Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Adolescent Music Flashback: Psychedelic Furs

I must confess that I first fell in love with the name Psychedelic Furs before I heard one song.  For some strange reason, I equated an "out there" name with good music.  Though, in the 80s that tended to work.  I just knew I was cool being among the first of my friends in junior high to be able rattle off the Psych Furs songs I liked.  I have to thank MTV for the introduction though. 

"Love My Way" was the first song I heard from the Psych Furs, and I was hooked.  Richard Butler's insouciant approach to singing was just plain fun, and I happily sang along, making sure my British inflections were just so.  "President Gas" was another song from that same album as "Love My Way" that was just incredible.

I remember seeing the videos for "The Ghost in You" and "Heaven" when I was in high school.  Again, there were two great songs, though I never felt compelled to buy a Psych Furs album or tape.  But it was the song "Pretty in Pink," particularly the version included in the soundtrack of the movie of the same name in '86 that sealed it for me.  What an incredible song.

It wasn't until years later that I finally bought a Psych Furs cd, and it was a compilation disc with songs from all of the previous albums.  It was on that disc that I remembered my old roommate in college (freshman year) used to play "Imitation of Christ" for me, after he found out that I had an interest in the group.  It was great to listen to that song again, as well as one that I completely missed, "Highwire Days."

No one in my family ever understood my appreciation of the Psychedelic Furs, and I am glad; that's something that I can enjoy on my own.



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