David Sylvian was asked to produce this album and while pondering the offer he basically came up with the music for P-Machinery and an early version of Duel. He eventually turned down the offer to concentrate on his own music projects.
The guitar solo is performed by Steve Howe of Yes as listed here in the discography on his Wikipedia page 👉🏻 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Howe_discography
You're right. This Propaganda album is indeed a chef d'œuvre (master work) as we French say. Probably one od the best of the 80s. I'm biased of course because it reminds me the good times as student. It was one of the few disks I dared to buy outside the classic prog bands (with limited budget, you're very careful when buying) I listened to at that tim (Yes, Genesis, Grobschnitt, Ange, etc.).
Gives me goosebumps after nearly 40 years. Their albums stands out from most of the 80's groups, very clean and polished productions with a very unique voice of both female singers (Claudia Brücken & Susanne Freytag). A lot of remixes were or still are very popular in clubs. Nice to know a new generation discover bands from the 80th that really deserve a lot more attention.
This album is so so good. The vinyl version of "Jewel" has this great bit towards the end where Claudia screams then the bass and synth riff comes roaring in and it's such a great moment leading up towards the next track "Duel" which also shares that same riff in the chorus.
What you call "industrial coldness" is not a coincidence. Keyboarder and band founder Ralf Dörper came from the band “Die Krupps”, one of the most influential industrial bands of the 80s.
Propaganda were a huge thing in Germany in 1985. Everybody danced to Dr. Mabuse in the clubs. I don´t know what music press thought about the band but in my generation (I was 16 was the album was released) everybody knew and liked them.
This really is so good! I've been listening to this since I was at school in the 80s, and I can't imagine hearing this for the first time in 2024 - it must really blow your mind, not only how good it is, but how cool we all were back in the day! ;-)
I think you might like Colourbox's 1985 LP just named Colourbox. Not to be confused with their shorter 1983 LP of the same name or the other 1985 LP Colourbox 3. It's the one without the 3 on the artwork and has 10 tracks inc. "Punch", "Manic" and "Say You".
@@RD-dl9ms I just looked up the Vinyl to double check. I didn't realise early copies came wi the 3rd one as an extra LP. If I can pick up a copy o that I definitely will. I have the 12s already.
This tune is really awesome! Haven't heard much from Propaganda other than "Dream Within a Dream" but will check out more of their music. Great singing as well. Thank You Justin for reacting to this tune.
@@JustJP Yeah this is in the Japanese dub/score and the track is titled ‘Battle Point Unlimited’ (you’ll find it on TH-cam). You can definitely hear it throughout the beat and you can hear elements from another one of Propaganda’s song (The Chase). There’s a whole story about how the composer plagiarised those two songs
@@DramaticAmbition Yes, one Kenji Yamamoto. But the thing is, he’d only made the track for a DBZ Hit Song Collection volume that was released no less than 9 months before episode 120 was even broadcast. So its use in the show at that time was pure improvisation (they probably structured the scenes around the track portions honestly). It took stuff from up to 5 songs in that entire album (the others being P:Machinery, Jewel, and Dr. Mabuse). -Also this is the first DBZ reference comment I’m seeing on this video lol, everyone else seems to have just listened to it when it was a thing.-
I'm from Germany and of course I still have this record on vinyl. It's a very special work of art ... “the murder of love” is my absolute favorite track. I never understood why it wasn't released ... on the other hand, it's a good thing: then it doesn't get used up and you can rediscover and enjoy it again and again.
Here is a link to an interview producer Stephen Lipson gave regarding the Propaganda recording, especially how Steve Howe‘s guitar Solo found it’s way into this track 😄 th-cam.com/video/8VrU3IEkKms/w-d-xo.htmlsi=gC6wNbrdDxbxm91X
To me this is one of the songs that mirror the producers portfolio perfectly. I hear accents of "Slave to the Rhythm" and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in it. Howe's solo is adding even more to it. Love it to bits...
I was amused to see you react with joy to the changes during the song 🙂because for me this is one of those unusual 4-minute pop songs that just gets better as it goes on and becomes really beautiful in the final minute or so. Normally even the greatest pop music grabs you from the start but tails off towards the end.......
Probably my favorite track of this esquisite album. I’m so glad I have lived my youth with this great music. I remember the feeling and it’s always the same, is like hearing it the first time when I was a teenager. I’m NEVER tired of this PROPAGANDA album. ❤️ ps: I still have my vinyl
It's a really great album. Great songwriting, and fantastic production. Claudia Brucken is a great vocalist. I saw them live in the 80's and they put on a great show.
