Berlin Blondes- Berlin Blondes LP
This week, I’ll be posting a handful of records donated by a kind reader of this blog, who loaned me a few pieces from his prized collection. Thanks, Greg!
First up we have a record that’s been posted and ripped in the past, but always at a low bitrate or quality. So pardon the redundancy, but here it is in high quality, 320 kbps form. This particular LP hails from Scotland and was released on EMI in 1980. This band was notoriously the launching pad for David Rudden, who left just as the band was getting signed to form Endgames. Jim Spender also would go on to join Altered Images after this LP while the remaining members would release one more 7” before disbanding.
The LP was produced by Mike Thorne, who should need no introduction for fans of early Wire, Soft Cell, Bronski Beat, Furniture, Blur, and B-Movie, just to name a few. Quite an impressive resume!
Continuing with the name-dropping, this record should feel right at home for fans of Foxx-era Ultravox, Visage, Gary Numan, and the Bowie/Iggy sound. A little bit of tarted up synth-driven rock very suited for the era, and perhaps a little pastiche at the turn of the decade, but still a cool record worthy of being unearthed. Here’s the info:
Berlin Blondes- Berlin Blondes LP
1. Framework
2. Astro
3. Science
4. Romance
5. Trail To Istanbul
6. Secret Days
7. Mannequinn
8. Neon Probe
9. Zero Song
Stay tuned for more from Greg’s collection, including a rare, private tape release!
June 27, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Thank you (& Greg) for the upgrade!
June 27, 2011 at 9:29 pm
I bought this vinyl many years ago not really knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Nice to have a clean digital back up copy, thanks!!
June 28, 2011 at 4:07 am
So good!
July 1, 2011 at 4:15 am
Thanks for this, however I can't seem to get the download link to come up – the blue progress bar just keeps scrolling? Never used to be a problem, am I doing something wrong here? Do you perhaps to join mediafire now to download?
BTW I have this on vinyl & even saw them live years ago supporting Gary Numan (?) in London!
Chris
July 6, 2011 at 3:34 pm
When I purchased this album back in '81 or '82, I remember buying it on nothing more than the strength of the cover art. The record store people were helpful in recommending things (I remember they recommended the first Thomas Dolby 12-inch, the first AFOS 12-inch, the first Cure album, etc.), but I don't recall anybody steering me toward the Berlin Blondes.
Buying on nothing more than the album art could be a minefield, and I crashed and burned on a few occasions (though I also bought the first Front 242 album), but this was certainly a prize.
I think the vocals, while distinctive and unique, were a bit limiting, possibly contributing to the band's early demise.
December 5, 2011 at 4:59 pm
I like the vocals. They have a distinct Bryan Ferry/Russell Mael quality.
October 16, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Saw them at the Nite Club in Edinburgh and as I recall, they were pretty good. I’m after a good quality rip of a later 7inch from them, called ‘Marseille’, since this is where I now live. Any chance?
April 11, 2015 at 9:25 am
I saw them a couple of times at Maestros in Glasgow. By that time the bass player was a guy called Alastair Gowans. I’ve got the album and Marsaille somewhere – I’ll try to dig it out.
October 22, 2015 at 2:52 am
This is fantastic; many thanks!
June 29, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Amazing!!! This made my day!