In 1976 Punk, with energy to burn, had already sowed the seeds of its
own self-destruction. Within two short and exciting years there were
rapid changes, as those that saw themselves as innovators, adopting and
adapting musical styles as varied as reggae, electronic and even disco
to stoke their creativity – this was experimentation on a worldwide
scale. The press soon decided that this new music needed a name – enter
‘New Wave’… the future was bright for four very different artists.To get
more news about new wave artists, you can visit shine news official website.
This was music so exciting that we’re still feeling the effects
today. Where Punk was in your face, linear and straight ahead, New Wave
was arty, New Wave was more Pop than Punk, but there’s nothing
disposable about it. It’s way more complex, both lyrically and
musically, and decidedly more intelligent. While Punk and Post Punk
definitely had their centres of creativity in the UK, New Wave was a
worldwide phenomenon – nowhere more so than in America.
Sunday (School) Girl? No way!
With CBGB’s as its New York HQ, Talking Heads, Mink DeVille and
particularly Blondie became New Wave’s US disciples. When Blondie hit
the headlines with their eponymous 1976 debut, Blondie; its opening
track, ‘X-Offender’ harks back to all those great New York girl groups
of the 1960s before it unleashes a delicious Debbie Harry vocal. There
was also James Destri keyboards and something that was altogether
different from all things punk – the brand new Roland synthesizer,
emphasizing how cutting-edge Blondie was and how its use took music in a
completely different direction.
Come 1978’s Parallel Lines and Blondie really turned up the heat.
With its striking white on black and black on white cover, featuring
Debbie Harry looking more gorgeous than anyone has the right to, and
pop-nouveau’s ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ – it is definitive New York New
Wave. Yet it doesn’t stop there. This is a greatest hits album, in
everything but name. ‘One Way Or Another’, ‘Picture This’, ‘Heart of
Glass’ and ‘Sunday Girl’. What’s not to love?
