pop
Re-imagining a classic: ABC’s “The Lexicon Of Love”.
ABC’s pop classic ‘The Lexicon Of Love’ stands the test of time. photo
© Promoteam Universal/Universal Music/dpa
About 40 years ago, the British band ABC released their debut album “The Lexicon Of Love”. ABC frontman Martin Fry recalls working with producer Trevor Horn and a visit from David Bowie.
In the early 1980s, British bands like Duran Duran, The Human League and Depeche Mode caused a sensation with a new, innovative sound. Right in the middle was the band ABC. In June 1982 the Sheffield group released their debut album, The Lexicon Of Love. “It was somehow quite popular,” recalls singer Martin Fry in an interview with the German Press Agency in London. “I still don’t know why.”
The 65-year-old is the frontman, band leader and the last remaining original member since the mid-90s. Back then, ABC were a quartet that included guitarist and keyboardist Mark White, saxophonist Stephen Singleton and drummer David Palmer. All four members are listed as songwriters on “The Lexicon Of Love”.
Dance music and post-punk
“It was 1982. We were obsessed with the idea of fusing the world of dance music with rock ‘n’ roll,” says Fry. “In the clubs we listened to Chic, the Jacksons and Sister Sledge, but at home we listened to all these offbeat rock bands – Joy Division, Pere Ubu, Magazine and The Cure. We kind of wanted to bring it all together.” This is how ABC created their own distinctive style.
“The Lexicon Of Love” was the perfect pop album – full of catchy tunes, fast-paced and excellently produced. That was also due to Trevor Horn. “He was crucial,” says Fry of the Buggles (“Video Killed The Radiostar”) frontman and former Yes singer. “He had experienced every aspect of the music business and seen everything,” says Fry of the star producer who later helped Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, the Pet Shop Boys and Seal to great success. Working with ABC was his beginning as a producer. “We were ambitious and so was Trevor,” said Fry. “It was a great combination.”
Bowie drinks tea
According to Martin Fry, one of his idols also had a minimal influence. “David Bowie just popped in for a cup of tea,” he says. Bowie was interested and made a few suggestions. “We were a young band from scratch and then Ziggy Stardust came along and gave us a little help,” says Fry, still ecstatic. “I think he sprinkled some of his magic dust on the record.”
Bowie also suggested that the band fill in a gap on the album with recordings of an answering machine. “A great idea,” says Fry. “I don’t know why we didn’t do that.” In the end it wasn’t an answering machine in the song “The Look Of Love”, but there was the monologue spoken by Martin Fry with the almost iconic sentence: “Martin, maybe one day you’ll find true love.” The singer laughs. “This sentence haunts me to this day.”
With orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall
Trevor Horn brought other musicians into the studio, including keyboardist Anne Dudley. More than 25 years later, Dudley conducted on stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where Fry performed “The Lexicon Of Love” with band and orchestra in 2009. The gig sparked renewed interest in the classic. “In a weird way it took the album’s reputation to a whole new level,” says Fry, who is touring the UK again with Dudley and Orchestra.
A year later, “The Lexicon Of Love” will be released on Friday (Aug. 4) in an extensive anniversary reissue as a box set with four discs, a Blu-ray and liner notes. In addition to the original album, a new Dolby Atmos mix, a 1982 concert from London’s Hammersmith Odeon, several demos and the 1983 film “Mantrap” are included. “Mantrap” is a nearly hour-long music video by director Julien Temple (“The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle”) in a James Bond look with scenes from the Hammersmith concert.
In 2016, ABC released The Lexicon Of Love II, a worthy follow-up to the cult album. However, the original remains unmatched. “I sometimes wonder how many albums have been made since then,” says Martin Fry. “It’s a great honor and privilege that people are still listening to it four decades later. That’s a long time. 15 milliseconds is a long time in pop music, 40 years is an eternity, isn’t it?”