The aging UK band, The Alarm, have succeeded in pulling a prank on the record buying public. The middle-aged group, best known for their 1983 song "68 Guns", recorded a new single under the fake band name of The Poppyfields. The single, titled "45RPM", is currently number 28 on the British Charts. It was released with a video in which a younger group of men lip-sync to the song.
"We wanted the song to be judged on its merits and stir up the water a little bit," singer Mike Peters is quoted as saying.
Obviously, the look is at least as important as the sound for many music buyers.
Article comments
1 - The Theory
damn! that was The Alarm? I had heard about that trickeroo, but never thought it'd be a band I cared about...
2 - Eric Olsen
Hilarous, great story Ken, thanks! It kind of reminds me of XTC as Dukes of the Stratosphear. There seems to be something liberating about playing a persona other than "yourself" - a future post perhaps.
3 - Joe
More info on the Poppyfields
4 - Doccus
Ex-cellent :)
It achieved two things:
1) It underscored form v. substance in the music world. This includes bias by the purchasing public regarding age of the artists.
2) It made news. Which makes album sales. I liked the Alarm "back in the day". Now I have to check out the new CD :)
Doc