Search - Tones on Tail :: Everything

OK! This is Pop!!

Ken | Youngsville, LA USA | 05/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tones On Tail was a project created by Daniel Ash in 1982 so that he could experiment with music that just wouldn't have worked well with his other band, Bauhaus. Either by accident or design, Bauhaus had crafted and developed a particular forte, and the stuff that Ash wrote for Tones just wouldn't have worked in the confining Bauhaus setting. And perhaps on top of that, Ash was interested in pursuing more pop-oriented avenues, which he was able to convincingly do in a fresh new outfit without having the stigma (and thus having to answer for) changing the direction of a credible, well-established act. In spite of their experimental nature, to have Bauhaus begin playing songs like "OK, This Is The Pops" would have probably done more harm than good, even though that song is awesome in its own right. In short, Tones On Tail was a fresh start for Ash, and there were no connotations concerning his musical direction with this endeavor. In Bauhaus, the sky had gone out... but here, the sky was the limit. Fittingly, we were being introduced to a completely new epoch that Daniel Ash never quite recovered from. After Bauhaus split, Tones became the priority, and he and Kevin Haskins forged ahead with this new sound. How exciting, then, that the spirit of this little experiment would continue on for so long, with the saga continuing on under a new name when David J rejoined his Bauhaus musical partners Ash and Haskins. When they regrouped (albeit without P. Murphy), they recorded "Ball Of Confusion", and those pop sensibilities continued on under the name of Love And Rockets. With this being the "middle ground" between Bauhaus and Love And Rockets, there are more than a few gems you'll appreciate, like "Burning Skies", "Movement Of Fear", Real Life", "Rain", and many more. In their own right, however, Tones On Tail did develop a pop sound that was independent from what you'd expect from Bauhaus or Love And Rockets. These are the tracks that could logically be seen as a direct influence on the new wave/dance pop that was so prevalent in the early to mid 80's. To have such a short life span, yet such a rich history of influence and importance, definitely makes Tones On Tail an indispensable listen even today. This release in particular is a wonderful find, because nothing has been left out... hence the title, eh?! Anyway, you should feel grateful about the comprehensiveness of "Everything!" because when I first got the Tones On Tail collection from Beggars Banquet many moons ago there were tons of tracks that had been left out, which bothered me a bit. And despite the fact that some of these have been remixed or updated, you can still enjoy the entire poppy, quirky, sometimes silly, sometimes moody discography in all its glory."

Masterful Moments of Atmospheric Post-Punk

SandmanVI | Glen Allen, VA United States | 02/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's funny that some of the best moments of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets were actually recorded by Tones on Tail. At times ToT was an extension of its predecessor Bauhaus' dark, experimental atmospherics. Other times, they created catchy alt pop more in line with its successor L&R. Well I guess that means I should do a quick history lesson...The experimental and brilliant post-punk, art-rock outfit Bauhaus consisted of Peter Murphy, a legendary figure in the mold of a dark apocalyptic Bowie, on vocals, Daniel Ash on guitar (and occasionally sax), David J on bass and Kevin Haskins on drums. Eventually they had their differences and Peter went on to his successful, excellent solo career, David left for Jazz Butcher, and Daniel & Kevin formed Tones on Tail enlisting Glenn Campling on bass. ToT broke up after a few years and reunited with David J to start Love & Rockets. OK - enough history.Their best tracks are their deeper, richer tracks; these also happen to be their darker efforts. "Lions", "Christian Says", "Performance", "Rain" and "Burning Skies" are all heavy on texture and mood, utilizing minimalist rhythms and beats, simple but effective basslines and sweeping non-intrusive electronics. Ash, taking over for Murphy on vocals, uses his voice perfectly throughout never taking over the music the way Peter sometimes did. At these times, they may have done Bauhaus better than Bauhaus.However, don't get the impression that ToT way always dark and brooding. On the contrary, they cranked out some of the most lighthearted, funny and catchy tunes of the era. "Go!" is infused with a straight-ahead punk attitude and an almost silly feel to it; it's become more famous recently due to use in a national ad campaign. Similarly "There's Only One" is direct and fun, accessible to anyone looking for a little dance romp. "OK This Is the Pops" falls into this vein as well.Tones also put out a few strange, experimental efforts in the way that Bauhaus did. "Slender Fungus" is one such track. These pieces aren't always the easiest to jump right into, but for bands like this it was necessary to try some very wild ideas. They don't all work but it was important to try and it adds to the overall work of the band. Influential bands don't exist simply to churn out Top 40 songs now do they?In sum, "Everything" (or "Night Music" depending which is easier to find) is an important album for anyone interested in the development of post-punk, alt 80's music, collectors of Love & Rockets and Bauhaus, or just those who want some great music."

Hey, It's not really EVERYTHING....

porgo | San Francisco, CA | 08/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think that of all the incarnations of Mr. Ash and company, Tones on Tail was my favorite - and this coming from the world's biggest Peter Murphy fan. But if you really want EVERYTHING, then you need to pick up the CD single released in conjunction with this CD, entitled "Something". I had to contact Beggars Banquet in England to find a copy, but it includes a couple remixes that are a must-have for any collector. Ciao."