| New Romantic | |
|---|---|
 Boy George performing atRonnie Scott's Jazz Club in 2001 | |
| Branch | Fashion, music |
| Years active | c.1978–1982 |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Major figures | |
| Influences | |
| Influenced | |
New Romantic was anunderground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene inLondon andBirmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz.[1] The New Romantic movement was characterised by flamboyant, eccentric fashion inspired by fashion boutiques such asKahn and Bell in Birmingham and PX in London.[2] Early adherents of the movement were often referred to by the press by such names asBlitz Kids, NewDandies and Romantic Rebels.[3][4]
Influenced byDavid Bowie,Marc Bolan andRoxy Music, the New Romantics developed fashions inspired by theglam rock era coupled with the earlyRomantic period of the late 18th and early 19th century (from which the movement took its name). The term "New Romantic" is known to have been coined by musician, producer, manager and innovatorRichard James Burgess.[5][6][7][8][9] He stated that"'New Romantic' [...] fit the Blitz scene andSpandau Ballet, although most of the groups tried to distance themselves from it."[10][11]
Though it was a fashion movement, several British music acts in the late 1970s and early 1980s adopted the style and became known to epitomise it within the press, includingSteve Strange ofVisage,Duran Duran,Spandau Ballet,A Flock of Seagulls,Classix Nouveaux andBoy George (ofCulture Club).Ultravox were also often identified as New Romantics by the press, although they did not exhibit the same visual styles of the movement, despite their link to the band Visage.[a]Japan andAdam and the Ants were also labelled as New Romantic artists by the press, although they all repudiated this and none had any direct connection to the original scene.[4] Other aspiring bands of the era includingABC,Depeche Mode,the Human League,Soft Cell,Simple Minds,Talk Talk andOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) have all at some point been described as being part of the New Romantic movement or as having been influenced by it, while others would consider them distinct from it. A number of these bands adopted synthesizers and helped to developsynth-pop in the early 1980s, which, combined with the distinctive New Romantic visuals, helped them first to national success in the UK, and then, viaMTV, play a major part in theSecond British Invasion of the US charts.
By the beginning of 1982, the original movement had largely dissipated.[1][4] Although many of the artists associated with the scene continued their careers, some to enormous commercial success in the next few years, they had largely abandoned the aesthetics of the movement. There were attempts to revive the movement from the 1990s, including the short-livedRomo scene.
The New Romantic movement is sometimes characterized as a reaction to the direction in which thepunk rock movement was evolving,[12] and was heavily influenced by formerglam rock stars of the 1970s such asDavid Bowie andRoxy Music.[13] In terms of style, it rejected the austerity and anti-fashion stance which was becoming increasingly predominant in punk.[14] Both sexes often dressed inandrogynous clothing and wore cosmetics such as eyeliner and lipstick, partly derived from earlier punk fashions.[15] Thisgender bending was particularly evident in figures such asBoy George ofCulture Club, andMarilyn (Peter Robinson).[12]
Fashion was based on varied looks inspired byhistorical Romantic themes, including frillyfopshirts in the style of the EnglishRomantic period,[15]Russian constructivism,Bonnie Prince Charlie, FrenchIncroyables and 1930s'Cabaret, Hollywood starlets,Puritans and thePierrot clown, with any look being possible if it was adapted to be unusual and striking.[16] Common hairstyles includedquiffs,[16]mullets and wedges.[12] However, soon after they began to gain mainstream attention, many bands associated with the New Romantic scene dropped the eclectic clothes and make-up in favour of sharp suits.
