Occasional Albums Thing 032 - The Psychedelic Furs “All Of This And Nothing”

The Furs (as we always called them), was it Psychedelic ? Was it Post-Punk ? Who cared, one thing we did know is that we bloody loved them. They released their debut, eponymous, album in the early Spring of 1980 and I think it’s fair to say that that and the two albums that followed it (1981’s “Talk Talk Talk” and 1982’s “Forever Now”) have rarely, if at all, been equalled as an opening trio of albums by anyone, they are faultless. “All Of This And Nothing” (titled after a track from “Talk Talk Talk”) is a 1988 compilation of singles and album tracks from their first four albums, the first three plus #4 “Mirror Moves”.

Their debut contributes 2 tracks, “Sister Europe” and “Imitation Of Christ”. Both are great songs, the former a lazy but cool sounding drawl with some incredibly Bowie-esque “asthmatic” saxophone and phased guitars, the latter a more jangly effort with Butler forcing out the title line in the chorus almost like it’s a relief for him to do so. But I feel like the compilers missed a trick by not Including the barnstorming sensory overload that is the albums opening track “India”, man to have been in a band that sounded that loose but on it at the same time…Ahh well, you can’t win ‘em all…

“Talk Talk Talk” coughs up two of their very best singles “Dumb Waiters” and “Pretty In Pink” plus that title track. “Dumb Waiters” attacks you with screeching saxophones and Richard Butler lyrics claiming “She has got it in for me, Yeah I mean it honestly”. It has an atmosphere of sleaze, a young pretender to the world and the feel of The Velvet Underground’s “Venus In Furs” and it’s one of my very favourite Furs tunes. Contained here is the original, tougher version of “Pretty In Pink”, not the USFMRadioFriendly facsimile they re-recorded for 5th album “Midnight To Midnight” that was used in the soundtrack of the 1986 teen RomCom that appropriated the songs title. BTW “Pretty In Pink”s original B-side was maybe my favourite version of the Brecht and Weill classic “Mack The Knife”.

This comp begins on “Forever Now’s” thumping opener “President Gas” (the question of non chronological Best Of... albums is something that troubles me much more than it should) alongside “Love My Way” which I always thought was quite the hit but it appears it never managed to crack the Top 40 here (but did make #30 in the US). It’s equally as poppy and synthesizer-ie as another song we shall meet soon but I love this one. “Forever Now” is likely my favourite of the Furs first 3 albums.

I have a completely irrational prejudice against 4th album “Mirror Moves” based purely around it’s second single “The Ghost In You”, a sickly sweet almost synth-pop ditty that I did (and still do) absolutely loath, and yes I understand the same criticism could be levelled at “Love My Way” but you’d be wrong. The prejudice is, as I admit, completely irrational as the albums lead single was the banging “Heaven” (their first single to crack the UK Top 30) and it’s also home to the wonderful “Highwire Days”, both of them are contained here (not to mention “Alice’s House” too…and”Here Come Cowboys”, maybe I need a re-think/listen to “Mirror Moves”).

The music on this album was largely released between 1980 and 1984, a time when me and my mates were all in bands, looking for a style and a way to go. In the end I think we all wanted to sound like some amalgamation of the Velvets, Joy Division and of course the Psychedelic Furs. The Furs guitarist John Ashton was probably responsible for the sales of more Phaser and Flanger pedals to hopeful guitarists than the marketing division of the Boss/Roland corporation of Hamamatsu, Japan (who likely won’t be first against the wall when the revolution comes…if you get the joke ?), Richard Butler looked so cool and sounded so disdainful why would you not want to be like them ?

Following the very US radio friendly album “Midnight To Midnight”, then the back to the sound of their first 2 albums on “Book Of Days” which was followed by 1991’s “World Outside” (with which I have to admit I am completely unfamiliar) the Furs put themselves on hold in 1992. They returned to touring in 2000 and in 2020 they released “Made of Rain”, their first studio album in 29 years. I’ve seen the Furs live a couple of times and they were superb. Knowing more now tells me those early records I love so much owe a great debt to Bowie (check out the video below with Richard Butler earnestly playing the part of the bastard offspring of Ziggy Stardust) and the Velvet Underground/Lou Reed. If all you know of them is the 1986 film version of “Pretty In Pink” (one of only 2 UK top 40 singles) then I’d urge you to dig deeper, there is a darkness, a mysteriousness and some exceptional music to be found and this album might be a good place for you to start.

Dumb Waiters - https://youtu.be/mrX9Mg4ersQ?si=-_KNoe1psdMwclSn