This song reminds me of the music from the Norwegian band Bel Canto. I think you might enjoy checking out songs from them. Albums: White Out Conditions, Birds Of Passage, Shimmering Warm And Bright. They have great songs from other albums as well but I feel these ones are their peak work.
Well I for example haven't heard of this band before, I think that it is not that of a famous band, so that everybody knows except you (and me). I find the music quite entertaining, too.
I enjoyed that (a lot) but before I forget, I have to give a recommendation of an Andy Edwards band, *Nataraja* . There's an interview with the guitarist on his channel, and roughly speaking his background is in proper Indian classical music, but on the album he plays guitar rather than sitar. It's a one-off take from a concert they did where everything just went right. The other musicians are great, too, but the guitar gets to be the star, I think. Here's an 8 minutes or so clip I think you might enjoy. th-cam.com/video/0l7q7eigDC0/w-d-xo.html
@rumms5000 Absolutely, somehow however this band was NEVER as popular as hundreds of other bands despite the fact their music was really really TOP END. Surprisingly they've never was on the tops of the hit lists (or at least I've never seen regardless I was working in the music industry (DJ)). Strange right ? Anyways, this group deserved a place in a history of music for sure.
Everyone: stop saying this was produced by Trevor Horn. It wasnt! His time was eaten up by FGTH and, after Dr Mabuse, he handed the reins over to Steve Lipson. It is he who produced the bulk of this album.
You're going to blow your mind when you get to "Duel". (Don't do "Jewel" first, though. It's about the only vaguely weak track on the album and it will ruin the compositional surprise of "Duel".)
Well, for better or for worse, Jewel comes before Duel on the album track listing, so its likely to be along next. Besides, how really would it ruin it? Its more like a foreshadow. What I would recommend here is to listen to both in a single session. They're distinct tracks with a gap between them, but they are clearly intended to go together, like part 1 and part 2, or like an intro and a main. And on that, Duel is definitely the main.
@@JohnWhipp Well, he’s already jumped around a bit on ASW, so it didn’t seem out of the question, but yes, “Jewel” is kind of a prelude and they’re both “of a piece”. For me, though, “Jewel” gives away the chorus’ awesome chord movements and upwards modulation which (for me, again) is a big moment in “Duel”. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on your level of emotional attachment to this masterpiece record! 😜 I managed to see Art of Noise a few years ago (at the British Library!) but I’ve never managed to catch any of Propaganda’s various reformations… Would be interesting to see JP react to the post-ASW stuff (“Heaven Give Me Words”, Act, etc).
Strange how quickly you can go off a band - I thoroughly enjoyed the last Propaganda track you played but this one reeked of too many 80s Trevor Hornisms to be admired. Weirdly, these are the same Trevor Hornisms which I loved from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Art of Noise and some of ABC. I suspect that they had to be heard and appreciated at the time, otherwise it becomes 'Oh, no, not that sound again'. Even the vocals which sounded exotic and intriguing on the last track now sound forced and almost irritating. I'll give it one more track.
This song is incredible as is the rest of this album. Every song on here is a masterpiece 10/10 album.
Derek Forbes (bass) from Simple Minds and Steve Jansen (drums) from Japan were part of their live band
David Sylvian was asked to produce this album and while pondering the offer he basically came up with the music for P-Machinery and an early version of Duel.
He eventually turned down the offer to concentrate on his own music projects.
The guitar solo is performed by Steve Howe of Yes as listed here in the discography on his Wikipedia page 👉🏻 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Howe_discography
I was just typeing this and thought to check no one else had already done so.
No wonder I love it.
Justin, I tell you, this album is a pure gem of artistic pop songs. 🤩 It’s pure genius Trevor Horn .
This album was huge in the UK.The guitarist on Murder of Love is Steve Howe
You're right. This Propaganda album is indeed a chef d'œuvre (master work) as we French say. Probably one od the best of the 80s. I'm biased of course because it reminds me the good times as student. It was one of the few disks I dared to buy outside the classic prog bands (with limited budget, you're very careful when buying) I listened to at that tim (Yes, Genesis, Grobschnitt, Ange, etc.).
Gives me goosebumps after nearly 40 years. Their albums stands out from most of the 80's groups, very clean and polished productions with a very unique voice of both female singers (Claudia Brücken & Susanne Freytag). A lot of remixes were or still are very popular in clubs. Nice to know a new generation discover bands from the 80th that really deserve a lot more attention.
Magnificent track from a masterpiece. Still listen to this regularly over 35 years later
This album is so so good. The vinyl version of "Jewel" has this great bit towards the end where Claudia screams then the bass and synth riff comes roaring in and it's such a great moment leading up towards the next track "Duel" which also shares that same riff in the chorus.
