i didn’t watch ‘life on mars’. it was set in 1973 and well, i wasn’t born then and i’d heard, after the first few episodes, that the nostalgia played a big part in the experience. (I’ve since watched it and LOVE it, and john simm is amazing).
so when i heard about ‘ashes to ashes’ the 80s sequel, i decided that i would watch this time. now it’s set in 1981, and my memories of that year are mostly confined to button moon and hazy royal wedding memories, but it’s interesting to see how people actually lived like that in my lifetime.
the scenes in the new romantic hangout, the blitz club were an eyeopener. i thought the 90s club scene was so different that bar studio 54, clubland had previously been about carpeted walls, disco lights and mirrors. no edge, nothing extraordinary,no innovation. i was SO wrong. the music makes more sense now – i used to wonder how people ever danced to new wave but i get it now. 1981 looks bleak, but it was also real, and probably felt like being on a rollercoaster. I think the blitz eventually became the gardening club, in covent garden.
i would have liked to hear these tracks from 1981 in the show. plus the roxy music track which was the outro to episode one – it took me until last week to figure out what it was.
so what for the next series? can’t believe we have to wait till 2009…
abc – poison arrow
chaka khan – i know you, i live you
grace jones – pull up to the bumper
haircut 100 – love plus one
hall and oates – rich girl
human league – don’t you want me
kraftwerk – the model
level 42 – love games
police – every little thing she does is magic
odyssey – inside out
roxy music – same old scene
scritti politti – sweetest girl
