From secret samples to 007: The surprising sounds of 1985
From secret samples to 007: The surprising sounds of 1985
From secret samples to 007: The surprising sounds of 1985
Gary Oberholzer
From secret samples to 007: The surprising sounds of 1985
What do a James Bond villain, a Vietnam War documentary and an unlikely encounter with a Hollywood film producer have in common? They all helped shape the extraordinary soundtrack of 1985. It was a year when musicians were taking risks, experimenting with technology and producing hits with stories almost as fascinating as the songs themselves.
It’s the featured year on this week’s HOT Classic Countdown with Steve Bishop, taking place every Sunday from 12 to 3pm on HOT 102.7FM.
Take Duran Duran’s A View to a Kill. The band reportedly landed the opportunity to record the James Bond theme after bassist John Taylor approached producer Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli at a party and challenged him about the quality of previous Bond songs.
The resulting collaboration with composer John Barry became the first Bond theme to top America’s Billboard Hot 100.
And there’s another Bond connection hiding in this countdown.
Grace Jones, who played the formidable May Day in A View to a Kill, also released one of the year’s most adventurous records, Slave to the Rhythm. Produced by Trevor Horn, the accompanying album featured eight interpretations of essentially the same song, transforming a single musical idea into an entire listening experience.
Meanwhile, Paul Hardcastle was demonstrating how technology could tell powerful stories.
His electronic hit 19 sampled narration from a television documentary about American soldiers in Vietnam, turning a serious subject into an unexpected dancefloor success.
Did You Know?
The unforgettable stuttering vocal hook in 19 was partly the result of a technological limitation! Hardcastle’s Emulator II sampler had only around 17 seconds of total sampling memory.
Those restrictions encouraged him to chop up and repeat tiny fragments of speech, creating one of the most recognisable sounds of the decade.
Elsewhere, music was undergoing a transformation. Sting stepped away from The Police to pursue his solo ambitions, releasing The Dream of the Blue Turtles, featuring If You Love Somebody Set Them Free. Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut introduced a spectacular new voice, while Prince’s Raspberry Beret demonstrated his gift for combining irresistible pop with wonderfully eccentric storytelling.
In South Africa, 1985 was a turbulent year. The apartheid government declared a partial State of Emergency in July amid growing resistance, while musicians continued creating a soundtrack for a society undergoing profound change.
Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse’s Burn Out remained a local dancefloor favourite, demonstrating the enduring appeal of a uniquely South African sound.
Away from the recording studio, Back to the Future sent audiences travelling through time, while the wreck of the Titanic was finally discovered in the North Atlantic.
And the next generation of musical talent was already arriving. Future superstar Bruno Mars was born in October, while rapper J. Cole entered the world in January.
But perhaps what makes 1985 so special is the sheer variety of its music. From Sade’s sophisticated soul and Katrina and the Waves’ exuberant Walking on Sunshine to the unmistakable energy of Eurythmics, the year offered something for almost every musical taste.
Some songs made us dance. Others made us think. And a few changed the way popular music was made.
Join Steve Bishop this Sunday, from 12 noon to 3pm on HOT 102.7FM, for a memorable trip through the music and stories of 1985.
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