h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here's a piece of 80s pop nostalgia for you all...

Sorry, here's the link:

http://www.h2g2.com/A428690

Hi.

I read this with interest - I feel it is very informative and well written.
I think it would be useful to include a little more about the demise of SAW - the acrimony et al, along with a little more of what the individual members are doing now.

Other than that - great!!

Hope this helps.

- Adam

I like it: but I can't believe you like THEM! A comprehensive, enthusiastic article

Okay, I'll revise the article with a little more about the breakup and
what they're doing now... I'll try and get this done today.

Thanks for the interest!

http://www.h2g2.com/A428690

I've revised the article as per your suggestions. Go see. Here's hoping it's worthy of an Edited seeing-to.

And yes, I DO like this stuff! How can anyone NOT like "You Spin Me Round" by Dead or Alive...?

Best,

Dickon

Good article, although I disagree with the aesthetics... couple of things...
I may be wrong, but when you speak of 'frantic basslines', surely a trademark of SAW was their *lack* of basslines? IIRC, they discovered that crappy discos couldn't handle a decent bass part, while high frequency sounds like synthesised sleighbells made the lights flash more, so took to not bothering with basslines altogether.
William Orbit *isn't* the 'only' chart producer with an individual sound - there's Mutt Lange just for starters.
And some people might find this link interesting - http://www.instrumentality.com/themanual.html - the KLF's guide to making a number one record, which has a lot of bearing on the subject...

I like the article a lot more now. I think that the concept of 'basslines' doesn't refer to low frequency accompanyment as such, more to the repetitive riff that happens to be a slightly lower freqency than the rest of the 'tune' - Even though its not particularly bassy, it is still the thing that along with the drum loop, keeps the song together. I'm not saying that I agree that that should be called a bassline, just that it tends to be. There. I've waffled on for ages, making something quite straightforward sound really complicated.

I agree about William Orbit - maybe you could get away with removing the last paragraph.

As far as aesthetics go - I wouldn't worry too much - the Subs weave their GuideML magic later.

- Adam

Hi Dickon - can I add your article to my project on British Pop Music of the 1980s? http://www.h2g2.com/A422678

Didn't realise until I read this just how responsible SAW were for that decade lull in songwriting that marked the eighties! OK, 'You Spin me Round', was OK, but Kylie, Jason Donovan, P***k Astley, Mel and Kim, Bananarama etc etc - give me a break!

Well written article though, and very informative. I just think the music was pants!

SW

I agree about the William Orbit bit... Point taken. I was going beyond the article's brief and overdoing it a little. Paragraph removed.

Um, I don't want to get into a surgical argument about what is and isn't a bassline...! I was referring to the HiNRG octave-jumping "bass-like" melody riff, and I hope you'll agree most readers will know what I'm talking about. Thanks for the comments, though.

To Dr E Vibenstein: yes you can, and thanks for asking...

Thank you! I'll give you a credit on the index page.

Dear Scouts - is this article destined for editing after all? I was starting to get my hopes up, but clearly in vain!

Dickon

Don't give up! There is a limit to the number of entries that the Scouts can recommend at any time: or the Subs get overloaded, poor things. If there is a delay, it doesn't mean that your entry has been forgotten, and I promise that we don't automatically pick from the top of the list!

I should have added - when an article is accepted for editing, you will be told straightaway...

Wow! Congratulations, Dickon! This Entry has been Scouted and recommended by me, and has been accepted to become part of the Edited Guide! Well done!

This thread is now officially closed.

Here comes the official bit; concentrate...
'Thanks for your recommendation. You'll be glad to know that we think this entry is great, and it has now gone into the Editorial Process for future inclusion in the Edited Guide. When it does get into the Edited Guide, we will email to let you know, but please bear in mind it can take a while for entries to go through the sub-editing system.'

Editorial Note: This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review forum because this entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

Congratulations!