This is my second build-an-interactive playlist. I am running it at the same as the chamber rock one as I don’t think that one will attract as many participants. This is inspired by the current run of new wave polls and discussion.

So, let’s create a YouTube playlist of new wave music.

My goal is to create a solid representation of new wave music from a wide range of contributions. So, I am asking forum members to make suggestions for this playlist. 

Here are some guidelines for  suggesting a piece.

Please suggest one piece per post and post a YouTube video of the piece or a link to the video. 

(Note that you should include the artist and title of the piece separate from the video because permissions can be funny between countries, and I may need to find one playable for me. Also, there are limitations for using YouTube as not every piece you might want to suggest is available, but I think it is the best option for this.) 

The piece or artist can be relatively known or unknown. Artists can be suggested more than once, and you can make more than one suggestion, just in separate posts and maybe spread out to give others an opportunity to suggest. 

Optionally, you can say something about why you made your selection.  

I will construct the playlist in the order of suggestions. I am using the poll format to keep track of the suggestions, which I will add to a YouTube playlist that appears at the end of this opening post. You can vote on favorites if you like but voting is optional. I also welcome discussion and comments on people’s selections. 

The Playlist:

In the series of polls that Paul had put up, I realized that one band with some prog rock ties that had not been mentioned is Missing Persons. The band was founded by then husband and wife Terry and Dale Bozzio and Warren Cuccurullo. The three of them knew each other from playing and touring with Frank Zappa. Terry Bozzio was Bill Bruford’s replacement in U.K.

Songs from Missing Person’s debut 1982 studio album Spring Session M gained considerable radio and MTV play here in the U.S. This track I think really captures the New Wave vibe. It was from a 4-song EP that preceded their debut album and later added as bonus track to reissues of the debut album.

Missing Persons – Mental Hopscotch

Part of the Spanish New Wave (la Movida)...

Mecano - El Fin del Mundo (from their debut album - 1982):

This Finnish band did three albums in the beginning of the 80s and they were and still are hugely popular here. 

Great topic! I'll be following closely and might add some suggestions later (don't want to fill the list with Finnish bands only). 

British new-wavers, Fabulous Poodles- " Bionic Man" from 1979's "Think Pink"

Released an album a year from 1977 through 1979. 

This was a big hit in Germany at the time but probably internationally rather unknown. The lyrics are important (it's on mental health and how much treatment for it doesn't help), but I hope you can enjoy even if you don't understand them. 

Joachim Witt - Goldener Reiter

On drums: Jaki Liebezeit!

The Rezillos - "Destination Venus" 1978.  Scottish new wavers.  On their next Tops of the Pops appearance the Rezillos played a song called "Tops Of The Pops".  I like my new wave with a dash of humor.

The Rezillos broke up early in 80.  The guitarist joined The Human League and co-wrote some of their biggest hits. The Leftovers Rezillos huddled...dropped the Z.....Added a V, guitarist, two girls, became the Revilos without missing a beat.  They still preform (as the Rezillos) releasing the occasional single.

From The Netherlands, this time... They came from my village, but we moved before they got "known". Quite a particular band: no electric guitar or bass, but instead a Wurlitzer piano and clavinet (and on some tracks also a bassoon). This one was a minor hit in 1981 in the Netherlands. Oh, nostalgia, nostalgia...

The Mo - Fred Astaire (just a summer love affair):

New Wave + France = Indochine. Again, a debut from a debut album, in 1982. They were support act for Depeche Mode that year in France:

Indochine - L'aventurier:

If the voting hasn't opened, I think I will give it a go and join in.

I have shared Tv-2 before, but their early work is very new wave. I may add a translation later.

Tv-2 - Fantastiske Toyota (1981)

^ Yes, that's it

I've changed the clip accordingly.

Thanks a lot. Here's another track, but I will make do with that I think. I don't know if this is strictly new wave (could also be post punk?), but I've always fancied Sort Sol.

This is their 1983 song Abyss.

Romeo Void - Never Say Never

I think the idea is to feature some stuff that is not very well known... well, hardly anyone (even in Germany) knows this one. I always loved this album (which came rather accidentally to me). This is a fun track that is almost instrumental, a rare thing for new wave, but I think they totally nail it.

Scala 3 - Veto (1982)

I don't blame you.  It's a favorite of mine, too.   What a voice!

I will add one more: Kliché - Bravo Charlie (1982)

Notice that apart from the word 'radio', the lyrics consist entirely of NATO's phonetic alphabet.

Ekatarina Velika (EKV, Catherine the Great) from Belgrade was one of their major exponents in the 1980s.

Ekatarina Velika: Ti si sav moj bol (Album: S'vetrom uz lice, 1986)

Another Finnish suggestion: Pelle Miljoona - Moottoritie on kuuma

This was a HUGE hit here when it came out and still one of the most known and popular rock songs. I don't know if they stole the bassline from Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlit Knight or came up with it otherwise. 

The Plastics - Top Secret Man

Great how the internationality of this forum comes into its own in this poll! Perhaps it makes sense to add the country of origin in brackets?

Thanks Greg for the closer! Way to end it with a carving knife.

If I have some time later tonight, I'll note the country of origin as Mila suggested. 

My votes will therfore go to:

Missing Persons

A new wave rock song with elements of synthpop. It reminds me to some extent of Blondie’s musical style. It’s interesting to learn that Dale and Terry Bozzio used to work with Frank Zappa which is, of course a reference!

Soda Stereo

Argentina has always been a rock nation and this band doesn’t disappoint. They are classy and have a high recognition factor. I have heard their name before but I definitely want to dig deeper here!

Krypton

The style of this band lies somewhere between hard rock and new wave which I find unusual and interesting. This may have something to do with the history of rock music in Romania?

And finally, we have a few releases from the early 1980s which also represent that era very well but which I would stylistically rather allocate to the post-punk department. I’m a big fan of that genre and think that my vote should not be missing here. For me it is now between Romeo Void and Family Fodder. I will go for the latter because, above all, I think an English band is essential in this context.

So, my fourth and last vote will go to Family Fodder.

Thank you all for the music, and a big thank you goes out to you, George for taking action to try a new format as well as for your excellent hosting! 

Very good and enjoyable playlist, indeed! And, despite the common ground - which makes many of the to me unknown songs immediately recognisable - also a wide variety. I'm personally mabye leaning more to the synth-y side of things instead of the post-punky side of the New Wave, but this was from start to finish a very pleasant listen. Thanks to all!

Since there's no limit on our number of votes, I'm cashing in (or out), so I'm voting for Missing Persons, Git, Family Fodder, Rupert Hine, TV-2 and Alphaville (for Victory of Love).
Others worth mentioning: Fabulous Poodles, Joachim Witt, Krypton, Kliché, Ekatarina Velika and The Plastics (fun!)...

Talking about Alphaville... There was a Spanish band of the same name that emerged in the same period as their German counterparts, but they lasted not that long (1980-1986, with a rerecording of some works in the mid 90s). Quite an interesting band, too, if you ask me. The funny thing is that the youtube channel of the German Alphaville also hosts their one LP and a compilation album of the Spanish Alphaville... So, why not put up a German titled track from this Spanish band?

Alphaville - Nietzsche (der geisteskrank) (1982):