs among the bunch. Instead, I gravitated more to the likes of Rock This Town, Rumble In Brighton, and Stray Cat Strut, as well as the first two album openers noted above. There were a handful of other decent tracks scattered in there, but the one thing I noticed was that a lot of it sounded the same. So really, it came down to picking the better of the lot.

Overall, I enjoyed playing through it, and it poised me to want to hear more. That's a good thing, considering I already own their entire discography.

As for the Cats, they immediately released their sophomore album, Gonna Ball, also in 1981. Though you'll see that post tomorrow, I'll be diving right into it.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 13, 1980
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 13, 1986


Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 16
Issue Number: 16
Release Date: November 1982

Highlights

  • First appearance of Monica Rambeau as Captain Marvel
  • Additional first appearances of Professor Andre LeClare, Roxxon employee, Felipe Picaro, the thugs, Scud, and Mojo, New Orleans Harbor Patrol, Generalissimo Ernesto Ramirez, Dougie, and Joey
  • Origin of the new Captain Marvel
  • Reference is made to Fantastic Four 242
  • Harry and Liz come into town
Low Points
  • An entire secret organization and their security is swayed by a pair of boobs
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses

 

Today wraps up my 80's journey through Depeche Mode. It's been an okay one, filled with moments of  discovery, finding new music, while also hearing some old favorites. I wouldn't call myself a Depeche Mode fan at this point, but I'm happy to have their albums in my collection.

Depeche Mode delivered one final studio album in 1987, Music For The Masses, and then embarked on a massive world tour, all documented in the live album / video documentary, 101. While the singles, Strangelove, Never Let Me Down Again, and Behind The Wheel faired well in Germany, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland, often reaching the top ten, they failed to garner much attention in the UK. This was quite the contrary to the bands prior successes. However, the album, as a whole, did serve as another breakthrough for the US, reaching 35 on the Billboard 200.

Though it received relatively favorable reviews upon its release, retrospectively, Music For The Masses has been elevated higher, even being noted on the 2006 list of 1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die. Seemingly, it appears to be considered one of the best albums from the band, and apparently a must hear in your lifetime release. Well, that's an incredibly high bar to set, so let's just see if things are indeed as amazing as professed.

Mmm...no. If I knew someone on their deathbed, this wouldn't be one I'd tell someone to hold on just a little longer to hear before passing. Mind you, it's not terrible, but amazing it is also not.

It's also another album that suffers from the bloat of the CD age. Wherein the original LP is ten tracks, but crammed on the CD and cassette are four additional tracks. It takes an already long, forty-five minute record, and expands it to just shy of an hour.

Taking just the first ten songs, I would personally say that the standout was Strangelove, and honestly, that's it. Maybe at this point it's just Depeche Mode fatigue, but this one just didn't resonate with me. I found it slow paced, to the point of droning on.

Just to torture myself further, I did try to give the four "bonus" tracks a shot. Nah, those too were an easy pass for me.

Overall, what I got from Music For The Masses was that Depeche Mode wanted to take me on a deep, dark, and depressing journey with them, and frankly, I wasn't interested in the trip. At the end of the day, I don't see the hype or retrospective must hear mentality on this one.

The band were far from done when the 80's ended, and continue to release albums and tour to date. However, it hasn't been a straight forward journey for the four members who made up the core group since their third album. Ironically, it would be Alan Wilder, who replaced founding member Vince Clarke in 1982 who would depart in 1995. Wilder would state -

"Since joining in 1982, I have continually striven to give total energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the furthering of the group's success, and in spite of a consistent imbalance in the distribution of the workload, willingly offered this. Unfortunately, within the group, this level of input never received the respect and acknowledgement that it warrants."

Either he's saying his contributions were never appreciated, or he was basically told to sit down, and wait to be told what to do, or both.

Meanwhile, lead singer, and co-writer, David Ganan was heavily addicted to cocaine and heroin, resulting in recording sessions in 1995 coming to a grinding halt. Things got so bad that co-writer / singer, Martin Gore considered taking his material and using it for a solo project. After a near-fatal overdose, Ganan was court ordered to rehabilitation, where he finally was able to get clean and return to the studio.

Depeche Mode continued as the trio of remaining founding members until the sudden and unexpected death of Andy Fletcher in 2022. Gore and Ganan would return to the studio for 2023's Memento Mori, and continue to keep the band alive as a duo.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 12, 1981
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
September 12, 1987


Comics Corner: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 72

   

Title: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man
Issue Number: 72
Release Date: November 1982

Highlights

  • First appearance of Ollie Osnick as Doctor Octopus
  • Additional first appearances by Brad Rossi, Zelda Osnick, Milton Osnick, Rick Magyar, and Dr. Bailey Kuklin
  • A group of kids have formed a Super Villain Society, and dress up as their favorites; Electro, Sandman, Kraven, Beetle, Mysterio, Vulture, and Doctor Octopus
  • Ollie has a TIE Fighter toy hanging from his ceiling, and a Darth Vader poster on his wall
  • Peter Parker's apartment has been robbed while he was out as Spider-Man
  • Ollie's crime sprees consist of steeling comic books, and toys, among them G.I. Joe and Rom figures and vehicles
  • Debbie Whitman is seeing a psychiatrist, and pleads with him that either she's crazy, or Peter Parker is Spider-Man
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • Editor's Day Off: Several panels with Spider-Man's eye lenses colored red
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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