New Romantic looks were propagated from fashion designers Jane Kahn and Patti Bell in Birmingham[17] and Helen Robinson's Covent Garden shop PX,[1] began to influence major collections and were spread, with a delay, through reviews of what was being worn in clubs via magazines includingi-D andThe Face.[16] The emergence of the New Romantic movement into the mainstream coincided withVivienne Westwood's unveiling of her "pirate collection", which was promoted byBow Wow Wow andAdam and the Ants, who were managed by her then-partnerMalcolm McLaren.[18]
While some contemporary bands, particularly those of the predominantly Midlands-based2 toneska revival (the Specials,the Selecter,the Beat) who wrote lyrics addressing social issues such as unemployment andurban decay, the New Romantics adopted an escapist and aspirational stance.[19] With its interest in design, marketing and image, the movement has been seen by some as an acceptance ofThatcherism; style commentatorPeter York even suggested that it was aligned with theNew Right.[20]
In its early stages, the movement was known by many names, including "new dandies", "new guys", "romantic rebels", "peacock punk", "the now crowd", "the futurists", "the cult with no name"[1] and eventually as the "Blitz Kids". As the scene moved beyond a single club, the media settled on the name New Romantics.[4][21]
Adam Ant always denied being a New Romantic, and reiterated this in 2001[22] and again in 2012.[23] The bandJapan also denied any connection with the New Romantic movement, having adopted an androgynous look incorporating make-up ever since their inception in the mid-1970s at the tail-end of the glam rock era (and were then heavily influenced by glam-punk bandNew York Dolls), some years before the New Romantic movement began. In an October 1981 interview, vocalistDavid Sylvian commented, "There's a period going past at the moment that may make us look as though we're in fashion."[24] In another interview, he stated "I don't like to be associated with them (New Romantics). The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said, "For them (New Romantics), fancy dress is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day."[25]
Similarly, the electronic duoSoft Cell also denied any connection to the New Romantic scene. In an interview published in January 1984, keyboardistDave Ball reflected back on their first year of success (1981) and stated, "At this time we were linked to the whole New Romantics thing, but we were never a part of that. It was just a trendy London club thing with Steve Strange."[26]
OMD frontmanAndy McCluskey ridiculed the movement in a 2010 interview, saying, "Completely separate from electronic music or the future there was all the fucking Southern New Romantic bollocks. I mean, if we were ever called New Romantics there'd be a fight... 'Am I wearing a kilt? Am I wearing enough eyeliner? Is my shirt frilly enough?' Oh, fuck off!"[27] OMD have nevertheless been categorised as New Romantics;[28][29] a designation that keyboardistPaul Humphreys likens to "calling a Scotsman 'English'."[27]
The New Romantic movement developed almost simultaneously in London and Birmingham.[30] In London, it grew out of David Bowie and Roxy Music themed nights, run during 1978 in the nightclubBilly's[31] inDean Street, London.[32] In 1979, the growing popularity of the club forced organisersSteve Strange andRusty Egan to relocate to a larger venue in the Blitz,[33][34] a wine bar inGreat Queen Street,Covent Garden, where they ran a Tuesday night "Club for Heroes".[1] Its patrons dressed as uniquely as they could in an attempt to draw the most attention.
Steve Strange worked as the club's doorman and Egan was the DJ at the Blitz. The club became known for its exclusive door policy and strict dress code. Strange would frequently deny potential patrons admission because he felt that they were not costumed creatively or subversively enough to blend in with those inside the club. In a highly publicised incident, a drunkenMick Jagger tried to enter the club, but Strange denied him entry.[35] The club spawned several spin-offs and there were soon clubs elsewhere in the capital and in other major British cities, including Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.[13]
While still at Billy's, Strange and Egan joinedBilly Currie andMidge Ure ofUltravox to form the bandVisage. Before forming Culture Club, Boy George and Marilyn worked ascloakroom attendants at the Blitz.[36] The video for David Bowie's 1980 UK number one single "Ashes to Ashes" included appearances by Strange with three other Blitz Kids and propelled the New Romantic movement into the mainstream.[13]
In Birmingham, the origins of the New Romantic movement lay in the opening in 1975 of theHurst Street shop of the fashion designersKahn and Bell,[37] whose elaborate and theatrical designs brought together futuristic visual elements and influences as diverse as Egyptian, African and Far Eastern art,[38] and would largely define the movement's look.[39] By 1977, a small scene featuring Jane Kahn and Patti Bell themselves,Martin Degville,Boy George and Patrick Lilley had emerged in pubs such as The Crown and clubs such as Romulus and Barbarella's.[40]
Leeds also developed an early New Romantic scene around 1979, with clubs including the Warehouse, Primos andLe Phonographique.[41] This scene's most notable exponent wasSoft Cell, whose vocalist was the Warehouse's DJ and cloakroom workerMarc Almond.[42]
Many bands that emerged from the New Romantic movement became closely associated with the use of synthesizers to create rock and pop music, which has led to the widespread misconception that synth-pop and the New Romantic movement were synonymous. Synth-pop was prefigured in the 1960s and 1970s by the use of synthesizers inprogressive rock,electronicart rock,disco, the "Kraut rock" of bands likeKraftwerk, the three albums made by Bowie withBrian Eno in his "Berlin period", andYellow Magic Orchestra's early albums.
After the breakthrough ofTubeway Army andGary Numan in theUK Singles Chart in 1979, large numbers of artists began to enjoy success with a synthesizer-based sound and they came to dominate the pop music of the early 1980s. Bands that emerged from the New Romantic scene and adopted synth-pop includedDuran Duran,Visage, andSpandau Ballet.[43] According to authors Stuart Borthwick and Ron Moy, "After the monochrome blacks and greys of punk/new wave, synthpop was promoted by a youth media interested in people who wanted to be pop stars, such asBoy George andAdam Ant".[20]
Early synth-pop has been described as "eerie, sterile, and vaguely menacing", using droning electronics with little change in inflection. Later the introduction of dance beats made the music warmer and catchier and contained within the conventions of three-minute pop.[44] Duran Duran, who emerged from the Birmingham scene, have been credited with incorporating a dance-orientatedrhythm section into synth-pop to produce a catchier and warmer sound, which provided them with a series of hit singles.[44]
While many groups associated with the New Romantic movement used synthesizers, some avoided them entirely or made limited use of them. Boy George's band Culture Club, which formed in 1981, produced a sound that combined elements ofMotown,Philly soul,reggae, andlovers’ rock.[45]Adam and the Ants andBow Wow Wow used the African-influenced rhythms of the "Burundi beat".[46]
In the US, the cable music channelMTV reached the media capitals of New York City and Los Angeles in 1982.[47][48] Style-conscious New Romantic synthpop acts became a major staple of MTV programming. They would be followed by many acts over the next three years, with many of them employing synthpop sounds; in fact, Duran Duran's glossy videos symbolising the power of MTV and thisSecond British Invasion. The switch to a "new music" format in US radio stations was also significant in the success of British bands.[48]
This 1980s invasion had been prefigured in May 1981 whenSpandau Ballet, the house band of London's Blitz club, had flown to New York City to stage not only a live gig but a fashion show by the Axiom collective of designers, who includedSade Adu. These former Blitz Kids, "21 in number and 21 their average age"[49] came by invitation ofJim Fouratt who hosted the event at the Underground club.
