new wave

Interview: Peter Godwin (New Single: “You!”)

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Illustration_sans_titreThe cover of “You!” by Peter Godwin (Photo courtesy the artist)

Singer-songwriter Peter Godwin is best known for his new wave hit “Images of Heaven,” which continues to fascinate listeners, as shown in its recent power ranking in a Facebook poll called the ’80s Synthpop Singles World Cup 2020. Only weeks ago, Peter released a new single — “You!” — and Johnson Somerset, a regular collaborator, remixed it for release a few days ago.

In the ’70s, Peter began his career in the glam rock outfit Metro, which gained even more notoriety when David Bowie covered the band’s song “Criminal World” on his album Let’s Dance. After Metro, Peter took off on a solo career, although he became a master tunesmith for a variety of other artists, ranging from German synthpoppers Camouflage to fellow Englishman Steve Winwood.

Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter phoned Peter at home in Nice, France, where he dedicated part of a relaxing evening reminiscing about his career and looking forward to the future.

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Livestream Preview: Stone Love Bass Odyssey with John Taylor of Duran Duran @ Instagram, 6/10/20

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John Taylor performs with Duran Duran at MGM National Harbor on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Pandemic lockdowns globally generated a surge of creativity from music artists seeking ways to connect with their fans in a time when people are urged to stay at home.

Of all the virtual concerts, listening parties, and chats, my favorite lockdown series by far has been a tutorial and interview combo by John Taylor of Duran Duran. On nearly a weekly cadence, John regales the viewer with tales of a favorite song and how it came together, with a focus on his bass playing, and then he interviews a friend and fellow artist in a program dubbed Stone Love Bass Odyssey.

On Wednesday, June 10, John walks us through “Some Like It Hot” by his side project Power Station, and then he chats with none other than fellow English rocker Billy Idol, on Duran Duran’s Instagram!

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Song of the Day: “Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling)” by Erasure

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Erasure (Photo by Doron Gild)

Erasure recently announced a new album on BBC Radio 2’s The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. The record is called The Neon, and it will be released on Aug. 21 by Mute.

The album is preceded by a new single, “Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling),” which received its first play on the same show last week.

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Interview: Limahl

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Limahl (Photo courtesy ReyBee Inc.)

In 1983, singer Limahl released an album with the band Kajagoogoo. It was titled White Feathers, and I probably don’t need to tell you much about it because the lead single “Too Shy” never went away. You can hear the smash hit everywhere! Soon after, Limahl cemented his place in our collective pop consciousness as a solo performer with the majestic “NeverEnding Story,” the title theme to the movie of the same name.

“NeverEnding Story” and “Too Shy” have withstood the test of time and even went through a rejuvenation in 2019 after being featured on hit television series Black Mirror (Episode: “Bandersnatch”), American Horror Story (Season Nine: “1984”), and Stranger Things (Season Three). Now, Limahl enters a pop culture renaissance with the release of “Still in Love,” his first new solo release in eight years, on June 5, 2020.

Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter was very pleased to chat with Limahl, born Chris Hamill, about the new single and his landmark ’80s tunes in a recent phone call.

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Livestream Preview: Stone Love Bass Odyssey with John Taylor of Duran Duran @ Instagram, 5/27/20

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John Taylor performs with Duran Duran at MGM National Harbor on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

The great Nile Rodgers famously remixed “The Reflex” by Duran Duran — a song that sent the boys from Birmingham UK to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1984.

Nile went on to work quite a bit with Duran Duran over the past several decades, of course, and bassist John Taylor is likely to explore that relationship in a chat for his Stone Love Bass Odyssey via Duran Duran’s Instagram on Wednesday, May 27.

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Livestream Preview: Stone Love Bass Odyssey with John Taylor of Duran Duran @ Instagram, 5/20/20

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John Taylor (left) performs with Simon LeBon in Duran Duran at The Fillmore New Orleans on Feb. 19, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

During the national COVID-19 crisis, many musicians have found ways to connect with their audiences virtually, using platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to present concerts or interactive experiences.

In my opinion, bassist John Taylor of Duran Duran has developed one of the most joyful, uplifting, and thoroughly entertaining of these virtual performances with his Stone Love Bass Odyssey series, which he broadcasts via Duran Duran’s Instagram on Wednesdays. In the two-part program, John first shares an iconic baseline from a classic Duran Duran song and then he chats with a fellow musician about their careers and shared interests.

The result is must-see Instagram TV!

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Interview: Jesper Anderberg of The Sounds

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The Sounds (Photo courtesy Reybee Inc.)

The Sounds burst out of Sweden in 2002 with Living in America, blowing us away with fantastic new wave. The five-member band, fronted by Maja Ivarsson, then became the toast of the town with their hip second record, Dying to Say This to You.

Over the past 20 years, The Sounds have remained very busy while maintaining a consistent lineup. Key to that lineup is Jesper Anderberg, keyboardist, pianist, and guitar player — a versatile contributor and a thoughtful presence during The Sounds’ kinetic performances.

Mickey McCarter of Parklife DC caught up with Jesper to chat about Things We Do For Love, the upcoming sixth full-length album by The Sounds, scheduled for release on June 12, and about what he’s been up to the past few years.

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Stream Preview: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark @ YouTube, 5/9/20

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OMD Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphries of OMD (Photo by Tom Oxley)

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) announces “Live From Your Sofa!” — an online performance featuring never-before-seen footage of the whole of last year’s Hammersmith Apollo London show. The OMD concert film screens on YouTube on Saturday, May 9.

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