Minimal Wave Records

Does anyone know what his Succession Lp sounds like?  Are the synth lines and drum beats analogue, and similar to the stuff he did with Anne Clark on the Changing Places Lp?

Don’t have the Succession LP but bought “No Easy Targets/Complete Control” 12” yesterday just to make a post here.

No Easy Targets is quite interesting: musically it sounds a bit like Machine Age Voodoo by SPK (e.g. Junk Funk) from the same year 1984, with that hint of exotika and somewhat overactive electronics and a typical female background voice.
The way he’s singing however reminds me more of EBM, and that hadn’t been invented properly for another two years yet.

Now following the golden “the older, the better” rule the succession LP should sound rather interesting, even more as John White from U.V. Pop contributed to it.

If it doesn’t, you can of course always sue me

I’ll buy it the moment I see it.

Yeah, I came accross ‘No Easy Targets’ too. I listened to it and didn’t buy it because it sounded rather bland. From what I remember it sounded like he used a digital drum machine in all of the tracks which tends to turn me off.

Thanks for your interest in the subject. Succession is on my list too.

Well having bought the bugger I surprisingly enough somewhat disagree on your “bland” statement , this being based on two factors:

- I am not a minimal synth purist but also like my pop bands although that doesn’t mean I’m a sucker for those ‘84 Jellybean remixes

- if that record had been made today I’d be sure to call it pointless ecclectic nonsense, but in the light of it having been made in 1984 his way of singing to it gives it the egde over his competitors at that time and makes it somewhat special

That’s what really struck me about it: while the going-shallow movement was picking up momentum fast in 1984 catapulting many a good band into musical oblivion, he somewhat anticipated 1986’s EBM counter-reaction.

But no, this one is not another “The Cabinet”  :D

Got “The Succession” in alright. To make a deliberate attempt to lose an estimated 95% of readers right away: it’s not a minimal synth album.  :? 

It’s got bass, guitar, drums, John White’s saxophone and some keyboards thrown in for good measure.

What’s nice about the drums though is that they’re very dynamic and at times driving the songs like in Tuxedomoon’s “No Tears”. You do get your share of Tuxedomoon/Clock DVA on there, but also a song called “Here” which reminds me a bit of The Creatures’ “Exterminating Angel”. Or, if one prefers to stick to the timeline, Exterminating Angel could remind one of “Here” 

As the record industry couldn’t help being the record industry already in those days, the only genuine pop song on there called “Our little girl” of cause got chosen as single. Have Bernard Sumner sing to it, and you’re not too far off from being able to sell it as a lost New Order track.

To conclude, I’d say thumbs up for David, very glad to own this album although it’s not a minimal synth gem. USD 2.- well spent :D

Thanks for the post! That was very informative and helpful. Interesting, I have the 12” for ‘Our Little Girl’, it’s the only David Harrow record I own. I never knew it came from the Succession lp, I should have read the discogs listing more carefully. I don’t like the 12” but the sleeve is pretty damn cool. It’s a picture of Harrow in a dusty room looking through some window blinds. He looks very new wave, sporting the old Vince Clarke hair do, but looks a lot better than Vince. All of the pictures I have seen of this guy from the early eighties look very cool, but I guess I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. I thought he’d be an electronic purist.  I guess Succession is off my list. 

Again, thanks for the info!!

David’s most minimal sounding work tends to be the collaboarions he did with people like Pinkie McClure and Anne Clark.

I don’t think any of his stuff could pass for true minimal synth, but is in the same vein as that type of music.

David’s most minimal sounding work tends to be the collaborations he did with people like Pinkie McClure and Anne Clark.

I don’t think any of his stuff could pass for true minimal synth, but is in the same vein as that type of music.