Today, 36 years ago, Depeche Mode performed People Are People on German TV.
On 14 March 1984 the English synth pop band Depeche Mode presented their brand new single ‘People Are People’ which was only released two days before (12 March 1984) on the German Top-pop TV show Flashlights.
Six weeks later the single reached the first place in the German single charts and stayed on this number one position for 3 weeks. In West Germany, it was used as the theme to West German TV's coverage of the 1984 Olympics, alluding to East Germany's participation in the Soviet-led boycott of the games.
The single was taken from the album ‘Some Great Reward’ which made it to the 3rd position in the German pop album charts. The album also became gold record with over 150,000 copies sold.
It also became their first hit-single in the US where the single would eventually peak at no. 13. In the UK, the single reached number 4, which was at the time the band's highest singles chart position in their homeland.
In 2011 the song was included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll"
People are People (Lyrics)
People are people so why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
So we're different colours
And we're different creeds
And different people have different needs
It's obvious you hate me
Though I've done nothing wrong
I never even met you
So what could I have done
I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
People are people so why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully
Help me understand
Now you're punching and you're kicking
And you're shouting at me
I'm relying on your common decency
So far it hasn't surfaced
But I'm sure it exists
It just takes a while to travel
From your head to your fist
I can't understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
Songwriter: Martin Gore
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Danish EBM legend Claus Larsen, aka Leaether Strip and UK synthpop artist Gary Watts, aka Nature of Wires, have collaborated for a very good cause.
Claus Larsen of Leaether Strip is married to Kurt Grünewald-Hansen. Last year Kurt desperately needed a kidney transplant and, after many months of waiting, Claus donated one of his. All went well, but over the last 2-3 months Kurt's health has suffered again and he has been in a hospital 90 minutes' drive from where he and Claus live in Denmark since before Christmas. It is a very difficult time for Claus and Kurt.
'A Heart so Divine' is written for Kurt and proceeds from Bandcamp sales will go towards the costs of Kurt's continued medication and treatment, as do sales of the many other fine Leaether Strip releases available on Bandcamp.
Claus and Gary would be very grateful if you support their cause!
'A Heart so Divine' will be officially released on March 20th 2020 but is already available to pre-order from Bandcamp!
https://leaetherstrip.bandcamp.com/
Music by Gary Watts
Words and vocals by Claus Larsen
Artwork by Vlad McNeally (Kallisti Design)
Today, 34 years ago, American Industrial band Ministry released their second studio album Twitch (12/03/1986). Unlike their synth-pop sounding debut album With Sympathy and due to the influences of bands like Front 242 and Cabaret Voltaire, Twitch received a more dark and aggressive production approach by Adrian Sherwoord and the bands head and voice Al Jourgensen.
Over The Shoulder, accompanied by a video directed by Peter Christopherson (Throbbing Gristle /Coil) was the only single taken from this album.
In 1990 Twitch was reissued on CD and contained two extra tracks, being the exclusive tracks on the Over The Shoulder 12” single until that time.
Tracklist Twitch:
1. Just Like You
2. We Believe
3. All Day Remix
4. The Angel
5. Over the Shoulder
6. My Possession
7. Where You at Now? / Crash & Burn / Twitch" (Version II)
CD bonus tracks
8. Over the Shoulder (12" Version)
9. Isle of Man" (Version II)
Today, 40 years ago, John Peel played Joy Division's Dead Souls for the first time on BBC Radio.
On 12th March 1980, renowned long term BBC radio journalist and DJ John Peel (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004) played Joy Division's Dead Souls for the first time after he discovered the track as a B-side on the 7" Licht und Blindheit.
This single, with Atmosphere on the A-side, was released in 1980 as a France only and limited edition of 1,578 copies. The 7" came with a 3 page colour gatefold booklet with a translation, text written by Jean-Pierre Turmel, a painting by Jean-Francois Jamoul and a photograph by Anton Corbijn.
Belgian Industrial Act REALITY'S DESPAIR Announces The Release of Melancholic Disposition
Belgian industrial act REALITY'S DESPAIR is proud to announce the release of their new full-length release, Melancholic Disposition.
While the lyrics deal with societal and human decline, the supernatural, the occult and aliens, musically REALITY'S DESPAIR can be categorised as ebm / dark electro with a strong 90's feel and with heavily-distorted vocals.
"The album consists of rhythmic tracks that take listeners away in the 90's, when EVIL’S TOY and the early works of the SOLITARY EXPERIMENTS clanked the scene. Elements of Old-school EBM add rhythm, so some tracks may fit Post-Industrial dancefloor. Good smooth album, which can be called a great return to the 90's. Again."
- Reflections of Darkness
BIO:
After releasing two demo cd’s and an EP between 1996 and 2000, it was long overdue to revive this dark electro/ebm solo project, REALITY'S DESPAIR back in 2017.
The one man project is based in Antwerp (Belgium). All lyrics and music are produced, mixed and mastered by Demarcation.
The revival of REALITY'S DESPAIR led to a first self-released album in April 2018, Societal Collapse, followed by Human Transitions in March 2019 and Melancholic Disposition in February 2020.
For fans of: Suicide Commando, Evil's Toy & Terminal Choice
