Andy talks about the B52’s (The Guardian) Fri 13 Jan 2023
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 1:04 pm
Famous fans say farewell to the B-52’s: ‘They got me to question my own prejudices’
Andy Bell, Erasure
I first became aware of the B-52’s in 1979. I liked the avant-garde, raw sound, the Sputnik Morse code intro of Planet Claire and the fact it was longer than the average single. They seemed to have something in common with Devo and Talking Heads – the US punk scene was a bit more arty than the UK punk scene, which I found too abrasive apart from Siouxsie and X-Ray Spex. I also loved their quirkiness, their psychedelic post rockabilly sound, off-the-wall 1950s fashion sense and surrealist sci-fi lyrics.
When I was in a pre-Erasure band called Dinger, we based our first single, Kettle of Fish, on Give Me Back My Man, which was one of my favourites alongside 52 Girls and Planet Claire. I’ve since toured with them a few times solo and with Erasure. I particularly enjoyed recording the [2020] Erasure album The Neon in Atlanta, Georgia, because I knew we were in B-52’s country.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/ ... T47FYwG1io
Andy Bell, Erasure
I first became aware of the B-52’s in 1979. I liked the avant-garde, raw sound, the Sputnik Morse code intro of Planet Claire and the fact it was longer than the average single. They seemed to have something in common with Devo and Talking Heads – the US punk scene was a bit more arty than the UK punk scene, which I found too abrasive apart from Siouxsie and X-Ray Spex. I also loved their quirkiness, their psychedelic post rockabilly sound, off-the-wall 1950s fashion sense and surrealist sci-fi lyrics.
When I was in a pre-Erasure band called Dinger, we based our first single, Kettle of Fish, on Give Me Back My Man, which was one of my favourites alongside 52 Girls and Planet Claire. I’ve since toured with them a few times solo and with Erasure. I particularly enjoyed recording the [2020] Erasure album The Neon in Atlanta, Georgia, because I knew we were in B-52’s country.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/ ... T47FYwG1io