Classix Nouveaux - The Very Best Of

Classix Nouveaux - The Very Best Of

Biography

Classix Nouveaux were an English 1980s new wave band. They had number one hits in Poland, Portugal, the former Yugoslavia, Israel, Iceland, and other countries. In the UK they had various Top 50 successes, but only one Top 20 hit with “Is It A Dream”, which peaked at #11 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1982.

The break up of X-Ray Spex triggered an advertisement placed in Melody Maker, searching for a new lead singer. Sal Solo (formerly with The News) answered the advertisement. Jak Airport and B.P. Hurding left X-Ray Spex to form Classix Nouveaux with Mik Sweeney and Sal Solo. Their first gig was on 25 August 1979 at Camden Palace. With publicity growing for the band, their dramatic and heavily made-up image quickly helped associate them with the New Romantic movement, alongside bands such as Japan and Ultravox. In 1980, the band recorded a four track session for Capital Radio and one track, “Robots Dance”, was played regularly by DJ Nicky Horne. This got the interest of A&R at United Artists, but as negotiations dragged on Classix decided to release the track as their debut single on their own ESP label. “Rοbοt’s Dance” was released on 29 August and, when negotiations with UA were finalised, by EMI. They also performed for the first time on television on Thames TV in London. “Robot’s Dance” spent eleven weeks on the UK Indie Chart, reaching #22, and became a popular alternative dance floor track. The group’s second single, “Nasty Little Green Men”, followed on 10 November 1980.— Wikipedia

“One Saturday in 1980, the billboard of Birmingham’s Cedar Ballroom read Classix Nouveaux with Duran Duran. After the show, Duran’s manager stuck his head into the Classix dressing room to enquire about this ‘New Romantic’ thing started in London. In fact, Claςςix rose from the ashes of a punk group – X Ray Spex – when singer Polystyrene left and drummer BP Hurding and guitarist Jak Airport sought a new singer songwriter. Although only BP stayed the course with Classix, the band had a significant punk following right through those New Romantic years.

Also distinct from other New Romantics, Classix was always more a guitar than synth band, with a long history of live gigs. I remember one Swedish TV host asking Tell us about this synth trend from England’ and I replied’ We don’t have a synth in the band!’. Foreign appearances were very much a way of life for a band that toured 30 countries from India to Iceland! Rumour had it the first Claςςix number one was in Bolivia. The band’s first silver disc was from Yugoslavia. In 1982 Classix had the number one single, album and video in Portugal and Poland, after a whole fistful of massive hits. CN is still a legend!

Funny to think at the time, everyone wanted to be associated with the New Romantics. Country singer Kim Carnes had a hit with ‘Betty Davis Eyes’ and having named Claςςix among her favourites, her video turned out to be an almost exact replica of our ‘Guilty’ video. Which incidentally, Boy George, at the t ime unknown outside the club scene, was supposed to appear in, but got up too late! ‘Guilty’ reached number 43 in the charts, then the BBC electricians went on strike and there was no Top Of The Pops for six weeks. With little other pop TV in those days, that single never quite got the exposure it might have.

The big break for Classix in the UK actually came as a result of singing live on Tis Was (remember that strange Chris Tarrant/Lenny Henry partnership!). ‘Is It A Dream’ entered the charts high the following week. The other singles never did so well, but the band had such a loyal following that they always entered the Top 100 the week of release.

In the music press, journalists either loved or hated Classix. Some thought it was all pose and no substance. Perhaps they were right? As you listen back to this compilation, you can decide for yourself. As we get older and wiser, we can all say if we’d known what we know now, we’d have done it different and I certainly would. But at least we ‘did it’; many did not! By the modern wonder of e-mail, I’ve begun to receive CN enquiries from around the world. One American tells me his whole town was infiuenced by the band! Hard to imagine if we listen now, but then maybe pop music is not so much about how it sounds, but what it means to those who listen?“ — Sal Solo

EC0941	Classix Nouveaux – The Very Best Of
Label:	EMI Records Limited (EMI Gold)
Catalog#:	7243 5 95520 2 6
Format:	CD [Compilation]
Label Code:	LC 0542
Released:	2003
Barcode:	7 24359 55202 6
Style:	New Wave, Synth-pop

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Classix Nouveaux – The Very Best Of
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01. Is It A Dream (Extended Version)
02. Guilty (New Version)
03. Never Never Comes
04. Inside Outside
05. Forever And A Day (Extended Version)
06. No Sympathy, No Violins
07. Never Again (The Days Time Erased)
08. No Other Way
09. Soldier
10. La Verite
11. The End…Or The Beginning
12. Where To Go
13. The Robots Dance (New Version)
14. Nasty Little Green Men
15. Tokyo
16. Because You’re Young
Total Time: 01:06:07

Companies, etc.▼ 
Marketed By – EMI
Distributed By – EMI
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – EMI Records Ltd.
Copyright © – EMI Records Ltd.
Designed At – The Red Room

Credits ▼
Design – Hugh Gilmour
Liner Notes – Sal Solo

Notes ▼
Subsequently reissued as a regular non-copy protected CD – The Very Best Of Classix Nouveaux

Barcode and Other Identifiers ▼
Barcode (Text): 7 24359 55202 6
Barcode (Scanned): 724359552026
Rights Society: BEL/BIEM
Label Code: LC 0542