Hi-NRG music(?) /// Chris & Cosey

[J. Peter Alfke <alfke@cit-vax>]

Andy Cobley wants to know what "Hi-RNG" music is, and his mail address
looks awful scary to me, so I'll reply to the digest.

It's really "Hi-NRG", which makes things a bit clearer -- "High-Energy",
get it?  As far as I can tell, it's synth-pop that has reverted into out-
and-out disco.  I defy ANYONE to show me how Hi-NRG music is not disco.
I would guess that disco has such a bad rep these days that people now have
to call it something else to keep the respect of others and to hide the
truth from themselves.

Now, disco doesn't automatically make me retch, but it's pretty vacuous.
The major Hi-NRG hit I know of is Trans X's "Living On Video", which was
a big KROQ hit two summers ago, and which I, while recognizing it as
complete shit, still maintain a somewhat soft spot in my heart for since
it blared from radios all the time while I was having a quite fun summer.

Besides, there's a sort of unconscious campiness to the song, as it
manages to recapitulate all your favorite synth and disco cliches:
	* Verrry-fast drumbox hi-hats
	* Star-Wars blaster bleeps  (turn up the "resonance" all the way!)
	* Sexxxy female vocals
	* Voices run through vocoder/harmonizer
	* Dumb "video" imagery in the lyrics
	* Inane high-pitched hook repeated over and over and...
A laff riot!

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Chris and Cosey played L.A. last Friday, and I MISSED THEM because I
had A DUMB LAB that I COULDN'T MISS without FAILING THE CLASS.  Arrrrrrgh!
Did anyone see them?  Has anyone seen them elsewhere?  How was it?
Are they going to do a second tour just like The Boss??

Grumble grumble.  I'm changing my lab section to Tuesday because FRIDAY
NIGHT LABS SUCK THE INFINITE WEENIE!
						--Peter Alfke
						  alfke@csvax.caltech.edu