Neneh Cherry: Buffalo Stance

Format: 12" (five mixes)

Label: Virgin

Country: US

Year: 1989

Price paid: $6

"Yeah, Timmy! Tell it like it is!"

My knowledge of rap is sufficiently inadequate to make any commentary on the subject naive at best, but there seemed to be a time in the 80s when rap was bright and shiny and new- it hadn't yet fallen into the rigid stereotypes predominate in the genre today. Things were more playful, experimental, and dare I say 'fun.' If I may be so bold I'd like to shoehorn Neneh Cherry, and more specifically this song, under the 'New Wave' banner. I don't think that's too much of a stretch...

Born and raised in a hippie commune in Sweden, Neneh moved to England at an early age and then to New York City at 14. Dropping out of school, she returned to England and settled in London where she became roommates with Ari Up (of The Slits fame.)

She was an employee at 'Better Badges', a major producer of punk/New Wave pins. Odds are if you see a vintage 1" band badge it was either made by this company or an imitator.

She was part of several early post-punk/dub/experimental groups including The Cherries, The New Age Steppers (with Ari), and Rip Rig + Panic. These will undoubtedly be discussed in more detail elsewhere...

'Buffalo Stance' was released in 1988, just prior to her first solo album 'Raw Like Sushi' (May 2, 1989.) It was a smash, reaching #3 in both the UK and US- going all the way to #1 in Sweden, Netherlands, and the Canadian Dance/Urban charts. Neneh would continue to have chart success in the 80s and 90s, but nothing approached the lofty heights of this single.

The single was released during Britpop's 'Summers of Love.' See the entry on The Primitives 'Really Stupid' for more musings on the subject. Suffice it to say that the video is a eye-searing example of neo-psychedelia, with heavy use of period motifs such as flower imagery.

The song is about the entourage of people known as 'Buffalo' (of which Neneh was a part) that formed around Ray Petri, the influential photographer who worked with magazines such as The Face and i-D. And of course there's a direct influence (and sampling) from Malcolm McLaren's 1983 hit 'Buffalo Girls.'

Please enjoy this extremely well done and loving tribute to both 'Buffalo Stance' and 'Buffalo Girls' by DVJ Luka Sao Paulo. A great mashup that bridges the gap between early and late 80's New Wave:

Neneh Cherry vs. Malcolm McLaren: 'Buffalo Stance Gals'

Culture Club Title: Karma Chameleon / That's the Way

Format: 7"

Label: Virgin/Epic

Country: US

Year: 1983

Price paid: $1 

Location purchased: Square Records, Akron OH

"Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams: red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green."

'Karma Chameleon' is the first single off of Culture Club's second album, 'Colour by Numbers.' It was an instant international hit, going to number one in 16 countries including the US (gold) and UK (where it was the best selling single of 1983.) More impressive still it's considered one of the best-selling singles ever, having sold some five million global copies.

The song was performed by the band on an episode of 'The A-Team.'

Boy George on the 'A-Team' commercial

Cover photography was done by David Levine, who photographed many other 80s artists such as The Cure, Siouxsie, and Kylie Minogue.

*Fun Fact- There's a Sex Pistols connection here. Boy George was approached by Malcolm McLaren to play with Bow Wow Wow, which he did, performing as 'Lieutenant Lush.' Annabella Lwin (the band's lead singer) wasn't crazy about the idea so he left to form his own band with Mikey Craig and Jon Moss (Moss had previously worked with The Damned and Adam and the Ants.)

Boy George meets Mr. T. Does it get any more 80s than this?

Adam and the Ants: Kings of the Wild Frontier / Press Darlings

Format: 7"

Label: CBS

Country: UK

Year: 1980

Price paid: $4

Purchased at: My Mind's Eye, Cleveland OH

 
The album 'King of the Wild Frontier' was a turning point for Adam and his ants. Previously the band had had little success chart-wise, but that all changed with a forced band lineup brought on by Malcolm McLaren. McLaren, in a brilliant and extremely douchy move, stole Adam's band and put them to work as the group Bow Wow Wow- with the then jailbait Annabella Lwin on lead vocals. But that's a different story.

Suffice it to say things started to go really well for Adam and the Ants shortly thereafter...

This is fourth single released by the band, the first with the new lineup and also first in support of 'Kings of the Wild Frontier' LP. It reached #48 on the UK charts (their first chart appearance.)

I love the sleeve art on this one. The black/red/white color scheme is rather potent and must have made a dramatic impression on store shelves back in the day; it certainly would have caught my eye! Very intimidating, like a horror movie poster. Potent and primal.