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Suburbia (song)
"Suburbia" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their debut album, '' Please'' (1986). It was re-recorded with producer Julian Mendelsohn for release as the fourth single from the album. Peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, "Suburbia" was the band's second top 10 hit after "West End Girls", and in their view it saved them from becoming a one-hit wonder. Background and recording The song's primary inspiration was the 1983 Penelope Spheeris film ''Suburbia'', and its depiction of violence and squalor in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The recent events of the Brixton riots of 1981 and of 1985 were another influence. The lyrics convey the boredom of suburbia ("I only wanted something else to do but hang around") and the underlying tension among disaffected youth. The music is punctuated by sounds of suburban violence, riots, and smashing glass, along with barking dogs—a motif derived from scenes in Spheeris's film. "Suburbia" was written in 1985 at T ...
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Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music history in the 1999 edition of ''The Guinness Book of Records''. Pet Shop Boys have achieved 42 top 30 singles, including 22 top-10 hits on the UK singles chart, including four UK number-ones: "West End Girls" (also number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100), "It's a Sin", a synth-pop version of "Always on My Mind#Pet Shop Boys version, Always on My Mind", and "Heart (Pet Shop Boys song), Heart". Other hit songs include a cover of "Go West (song)#Pet Shop Boys version, Go West", and their own "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)", and "What Have I Done to Deserve This? (song), What Have I Done to Deserve This?" in a duet with Dusty Springfield. With five US top 10 singles in the 1980s, they are associated with the S ...
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Suburbia (film)
''Suburbia'' (also known as ''Rebel Streets'' and ''The Wild Side'') is a 1983 American Coming-of-age film, coming-of-age thriller drama film written and directed by Penelope Spheeris and produced by Roger Corman. The film's plot concerns a group of suburban youths who run away from home and adopt a punk subculture, punk lifestyle by squatting in abandoned suburban tract homes. The punks are played by Chris Pedersen (actor), Chris Pedersen, Bill Coyne, Timothy Eric O'Brien, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea (musician), Flea and others. The film contains live footage of D.I. (band), D.I. performing "Richard Hung Himself", T.S.O.L. performing "Wash Away" and "Darker My Love" and the Vandals performing "The Legend of Pat Brown". The film inspired the 1986 Pet Shop Boys song Suburbia (song), of the same name. Plot Sheila, a hitchhiking teenage runaway, is picked up on Interstate 605 in the Greater Los Angeles Area by a woman with a toddler. When the car gets a flat tire, they fin ...
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Gary Barnacle
Gary Barnacle (born 1959) is an English saxophonist, flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer, and producer. Barnacle is primarily noted for his session work and live work, including various Prince's Trust concerts at Wembley Arena, the Royal Albert Hall and the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. He performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in 1988, and appeared on television and in music videos during the 1980s and 1990s with many popular music acts. He was also in an electropop duo called Leisure Process from 1982 to 1983 with ex- Positive Noise singer Ross Middleton. Biography and career The early years (1977–1980) Gary Barnacle was born in Dover, England in 1959. Barnacle played the saxophone on several songs and albums by The Clash; he played on their album '' Sandinista!'' released on 12 December 1980 as a triple album, the single " This Is Radio Clash" released on 20 November 1981, and '' Combat Rock'' released on 14 M ...
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Synth
A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and frequency modulation synthesis. These sounds may be altered by components such as filters, which cut or boost frequencies; envelopes, which control articulation, or how notes begin and end; and low-frequency oscillators, which modulate parameters such as pitch, volume, or filter characteristics affecting timbre. Synthesizers are typically played with keyboards or controlled by sequencers, software or other instruments, and may be synchronized to other equipment via MIDI. Synthesizer-like instruments emerged in the United States in the mid-20th century with instruments such as the RCA Mark II, which was controlled with punch cards and used hundreds of vacuum tubes. The Moog synthesizer, developed by Robert Moog and first so ...
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Andy Richards
Andrew John Richards (born 26 October 1952) is an English pianist, Film score, composer, music producer and keyboardist. Richards has played with artists including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, George Michael, Propaganda (band), Propaganda, Grace Jones, Rush (band), Rush, Annie Lennox, Gary Moore, Pet Shop Boys, Godley & Creme, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Strawbs, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, OMD, Malcolm McLaren, Nik Kershaw, T'Pau (band), T'Pau, Maddy Prior and Denny Laine. Richards has performed and programmed keyboards on eight UK No. 1 singles, namely: "Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood song), Relax" (1984) and "Two Tribes" (1984) by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Careless Whisper" (1984) by George Michael, "The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh song), The Lady in Red" (1986) by Chris de Burgh, "It's a Sin" (1987), "Always on My Mind#Pet Shop Boys version, Always on My Mind" (1987) and "Heart (Pet Shop Boys song), Heart" (1988) by Pet Shop Boys, and "Spaceman (Babylon Zoo son ...
