Song of the day – 306: Anne Clark

Been posting up a fair amount of French coldwave from the early 80s. Seems only right to post up its British equivalent.

This lady was a fair major influence on me at the start of the 80s, especially on my early Legend! recordings, my intonation. Indeed, I wrote one song – ‘The Rugby Club’ (recorded with Alan McGee it subsequently appeared on a cassette tape, which later led Alan to remark it was the most embarrassing song he’d ever appeared on) – that, with the benefit of 30 years hindsight, was a very pale imitation of the following:

I saw Anne play a handful of times at places like the London Musicians Collective, and also alongside Patrik Fitzgerald. She was magnificent in her almost dispassionate alienation and depression. I’m not sure if I ever shared the same bill but I hope I didn’t. Would’ve been deeply embarrassing for everyone except for poor oblivious me. Her handful of albums were killer – The Sitting Room (1982), Changing Places (1983), Joined Up Writing (1984) – kind of taking Patrik’s debut album Grubby Stories one step further (and then several steps further) into the electro-pop world. I guess her lyrics appealed to more people, though. She moved to Norway sometime round 1987, where her deeply Gothic, downbeat lyrics and delivery, and bleak humour, were far more appreciated: indeed, I believe she might even had a few Top 40 hits on the continent.

I was wanting to post her up here since that A Certain Ratio entry. Something about a shared song title and mood brought her music starkly back to me.

by Everett True

My name is Everett True. I am a music critic. This is what I do. I criticise music. The clue is in my job description – music critic. I do not consider myself a journalist, as I do not research or report hard news. I do not consider myself a commentator as I believe that everyone should be a participant. I criticise people and in return I am not surprised if other people criticise me. It is part of the whole deal of being in the public arena. I am Everett True. Believe in me and I have power like a God. Quit believing in me and I no longer exist.