CONTEST ALERT: Read here for a chance to win 2 VIP tickets to this show valued at $250.
September 25 2013 – Canada was certainly a hotspot for 80’s new wave style bands and both The Spoons and Images In Vogue were major acts back in the age of neon, synths, and hairspray.
The Spoons had a string of 5 albums in the 80’s with hits including Arias & Symphonies, Nova Heart, Old Emotions, Tell No Lies and Romantic Traffic. Any teenager living in Canada at that time would have known those songs as they were staples on Much Music. The band more recently released an album in 2011 entitled Static in Transmission and a 30th anniversary edition of Arias & Symphonies in 2012. On Friday October 4th The Spoons will be rocking a CD release party at Toronto’s The Mod Club for their remastered 1981 classic Stick Figure Neighbourhood (which is the band’s debut record). Of interest the album was recorded by a young Daniel Lanois (who produced some of the biggest albums ever with U2). Check out Red Light from Stick Figure Neighbourhood.
We had the opportunity to briefly talk to Gordon Deppe (lead guitarist and vocalist) of The Spoons about the upcoming show, here is what he said to us:
T-Mak World: Gordon thanks for taking the time to talk to us, tell our readers what they can expect on the upcoming show on October 4th? All the old classics with some of the newer songs perhaps?
Deppe: We will definitely play all the hits people know but, since it’s the Stick Figure Neighbourhood release party, we’ll do a good chunk of that album. We’ll also throw in our favourites from our latest cd, Static In Transmission.
T-Mak World: You recently released a 30th anniversary edition of your classic new wave album “Arias & Symphony” – why did you feel you needed to revisit this classic?
Deppe: We released the Arias & Symphonies album 30 years later because it continues to pop up on best of Canadian music lists and still has songs that get airplay. Plus a lot of people don’t have a cd copy; just vinyl or cassette. And I, to this day, am really proud of that album.
T-Mak World: Any plans for new material?
Deppe: I’m always writing new material. Some for my solo band and (Ed. Note – Five Star Fall and The Lost Boys), some with the Spoons in mind. But the Static In Transmission album still feels new.
Images in Vogue were also a huge draw in the 80’s – they were formed in April 1981, and quickly became one of the best known bands of Vancouver’s new music scene. Managed by Kim Clarke Champniss, IIV released their first two records on their own label before signing with Warners Canada in March 1983. Lust For Love, IIV’s first single for Warners was a top 40 hit and is recognized as one of Canada’s top 100 singles and of the top ten Canadian new music songs of the 80s. The radio success of Lust for Love led to IIV opening and touring with the likes of Depeche Mode, Roxy Music, Bryan Adams and Duran Duran and, in 1984, Casby Awards as Most Promising Group and Most Promising Male Vocalist.
IIV’s first full album In The House, produced by Gary Wright of Dreamweaver fame, produced three singles: Call It Love, Save It and In The House. The success of these and a rerecorded version of In The House, produced by Klaatu’s Dee Long, led to a 1985 Juno award nomination as Most Promising Group, and 1986 Casby awards for Group of the Year and Single of the Year (In The House). In 1986 IIV signed with Rush’s manager Ray Danniels and Anthem Records, for whom they released their second album, The Spell, featuring the singles So Careful and Strangers, which hit number one in New York City. After continued touring, in 1991 IIV released a final single and video, Tonight, to support the release of their first compilation CD, “Collection”. IIV did not perform again until 2002 when the band reunited at Toronto’s Opera House, then again in 2004 at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom.
We asked Derrick Gyles the band’s percussionist a couple of questions:
T-Mak World – it is great to see you back playing live gigs, how does it feel getting up on stage?
Gyles – Feels good, everything seems to fall back into place, as it’s about having fun and letting people hear songs that hopefully bring back some fond memories.
T-Mak World – What is it about the music of the 80’s that make it still so compelling for people from that generation?
Gyles – I find history repeats itself, The 80’s new wave was a huge change in music in general, bands were coming into a scene with a fresh approach , breaking the barriers , so to speak, and marking there place in music history.
Don’t miss out children of the 80’s this is your chance to enter a night of great music and nostalgia. Tickets are available here and T-Mak World readers can enter our exclusive contest to win 2 VIP tickets (value $250) and even meet the bands. Full info on the contest is here. We leave you with a video from each band from back in the day.