What you call "industrial coldness" is not a coincidence. Keyboarder and band founder Ralf Dörper came from the band “Die Krupps”, one of the most influential industrial bands of the 80s.
Propaganda were a huge thing in Germany in 1985. Everybody danced to Dr. Mabuse in the clubs. I don´t know what music press thought about the band but in my generation (I was 16 was the album was released) everybody knew and liked them.
I was 16 Also 🙌
This really is so good! I've been listening to this since I was at school in the 80s, and I can't imagine hearing this for the first time in 2024 - it must really blow your mind, not only how good it is, but how cool we all were back in the day! ;-)
@sbsummit, my thoughts exactement. In retrospect, I can't quite believe how impeccable we were.
I think you might like Colourbox's 1985 LP just named Colourbox. Not to be confused with their shorter 1983 LP of the same name or the other 1985 LP Colourbox 3. It's the one without the 3 on the artwork and has 10 tracks inc. "Punch", "Manic" and "Say You".
Very good call.
@@RD-dl9ms I just looked up the Vinyl to double check. I didn't realise early copies came wi the 3rd one as an extra LP.
If I can pick up a copy o that I definitely will.
I have the 12s already.
The Official Colourbox World Cup theme is probably the best football related piece of music (and is awesome in it's own right)
@@AndrewSmith-mc3yu Aye. Was it used officially?
@@SPKdesign1 No not at all.The title was quite clever, as it was Colourbox's official theme , not THE official one.
I love watching you listening to this. One of my "Desert Island Discs" (the whole album). It really hasn't aged in nearly 40 years.
This tune is really awesome! Haven't heard much from Propaganda other than "Dream Within a Dream" but will check out more of their music. Great singing as well. Thank You Justin for reacting to this tune.
I remember discovering this song through Dragon Ball Z's Trunks Vs Frieza Theme and my reaction was exactly this. Such a banger!
This song was in DBZ?! How'd I miss it?!
@@JustJP Yeah this is in the Japanese dub/score and the track is titled ‘Battle Point Unlimited’ (you’ll find it on TH-cam). You can definitely hear it throughout the beat and you can hear elements from another one of Propaganda’s song (The Chase). There’s a whole story about how the composer plagiarised those two songs
@@DramaticAmbition Yes, one Kenji Yamamoto. But the thing is, he’d only made the track for a DBZ Hit Song Collection volume that was released no less than 9 months before episode 120 was even broadcast. So its use in the show at that time was pure improvisation (they probably structured the scenes around the track portions honestly).
It took stuff from up to 5 songs in that entire album (the others being P:Machinery, Jewel, and Dr. Mabuse).
-Also this is the first DBZ reference comment I’m seeing on this video lol, everyone else seems to have just listened to it when it was a thing.-
Frieza: "Those riffs! They have the same riffs!"
th-cam.com/video/zbY00BlJfkM/w-d-xo.html
@ 😂😂😂
Here in Western Europe, music lovers know this great album. Most of them are in their forties now😅
Fifties
@@RD-dl9ms me too. I must have missed it, though ...
@@RD-dl9ms- Yeah, fifties! 😊
The album is 40 years old!
@@bobbygempton5669 🫣😂.
Oops, time flies. I thought it was younger.
I'm from Germany and of course I still have this record on vinyl. It's a very special work of art ... “the murder of love” is my absolute favorite track. I never understood why it wasn't released ... on the other hand, it's a good thing: then it doesn't get used up and you can rediscover and enjoy it again and again.
Thank you Greg Stump for introducing me to this song
Here is a link to an interview producer Stephen Lipson gave regarding the Propaganda recording, especially how Steve Howe‘s guitar Solo found it’s way into this track 😄
th-cam.com/video/8VrU3IEkKms/w-d-xo.htmlsi=gC6wNbrdDxbxm91X
To me this is one of the songs that mirror the producers portfolio perfectly. I hear accents of "Slave to the Rhythm" and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in it. Howe's solo is adding even more to it. Love it to bits...
I was amused to see you react with joy to the changes during the song 🙂because for me this is one of those unusual 4-minute pop songs that just gets better as it goes on and becomes really beautiful in the final minute or so. Normally even the greatest pop music grabs you from the start but tails off towards the end.......
I love this album. I hope you will do more of it! Especially "Frozen Faces" and "P:Machinery"!
The Wes jazz solo made it for me.
This is as perfect a pop song as can be. 100/100
Steve Howe on guitar👍
These songs just flow from one to the next in my mind, i always dropped the needle and stayed to the lift, flip and repeat...
