Going back to the earliest days of rock ‘n’ roll, there’s been a theatrical element that has defined careers, sometimes even well beyond the music itself. And we’ve seen it manifest in a few different ways. The imagery can function as an extension of the artist’s personality, like an exaggerated alter ego as in David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. On the other hand, it can also add an animated aspect that serves to heighten the entertainment value as in KISS at its peak during the mid-70s. From Little Richard to Boy George, Misfits, and Alice Cooper, there’s a common thread that binds these seemingly disparate artists at the core. Whether it’s the shock and awe of the experience at play or a sense of living their art on their person, all of the aforementioned artists are examples of those who’ve incorporated a strong visual layer that’s gone far beyond the music.
With all the reference points that lead back to the likes of Bowie, Marc Bolan, Robert Smith, Billy Idol, and Siouxsie Sioux for their image and style, there’s an equally trailblazing figure that hardly gets nary a mention. At this point in time, Pete Burns will probably be best known for his numerous forays into plastic surgery and reality TV exploits. But years before all of that nonsense, he was the brazen frontman of synth-rock pioneers Dead or Alive, and before that, brooding post-punk goth merchants Nightmares in Wax. New comp Let Them Drag My Soul Away – Singles, Demos And Live Recordings 1979-1982 (Cherry Red), sheds light on some of the artist’s much-overlooked early work before he became the reluctant ’80s pop superstar and eventually, tragic TV caricature.
Pete Burns was part of punk’s original Liverpool scene. Flamboyant, provocative, and lacking any kind of shit-giving tendencies, he was drawn to punk’s counter-cultural leanings and outsider appeal. After procuring a job as the resident freak at a local record store, Burns set about putting early bands together, Mystery Girls (not to be confused with the new wave glam band by the same name), and Nightmares in Wax. The latter would soon turn heads in the Liverpool scene for its gloomy and dank sounds set to dance beats. Upon closer examination, you can kind of see where Burns was headed style-wise, given his inimitable presence with the sound and visuals. While the project would be short-lived, the band issued an EP in a couple of different variations, which now fetch high-dollar online.
Next up, Dead or Alive. Dripping with decadence and custom-built for the image-conscious and video-driven 1980s, the band cranked Burns’ flamboyant edge up to 11 and capitalizing on the success of the heavily image-conscious new wave pop bands of the day (Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Baltimora, et al.), the band was signed by Epic Records. But, and possibly to the dismay of label execs, Dead or Alive and its rogue singer were different. The band’s sound was harder, stranger, and laden with heaping doses of attitude. This was not the fey, friendly pop of Culture Club. The combination of Burns’ acerbic wit and sarcasm and the band’s eerie, goth-disco numbers did not sit comfortably alongside the de facto pop ditties of the day.
Before the days of the Internet and social media, Burns had been a bit of a legend in his hometown, and his reputation as a post-punk trailblazer among alternative music circles traveled fast, so he was already a known commodity throughout the UK among the freaks and orphans of the day. Some would claim that the glam ragamuffin look that Boy George sported early on was pilfered directly from Burns years earlier, which most definitely didn’t sit well with the style auteur.
Releasing its debut album, Sophisticated Boom Boom in 1984, Dead or Alive had met with modest success in the UK charts and in underground clubs abroad, with the single, “That’s The Way (I Like It),” a cover of the KC and The Sunshine Band ’70s hit. Burns’ ominous baritone and robotic rhythms took the otherwise sprite disco number in a completely different direction, stripping out most of the commerciality in the process. For the next album, 1985’s Youthquake, the band worked with hit-making production team Stock, Aitken, and Waterman to craft an offbeat pop masterpiece in the form of the single “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record).” Far from a conventional pop song, the frenetic pace, speed-demon keyboard riffs, and Burns’ twisted baritone elevate the infectious hooks in a way that’s anything but predictable. In theory, the odd feel and pure originality should’ve precluded it from appealing to the masses, yet it did and would go on to be a massive global hit and enduring cultural phenomenon. The rest of the album also surprises with some attitude-laden hooks as featured in tracks like “In Too Deep.”
Even as the band was now on the world stage, Burns refused to go along with the standard blossoming pop-star role, mouthing off in the press and readily sharing his opinions on the musical climate. Next album, Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know would see a further foray into pop territory, but again, not in a highly accessible way. Singles “Brand New Lover” and “Something in My House,” had some of the signature idiosyncrasies, but were tame by comparison to the last album. The album would sell well and help usher in a successful world tour. After several years off, the band would release Nude, its final studio album for Epic in the US. Gone were the dark and quirky twists and turns of the prior offerings, in favor of a more straightforward Hi-NRG dance approach. The album would go on to sell a fraction of its predecessor, and Burns would go somewhat dark in these parts for quite some time.
The ’90s would see a series of ups and downs for the band and Burns. Studio output would be slim and Burns would begin to go far deeper into one of his obsessions, plastic surgery. Seeing his face and body as a blank canvas awaiting his next creative venture, the singer most known for his iconic hit single and unique image, would soon become less and less recognizable. Into the 2000s, Burns’ fascination with changing his appearance outweighed his musical contributions. When reality TV entered the mainstream, eventually Burns would participate in the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother, sealing his fate as a former celebrity on the fringe, as opposed to the accomplished musician, songwriter, and style icon. In the end, Burns passed away in 2016 at age 57 due to cardiac arrest, with many speculating it was related to complications from his numerous plastic surgeries.
To help set the record straight on Burns’ musical legacy, Let Them Drag My Soul Away delves deep into the vaults, combing the Nightmares in Wax canon to early pre-stardom Dead or Alive. It’s fascinating to hear the one-time megastar’s roots in dank, gothic-tinged numbers such as “Black Leather” and the driving “It’s Been Hours Now.” The production of this release cleans up the lo-fi dynamics of the originals, making them pop, especially on the vinyl version. Early Dead or Alive numbers such as “I’m Falling” and “Misty Circles” emphasize the scrappy and individualistic post-punk spirit of the early days, before the band would embark on more polished and expensive productions.
The release comes in two different configurations. The 3-CD set includes original studio recordings, demos, sessions recorded with Jon Peele, and other assorted oddities. The package comes with a book including notes from the likes of one-time DoA and future Mission UK member Wayne Hussein, along with others who were there in the early days. The other iteration comes in the form of a thick red-vinyl version that looks and sounds amazing but pairs down the material to just 10 tracks, in a single-LP package. Perhaps, the label will eventually issue a sequel for audiophiles in search of that analog edge. But for now, this will have to do.
In spite of the success during the mid-’80s and a leading-edge affliction for style and image, Pete Burns currently remains an afterthought from a decade that often celebrated the flamboyance and decadence that his band did so well. This new comp does a fine job of reopening the case and exploring the early chapters of the band’s sordid story.
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