After Soft Cell split he had a modest solo career.

 

Songs like,

 

I feel Love..... with Bronski Beat

Stories of Johnny

Something's gotten hold of my heart...a No. 1 with Gene Pitney

Jacky

The days of Pearly Spencer

 

Love him or hate him?

mixed views.... hes not really my cuppa, but.. his cover of 'jackie' was actually very good, and 'days of pearly spencer' wasnt too bad although i much prefer the david mc williams from 67 original the best.... even though it didnt chart!

His solo career only really worked when he was doing covers eh? Although I didn't know 'Jacky' and 'Pearly Spencer' were covers at the time and rather liked 'em so I can't complain.

His solo career only really worked when he was doing covers eh? Although I didn't know 'Jacky' and 'Pearly Spencer' were covers at the time and rather liked 'em so I can't complain.

 

hmm... i guess so! lol, i also liked his duet cover with gene pitney of 'somethings gotten hold of my heart', not quite as good as the orig but a fair cover nontheless.

If you want to hear Marc Almond doing covers then find a copy of his Jacques Brel covers album. I adore it!

 

Otherwise he has been a bit hit or miss. Tears Run Rings is a bit of a lost classic. It was on the same album as the Gene Pitney cover.

 

 

 

The Fantastic Star album is rather good too.

 

david mc williams (original) 'days of pearly spencer'

 

 

scott walker 'jackie'

 

I think it's fair to say that his best solo material consisted of covers. But what great songs :wub:

mmm.... I really don't agree that Almond's best solo stuff was all covers...... seems we're forgetting the awesome 'Mother Fist', 'A Lover Spurned', 'Tears Run Rings', 'Waifs and Strays'... plus, Almond was always more of an album artist - and his 'Stars We Are', 'Enchanted' and 'Mother Fist' albums are worthy of a place in anyone's collection. I think we're confusing commercial success with musical quality here. He, more than most of his contemporaries, seems to be labelled by his 'big hits' - the albatross that was 'Tainted Love' with Soft Cell - which was easily their weakest single but their biggest hit... and 'Pearly Spencer' and 'Something's Gotten Hold of my heart' as a solo artist.... when his own material was infinitely better - but ultimately ignored by the public.

 

Almond is one of our greatest performers, even to this day - his live shows really aresomething else - and anyone interested in modern pop culture should read his 'Tainted Life' autobiography - it's one of the best books I've ever read.

 

I love the way he goes totally against what is expected of him - whether it be releasing a stripped-down album of Jacques Brel covers, a folk album sung entirely in Russian, complete with a Russian orchestra and choir, collaborations with people as diverse as Nico and Gene Pitney, his dabbles with nu-electro with obscure German electro acts and for his staunch absolute refusal to be drawn into the pop star game. They really don't make them like him anymore....

 

Of course, he's remained ignored by the industry - he's never received a single award for his contribution to the music industry. Shameful, eh?

mmm.... I really don't agree that Almond's best solo stuff was all covers...... seems we're forgetting the awesome 'Mother Fist', 'A Lover Spurned', 'Tears Run Rings', 'Waifs and Strays'... plus, Almond was always more of an album artist - and his 'Stars We Are', 'Enchanted' and 'Mother Fist' albums are worthy of a place in anyone's collection. I think we're confusing commercial success with musical quality here. He, more than most of his contemporaries, seems to be labelled by his 'big hits' - the albatross that was 'Tainted Love' with Soft Cell - which was easily their weakest single but their biggest hit... and 'Pearly Spencer' and 'Something's Gotten Hold of my heart' as a solo artist.... when his own material was infinitely better - but ultimately ignored by the public.

 

Almond is one of our greatest performers, even to this day - his live shows really aresomething else - and anyone interested in modern pop culture should read his 'Tainted Life' autobiography - it's one of the best books I've ever read.

 

I love the way he goes totally against what is expected of him - whether it be releasing a stripped-down album of Jacques Brel covers, a folk album sung entirely in Russian, complete with a Russian orchestra and choir, collaborations with people as diverse as Nico and Gene Pitney, his dabbles with nu-electro with obscure German electro acts and for his staunch absolute refusal to be drawn into the pop star game. They really don't make them like him anymore....

 

Of course, he's remained ignored by the industry - he's never received a single award for his contribution to the music industry. Shameful, eh?

 

i suppose hes not considered commercial enough, but lets face it, many of the best musicians/artists dont get as much recognition as they deserve... c'est la vie.

I agree - although, the only other act who've been going as long as Almond and received the same zero acclaim from the industry are Depeche Mode. Both emerged in 1981, both still releasing challenging and interesting music, both still with huge fanbases.... yet both utterly ignored by the awards panels throughout.

 

If Almond was homely, cuddly and straight, I'm sure he'd still be a household name.... he's a little 'leftfield' for audiences these days... weird how being overtly gay in music was far more accepted 30 or 40 years ago than it is today in the homogenised musical landscape we're currently living in, isn't it?

mmm.... I really don't agree that Almond's best solo stuff was all covers...... seems we're forgetting the awesome 'Mother Fist', 'A Lover Spurned', 'Tears Run Rings', 'Waifs and Strays'... plus, Almond was always more of an album artist - and his 'Stars We Are', 'Enchanted' and 'Mother Fist' albums are worthy of a place in anyone's collection. I think we're confusing commercial success with musical quality here. He, more than most of his contemporaries, seems to be labelled by his 'big hits' - the albatross that was 'Tainted Love' with Soft Cell - which was easily their weakest single but their biggest hit... and 'Pearly Spencer' and 'Something's Gotten Hold of my heart' as a solo artist.... when his own material was infinitely better - but ultimately ignored by the public.

