ABC "How to be a Zillionare": best 80s pop record?

My name is martin fry F R Y. who needs the moon when we've got the stars?

Hi, im eden. I want you to kiss my snatch!

Howdy disco citizens, i'm david yarritu. i might be tiny, but i'm strong!!

Mark white, thats right. Mark white, that's right

SEN? MARTIN FRY DICE YOU FASS!

Still though... "Vanity Kills! It... don't... pay.... bills. Vanity Kills! YOU... LIKE... YOU... UNH!"

"how to be .." completely threw me when i first saw it on TOTPs with ABC as suddenly new image "freak show" band -- this was before Frankie came too etc ?

And, as an aside, was not the super-weird "Look of Love" remix, from the 12-inch, WAAAY ahead of its time? It still freaks people out when I play it.

I say ABC are of its time and I think that S3 droning on is more listenable today.

''Julio's statement = "coffee makes me jittery sometimes, and has a predictable flavor. i prefer volvos."''

Point out where exactly did I say that ABC was 'predictable'. Only reason i mention S3 is 'cause i was listening to a rec of theirs this morning.

There's the origin of Big Beat right there.

*CAAAAAAAN YOUUUU FEEEEEEEL IIIT?*

da-da-DUN-DUN-DA-DA-DA

*WHOOOOAH YEEEEEAAAAH"

da-DUN-DUN-DERR-DERR-DERR-DERR

"I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE - I CAN'T AFFORD IT...."

"Be Near Me" seems to be a lost classic, no? On the radio I hear "When Smokey Sings" (blah) far more often. And I never hear "How to be a Millionaire".

As for it being among the Great 80's Records, it bears repeating that Zillionaire has fucking sick programming. Everything is so fucking garish -- the horn BLASTS, the dead-on TR-303 basslines, and the crazy percussion samples in songs like the title track, "Fear of the World", "A To Z", and "Tower of London". Lexicon on steroids.

It's all about the Munich Disco Mix!

after the ABC thread revive put this one on instead. The fretless bass on "Ocean Blue" is divine.

Please forever eclipsed this record but it's a good one in its own right.

for me this album equates to : on-u sound vs ztt ...

tuff call ..

I love all the 12" mixes - so many I can't keep them straight. I think the Bond St mix of the title tracks was the best and the extended version of "Towers Of London" rock-ified the sound.

The "Munich Disco Mix" was a revelation to this 14 yr old.
Along with the record sleeve and the Melody Maker or NME cover/interview (i forget which) that Spring, I was sold.

Was weird seeing them do so well here in the US with Be Near Me. Nobody in my ghetto New England town liked it (it used to clear the dancefloor at the local 18 and under dance), but it was fun knowing somebody did.

Hmm. I definitely think that 'Be Near Me' is up there as being one of ABC's best-ever songs, and I have more than a soft spot for 'Ocean Blue' which has some lovely fretless bass playing, and some of the frantic Fairlight drum programming is undoubtedly to my liking, but on the other hand, there's some woeful shit on this record, particularly the awful '15 Storey Halo' - I kinda get a kind of similar hollow emptiness from this record as I do from Adam and the Ants' Prince Charming album.

That The Lexicon of Love knocks ...Zillionaire into a cocked hat should go without saying, but I definitely think Beauty Stab is a superior record too: stronger songs, and rocks much harder.

The song "How To Be A Millionaire" is a proper 80's banger with one of Martin Fry's best lyrics...so prescient..."I've seen the future, huh, I can't afford it, uh
Tell you the truth, sir, someone just bought it"
"Larger than life and twice as ugly
If we have to live there, you'll have to drug me"

Chapeau Sir

I've actually never heard this album but I love Lexicon of Love so should I get it

It's definitely under appreciated and I think it's aged pretty well...no 'Lexicon Of Love' but it has it's moments

It's good not great and also doesn't really live in the same world as Lexicon (same is true for Beauty Stab... they are three distinctly different records).

How about A Secret Wish as the best 80s pop record?

"Be Near Me" is the ABC single I hear most in the wild.

The one I used to hear the most was "When Smokey Sings," but "Be Near Me" I do hear now and then. It's lovely. Never hear "Millionaire," but yeah, it's up there with "President Gas" as far as jaundiced, cynical pop/rock goes.

and I sing excellent karaoke versions of both.

Do you ape Butler or do your own thing?

I sing the ABC songs. A little of both. "When Smokey Sings" is perfectly in my range.

How about A Secret Wish as the best 80s pop record?

It's certainly a rather stronger contender for the title than How To Be a Zillionare. Cripes.

"Be Near Me" is always on the Sirius 80s channel (not complaining). The New Wave specific station prefers "Poison Arrow."

I never hear "When Smokey Sings" anymore, even though (as a function of being a pop addicted 10yo in 1988) it was the ABC song for me for the longest time.

"When Smokey Sings" is the ABC song I always hear at CVS.

I don’t really like Martin Fry’s voice. He has a cool shaped head though

Gave this a shot b/c of the hyperbolic thread title (circa 2002) and because I do like The Lexicon of Love & "When Smokey Sings." Production is so thin, distractingly so. Yuck.

I like the idea of attractive band members that just smile on stage, too. That's pretty fun.

After the singles, "Tower of London" is the track I return to.

I've come around to those thin toppy 80's mixes...hey sound upscale, optimistic and kinda louche...ambitious too...I like the production on 'Millionaire'

"Tower of London" kind of bugs me coming from Northerner Fry.

thread prompted me to play "S.O.S." which is always my go-to ABC tune. beautiful song apart maybe from some dodgy rather-too-prominent backing vocals druing the chorus. one thing i noticed this time round is there's a breathy synth voice in there that is absolutely a sound that Prefab Sprout use on Steve McQueen somewhere (maybe on Appetite? not sure). guessing it's a DX7 preset? had totally forgotten about the wordless 'ba-ba-bada-ba-ba' refrain at the end, and it does sound great, but 'That Was Then And This Is Now' came on straight after and they sort of do exactly the same move at the end of that one too, bloody cheats

mustn't grumble!

could murder a piece of apple crumble tbh

yeah yeah yeah

I just spun the Wall St mix of the title track, so great. The sampling was innovative for the time.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood on backing vocals in SOS if I recall correctly.

Isn't "S.O.S." on Beauty Stab?

Sure is. Somebody brought it up above.

bugger, my cd edition (2005 reissue) doesn't have the Wall St. remix on it.
not so sure i have ever heard it.

On The Hour (radio version of The Day Today) had a savage takedown of late-period Peanuts

Wasn't that on Beauty Stab?

Here you go, Mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT_AqOcodKA

ahh ta GMB .. very much of its time.
interesting to hear, but not one to love.
if it was on my cd reissue there is a chance i would probably skip it.