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Fairlight CMI
The Fairlight CMI (short for Computer Musical Instrument) is a digital synthesizer, music sampler, and digital audio workstation introduced in 1979 by Fairlight. — with links to some Fairlight history and photos It was based on a commercial licence of the Qasar M8 developed by Tony Furse of Creative Strategies in Sydney, Australia. It was one of the earliest electronic music workstations with an embedded sampler and is credited for coining the term sampling in music. It rose to prominence in the early 1980s and competed with the Synclavier from New England Digital. History : 1971–1979 In the 1970s, Kim Ryrie, then a teenager, had an idea to develop a build-it-yourself analogue synthesizer, the ETI 4600, for the magazine he founded, '' Electronics Today International'' (ETI). Ryrie was frustrated by the limited number of sounds that the synthesizer could make. After his classmate, Peter Vogel, graduated from high school and had a brief stint at university in 1975, ...
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Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (now known as Battersea) is an animal shelter, animal rescue centre for dogs and cats. Battersea rescues dogs and cats until their owner or a new one can be found. It is one of the UK's oldest and best known animal rescue centres. It was established in Holloway, London, in 1860 and moved to Battersea in 1871.'' The non-government funded organisation cares for an average of 240 dogs and 145 cats across all three centres at any one time. The charity has cared for more than 3.1 million dogs and cats over its history. History Battersea was established in Holloway, London, Holloway in 1860 by Mary Tealby (1801–1865). She called it "The Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs". Initially the home was in her scullery but as the number of dogs delivered to her grew she hired some nearby stables funded by herself, her brother and Sarah Major. In 1860 the RSPCA agreed to assist and the committee meetings were held at the RSPCA offices at 12 Pall Mall, Lond ...
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E-mu Emulator
The Emulator is a series of digital sampling synthesizers using floppy-disk storage that was manufactured by E-mu Systems from 1981 until 2002. Although it was not the first commercial sampler, the Emulator was innovative in its integration of computer technology and was among the first samplers to find widespread usage among musicians. While costly, its price was considerably lower than those of its early competitors, and its smaller size increased its portability and, resultantly, practicality for live performance. The line was discontinued in 2002. Impetus E-mu Systems was founded in 1971 as a manufacturer of microprocessor chips, digital scanning keyboards and components for electronic instruments. Licensing revenue for this technology afforded E-mu the ability to invest in research and development, and it began to develop boutique synthesizers for niche markets, including a series of modular synthesizers and the high-end Audity system, of which only one prototype was ...
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Into The Groove
"Into the Groove" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna, and featured in the 1985 film ''Desperately Seeking Susan''. Written and produced by both Madonna and Stephen Bray, the main inspiration behind the song was the dance floor; the singer wrote it while watching a Latin American man to whom she was attracted. Its instrumentation features synthesizers and drum machines, with Madonna's voice being double tracked on the chorus. Sexual innuendos and undertones are present throughout the lyrics, which are written as an invitation to dance with the singer. Originally written for her friend Mark Kamins, Madonna later decided to use it on the film, as one of the scenes needed a dance song. It was later added to the 1985 international re-issue of her second studio album, '' Like a Virgin'' (1984), and in her compilations '' You Can Dance'' (1987), ''The Immaculate Collection'' (1990), '' Celebration'' (2009), and '' Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones'' (2022). Warner Bros. R ...
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Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, Madonna and sexuality, sexual, and Madonna and religion, religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A Cultural impact of Madonna, cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, Madonna has become the subject of various List of academic publishing works on Madonna, scholarly, Bibliography of works on Madonna, literary and Madonna and contemporary arts, artistic works, as well as a mini academic sub-discipline called Madonna studies. Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club (band), Breakfast Club and ...
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Bassline
Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, and classical music, for the low-pitched Part (music), instrumental part or line played (in jazz and some forms of popular music) by a rhythm section instrument such as the bass guitar, electric bass, double bass, cello, tuba or keyboard (piano, Hammond organ, electric organ, or synthesizer). In unaccompanied solo performance, basslines may simply be played in the lower register (music), register of any instrument while melody and/or further accompaniment is provided in the middle or upper register. In solo music for piano and pipe organ, these instruments have an excellent lower register that can be used to play a deep bassline. On organs, the bass line is typically played using the pedal keyboard and massive 16' and 32' bass pipes. Riffs and grooves Basslines in Pop music, popu ...
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Brixton Riot (1985)
The Brixton riot of 1985 started on 28 September in Lambeth in South London. It was the second major riot that the area had witnessed in the space of four years, the last in 1981. It was sparked by the shooting of Dorothy "Cherry" Groce by the Metropolitan Police, while they sought her 21-year-old son Michael Groce in relation to a robbery and suspected firearms offence; they believed Michael Groce was hiding in his mother's home. After two days of riots, photo-journalist David Hodge had died, 43 civilians and 10 police officers were hurt. Amongst a number of fires, one building had been destroyed, 55 cars had been burnt out, and 58 burglaries had been committed including acts of looting. In March 2014, the police apologised for the wrongful shooting of Mrs Groce. In July of the same year, an inquest jury concluded that eight separate police failures had contributed to Mrs Groce's death, for which the then Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe subse ...
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