Greatest Album of 1979 - Elimination Round 5

[Dr. Medulla]

If they weren't a bunch of pretty boys who really understood the importance of visuals, they wouldn't have separated themselves from the pack. Whatever their virtues musically, it was being pretty boys that made them.

I'm not convinced by that argument. OMD ploughed the same furrow with much success and they were ugly as sin.

OMD were way different throughout their first several albums. Dour, synth minimalism. They weren't playing to 13-year-old girls; OMD was for the Joy Division crowd.

I've just listened to the first DD album and it is downright weird in places. Yes, there's three poppy singles there but the rest of it seems anything but teeny bopper music. And let's face it, the first few OMD singles were anything but dour.

And yet, how did the fan base shake out? How come DD got screaming girls and OMD got mopey guys in long coats?

[Heston]

If they weren't a bunch of pretty boys who really understood the importance of visuals, they wouldn't have separated themselves from the pack. Whatever their virtues musically, it was being pretty boys that made them.

I'm not convinced by that argument. OMD ploughed the same furrow with much success and they were ugly as sin.

OMD were way different throughout their first several albums. Dour, synth minimalism. They weren't playing to 13-year-old girls; OMD was for the Joy Division crowd.

I've just listened to the first DD album and it is downright weird in places. Yes, there's three poppy singles there but the rest of it seems anything but teeny bopper music. And let's face it, the first few OMD singles were anything but dour.

And yet, how did the fan base shake out? How come DD got screaming girls and OMD got mopey guys in long coats?

Those mopey guys in long coats were replaced in the long run by middle aged women bopping about at 80s package tours. They were a pure pop band in the UK from Enola Gay onwards, and had a fair share of girls amongst their fanbase.

[Heston]

I mean, listen to Careless Memories, DD's second single. It is anything but boyband fodder, it is bordering on post punk. There is more guitars on it than the whole of Sandinista.

[Dr. Medulla]

I'm not convinced by that argument. OMD ploughed the same furrow with much success and they were ugly as sin.

OMD were way different throughout their first several albums. Dour, synth minimalism. They weren't playing to 13-year-old girls; OMD was for the Joy Division crowd.

I've just listened to the first DD album and it is downright weird in places. Yes, there's three poppy singles there but the rest of it seems anything but teeny bopper music. And let's face it, the first few OMD singles were anything but dour.

And yet, how did the fan base shake out? How come DD got screaming girls and OMD got mopey guys in long coats?

Those mopey guys in long coats were replaced in the long run by middle aged women bopping about at 80s package tours. They were a pure pop band in the UK from Enola Gay onwards, and had a fair share of girls amongst their fanbase.

Nah, not until Junk Culture, maybe even Crush. A band that puts out Dazzle Ships wants dorky guys who tent their fingers while listening, not screaming girls.

[Heston]

OMD were way different throughout their first several albums. Dour, synth minimalism. They weren't playing to 13-year-old girls; OMD was for the Joy Division crowd.

I've just listened to the first DD album and it is downright weird in places. Yes, there's three poppy singles there but the rest of it seems anything but teeny bopper music. And let's face it, the first few OMD singles were anything but dour.

And yet, how did the fan base shake out? How come DD got screaming girls and OMD got mopey guys in long coats?

Those mopey guys in long coats were replaced in the long run by middle aged women bopping about at 80s package tours. They were a pure pop band in the UK from Enola Gay onwards, and had a fair share of girls amongst their fanbase.

Nah, not until Junk Culture, maybe even Crush. A band that puts out Dazzle Ships wants dorky guys who tent their fingers while listening, not screaming girls.

I'm not saying screaming girls but they were musically very popular with the female contingent at my school. I'm not sure of their profile in Canada but they were a total top 40 pop act in the UK from 1980, the raincoat brigade wouldn't be seen dead at their gigs.

[revbob]

On another note the Jam trailing GO4 by one vote...

[Dr. Medulla]

I've just listened to the first DD album and it is downright weird in places. Yes, there's three poppy singles there but the rest of it seems anything but teeny bopper music. And let's face it, the first few OMD singles were anything but dour.

