(Translated from my original Italian text by ChatGPT and Piero Scaruffi)
The Psychedelic Furs were one of the most original bands of the 1980s psychedelic revival. Not only did their sound have an existential, almost Gothic depth missing from much of the genre, but the richness of their harmonies was due to a lineup far superior to the traditional rock trio or quartet. The singer delivered his cryptic lyrics in a rasping, cataleptic voice over the melodic filigree and jingle-jangle of the two guitars (John Ashton and Roger Morris), the romantic phrases of Duncan Kilburns saxophone, and the obsessive pulse of the rhythm section (Vince Ely on drums).
Formed in London during the punk-rock era by Richard Butler, they first gained attention with We Love You (1979), a single blending dark punk and David Bowies electronic style. Psychedelic Furs (CBS, 1980) contains enveloping, hypnotic ballads in the style of Roxy Music, including the delicate Sister Europe, the dark Imitation Of Christ, and India.
Their style matured on Talk Talk Talk (CBS, 1981). The bands melodic vein, modeled on the darker accents of Lou Reeds Sweet Jane, exploded in Pretty In Pink. Propelled by a jagged, driving heavy-metal boogie in Mr. Jones, by a tribal pace in the dissonant raga of Into You Like A Train, immersed in an occult ceremonial atmosphere with prophetic saxophone ā la Van Der Graaf Generator and layers of piercing distortion in Dumb Waiters, and soaring in the somber ballad of All Of This And Nothing, Butlers dark existential spleen spreads sickly poetry over the groups sonic wasteland. The guitars construct an imposing dissonant counterpoint, made of psychedelic distortion and folk-rock chimes, against the hyper-kinetic beat of the drums. The effect is that of a perpetual circular chaos, a kind of immense maelstrom swirling menacingly just a few strokes from the castaway, immediately reminiscent of the Velvet Undergrounds trenodia, yet also drawing poses and moods from glam-rock and dark punk.
The band was reduced to four members on Forever Now (Columbia, 1982), a refined album that began the trajectory which would gradually make their sound more sophisticated and lighter, in the vein of Ultravox and Japans art-punk and Blondies disco-punk (Love My Way). President Gas is the last masterpiece in the old style.
Having lost Kilburn, Morris, and Ely, reduced to a trio, replacing the bleak apocalyptic lament with a more vibrant, optimistic vocal, assimilating the beat of disco music and the melodic keyboards of synth-pop, Mirror Moves (Columbia, 1984) secured their worldwide commercial success with catchy and sensual tracks like Alice's House, Highwire Days (perhaps the best), Here Come Cowboys, and the two hits Heaven and Ghost In You.
(Original English text by Piero Scaruffi)
The mutation was complete with the vibrant
dance-rock of
Heartbreak Beat (their greatest hit),
off Midnight To Midnight (Columbia, 1987),
and with the single All That Money Wants (1988).
Until She Comes was their last hit.
Book Of Days (Columbia, 1989) and
World Outside (Columbia, 1991) were the last albums.
Should God Forget (Columbia, 1997) is an accurate compilation of their career from 1979 until 1991.
Greatest Hits (Columbia, 2001) is a terrible anthology.
Butler then formed
Love Split Love.
Richard Butler debuted solo with the pensive
Richard Butler (2006), more than 25 years into his career.
After a hiatus of 29 years, the band released a new album, Made of Rain (2020).
Their original saxophonist Mars Williams died in 2023.
