7/15/2006

Urgh!

Wise and all seeing Shroom-Monkey commented about the music film Urgh! A Music War which I had never seen. She mentioned it in the comments of a post I did about The Nomi Song.

Because I have no desire to anger the Monkey, I searched until I got my grubby little paws on the film and can now say

Exclamation Marks

Pere Ubu
Gang of Four
Fleshtones
Klaus Nomi
The Cramps
Joan Jett
Gary Numan
Dead Kennedys
Echo & The Bunnymen
XTC
Oingo Boingo
UB40
X

Question Marks

Skafish
Devo
Splodgeness Abounds
John Otway

The extreme head bobbing of the audience during the Oingo Boingo song was very motivating. They were a pretty tight group that I didn't pay much attention to at the time. All hail the conquering Elfman.

A moment of heaven - XTC singing 'new song' Respectable Street. This was followed by Klaus Nomi, pretty wild.

Gary Numan is in the film spinning around on stage in a little cardboard car with headlights and he looks pretty serious about it.

Did you know that people body surfed to the Go-Gos? Well, one girl did. I saw her.

I remember being too scared to go to see The Cramps. If I had, I could have thrilled to the excellent deadpan looks on the guitar girls' faces while Lux Interior did his deep throat microphone routine.

What can I say? It was an interesting but uneven document of the new wave with some really cool performances and some huh? moments held together with some editing slapdashery.

Bookended by performances by The Police, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it fun.

9 comments:

mellowlee said...

Where did you find the DVD Dale?
I heart Danny Elfman!

Dale said...

I downloaded a copy of it Lee. Shhh. I don't think it's available on dvd.

nouseforaname said...

All my best memories have Oingo Boingo in them- I got kicked off the Cheerleading squad in High School for skipping homecoming and going to see the Elfman in concert. I saw their farewell concert in Santa Monica- I cried, it was a sad moment. I shattered my ankle jumping 15 feet down so I could pogo on the floor. Got to say it best concert band ever!!

chelene said...

I loved Oingo Boingo back in the day. Danny Elfman was excellent before he started making the same scores over and over again for Tim Burton.

Melinda June said...

I wonder why both Danny Elfman and Mark Mothersbaugh have gone on to creating film soundtracks. Between them they've got like 300 soundtracks in the last 10 years. And they kick that pansy John Williams' ass.

Dale said...

Who knew the outpouring of secret Danny Elfman love and scorn that could occur.

You were bug eyed for bug eyes were you Shroom-Monkey? That's some devotion! And of course, now you'll add reading my blog to the list of your best memories right? Haha.

Chelene - You're one of the cool kids so I should have expected it. Some (almost all) of those scores do sound a bit alike don't they?

Hey Melinda June - They're soundtrackin' fools for sure. Maybe the three of them should get together and score the hell out of each other.

I wonder what my life would sound like set to music?

nouseforaname said...

ummm no... But nice try...

bluestocking said...

One of my all-time favorite songs is "Elevator Man" by Oingo Boingo. I swear to god, it's one of the sexiest songs I've ever heard.

Dale said...

I'm aware I can't get anything by you Shroom.

Another lover of the Oingo. I'll have to give it a listen and see what this hot fuss is all about BD.