Kate

[FULIGIN%UMass.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Peter E. Lee)]

I've only seen the video for cloudbusting once (MTV played it about three
times in one weekend, but I haven't seen it since.  I suspect that it's
considered too long for regular rotation).  I thought it was great!  It's
really nice to see someone doing something more with the video medium...
I thought that both story and song complemented eachother strongly, although
I assumed that Kate was the scientists daughter, rather than son.  If she
was trying to portray a little boy, I don't think she succeeded too well,
but I don't think the characters gender was particulary important anyway...

As for the 12"s from Hounds Of Love so far, the only one that really
stands out for me is the Organnon mix of "Cloudbusting", which I think is
a good treatment of a great song in a new format.  I found the remix of
"Running Up That Hill" to be amateurish - she fell into most of the
standard remix cliches, and didn't really do anything original with the
extra space, and while I like the new overall feel of "Alternative Hounds
Of Love", I would have liked a few more lyrics, and a few less "run, run,
run, run, run, run honey.  Run from the Hounds of Love"s.

On Thomas Dolby :
     The most recent project that I know of with him as musical collaborator/
performer is his teamup with Ryuichi Sakamoto on the 'Fieldworks' single.
Dolby has lead vocals on the single.  It's a bit disco-ey, and a bit overlong
for my taste, but enjoyable nonetheless.  Dolby's Cube are supposed to be
a "real" group with a shifting line-up including George Clinton and Lene
Lovich among others, but I haven't heard any announcements of upcoming vinyl
from them since 'May The Cube Be With You'.  Has anybody noticed that Robyn
Hitchcock appears on 'The Flat Earth' as Keith?  I just noticed a couple of
days ago, and was suitably impressed.  I think Dolby performs on Hitchcock's
"Black Snake Diamond Roll", so it's not too surprising really...

On Sigue Sigue Sputnik :
     Did you hear about the planned promotion of their next single, "21st
Century Boy"?  Apparently, they planned to have posters of Martin Degville
(lead singer) nailed to a cross of television sets, with blood pouring out
of his hands, with the caption "Are you ready for the second coming?".  They
planned to put the posters up on Good Friday in England!  Alas, the papers
got ahold of the plans, killing the element of surprise, so they probably
won't go ahead with the promotion.  (Information courtesy of this weeks
Melody Maker).
     I find SSS to be a much needed shot of excitement and anarchy in the
arm of the musical establishment these days.  Their music isn't particularly
new, their ideas aren't either, but they are breaking violently away from
the current musical mainstream and f*cking the establishment while making
alot of money in the mean-time.  In more ways than one, they seem to be the
Sex Pistols of the 80's.  Anyway, I enjoy them, and appreciate what they're
doing (they are not, however, my favorite group), but what do other people
think?
                                                 -Peter Lee
---
     "Now I've come down with fever;
      The doctor says he's mystified.
      He thinks I've taken poison,
      When all I've swallowed was my pride..." - Peter Blegvad