The soundtrack of my life... ***Video playlists are available on YouTube by typing "nowheregirl1977" in the search field***
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Week Ninety: Bow Wow Wow - "Where's My Snake?" - The Best of Bow Wow Wow
Today, I'm just going to give you a hodge-podge mix-up of some of my other favorites by Bow Wow Wow. There is no real rhyme or reason to these selections, other than the fact that I like them. In addition to "Where's My Snake?", I'll also include "Golly! Golly! Go Buddy!" and "What's the Time? (Hey Buddy)"...Finally, I'll leave you with their super-amazing cover of The Smiths tune, "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"... Also, I'm going to include a scan of the first page of the Best of CD liner notes, as well as one of my favorite pics of Annabella:
Since this was a previously unreleased track, before making it onto the Best of CD, there are no readily available lyrics online, but you still should be able to enjoy the song just the same without them!!! :-D
From the book Simon Reynolds «Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984»: «Because the fourteen-year-old Annabella initially had problems fitting in with a bunch of much older lads, McLaren even persuaded the guys that the problem was her virginity. To get her out from under her mother’s sway and make her commit to the group, one of them had to do the dirty and deflower the underage singer. Reluctantly, the band drew lots, and guitarist Matthew Ashman was dispatched to perform the task. He failed.» Somebody knows something about it?
I don't know if it's true or not. However, in The Virgin Encyclopedia of 80s Music, compiled and edited by Colin Larkin, he writes: "After signing with RCA Records, McLaren enlivened his promotion of the band with a series of publicity stunts, amid outrageous talk of paedophiliac pop." So it may have just been a tale that was created to earn more publicity for the band.
From Post Punk Diary 1980 - 1982 by George Gimarc - November 8, 1980 Saturday: "There is a bit of a scandal in the press as well over the way that Malcolm is trying to get press for the band. A fanzine concocted by Malcolm that was to be called Playkid was a sexually explicit teen-sex-zine based around Bow Wow Wow. Annabella has refused to pose nude for it, and the head writer Fred Vermorel has quit in disgust. Annabella told the NME, 'I didn't want to be a singer. No, I wanted to be an air stewardess and I still do. I think it would be great. A change, 'cos I'm not really cut out for this business, you know what I mean? Plus I'm stuck with this manager and this strange group and they've all got reputations and I'm only this schoolgirl.'"
I added an interview that I found, from a magazine called Lifelines, where Annabella said that she did not have a boyfriend at the time. That's all I could find. It's below the videos that I posted.
It was around 1982, and Annabella left the band in 1983. The magazine where I got the interview was actually called Flexipop; the section of the magazine where it appeared was called Lifelines.
Look at this blog. The author claims that "Annabella Lwin and the rest of the band were heavy drug users early on." I for the first time hear about it. And you? http://www.alphabetcityblog.com/2008/10/most-amusingly-misunderstood-rock-songs.html
I have never heard about it either. I tried to find information about it, and here is what I located-
From Ken Phillips Publicity Group, Inc.:
"After four albums, the band split up in 1983. Lwin worked on solo material, and spent time in England and Myanmar, but never recaptured the fame she had with Bow Wow Wow. Although Lwin was thrown into the world of 'sex, drugs, and rock `n` roll' as a teen, 'because of my Buddhist roots,' she explains, 'I believe something`s always protected me.'"
From a Rockerzine.com interview with bassist Leigh Gorman:
Rocker: Do you have any tales of 1980s excess?
Leigh: I’m still having it (laughs)! The usual things. You do a show for a whole lot of money and can’t believe they are paying you that. It didn’t happen too often and we didn’t get rich. We didn’t do a lot of drugs. We did have a lot of girls about. We had a girl in the band and had a bit of female energy so we weren’t like Motley Crue. But we had our fun. There were excessive moments.
O. Thanks. I read interview completely. It very much was pleasant to me. Very sadly that Annabella and Gorman again dispersed.
About drugs - possibly it is hearings. Similar there is a lot of on the Internet. I also often met mentions that Annabella and Matthew were lovers. And when they left – guys expelled Annabella from group.
It seems possible that Annabella and Matthew were lovers. In many photographs and videos, they seem closer to one another than the others, but I don't know for sure if they were or not.
