During the couple of years I knew Rob.C, the infamous Atari 8-bit cracker, I picked up more than many pieces of illegally cracked software in the form of music that was completely alien to my naive tender ears.
I wrote more about this extremely talented, yet eclectic character years ago on STEEM here. A trip to Rob's place was never predictable as you couldn't get to know the guy properly. If it wasn't his sheer aloofness, even with so-called friends it was his attention, which was tough to grasp even a sliver of.
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...'Rob.C's Menumakers are still littered around the internet, he was 'the cracker' in the UK when it came to the Atari 8-bit'...
Music was always playing in the large ramshackle house that was largely uncared for, and not just in Rob’s bedroom. It seemed the various other members of his family (were they members?), all had music blaring from different rooms.
A knock on the front door, never resulted in Rob opening it, but some seemingly random stranger who told me, 'just go up'. It could well have been a squat as far as I was concerned, but it oozed character and flavour.
How simple was life then, ripping off software and opening your ears to strange music not heard outside of your local HMV superstore.
Broken English – Marianne Faithfull (Broken English – 1979)
This likely came from hearing part of Marianne’s comeback album produced in 1979, which depicted a much changed vocal courtesy of laryngitis and copious amounts of drugs consumed in the previous ten years.
Gone was the sweet innocence of 'As Tears Go By', replaced with this raspy, broken, cracked voice that was heavily distinctive. I am far too young to remember the aforementioned 60’s hit but have since looked back on it noting the dramatic vocal differences.
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...'can you believe that raspy voice comes from this delicate flower?...
Having an extended fling with Mick Jagger does this to a girl…, I mean who did the Rolling Stones frontman not fuck during that period?
Broken English is a more accommodating, receptive, acceptable track than Why D’Ya Do It, which definitely got my attention with blatant lyrics such as 'Why did you let her suck your cock?'.
This was all a little excessive for the innocent me, a typical Duran Duran, Prince, Howard Jones, and Eurhythmics fan of 1984, and would help set me on a course of strange musical tastes. I bought the album and managed to get engrossed. I don’t think Marianne managed to better it.
The Crackdown – Cabaret Voltaire (The Crackdown – 1979)
This funky, electronic underground dance track full of strange noises was a major annoyance to me in 1984. I wanted the 'Rob.C version' but my efforts to find it were all in vain.
The internet was a pipe dream, so how could you find the mix you wanted and not the boring version without that 'swirling atmospheric synthesizer soundtrack' that went so down so well while throwing up in a toilet after over-smoking weed too strong for you to handle?
I bought the album, 'The Crackdown' from HMV, that place with weirdo staff, with long hair who listened to this strange music only to find it contained the 'wrong version' that was dull as dishwater. Let's face it, without that synthesizer overlay, the song would be overlong mediocre, humdrum, and tedious.
It wasn't until many years later, that I grabbed the 'good version'. By that time I knew only too well..., someone, somewhere..., cracks down.
Seen and Not Seen – Talking Heads (Remain in Light – 1980)
Not all of Rob.C's music had an impact on me. The Bauhaus I tried to like but couldn't get to grips with, same with WasNotWas, a name he would change his handle to eventually, presumably to protect his anonymity later when becoming an Atari ST cracker.
'Remain in Light' had a huge effect on me and resulted in Talking Heads gaining another fan very quickly. Having listened to the majority of the band's back catalogue this is by far their best material.
I do like songs that tell a story, even strange ones such as this about a man who metamorphoses into someone else, and using spoken lyrics.
The theme doesn't sound too great and it is certainly not Rap music. I think the background music suits its being upbeat as well as strange sounding.
I managed to pick up a bootleg tape of Talking Heads during the part of my life of a live concert by the band. It was an 'official' bootleg as close as they come, with a colour photocopied cover. I almost wore the tape out, it was that good. I wish I could find it.
I owe a lot to my old, unsociable, strange friend who opened up my world from the doldrums of pop into the weirdest, obscure music possible.
If I could find Rob.C, I would tell him, 'thanks for guiding me away from the path of cheesy musical mediocrity'. He’s probably still typing away in Hex and writing 6502 applications for 8-bit computers somewhere.
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That Cabaret Voltaire one. We forget how convenient the interwebs are for finding good versions of songs that were almost impossible to get at times back in the day without much foraging in musty vinyl shops!
You remember it? I was so disappointed to find the 'good bit' was only just audible at the end of this 9 minute song, and then was gone. I wanted the overloaded version!
It was the same with 'Last Train to Transcentral', I managed to buy the shit version again! You couldn't exactly say 'the good version please' to the HMV degenerates.
Hmv degenerates were the worst. So cliquey!!
It's ages since I bought music. Damned streaming!
As I recall, 'Hail to the Thief' by Radiohead was the last CD I even bought in 2003. It's been the internet since then.
I have bought a few as gifts for technophobes in my family but other that that it has been a long time since I bhought one for me!
Interesting. I think I have heard that song by The Talking Heads, but the other ones are quite foreign to me. You definitely have my attention with the first one though. I am going to have to check out more of that.
Marianne pulled out the plug on 'Broken English'. It was off the radar and I would not have known about it if it wasn't for my cracker friend. Strange turns we have in life's ever-going circles.
I'm listening to it right now. She kind of reminds me of a cross between Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner. It's pretty good stuff.
Maybe a touch of Stevie Nicks 'cracked voice' in that mix.
Yes, that too for sure!
Never heard of Cabaret Voltaire or Crackdown, nice ditty sound something you can headbash or boogy to!
Marianne Faithful most definitely well described also loved that song, perhaps the rebel age suddenly appeared.
Oh an era of strange, was good fun - not so? Always had someone bring something different around excited you had to hear it!
It was fun then, and exciting. You know 'Broken English'?.., maybe it was more mainstream than I imagined. In 1979 I was very much into my music and it did not sniff near the charts.
Living under strict laws in this country much was shared via friends, some made radio stations outside our borders that we tuned into. Also enjoyed "Ballad of Lucy Jordan".
Let her off the hook she was young having fun with rubber lips Mick, sex, drugs, rock-n-roll!!!
LOL, it made that voice better, at least for a while. She's had it now, try some YTubing on her recent efforts. No voice left.
A cracker menu with a copyright notice...seems a little ironic.
He used to use 'Ill-Eagle Software', copyright of course.., cracked me up with the humour. 😀
Not songs I knew, but then they may not get played on the radio much. It's great that we now have access to most music online now. I probably ought to check out more Talking Heads. I just have their live album.
I think we all know that person who listen weird music, lol! But I love how "Broken English" sounds even though is not what I usually listen to.
You really have a way of pulling people back a couple of decades hey!
That alone can be called a talent 🤣🫠
Try almost 40 years ago, this happened long ago, before many on here were born. It was a different, more interesting time then. Having no internet made it that way.
Not to mention that people got out of the house more! Nowadays people meet new friends online and that's where it stays!
To put it plain and simple! All of us turned into house dogs🤣🤣🤣🫠
I love that Why’d you do it track. I can’t really remember the title but I love it
The song is really cool
I know all this stuff, so, am I old? But it's good to listen to from time to time 😛
LOL, being old means being wise, it's not that bad, just don't look in the mirror too often!
Yeah, well, who cares, some people never grow up, but these mirrors are a real nuisance, they could at least show me thinner, and even then they don't. 😂
LOL..
Wow, these have funky beats. I think I like the 'Crackdown' best. They don't make music like these anymore. Thank you for sharing them.
Crackdown is kind of funky.., in an industrial churning way.
The first song is really awesome
I don’t know how but the artiste did an amazing job
I love it!
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