Tuesday 21 August 2007

Fallout Club "Wonderlust" (Happy Birthday Records, 1981)

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I really need to get a new Scanner, don't I? Oh well. Here's another slice of rare early-80's electropop, and a poignant little tune, to boot.

"..And if we must, return to dust....then let it be; but give me just this moment...."

Within a few short years of penning those particular opening lines, the co-writer and singer of this song was gone. Trevor Herion (that's him on the sleeve) committed suicide sometime in the mid-80's. Details about Trevor are a little sketchy, but there's a small site here

"Not much, if anything at all is known about the life, work and tragic death of Trevor Herion, he was an Irishman in his mid 20s living in a squat with members of The Psychedelic Furs when he was first discovered as a replacement for the lead vocalist in a band called The Civilians. After the break-up of The Civilians he was to go on to form a band called The Fallout Club. After the dissolve of The Fallout Club, Trevor released a handful of singles and one truly terrific album called Beauty Life in 1983. Sadly a few years later, apparently suffering from severe mental troubles, he took his own life."

This single is also notable for being one of the first real Thomas Dolby productions (he produced the song, as well as co-writing it) Also featured is Matthew Seligman, who would go on to work with Dolby, as well as various other musicians, from Morrissey and The Stereo MC's, to David Bowie.

It came out on Happy Birthday, which is a label I don't know a great deal about; they released a couple of Fallout Club singles, as well as one by Low Noise (another Dolby project) and of course, the album "Pleasure" by Girls At Our Best. Herion himself released a couple of solo singles, one called "Kiss Of No Return" which came out on a German label called Imperial, and eventually, a solo album "Beauty Life". One of the singles from that album has been posted up on youtube (it's not actually a video, just a rip of the song)


The song itself is a wonderfully sprawling piece of melancholy electropop, Herions slightly gauche, yet heartfelt vocals cascading across the mariachi trumpets and pulsing syn-drums. It was released on 7" and 12" (I have both), but it's this 12" version that really shines.

Buy new Thomas Dolby stuff here. There's also links to the rest of his site, which contains loads of info and a blog..............

Fallout Club "Wonderlust" (12" Version) (mp3)

9 comments:

Mick said...

Great song. I remember this one, Iain. In fact because of this post I’ve just spent five minutes looking for my old cassettes in the garage, but I found what I was looking for. An old TDK C90 tape with Jerry Harrison’s The Red and The Black on Side A and various tracks (including this one) on Side B. The other tracks are by Fashion, Thompson Twins, Philip Jap, Troy Tate, Yello, Clock DVA, Vicious Pink Phenomena and Fad Gadget. I just wish I had something to play it on. :(

I am enjoying your blog so much. Brilliant!

So It Goes said...

My first reaction was, 'Doctor Who, Tardis, Doctor Who'...but there's something more here. Maybe it's that instrumental break, which seems to foreshadow that bloody awful K***e M*****e track, 'Your Disco Needs You', but is still very noble sounding and memorable. Nevertheless, not entirely successful for me, more a presage of things to come.

mjbryan said...

Aaaaah. My favourite Fallout Club track was the truly enigmatic 'Dream Soldiers'. Still one of my all time favourite songs.

Anonymous said...

Bought this at the time. Really dramatic voice he had, sort of like the singer from the Associates singing below water. A copy was residing in my local Oxfam for a few months but it's gone now. I played it to my girlfriend last month but she was underwhelmed.

Anonymous said...

Very pleased to find this blog entry - during my lunch hour I was casually googling old band names I could remember from old cassettes of John Peel shows and stuff my mate and I were into in the 80's. Great to hear a good quality version of this track. Surprisingly not too "stretched" as so many 12 inch versions were.

Mick, I still dig out my Philip Jap, Fashion, Yello albums. etc. from time to time.

Anyone remember Sophie and Peter Johnston from Peel Sessions in the early 80's? They now have a website up and running www.sophieandpeterjohnston.com and have just released a new cd in the style of their old stuff.

Nick

Unknown said...

Excellent choice! it would be great to hear thier rest..please upload!!

Many thx and don't stop Blogging.. :o)

Nir.

Unknown said...

when listening closely to the two instrumental bridges on the 12", i can hear something muffled deep within the mix.

i believe it is the sound of trevor weeping.

Regularjoe said...

I'm sure Trevor Horn will be surprised to learn that he is dead as you described in your post. You may want to edit that portion for accuracy.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I was wondering if maybe you have the lyrics to one of the songs on The Fallout Club album called "Dream Soldiers"? I would really appreciate them, thank you!