Probably my favorite track of this esquisite album. I’m so glad I have lived my youth with this great music. I remember the feeling and it’s always the same, is like hearing it the first time when I was a teenager. I’m NEVER tired of this PROPAGANDA album. ❤️ ps: I still have my vinyl
I used to have this album and totally forgot about it until I saw your thumbnail. Blast from the past!
So pleased you're continung with this album! Every track is great really so you can't go wrong 🙂
The master of production Trevor horn
Loved this album way back when and even now . And great shirt J.P .!!
Many of the sounds you hear on this album come from the legendary PPG Wave synthesizer.
Also Derek Forbes and Brian McGhee of Simple Minds were in the band.
No wonder it is pure gold
I bought this album when it came out and it was one of the most listenable things I ever had. Nothing bad on it. This band deserves more recognition.
It's a really great album. Great songwriting, and fantastic production. Claudia Brucken is a great vocalist. I saw them live in the 80's and they put on a great show.
The car chase in Subway ✅
Smart people know this album
JP, please try some of Claudia Brucken's (lead singer) solo work, eg Thank You, or Kiss Like Ether - she's amazing... ❤
This song reminds me of the music from the Norwegian band Bel Canto. I think you might enjoy checking out songs from them. Albums: White Out Conditions, Birds Of Passage, Shimmering Warm And Bright. They have great songs from other albums as well but I feel these ones are their peak work.
I'm 63..back in the day..the IN code had this album
Absolutely classic song
I'd forgotten about the jazz guitar. The first four minutes of this is superb: th-cam.com/video/MzH-GuYFmfk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7fo1gj6Wl1HWcrFL
Amazing tune! 4:17 So Trevor Horn/Frankie Pleasuredome esque
Deee lite..another smart band
Well I for example haven't heard of this band before, I think that it is not that of a famous band, so that everybody knows except you (and me). I find the music quite entertaining, too.
Propaganda is unfortunately not so much known even among Europeans of my generation (currently in our 40-50s). But those who know love and remember!
I enjoyed that (a lot) but before I forget, I have to give a recommendation of an Andy Edwards band, *Nataraja* . There's an interview with the guitarist on his channel, and roughly speaking his background is in proper Indian classical music, but on the album he plays guitar rather than sitar. It's a one-off take from a concert they did where everything just went right. The other musicians are great, too, but the guitar gets to be the star, I think. Here's an 8 minutes or so clip I think you might enjoy. th-cam.com/video/0l7q7eigDC0/w-d-xo.html
@rumms5000 Absolutely, somehow however this band was NEVER as popular as hundreds of other bands despite the fact their music was really really TOP END.
Surprisingly they've never was on the tops of the hit lists (or at least I've never seen regardless I was working in the music industry (DJ)).
Strange right ?
Anyways, this group deserved a place in a history of music for sure.
Gold!
The xPropaganda record from last year was a real unexpected delight.
Listiner for 39 years.
Everyone: stop saying this was produced by Trevor Horn. It wasnt! His time was eaten up by FGTH and, after Dr Mabuse, he handed the reins over to Steve Lipson. It is he who produced the bulk of this album.
Yep...and Lipson was a great producer too...
You're going to blow your mind when you get to "Duel".
(Don't do "Jewel" first, though. It's about the only vaguely weak track on the album and it will ruin the compositional surprise of "Duel".)
Well, for better or for worse, Jewel comes before Duel on the album track listing, so its likely to be along next. Besides, how really would it ruin it? Its more like a foreshadow. What I would recommend here is to listen to both in a single session. They're distinct tracks with a gap between them, but they are clearly intended to go together, like part 1 and part 2, or like an intro and a main. And on that, Duel is definitely the main.
@@JohnWhipp Well, he’s already jumped around a bit on ASW, so it didn’t seem out of the question, but yes, “Jewel” is kind of a prelude and they’re both “of a piece”. For me, though, “Jewel” gives away the chorus’ awesome chord movements and upwards modulation which (for me, again) is a big moment in “Duel”. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on your level of emotional attachment to this masterpiece record! 😜 I managed to see Art of Noise a few years ago (at the British Library!) but I’ve never managed to catch any of Propaganda’s various reformations…
Would be interesting to see JP react to the post-ASW stuff (“Heaven Give Me Words”, Act, etc).
Strange how quickly you can go off a band - I thoroughly enjoyed the last Propaganda track you played but this one reeked of too many 80s Trevor Hornisms to be admired. Weirdly, these are the same Trevor Hornisms which I loved from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Art of Noise and some of ABC. I suspect that they had to be heard and appreciated at the time, otherwise it becomes 'Oh, no, not that sound again'. Even the vocals which sounded exotic and intriguing on the last track now sound forced and almost irritating. I'll give it one more track.