Renegade Soundwave and The Age Of Chance!

OK, after posting about the new OMD cover by Peter Seville, I decided to highlight my other two favorite album cover artists. Both of these are late 80, but they rock none-the-less!

First up is Dave Little. Dave has a very cool distinctive look that he created for one of my favorite club/bud band, Renegade Soundwave. My favorite cover he did was for their single "Cocaine Sex"

I also had the RSW logo he designed painted onto my leather jacket in college. Bad ass!

Next up, Ian Anderson, founder of The Designers Republic. They did all the covers for the band "Age Of Chance" from 1986- 1987. Wicked cool stuff (pre-desktop publishing, no less), like the cover of "Don't Get Mad...Get Even!" and the 12" of the Price cover "Kiss", and my favorite, the artwork for the cover and inner sleeve of their 1987 debut LP,"1000 Years Of Trouble"

Rock On!

Peter Saville and OMD

Well, I just pre-ordered the new OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvers In The Dark) album "History of Modern" which get released on September 28th, 2010. This is very exciting for many reasons. First, this is the first new album from OMD since 1996. Second, This is the first album since 1986 that has the original two member, Andy McCluskeyand Paul Humphreys, who haven't played together as OMD since the Pacific Age album! Third, from what I've been able to glean, this is going to be a 'classic' OMD

sounding album. They kind of lost their way in the 90s and I'm really excited to hear some 'old-school' OMD!

While I was ordering the "Ultimate Box Set" (which includes the CD, a 180gm LP, 7" single, CD of out-takes, and a DVD of the recording of the new album) I also read that the new album cover was created by Peter Saville. You may or may not know his name, but you DEFINITELY know his work!

Peter was one of the founders of FACTORY Records and did all the covers for the Factory bands, most notably Joy Division and New Order. His album covers are completely unique and always left a huge impression on me when I was buying them new back in the day. He did the Power, Corruption and Lies cover, the 12" for Blue Monday, and (one of my favorite) the cover the the 1982 EP "Factus 8". I didn't know at the time, but the art was actually done by Peter's live-in girlfriend at the time, Martha Ladly (formerly of Canadian new wavers "Martha & The Muffins).

I sold a 5 foot tall version of this poster in my record store and thought it was one of the coolest around!

Peter did covers for other non-Factory labels as well, including OMD. He did nearly all the great OMD singles and LP covers, including their wicked cool 1980 debut album with the die-cut cover looking at the sleeve color inside, up to Junk Culture in 1985

It's great to know that Peter is still around and making awesome and relevant artwork and album covers. Thanks Peter for 30 years of eye candy!

(For an extensive list of Peter's cover work, check out this awesome site in Japan!)

My Office

Well, I dug out all my posters from high-school and college and wallpapered my office a-la "Ferris Bueller". Feels good to be living in a record store!

Sixteen Candles

OK all you Madness fans out there. This has driven me crazy for 20 years. What version of the song "Our House" by Madness is playing during the opening dance sequence to the classic John Hughes film "Sixteen Candles"....

I think I have about 6 different versions of this song (12" dub mix, Stretch mix, us special remix, extended mix, budtheweiser mix, etc..) in my music collection, but I can find this one. It is very orchestral compared to the original score...Help please!

Here is a clip to refresh you memory.

UPDATE!!!!

Ok, the musician that wrote and performed many of the music scores for John Hughes, Ira Newborn, was contacted via email and here is what he had to say about the above mentioned "Our House" variation....

"Yes, I did "16 Candles" and I do remember having to "knock off" Our House by Madness because the studio didn't want to pay for the licensing fee...because when a studio commissions a composer to write music, they actually own it. It's called music-for-hire.' 

I don't really have any favorite projects. Maybe "The Blues Brothers" or "Weird Science." Talking to Kelly LeBrock in her underwear is something I will take to the grave with me. More impressive than the Grand Canyon.' 

"Filene" is exactly what it is. I had a girlfriend at the time who was black and I always used to kid her about black people making up funny names for their kids so I started calling her Filene and then used it in the song. I later called her "Lobelia" and used that in some other movie."

So there you go.  The song is called "Filene" and it is a knock off of Madness's "Our House".  Case closed.