New Wave / Post Punk Quotes IV - the easy one Quiz

Answer: "The Lovecats" - The Cure

"The Lovecats" was a sort of comeback single for The Cure. In 1982 they weren't an actual band anymore, but a duo, consisting of Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst. They released great singles like "Let's Go To Bed" and "The Walk", but The Cure wasn't a priority anymore. Smith also played in Siouxsie and the Banshees, recording the album "Hyaena" with them, and formed The Glove with Banshees bassist Steve Severin, recording the album "Blue Sunshine".

But by the summer of 1983 The Cure recruited drummer Andy Anderson and bassist Phil Thornalley and they recorded the single "The Lovecats", their biggest hit up until that moment.

Answer: "Temple Of Love" - Sisters Of Mercy

Although Sisters Of Mercy singer Andrew Eldritch was supposedly the 'King Of Goth', he liked to make his fans feel uncomfortable by claiming his favourite bands were Abba and the Pet Shop Boys and by covering "Emma" by Hot Chocolate.

Answer: "The Mercy Seat" - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Even though Cave and his Seeds recorded the definitive version of this song themselves, you should also check out the cover version Johnny Cash recorded of this song in 2000, on the album "American III: Solitary Man".

Answer: "Back To Nature" - Fad Gadget

After playing a pioneering role in the development of darkly funny synth music in the early 80s, Fad Gadget aka. Frank Tovey disappeared from view somewhat. In 2001 he decided to revive his Fad Gadget alter ego, released a 'Best Of' and played some truly great live shows. But, while on the verge of coming back, on April 3, 2002, he unexpectedly passed away, due to heart failure.

He's sadly missed.

Answer: "Being Boiled" - The Human League

The groundbreaking gloomy stomper "Being Boiled", The Human League's debut single, was released in 1978. In 1980 founder members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh left the band, in order to start Heaven 17. Singer Phil Oakey recruited two school girls as singers, Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall, and the band took a much more poppy new direction.

In 1981 they scored their biggest hit with "Don't You Want Me".

Answer: "Love Like Blood" - Killing Joke

After reading a particularly negative review of his bands' music in the English music paper "Melody Maker", Killing Joke singer Jaz Coleman got so irate that he decided to pay a visit to their offices. There, he demanded to see the journalist who'd written the offending piece, but was denied entry.

Then he dumped a load of rotten and maggoty offal on the reception desk. A few days later he received a written apology for the bad review. Later, when Nirvana released the single "Come As You Are"; Killing Joke sued them, because the bass line was a straight lift from their 1985 hit "Eighties".

They would've won too, but when Kurt Cobain committed suicide, the band decided to drop the case.

Answer: "Spellbound" - Siouxsie and the Banshees

Siouxsie and the Banshees played their first ever gig at the legendary 100 Club festival in London, in 1976. Singer Siouxsie Sioux (aka. Susan Dallion) and bass player Steve Severin teamed up with guitar player Marco Pirroni and drummer Sid Vicious for a 20 minute version of "The Lord's Prayer". Soon after Vicious left to join the Sex Pistols and Pirroni teamed up with Adam Ant to form The Ants.

At the festival the politically involved band The Clash refused to lend their equipment to the Banshees cos Siouxsie was wearing a swastika symbol - like a lot of pubescent punks used to do, in order to shock the establishment.

She later refuted having Nazi sympathies and put it down to the folly of youth.

Answer: "I Love a Man in a Uniform" - Gang Of Four

Gang Of Four bass player Dave Allen left the band before they recorded their third album, "Songs Of The Free" (1982), to join Shriekback with former XTC-keyboard player Barry Andrews. This took the edge off their sound a bit, but it's still a good album. "I Love a Man in a Uniform" was quite a bit of a dancefloor hit, but it's doubtful that the people getting down to it grasped the true meaning of its lyrics.

Answer: "Life During Wartime" - Talking Heads

Talking Heads played their first ever show as support act for The Ramones in the legendary New York venue CBGB's. A week before this gig bass player Tina Weymouth and her husband drummer Chris Frantz walked down the street wearing matching t-shirts that read 'Talking Heads' when they were stopped by some guy. "Is that the name of a band?", he asked. "That's a terrible name".

Answer: "Dear God" - XTC

During the recording of the "Skylarking" album producer Todd Rundgren and singer Andy Partridge had fierce arguments about almost everything. The only thing everyone agreed on was that "Dear God" was a terrible song, juvenile and predictable. It was left off the album and used as the flipside for the "Grass" single.

The single flopped, but radio stations started playing the b-side. Particularly in America it became a college radio station hit. The album was re-released with the song on it and XTC scored their first big seller.