And yet, how did the fan base shake out? How come DD got screaming girls and OMD got mopey guys in long coats?

Those mopey guys in long coats were replaced in the long run by middle aged women bopping about at 80s package tours. They were a pure pop band in the UK from Enola Gay onwards, and had a fair share of girls amongst their fanbase.

Nah, not until Junk Culture, maybe even Crush. A band that puts out Dazzle Ships wants dorky guys who tent their fingers while listening, not screaming girls.

I'm not saying screaming girls but they were musically very popular with the female contingent at my school. I'm not sure of their profile in Canada but they were a total top 40 pop act in the UK from 1980, the raincoat brigade wouldn't be seen dead at their gigs.

I do not buy for a second that DD and early OMD shared audiences. There'll always be odd overlap here and there, but they were seriously different groups.

[Dr. Medulla]

On another note the Jam trailing GO4 by one vote...

And it shouldn't be a mystery how my tie-breaking vote would go.

[Heston]

And yet, how did the fan base shake out? How come DD got screaming girls and OMD got mopey guys in long coats?

Those mopey guys in long coats were replaced in the long run by middle aged women bopping about at 80s package tours. They were a pure pop band in the UK from Enola Gay onwards, and had a fair share of girls amongst their fanbase.

Nah, not until Junk Culture, maybe even Crush. A band that puts out Dazzle Ships wants dorky guys who tent their fingers while listening, not screaming girls.

I'm not saying screaming girls but they were musically very popular with the female contingent at my school. I'm not sure of their profile in Canada but they were a total top 40 pop act in the UK from 1980, the raincoat brigade wouldn't be seen dead at their gigs.

I do not buy for a second that DD and early OMD shared audiences. There'll always be odd overlap here and there, but they were seriously different groups.

Believe me, this is a true "the Atlantic is a big ocean" moment here.

Duran Duran
Spandau Ballet
OMD
Thompson Twins
Ultravox

No one would bat an eyelid about those lot being grouped together in the 80s.

[revbob]

Those mopey guys in long coats were replaced in the long run by middle aged women bopping about at 80s package tours. They were a pure pop band in the UK from Enola Gay onwards, and had a fair share of girls amongst their fanbase.

Nah, not until Junk Culture, maybe even Crush. A band that puts out Dazzle Ships wants dorky guys who tent their fingers while listening, not screaming girls.

I'm not saying screaming girls but they were musically very popular with the female contingent at my school. I'm not sure of their profile in Canada but they were a total top 40 pop act in the UK from 1980, the raincoat brigade wouldn't be seen dead at their gigs.

I do not buy for a second that DD and early OMD shared audiences. There'll always be odd overlap here and there, but they were seriously different groups.

Believe me, this is a true "the Atlantic is a big ocean" moment here.

Duran Duran
Spandau Ballet
OMD
Thompson Twins
Ultravox

No one would bat an eyelid about those lot being grouped together in the 80s.

Agreed.

[Heston]

This is an OMD concert in 1985. Pause on any crowd shot and it is a total top 40 crowd, many of them girls.



Btw, I'm quite enjoying the concert, they had some good tunes.

[Kory]

This is an OMD concert in 1985. Pause on any crowd shot and it is a total top 40 crowd, many of them girls.



Btw, I'm quite enjoying the concert, they had some good tunes.

OMD rules. I didn't like anything after Dazzle Ships but they're cool as hell.

[Dr. Medulla]

This is an OMD concert in 1985. Pause on any crowd shot and it is a total top 40 crowd, many of them girls.

1985 is key. They were in full Top 40 mode by then—Crush, "If You Leave," all that.

[Kory]

I’m watching the Magazine reunion show right now and am sad they’ve been cut already. Definitely my favorite post-punk band.

[Dr. Medulla]

I’m watching the Magazine reunion show right now and am sad they’ve been cut already. Definitely my favorite post-punk band.

I should like them more than I do. I think I'm not fully sold on Devoto's voice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's counterproductive.