On this day, 41 years ago, The Cure performed ‘The Walk’ on Top Of The Pops!
On this day, 41 years ago, The Cure performed their single ‘The Walk’ on BBC's Top Of The Pops (July 22nd 1983). Initially released as a stand-alone single in July 1983, it almost immediately became the title track of a six-track 12” EP.
The song became The Cure's biggest UK hit to this point, peaking at #12, and their first entry into the UK top 20.
At the time of recording The Cure was briefly reduced to the two founding members Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst following the departure of bassist Simon Gallup following the end of the band's previous tour in support of the album Pornography (1982).
Created using relatively new electronic equipment, the Oberheim OB-8 synthesizer and DMX drum machine, the genesis and recording of the track - though not the release date - predates New Order’s Blue Monday. Similarities between the tracks are likely the result of experimentation with similar equipment.
This ‘just out of the box’ experimentation is best illustrated by listening to the opening of ‘The Walk’. The synth note that gives the track its distinctive discordant feel was the result of a stubborn piece of keyboard programming the band found impossible to remove.
The Walk
I called you after midnight
Then ran until I burst
I passed the howling woman
And stood outside your door
We walked around the lake
And woke up in the rain
And everyone turned over
Troubled in their dreams again
Visiting time is over
And so we walk away
And both play dead then cry out loud
Why we always cry this way?
I kissed you in the water
And made your dry lips sing
I saw you look
Like a Japanese baby
In an instant I remembered everything, everything, everything
I called you after midnight
Then ran until my heart burst
I passed the howling woman
And stood outside your door
I kissed you in the water
And made your dry lips sing
I saw you look
Like a Japanese baby
In an instant I remembered everything, everything, everything
Take me for a walk
Take me for a walk
Let's go in the water
Take me for a walk
Songwriters: Robert James Smith / Laurence Andrew Tolhurst
© Universal Music
"The Day the World Went Away" (HALO 13), released 25 years ago, on July 20, 1999, by Nine Inch Nails, is a significant single from their third studio album, "The Fragile." This track showcases Trent Reznor's distinctive industrial rock style, blending haunting melodies with raw, emotional intensity.
Clocking in at over four minutes, the song, which contains no drums at all, diverges from the band's earlier aggressive sound, favoring a more atmospheric and introspective approach. The lyrics, minimal yet powerful, reflect themes of loss and despair, creating a somber and reflective tone. Reznor's vocal delivery is both haunting and evocative, complementing the song's melancholic instrumental backdrop.
Musically, "The Day the World Went Away" features layers of distorted guitars, intricate electronic textures, and a compelling use of silence and dynamics. The track's unconventional structure and ambient elements exemplify Reznor's innovative approach to songwriting and production.
Accompanied by a stark, monochromatic music video directed by Reznor and Bill Yukich, the song has become a fan favorite and a testament to Nine Inch Nails' enduring influence in the industrial rock genre.
The song was the band's first top-forty hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 17, which remains their highest-ever position on the chart.
Formats and track listings
"The Day the World Went Away" (HALO 13) CD single
Nothing Records / Interscope Records INTDS-97026
1. "The Day the World Went Away" (single version) – 4:03
2. "Starfuckers, Inc." (long) – 5:24
3. "The Day the World Went Away (Quiet)" (remixed by Trent Reznor) – 6:20
"The Day the World Went Away" (HALO 13) - 12" single
Nothing Records / Interscope Records INT12-97026
Side A
1. "The Day the World Went Away" (single version) – 4:01
2. "The Day the World Went Away (Quiet)" – 6:20
Side B
3. "The Day the World Went Away (Porter Ricks)" – 7:04
Dark electronic band, ODYSSEY MOTH has unveiled their latest EP, Shattered. Shattered is a double single release that includes songs "Angry Girl" and the song "Broken and Burned". These are from the forthcoming album from ODYSSEY MOTH due out later in 2024. "Angry Girl" is a song about the frustratio
ns and the cynical acceptance of a relationship falling apart. The driving pulse of the beat and the whining of the synths reflect the emotions that coincide with the frustration and gravitas of the unfolding negative situation.
"Broken and Burned" is a song about the pain felt from being pushed out and burned from a relationship and being blocked and not allowed to be a part of the birth of a child, divorce during pregnancy. The relationship burns down to ashes while a child like a Phoenix is born from it.
