The Anvil (album)
| The Anvil | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Studio album | ||||
| Released | March 1982 | |||
| Recorded | Mayfair Studios, London, 1981 | |||
| Genre | Synthpop | |||
| Length | 40:33 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | Midge Ure, Visage | |||
| Visage studio album chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
The Anvil is the second album from British pop group Visage, released in March 1982. The album reached #6 in the UK[2] and was certified "Silver" by the British Phonographic Industry in April 1982.[3]
Contents |
[edit] History
This album sparked a brief controversy at the time of its release for being named after New York's famous gay club.
The only musician of the first album line-up that didn't participate in this album's recording was John McGeoch. McGeoch commented in an interview [1]: "One time I was in Spain [touring with Siouxsie and the Banshees] at the same time as Visage were recording the second album in London. Rusty wanted me to put a guitar solo on something or other but I only had one day off and there was no way that I could fly home on my one day off. Rusty is not a man to be put off by such things and he was actually trying to put together a satellite linkup from Madrid to London for this one guitar part. Not surprisingly it didn't come off but I was sorry not to have been as involved on The Anvil as I had been on the first album".
The Anvil was also the last Visage project to feature Ultravox frontman Midge Ure who left the band after its release.
The original vinyl release of The Anvil came in an embossed/textured sleeve (considered as deluxe packaging for the time), and a limited number of copies came with a free poster of Steve Strange posing in front of a hotel with a number of models (the same models can be seen on the cover of the single The Damned Don't Cry).
The album saw a re-release on the CD format in 1997 with bonus tracks, though they are tracks from the 1980/1 Visage era and not that of The Anvil.
'The Anvil' was re-released on CD again on 17 March 2008, containing more bonus tracks and detailed liner notes.
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Original release (Polydor): POLD 5050
- All Songs Written By Steve Strange, Midge Ure, Dave Formula, Billy Currie & Rusty Egan. (Copyright Metropolis/Warner Brothers Music/Mood Music Limited/Hot Food Music/Virgin Music)
Side A
- "The Damned Don't Cry" – 4:43
- "Anvil (Night Club School)" – 4:39
- "Move Up" – 4:25
- "Night Train" – 4:29
Side B
- "The Horseman" – 4:41
- "Look What They've Done" – 4:49
- "Again We Love" – 4:44
- "Wild Life" – 4:24
- "Whispers" – 5:39
- "Anvil (Night Club School)" is known as "The Anvil" elsewhere, including various compilation albums and singles.
[edit] One Way Records release: OW 34518
Bonus tracks:
|
[edit] Cherry Red Records release: CR POP 6
Bonus tracks:
|
[edit] Personnel
[edit] Visage
- Steve Strange - vocals
- Midge Ure - guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Dave Formula - synthesizer
- Billy Currie - electric violin, synthesizer
- Rusty Egan - drums, electronic percussion, backing vocals
[edit] Additional Musicians
- Barry Adamson - bass
- Gary Barnacle - saxophone
- Perri Lister - backing vocals
- Lorraine - backing vocals
[edit] Singles
- "The Damned Don't Cry" – 3:55 (Jan. 1982) UK #11[2]
- "Night Train" – 4:02 (Jun. 1982) UK #12[2]
[edit] Media
This section includes music samples of B-sides composed by Visage during this album period:
 |
This song is the B-side of single "The Damned Don't Cry" of January, 1982. It was supposed to be part of the compilation "Master Series", but another track by an unknown band was put in its place by mistake.
|
| Problems listening to these files? See media help. | |
[edit] References
- ^ LeRoy, Dan. The Anvil (album) at Allmusic
- ^ a b c UK Chart Stats
- ^ BPI Database
|
|||||||||||||||||
