Save The Synth!

Rip It Up, Issue 239, 1 July 1997, Page 8

Save The Synth!

Greg Fleming unwittingly gives the discerning young music fan a valuable history lesson on the subject of musical snobbery when he states in the May RipltUp that the new Depeche Mode album, Ultra, sounds, “distressingly like Ultravox”. A popular pastime indulged in by rock traditionalists, some punks and other generally backward-thinking regressives during the 80s was synth bashing. The forerunners of techno were invariably dismissed as cold and inhuman or sometimes,

especially in Ultravox’s case, for being melodramatic and pretentious. Ironically one of the most melodramatic (and admittedly one of the greatest) bands of the 80s somehow managed to elude this criticism, probably due to their original lead singer’s suicide and also the fact that while being techno-innova-tors they still maintained a healthy appetite for the guitar. In contrast most of

Ultravox’s output was so

obviously tongue-in-cheek. They actually had a highly original sound which they never wavered from apart from Midge’s occasional

unfortunate excursions into MOR.

Greg really needs to work a bit harder at disguising his prejudices. His comments are predictable at a time when electronics are enjoying such a resurgence and also in light of the current early 80s revival, where

some groundbreaking bands are finally getting the critical recognition they deserve. Chris Noaro, Lower Hutt. Greg Fleming replies:

Funny thing rock ‘n’ roll, hang around long enough

and you’re a historical artefact. Maybe Sotheby’s are crating up Ultravox’s synths as we speak — all set for the charity auction! Look Chris, I hated Ultravox in 1977 and I hate them now, and if you wanna see ’em as some sort of synth-pop pioneers good on ya. My money’s on Allen Ravenstine and Suicide in the synth stakes, but then that’s a rock traditionalist for ya. Oh, and long live Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark eh!!