Bow Wow Wow will be playing in Dallas on May 9th, along with Missing Persons and Gene Loves Jezebel. I hope to make it to the show to be able to see Annabella perform live.
If I get the opportunity to speak to her, I will definitely tell her that her Russian fans say "hello"... I'll let you know in May if I was able to see her or not.
ReplyDeleteFrom the book Simon Reynolds «Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984»:
«Because the fourteen-year-old Annabella initially had problems fitting in with a bunch of much older lads, McLaren even persuaded the guys that the problem was her virginity. To get her out from under her mother’s sway and make her commit to the group, one of them had to do the dirty and deflower the underage singer. Reluctantly, the band drew lots, and guitarist Matthew Ashman was dispatched to perform the task. He failed.»
Somebody knows something about it?
I don't know if it's true or not. However, in The Virgin Encyclopedia of 80s Music, compiled and edited by Colin Larkin, he writes: "After signing with RCA Records, McLaren enlivened his promotion of the band with a series of publicity stunts, amid outrageous talk of paedophiliac pop." So it may have just been a tale that was created to earn more publicity for the band.
DeleteFrom Post Punk Diary 1980 - 1982 by George Gimarc - November 8, 1980 Saturday: "There is a bit of a scandal in the press as well over the way that Malcolm is trying to get press for the band. A fanzine concocted by Malcolm that was to be called Playkid was a sexually explicit teen-sex-zine based around Bow Wow Wow. Annabella has refused to pose nude for it, and the head writer Fred Vermorel has quit in disgust. Annabella told the NME, 'I didn't want to be a singer. No, I wanted to be an air stewardess and I still do. I think it would be great. A change, 'cos I'm not really cut out for this business, you know what I mean? Plus I'm stuck with this manager and this strange group and they've all got reputations and I'm only this schoolgirl.'"
DeleteThanks. Probably you know the answer – What relations were inside to group?
ReplyDeleteI do not know the answer to that, but if I ever find out, I will be sure to post the information.
DeleteI added an interview that I found, from a magazine called Lifelines, where Annabella said that she did not have a boyfriend at the time. That's all I could find. It's below the videos that I posted.
DeleteIt is very interesting, thanks. What year it is interview?
DeleteIt was around 1982, and Annabella left the band in 1983. The magazine where I got the interview was actually called Flexipop; the section of the magazine where it appeared was called Lifelines.
ReplyDeleteLook at this blog. The author claims that "Annabella Lwin and the rest of the band were heavy drug users early on." I for the first time hear about it. And you?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alphabetcityblog.com/2008/10/most-amusingly-misunderstood-rock-songs.html
I have never heard about it either. I tried to find information about it, and here is what I located-
DeleteFrom Ken Phillips Publicity Group, Inc.:
"After four albums, the band split up in 1983. Lwin worked on solo material, and spent time in England and Myanmar, but never recaptured the fame she had with Bow Wow Wow. Although Lwin was thrown into the world of 'sex, drugs, and rock `n` roll' as a teen, 'because of my Buddhist roots,' she explains, 'I believe something`s always protected me.'"
From a Rockerzine.com interview with bassist Leigh Gorman:
Rocker: Do you have any tales of 1980s excess?
Leigh: I’m still having it (laughs)! The usual things. You do a show for a whole lot of money and can’t believe they are paying you that. It didn’t happen too often and we didn’t get rich. We didn’t do a lot of drugs. We did have a lot of girls about. We had a girl in the band and had a bit of female energy so we weren’t like Motley Crue. But we had our fun. There were excessive moments.
O. Thanks. I read interview completely. It very much was pleasant to me. Very sadly that Annabella and Gorman again dispersed.
DeleteAbout drugs - possibly it is hearings. Similar there is a lot of on the Internet. I also often met mentions that Annabella and Matthew were lovers. And when they left – guys expelled Annabella from group.
It seems possible that Annabella and Matthew were lovers. In many photographs and videos, they seem closer to one another than the others, but I don't know for sure if they were or not.
ReplyDeleteBow Wow Wow will be playing in Dallas on May 9th, along with Missing Persons and Gene Loves Jezebel. I hope to make it to the show to be able to see Annabella perform live.
If you see her, Say hello from Russian fans
ReplyDeleteIf I get the opportunity to speak to her, I will definitely tell her that her Russian fans say "hello"... I'll let you know in May if I was able to see her or not.
ReplyDelete