Rocktrospectiva: The New Romantic's Fine Creation "Visage" Turns 45

Released on 14 November 1980 "Visage" was the debut studio album by the British synth-pop band Visage. It was recorded at Genetic Sound Studios in Reading, Berkshire and released in November 1980.

Visage emerged when party hosts Steve Strange and Rusty Egan were hosting their New Romantic Bowie and Roxy Music inspired nights at Billy’s nightclub in London's Soho. This was a precursor to The Blitz Club, the two would found, as well as The New Romantic cultural movement.

Following Strange's stints in the punk/new wave bands The Moors Murderers and The Photons, and Egan membership in the group The Rich Kids, the pair decided to create their own music to play during their club night. Egan recruited Midge Ure from the Rich Kids to join them, and the trio recorded a demo which included a cover of the Zager and Evans hit "In the Year 2525".

Visage's completed line-up included Ultravox keyboardist Billy Currie and most of the post-punk band Magazine such as guitarist John McGeoch, keyboardist Dave Formula and bassist Barry Adamso

This was a sort of supergroup in reverse, as everyone in the band went onto legendary bands afterward, such as Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Siouxsie and the Banshees, & Ultravox. Adamson however, was only an official member of Visage for the group’s debut single "Tar", performing as a session musician on the rest of the album. "Fade to Grey" was Visage's second single released on the same day as the album. The music video became one of the first videoclips that 10cc’s Kevin Godley and Lol Creme directed.

Appearing with Steve Strange in one version of the video was his friend Julia Fodor, who mimed the French lyrics during the clip. There is another version, however, that featured Strange's friend Perry Lister, known for her performances with the Hot Gossip dance troop on Top of The Pops, and being the girlfriend to Billy Idol. The third single from the album was "Mind of a Toy". The theme of the video was the children’s book Little Lord Fauntleroy, a novel by the English-American writer Frances Hodgson Burnett. The final single and the album’s title track "Visage", includes footage shot at the legendary Blitz nightclub in London’s Covent Garden.

The critics about the album were mixed, althought some commented that certain track such as "Moon over Moscow" and "Blocks on Blocks" were perfect examples of Visage at its best, even thought this album was not the band's best effort, however this records is regarded as the one that best represents the short-lived but always underrated new romantic movement.

 

Visage Track List: 

 

1. Visage

2. Blocks On Blocks

3. The Dancer

4. Tar

5. Fade To Grey

6. Malpaso Man

7. Mind Of A Toy

8. Moon Over Moscow

9. Visa-age

10. The Steps