What a fantastic presentation. I truly enjoyed it. I agree with you a 100% in all aspect of this episode. Richard Butler just continues to fly under the radar. We just saw the Psychedelic Furs play the House of Blues in Las Vegas last week. It was indescribable how amazing the band sounded, and how incredible he held the notes all night. Love them.
For me Forever Now remains my favourite LP of the band, who to me were always more appreciated in the US than their home country. (Essentially once they moved to New York it was a case of out of sight out of mind to the UK music press of the time) President Gas lyrics are as cutting now as they were 40 yrs ago.
That makes a lot of sense. It's always odd that bands can have such different reactions on different continents. I'm always reminded of the Ramones playing church basements in the US and playing soccer stadiums in South America. It seems the Furs made the right choice from an artistic standpoint by relocating; they really thrived creatively over here. And yes, President Gas was prescient AF!
Totally agree about Butler being an underrated vocalist. Also agree about hating bog standard sax, with the obvious exceptions listed. In fact, when I first heard X-Ray Spex the sax totally turned me off and I could not get into it. Took me a long time to before I recognized their brilliance.
It took me years to get rid of Butler's vocal influence, which only worked for him, no one else. The first album is a masterpiece which they never quite matched, but they still released many great songs later. I really love All that Money Wants as a song. So brutally melancholy, something they always were. There's something about the band that would make you face the darkness in your light, but their music was beautiful, so it was a beautiful experience. Very interesting contradiction The Furs were a band that only could've happened in the post punk underground 1980s.
I saw the Furs really early, like 82, they played the WNEW-FM Christmas concert at Radio City. That’s a great bit about what the music meant to John Hughes. I owned the PiP soundtrack of course and wore the hell out of it but I never noticed the bit on the back. Also, the title track from “Forever Now” is a top-5 all time song for me.
That sounds like a cool show, Jim! And I missed that Hughes quote myself the first dozen times or so I played the soundtrack. It's such a great collection of songs (though that fact that it doesn't use Nik Kershaw's original Wouldn't It Be Good still irks me--especially in light of JH's "note" on the back!) I had no idea you placed Forever Now so highly in your overall songs. I'll have to revisit it with new ears now...
omg!! I’ve recently got really into the Furs, last week I got my copy of Talk Talk Talk I saved up so long for! I unwillingly always associate Love My Way with Call Me By Your Name, which is an amazingly aesthetic movie, even if you totally ignore the plot. Thank you for the great video, as always ;)
Thanks, Artie! That’s wild timing that you got into the Furs recently; Talk Talk Talk is a masterpiece l! I’ll have to check that movie out-unless Armie Hammer is in it, who I think I’m boycotting… Anyway, happy listening!
Yeah, the original Pretty In Pink recording from Talk Talk Talk is leagues better.. The Ghost In You is the perfect rainy day song for me (as an 80’s kid..)
Great band …I remember seeing love my way on MTV when I was younger and being captivated by it…..didn’t know if I really liked it….but deep down loved it..fell in love with Pretty in Pink…then knew that Midnight to Midnight was awesome…solidifying what I already knew…..Hollis ..every week I think about joining your patreon…I’m close…awesome stuff
Awesome memories, Richie! I can totally relate to those feelings. Love My Way is such a different song in many ways from their other stuff. I think it's the influence of Todd Rundgren on the band's sound--or should I say tug-of-war between the two. The result is a song with a sleepy sheen to it that's almost dreamlike. And Midnight to Midnight is an album that sounds even more perfect these days, given the production sound on today's music. I'm grateful that you're considering joining the PCG patreon. Hope to see you there someday, pal!
The Furs are incomparable, then as now. I love the early albums, but to me, the last few albums were at least as good. They lost nothing in terms of creativity, attitude, or style. Even the last album from 2020 is brilliant. They really have not diminished at all. To me, the Furs are melancholy turned into sound, they are dark, dreary November compressed into 4 minutes of music, they are thoughtful longing, lost romance playing itself out over and over in your mind on slow, rainy autumn days.
I was supposed to see the Furs and UB40 in the early 80’s, but I had car trouble and couldn’t go. They are playing now, but I have to find an extra $80 and it may be a little tough … and you just made it even harder by reminding me just how good they are. What do you think of the new stuff?
I feel your pain! Never saw the Furs, but caught UB40 several times back then. I really like the new music the Psychedelic Furs have put out, especially since they aren't trying to compete with their old stuff. They've successfully updated their sound--it's not the Furs yet it totally is--and Richard's voice sounds more powerful than ever. They've evolved beautifully.
They unfortunately started going commercial by Talk , - and that's when I stopped listening. The Talking Heads did a single LP ,- More Songs...,- that was exceptional, with diminishing returns ever after.In that era, it was particularly hard to see individual talents sell out, or just get distracted by acquired mobility. Butler remained a talented lyricist, but the dancey Pop production and arrangement is just depressing.
![Chlöe - Shake (Feat. Jeremih) [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aDs_1ufpfv8/mqdefault.jpg)
I saw them live in 2022 and they rock perhaps more than ever, live
What a fantastic presentation. I truly enjoyed it. I agree with you a 100% in all aspect of this episode. Richard Butler just continues to fly under the radar. We just saw the Psychedelic Furs play the House of Blues in Las Vegas last week. It was indescribable how amazing the band sounded, and how incredible he held the notes all night. Love them.
Thanks for the comment, Stevie! So happy you got to see them live.
Agreed. “She is Mine” is a very underrated track.