Shattered features the dark synths, driving beats, and cutting vocals. It also features the co-production, sound design, and mastering of Per-Anders Kurenbach in Bochum Germany. Shattered is available on most major digital platforms including Spotify.
On this day, 46 years ago, Dead Kennedys played their very first live show!
On July 19, 1978, 46 years ago, the Dead Kennedys made their debut performance at the Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, California, a venue known for nurturing punk rock talent. Formed in June of the same year, the band's lineup consisted of Jello Biafra (vocals), East Bay Ray (guitar), Klaus Flouride (bass), and Ted (drums). The Dead Kennedys quickly became known for their provocative and politically charged lyrics, as well as their high-energy performances. Their first concert at the Mabuhay Gardens set the stage for their influence in the punk rock scene, characterized by a raw, fast-paced sound and a rebellious attitude. This initial performance was a pivotal moment, marking the beginning of a career that would see the Dead Kennedys become one of the most significant and controversial punk bands of their time. Their music, often laced with satirical commentary on social and political issues, resonated with a generation disillusioned by mainstream culture. The Mabuhay Gardens show established the Dead Kennedys as a formidable force in the punk movement.
Partial setlist retrieved from the Chan 25 weekly Target Video Show footage
Forward To Death
I Kill Children
Kidnap
III In The Head
Today, exactly 44 years ago, Joy Division released their second and final studio album, Closer.
Today, exactly 44 years ago, Joy Division released their second and final studio album, Closer. It was released on 18 July 1980 on the renowned UK label Factory Records exactly two months after the tragic suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis (18 May 1980). Today, Closer is still considered as one of the major releases of the New-Wave and Post-Punk era.
The songs on Closer were drawn from two distinct periods. The earlier guitar-driven compositions like Atrocity Exhibition, A Means to an End, Colony, Passover and 24 Hours were written during the latter half of 1979. The other songs like Isolation, Decades, The Eternal and Heart and Soul were written in early 1980 and included more prominent use of electronics and synthesizers.
Regarding the album's lyrical content, Bernard Sumner recollected: "We'd go to rehearsals and sit around and talk about really banal things. We'd do that until we couldn't talk about banal things any more, then we'd pick up our instruments and record into a little cassette player. We didn't talk about the music or the lyrics very much. We never analyzed it”. Bernard also remembers Ian Curtis saying he was feeling strange because “he felt like all his words were writing themselves. He also said that he had this terrible claustrophobic feeling that he was in a whirlpool and being pulled down, drowning."
Closer was recorded between 18–30 March 1980 at Britannia Row Studios in London. It was produced by Martin Hannett. His production has been highly praised by the music press. However, as with their debut album, both Hook and Sumner were unhappy with Hannett's work. Peter Hook later complained that the track "Atrocity Exhibition" was mixed on one of his days off and when he heard the final product was disappointed that the abrasiveness of his guitar part had been laden with effects and toned down. He wrote; "I was like, head in hands, oh fucking hell, it's happening again. Unknown Pleasures number two... Martin [Hannett] had melted the guitar with his Marshall Time Waster. Made it sound like somebody strangling a cat, and to my mind, absolutely killed the song. I was so annoyed with him and went in and gave him a piece of my mind but he just turned around and told me to fuck off."
The album cover was designed by Martyn Atkins and Peter Saville, with a photograph of a Italian tomb on the sleeve. Designer Peter Saville commented that he, upon learning of singer Ian Curtis's suicide, expressed immediate concern over the album's design as it depicted a funeral theme, remarking "we've got a tomb on the cover of the album!"
Closer as a 12” vinyl album reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart. The Album was also chosen as Album of The Year by NME and is still placed highly in various top 10 lists like Best Album of the 80s (Slant Magazine, Pitchfork Magazine, Q magazine, …) and number two on Sonic Seducers “10 key Goth albums”. It got 10/10 review scores by Akk Music, NME, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone album guide, Select, Spin Alternative Record Guide, Uncut and the Encyclopedia of Popular Music
By 1982, the album had sold over 250,000 copies worldwide.
Shortly after this release the remaining members chose New Order as their new and future band name.
Closer
Side A
1. Atrocity Exhibition
2. Isolation
3. Passover
4. Colony
5. A Means to an End
Side B
6. Heart and Soul
7. Twenty Four Hours
8. The Eternal
9. Decades
All songs written by Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner.
