ABC: The New Zillionaries
Few bands have been up, down and then up again as quickly as ABC. It was as recently as 1982 that the sophisticated, clean-cut quartet broke through on the charts in a big way with their Lexicon Of Love album. Including such hits as “Poison Arrow” and “Tears Are Not Enough,” the guys from Sheffield, England (the hometown of superstars like Def Leppard, Joe Cocker and the Human League) looked like they were well on their way to a long and prosperous career.
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ABC: The New Zillionaries
Few bands have been up, down and then up again as quickly as ABC. It was as recently as 1982 that the sophisticated, clean-cut quartet broke through on the charts in a big way with their Lexicon Of Love album. Including such hits as “Poison Arrow” and “Tears Are Not Enough,” the guys from Sheffield, England (the hometown of superstars like Def Leppard, Joe Cocker and the Human League) looked like they were well on their way to a long and prosperous career. “I do think you have to be more direct these days; you have to be more specific and more honest,” said lead singer Martin Fry at the time.
Then, to be honest, the bottom fell out.
In 1984, the band—now a trioreleased Beauty Stab, which failed to sell well. “Beauty Stab was abrasive by virtue of the guitars,” says Mark White. Their record company didn’t promote the album with much vigor, and the letters ABC looked to have more of a future in alphabet soup than in record-making.
Until 1985, that is. With Martin and Mark now the only remaining original members, of ABC (David Warritu and Eden, their first female member, were added to complete the quartet), the band released How To Be A Zillionaire, with the #1 single, “Be Near Me.” The dance sound was back, and ABC were again on top of the world—and the charts.
Many critics remarked that How To Be A Zillionaire seemed to be a return to the commerciallysuccessful sound of Lexicon Of Love, but ABC don’t quite see it that way. “I don’t see Zillionaire as a xerox of any of the records we’ve made before,” insists Martin Fry. “In a funny sort of way I think it’s an amalgam of the first two. I like to think that Zillionaire is abrasive in some of the ways Beauty Stab was.” '
Perhaps. In any case, it’s obvious that the rejuvenated ABC have lost none of the style and sound that propelled them to the top in the first place. The new members, Martin admits, are more for appearance than music—but then, ABC has always been a
band that’s integrated style anoj substance. For the time being, Martin and Mark appear confidi that they can supply the patent! dance rhythms that’ve defined their hit sound.
“What we’re good at is writi songs and making records,” asserts Martin, smiling. “For making records is about taking idea and showcasing it. Mark myself have learned enough a putting together a record.”
To which we can only add: obviously.