 

Almond is one of our greatest performers, even to this day - his live shows really aresomething else - and anyone interested in modern pop culture should read his 'Tainted Life' autobiography - it's one of the best books I've ever read.

 

I love the way he goes totally against what is expected of him - whether it be releasing a stripped-down album of Jacques Brel covers, a folk album sung entirely in Russian, complete with a Russian orchestra and choir, collaborations with people as diverse as Nico and Gene Pitney, his dabbles with nu-electro with obscure German electro acts and for his staunch absolute refusal to be drawn into the pop star game. They really don't make them like him anymore....

 

Of course, he's remained ignored by the industry - he's never received a single award for his contribution to the music industry. Shameful, eh?

Yes, you're right. I was only looking at the hits. Of course, Tainted Love was also a cover with the 12" version segueing into yet another cover, Where Did Our Love Go. Perhaps I should listen to some more of his solo material :)

My favourite solo track of his was Tears Run Rings from 1988. But I really liked Child Star & The Idol from 1995.

 

But his last album featured a cover of an old Barry Ryan track that I think could have been huge if released.

 

Marc Almond - Kitsch (live 2007)

 

 

 

 

You make a good point about awards...but the Brits only do it for TV audiences...Oasis may have sold a $h!tload of albums but why give them a lifetime award? Ah...so you can end the show with three live tracks and pull in more people. What do you mean nobody would tune in for Soft Cell or Depeche Mode?

 

More to the point...have New Order ever received the Brit lifetime award? The Cure? Morrissey?

..... I know Kate Bush turned a Lifetime Achievement award down... and I can't see Morrissey dumbing down to appear for his richly-deserved award, either. Good for him, too.

 

The Cure, New Order, Morrissey, Marc Almond, Siouxsie, Depeche Mode, Vince Clarke, Alison Moyet, Bryan Ferry... none of them 'honoured' by the Brits... what a shambles that show has become..... when a show can award the Spice Girls a Lifetime Achievement Award, yet not have given the award to any one of the aforementioned... a total joke, really :angry:

..... I know Kate Bush turned a Lifetime Achievement award down... and I can't see Morrissey dumbing down to appear for his richly-deserved award, either. Good for him, too.

 

The Cure, New Order, Morrissey, Marc Almond, Siouxsie, Depeche Mode, Vince Clarke, Alison Moyet, Bryan Ferry... none of them 'honoured' by the Brits...

 

actually was thinking something like that last night about roxy music while watching that show...also thinking would almond turn p for a comment...

 

david mc williams (original) 'days of pearly spencer'

 

 

scott walker 'jackie'

 

 

much better

I liked him with Soft Cell but hated his solo stuff.

 

Many of his hits though were covers.

 

Soft Cell - Tainted Love - originally by Gloria Jones which was a northern soul hit

Soft Cell - What (Can I Say) - originally by Judy Cheeks which was a northern soul hit

 

Solo

Jackie - originally a hit for Scott Walker

with Gene Pitney - Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart - originally a hit for Gene solo

Days Of Pearly Spencer - originally by David McWilliams

with Bronksi Beat - I Feel Love originally a hit for Donna Summer

Edited September 22, 200816 yr by Euro Music

My favourite solo track of his was Tears Run Rings from 1988. But I really liked Child Star & The Idol from 1995.

 

But his last album featured a cover of an old Barry Ryan track that I think could have been huge if released.

 

Marc Almond - Kitsch (live 2007)

 

i agree 'kitsch' would be perfect for marc almond (didnt know he covered it), even though i like barry ryans original.

I liked him with Soft Cell but hated his solo stuff.

 

Many of his hits though were covers.

 

Soft Cell - Tainted Love - originally by Gloria Jones which was a northern soul hit

Soft Cell - What (Can I Say) - originally by Judy Cheeks which was a northern soul hit

 

Solo

Jackie - originally a hit for Scott Walker

with Gene Pitney - Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart - originally a hit for Gene solo

Days Of Pearly Spencer - originally by David McWilliams

with Bronksi Beat - I Feel Love originally a hit for Donna Summer

 

but imo that just makes Marc Almond seen totally pointless..as you cant beat those originals...and also i see you've missed one of the best floor-stompers of all time...

 

Frankie Valli - The Night

 

on the other hand...here is a marc almond cover...by Katarina Kovac (listen to this its very lovely and much better than the original!!!)

 

 

 

 

and i hope nobody here watched the pee wee herman film on film4 :lol: ...here is something from the fabulous Pierre et Gilles...which may or may not go down with all the texas cowboys..unless they're on brokeback mountain at the time :lol: :lol:

 

Marc Almond - A Lover Spurned.

 

however probs the best soft cell record is...

 

Soft Cell - Torch

 

and the other hand....

 

The Grid - Beat Called Love

 

The Grid - Texas Cowboy**

 

swamp thing - the Grid**

 

bonus videos:

**2 Cowboys - Everybody Gonfi Gon

**Rednex - The Way I Mate

'Torch' was an absolutely amazing single.... it depresses me that Joe Public are too lazy to look beyond the big-hit-cover-versions with regards to Soft Cell...and the same with Marc Almond, too..... the irony is that Almond has written songs not only as good as Tainted Love and Somethings Gotten Hold Of My Heart - but BETTER stuff.... 'Torch' and 'Say Hello Wave Goodbye' to name just two. The 2 tracks I mentioned are easily as great as anything Jagger and Richards or Lennon and McCartney wrote.

 

However, my favourite Almond output is the stuff he's recorded relatively recently with Rosenstolz... check the absolutely gorgeous 'Amo Vitam', which is stunning stuff... and for any naughty downloaders (the single's long-since deleted, anyway), check out the dance remixes of this track - they're nothing short of orgasmic....