For me Forever Now remains my favourite LP of the band, who to me were always more appreciated in the US than their home country. (Essentially once they moved to New York it was a case of out of sight out of mind to the UK music press of the time) President Gas lyrics are as cutting now as they were 40 yrs ago.
That makes a lot of sense. It's always odd that bands can have such different reactions on different continents. I'm always reminded of the Ramones playing church basements in the US and playing soccer stadiums in South America. It seems the Furs made the right choice from an artistic standpoint by relocating; they really thrived creatively over here. And yes, President Gas was prescient AF!
Totally agree about Butler being an underrated vocalist. Also agree about hating bog standard sax, with the obvious exceptions listed. In fact, when I first heard X-Ray Spex the sax totally turned me off and I could not get into it. Took me a long time to before I recognized their brilliance.
Great point about X-Ray Spex! It keeps you at arms length at first, but once you're into the sound, it's perfect.
Love the Furs...
They've got such a wonderful catalog!
@@PopCultureGraveyard Vastly underrated.
Great Video! I got Mirror moves & Midnight to Midnight on LP
Thanks, Jody! Such underrated LPs!
"Tiny Girls" from Iggy Pop's The Idiot is another example of great rock songs with sax
This is VERY true! Thanks!
How about Lou Reed’s Sally Can’t Dance?
Nice one!
It took me years to get rid of Butler's vocal influence, which only worked for him, no one else. The first album is a masterpiece which they never quite matched, but they still released many great songs later. I really love All that Money Wants as a song. So brutally melancholy, something they always were. There's something about the band that would make you face the darkness in your light, but their music was beautiful, so it was a beautiful experience. Very interesting contradiction
The Furs were a band that only could've happened in the post punk underground 1980s.
I’m a big fan of Alice’s house the early version
YES! Killer version!
If cigarette could sing - it sounds like Richard's. So true.
Thanks for the comment! Much appreciated
run and run
I saw the Furs really early, like 82, they played the WNEW-FM Christmas concert at Radio City. That’s a great bit about what the music meant to John Hughes. I owned the PiP soundtrack of course and wore the hell out of it but I never noticed the bit on the back. Also, the title track from “Forever Now” is a top-5 all time song for me.
That sounds like a cool show, Jim! And I missed that Hughes quote myself the first dozen times or so I played the soundtrack. It's such a great collection of songs (though that fact that it doesn't use Nik Kershaw's original Wouldn't It Be Good still irks me--especially in light of JH's "note" on the back!) I had no idea you placed Forever Now so highly in your overall songs. I'll have to revisit it with new ears now...
omg!! I’ve recently got really into the Furs, last week I got my copy of Talk Talk Talk I saved up so long for! I unwillingly always associate Love My Way with Call Me By Your Name, which is an amazingly aesthetic movie, even if you totally ignore the plot. Thank you for the great video, as always ;)
Thanks, Artie! That’s wild timing that you got into the Furs recently; Talk Talk Talk is a masterpiece l! I’ll have to check that movie out-unless Armie Hammer is in it, who I think I’m boycotting… Anyway, happy listening!
@@PopCultureGraveyard I’m afraid you’ll have to stick to the book then…
Yeah, the original Pretty In Pink recording from Talk Talk Talk is leagues better.. The Ghost In You is the perfect rainy day song for me (as an 80’s kid..)
Great call on The Ghost In You, Rick; it's made for rainy days!
Great band …I remember seeing love my way on MTV when I was younger and being captivated by it…..didn’t know if I really liked it….but deep down loved it..fell in love with Pretty in Pink…then knew that Midnight to Midnight was awesome…solidifying what I already knew…..Hollis ..every week I think about joining your patreon…I’m close…awesome stuff
Awesome memories, Richie! I can totally relate to those feelings. Love My Way is such a different song in many ways from their other stuff. I think it's the influence of Todd Rundgren on the band's sound--or should I say tug-of-war between the two. The result is a song with a sleepy sheen to it that's almost dreamlike. And Midnight to Midnight is an album that sounds even more perfect these days, given the production sound on today's music. I'm grateful that you're considering joining the PCG patreon. Hope to see you there someday, pal!
The Furs are incomparable, then as now. I love the early albums, but to me, the last few albums were at least as good. They lost nothing in terms of creativity, attitude, or style. Even the last album from 2020 is brilliant. They really have not diminished at all.
To me, the Furs are melancholy turned into sound, they are dark, dreary November compressed into 4 minutes of music, they are thoughtful longing, lost romance playing itself out over and over in your mind on slow, rainy autumn days.
I was supposed to see the Furs and UB40 in the early 80’s, but I had car trouble and couldn’t go. They are playing now, but I have to find an extra $80 and it may be a little tough … and you just made it even harder by reminding me just how good they are. What do you think of the new stuff?
I feel your pain! Never saw the Furs, but caught UB40 several times back then. I really like the new music the Psychedelic Furs have put out, especially since they aren't trying to compete with their old stuff. They've successfully updated their sound--it's not the Furs yet it totally is--and Richard's voice sounds more powerful than ever. They've evolved beautifully.
President Gas!
They unfortunately started going commercial by Talk , - and that's when I stopped listening.
The Talking Heads did a single LP ,- More Songs...,- that was exceptional, with diminishing returns ever after.In that era, it was particularly hard to see individual talents sell out, or just get distracted by acquired mobility.
Butler remained a talented lyricist, but the dancey Pop production and arrangement is just depressing.
The first US tour played at the Whiskey A GoGo. I was hooked😢