The Audrey Hepburn Complex
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Artist:
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Album:The Audrey Hepburn Complex
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"The Audrey Hepburn Complex" was the first 12" record released by Pizzicato Five. It came out in 1985 back when they were a quintet. The members featured Konishi Yasuharu, Keitarō Takanami, Ryō Kamomiya, Mamiko Sasaki, and Shigeo Miyata. They went through a few vocalists before settling on the Nomiya Maki that we know and love today. You can pick up a collection of the the old '85 and '86 records on the compilation called '85. Fantastic music and very interesting to see the early building blocks for what they would become. This early work was produced by the legendary Haruomi Hosono (Yellow Magic Orchestra, Happy End). I absolutely love the song "The Audrey Hepburn Complex". I stick it on mixes all the time. The rest of '85 is great but this song really hits a sweet spot with me. I love the dischordant piano and the song to me is a perfect pop structure. Not necessarily a pop song but you get the idea. There's a fantastic video on YouTube of the track that I wanted to post as well. Check out their earlier work if you like them. It's definitely genius in the making.
Comments (15)
I can tell this has been with you for some time. The spirit of music you've introduced me to is very palpable here. A childlike sense of fun coupled with a fantastically hummable melodic hook - yes "perfect" pop! And that video is an amusing romp, loved how it brought the shoes back to close it out. Guess you could say it really has "sole"!
you keep playin P5 & I will keep coming back for more SamBro !!!
Scott - lol "sole". I definitely enjoy whimsical music. I liked the shoes part on the video as well. There were a couple of hokey visual tricks on the vid that I really liked. Glad you like it.
lizzie - I don't think I've ever posted about the same band twice. I just got a wild hair last night and thought screw it. This song is good. I love P5! As a card carrying member of their fan club it is my duty to spread the word.
Are you really #3, or is it #31998 ?!? I wish I knew if my friend became a member - wouldn't surprise me !!!
Absolutely - F-it - your post - you go Sam - It's easily a band I'd love to see here more anyway !!! Especially when you're the one posting !!!
I don't know actually what number I am. I've always wondered if I was 3 or 31998. You got these cards I think in limited amounts of their "Sound Of Music" album. The vinyl came with a postcard or something like that. I've always packed this card around. It says on the back "rubbing card on one's palm more than five times daily is not recommended". It also promises an "increased sense of well-being". Lizzie your making me blush with your comments. ;)
I love that video - it really reminds me of various obsessions I would see around Tokyo at this time. And I recognise most of the places when they're driving around, so doubly nice! I'm wondering if there's some subtext there, because they're driving around various government and ministry buildings. Or maybe they were just going for the open vistas - the only place in downtown Tokyo where there's that much visual space.
I think they're probably trying to go for a French or Italian 60's movie feel with all of the open steps and areas. Maybe those are "Audrey Hepburn" complexes. :) How cool that you got to visit. I would absolutely love to go to Tokyo someday. I'd probably blow most of my money on music. That and maybe toys and sneakers.
A friend of mine is currently in Japan and enjoys the toy craziness :). If you're a gamer Japan is definitively the place to go.
I like the change to the "dark side" at the half length of the track, and then the change back to the cheesy synth trumpets. This synths tones always remember me of the score of Sam'n'Max.
Btw: thanks for your link to Giorgio Moroder, that you mentioned in an older post. Just got my first album from him and I'm getting slowly into the Italo-Disco mood, what is slightly scary for me - but only slightly. Well, this has nothing to do with P5 but anyway ..
I would also probably buy weird clothes I would never wear. That change in the middle is my favorite part too. I love how those cheesy synth trumpets come in. There's a lot of drama to build up to that part. I love Girogio Moroder. I haven't picked up any new Italo-Disco in a while but I also haven't heard of any new good stuff. Maybe the fad is over. Still tons of old stuff to discover though.
I just saw a documentary that Italo Disco is coming back. Black Devil Disco Club released a new album recently, about which I wanted to write a post, which I didn't yet.
You mean I sold my Ital Disco and Dance CDs too early??? Damn! Done it again.
Well the hype doesn't seem to be too strong yet, but Disco is definitively coming back - bringing a bit more feelings back into electronic music. Maybe you sold them too early ;) But to be honest, I haven't been in a club, where it is played in public yet - but I know there are some. At least a electro DJs I know invited me once to such a thing in London here, but I didn't have time back then.
It's definitely made a come back in the 00's. I've posted quite a bit of it over the last year. That Rodion album was probably one of my favorites of the new music. There's also Luke Vibert's alter ego Kerrier District. I know fellow mogger MsRosalita (whose in an electro pop group in London) had a friend that released an Italo Disco album in London and she said that there was a club there that was playing it on some night. What was the documentary you saw? I'd definitely check something like that out.
What I saw was only a part of a documentary of the "Tracks" broadcasting on the French/German Arte. Kerrier District sounds interesting, didn't know that Luke Vibert has this alter ego.
Oh shoot. I wish I could see it. The first Kerrier District was pretty great. I posted about it a while back but I can't seem to find it on google. Probably pretty old. Check it out if you get the chance. Also Morgan Geist's Metro Area is pretty cool too.