Re: ZTT Records

[Lazlo Nibble <cs1552ao%charon.unm.edu@ariel.unm.edu>]

>Really-From: duane@EBay.Sun.COM (Duane Day, I.R. - Applications Development)
>
>> But beyond remixes of the above mentioned, does anyone know of other
>> releases from ZTT (preferably on CD)?

With the invaluable help of a number of other ZTT fans, I've put together
a fairly definitive set of discographies for AoN, FGTH, and the rest of ZTT's
releases.  I'm about to undergo an account change and don't know when or
where I'll be back, though.  I'll let you all know when they're available
again.

> Frankie Goes to Hollywood was another ZTT "phenomenon".  I don't know
> if ZTT had anything to do with the recent solo releases by FGtH members
> Holly Johnson or Paul Rutherford.

All former members of FGTH have split completely from ZTT; given the general
nastiness of the lawsuit that tried to keep Holly Johnson with the label I
doubt that Holly will be working with Horn again anytime soon.  (Holly is now
on the recently-revived Uni; Paul is on the UK arm of 4th and Broadway.  I'm
not sure where the rest of the Lads are at the moment but I believe they're
working together.)

>> Where else has Trevor Horn had his hands?
>
> Well, for one thing, he produced Frankie Goes to Hollywood, so I'd say
> that's a rather open-ended question. :-)

Ewg!  :-)

> He also produced Yes' _91025_, and was briefly a member of Yes,
> replacing Jon Anderson as lead vocalist for one album (_Drama_) and
> tour.  Prior to that, he was one-half of the Buggles (with Geoff
> Downes, later of Yes and Asia).

On the production end, Trev's been a busy little camper.  Pre-ZTT he
worked with Malcolm McLaren (DUCK ROCK) and ABC (LEXICON OF LOVE), and
he's worked with dozens of others since.  He and fellow ZTT-hound
Steven Lipson handled "It's Alright" and "Left To My Own Devices" on
Pet Shop Boys' INTROSPECTIVE, produced & engineered Simple Minds'
latest album STREET FIGHTING YEARS, and are generally doing quite well
for themselves.

> Isn't publicist Paul Morley an integral part, along with Horn, of the ZTT
> machine?

Very much so.  Morley helped define the character of the label in a big
way during ZTT's early years, writing most of the cryptic and elegant
sleeve notes and helping with the aquisition of new artists.  ZTT's
rather lean years following the departure of AoN and the breakup of
FGTH prompted label head Jean Sinclair to remove him from that
responsibility, much to the label's artistic detriment in my opinion.
Artists like Anne Pigalle and Andrew Poppy were certainly not
commercial blockbuster-types, but they gave the label a lot of
character.  In a lot of ways, Morley was ZTT's "conscience".

For what it's worth, he's also Mr. Claudia Brucken (Act, Propaganda)
and has a book out called "Ask: The Chatter Of Pop" which collects a
lot of his interviews for NME.

                                               Lazlo (cs1552ao@charon.unm.edu)
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