During 1983, 30% of the US record sales were from British acts.[relevant?] On 18 July 1983, 18 singles in the top 40, and six in the top 10, were by British artists.[48]Newsweek ran an issue which featuredAnnie Lennox andBoy George on the cover of one of its issues, with the caption "Britain Rocks America – Again", whileRolling Stone would release an "England Swings" issue with Boy George on the cover.[48] In April 1984, 40 of the top 100 singles; further, in a May 1985 survey, eight of the top 10 singles were by acts of British origin.[50][51][relevant?]
Music journalist Dave Rimmer considered theLive Aid concert of July 1985 as the peak for the various acts that rose from the New Romantic scene of the early '80s, commenting that after which "everyone seemed to take hubristic tumbles".[52] Simon Reynolds also notes the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" single in late 1984 and Live Aid in 1985 as turning points, with the acts that the movement spawned as having become decadent, with "overripe arrangements and bloated videos" for songs like Duran Duran's "The Wild Boys" and Culture Club's "The War Song".[53] The proliferation of acts using synthesisers had led to an anti-synth backlash, with groups including Spandau Ballet, Soft Cell, andABC incorporating more conventional influences and instruments into their sounds by 1983.[54]
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An American reaction against European synthpop and "haircut bands" has been seen as beginning in the mid-1980s with the rise ofheartland rock androots rock.[55] In the UK, the arrival ofindie rock bands, particularlythe Smiths, has been claimed by themusic press as marking the end of synth-drivennew wave and the beginning of the raw guitar-based music that would come to dominate rock in the 1990s,[56][57] with these bands adopting "the kind ofjangling guitar work that had typifiednew wave music",[58] as a "reaction against the opulence/corpulence of nouveau rich 'new pop'"[59] and as "part of the move back to guitar-driven music after the keyboard washes of the New Romantics".[60] By the end of the 1980s, many acts had been dropped by their labels and the solo careers of many artists who had been associated with the New Romantic scene would gradually fade over time.[61]
In the mid-1990s, the New Romantic era was the subject ofnostalgia-oriented club nights — such asthe Human League-inspired "Don't You Want Me", and "Planet Earth", a Duran Duran-themed night club whose promoter toldThe Sunday Times, "It's more of a celebration than a revival".[62] In the same period it was also an inspiration for theRomo musical movement. It was championed byMelody Maker, who featured the scene - proclaiming that it was a "future pop explosion" - on its front cover in 1995[63] and inside claiming thatBritpop had been "executed" to make way for it,[64] and including bandsOrlando, Plastic Fantastic,Minty, Viva,Sexus,[65] Hollywood and DexDexTer. None of the Romo acts made the British top 75 in their own right,[66] although Orlando charted at number 65 with "How Can We Hang on to a Dream" as part of theFever Pitch soundtrack EP.[67][68]After an unsuccessfulMelody Maker-organised tour, most of the bands soon broke up.[69]
In March 2021, Bruce Ashley's documentaryBlitzed: The 80's Blitz Kids' Story, was shown on Sky Arts.[70][71][72] Boy George, Rusty Egan and Marilyn all appeared in the film discussing their time at the club and about the early 1980s-era, whilstLa Roux was interviewed about the cultural effects of the New Romantic movement on younger performers like herself.[73]
Although it received less media coverage than London, the Birmingham scene, featuring the likes of Khan and Bell, is covered (to an extent) in the 2018 novelBlonde Boy, Red Lipstick. Some of the main characters from the New Romantic movement feature in the book, albeit under different names.
Tramps!, directed byKevin Hegge, premiered in 2022.[74]
Almond played electronic dance pop when he DJ-ed at the Leeds Warehouse nightclub, and often penned Soft Cell songs in the cloak room. The Warehouse was the epicentre of the Leeds branch of the Futurist/New Romantic scene. 'When exhibitionism hit Leeds, it hit hard,' Almond recalled. 'It was a battle for who could wear the most make-up and most acres of material.'
