Welcome & Why You’re Here
Did you ever wonder what made new wave weird and wonderful? Do you have a passion for the Pretenders? A dedication to Duran Duran ($)? A fervor for futurism? swooning for synthpop? You have come to the right place!
This is an informative yet fun deep-dive into all things new wave. Perfect for those who grew up with the genre, but also those who discovered such bands on Napster, and later Spotify.
What You’ll Get
I plan to post weekly. Here are some possible themes I may cover:
Deep dive on a forgotten album - Explore the making, meaning, and magic behind iconic and underrated new wave albums.
Songs you might have missed - Discover hidden gems, deep cuts, and b-sides that deserve another listen. (That Cars’ song Panorama is kind of trippy!)
Artist spotlights - Get to know the stories behind new wave legends—and what they did after the synths cooled down. (Duran Duran were really busy bees the first half of the ‘80s!)
Fun facts and trivia - Quick hits of new wave knowledge to surprise, entertain, or stump your friends. (Wait, the Break my Stride guy produced No Doubt’s breakout album Tragic Kingdom?)
Battle of the Bands - Two bands enter. One walks away with your vote. Who’s more iconic? (Oingo Boingo, Devo: I want a good, clean fight!)
Who I am
I’m a music lover, in particular new wave and other ‘80s music. I am a bit younger than your typical new wave fan as the first song I remember as a little kid was Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun in 1984, toward the end of the new wave run. I borrowed some of my big sister’s new wave cassettes and CDs, and later in college I deep-dived into the style (thank you, Napster!).
What’s Next?
In the next post, I’ll answer the question: What is New Wave, Anyway?
Don’t see topics that you just can’t get enough of? Suggest it in the comments—I’m always listening (through a synth filter, of course). Everything counts in large amounts!