New Wave Outpost Forum

You could say it started with a simple little sample. When the Scottish punk/post-punk ensemble (the) Scars' debut single "Horrorshow" was chosen as the source music for the dance duo Lemon Jelly's 2005 smash hit "The Shouty Track", this brought forth a resurgence of interest and attention toward the influential group that, at the time of its existence, attracted the attention of such groups as Siouxsie & the Banshees and the early Human League.

Most of us know the Scars thanks to their two appearances as SOTW artists ("Fear Of The Dark", "All About You") and their former lead singer Robert King's appearance in the SOTW late last year ("Paper Heart"), but the sound evidenced in "Horrorshow" and all of their other pre-_Author! Author!_ tracks was rougher, punkier, harsher, yet still infused with a delightful pop sensibility. One of the groups to be influenced by this sound was a nascent Josef K, whose leader Paul Haig readily acknowledges this influence.

_Author! Author!_ was one of those classic albums whose scarcity has been due to total pigheadedness on the record company's part, but thanks to the various ex-Scars members, a deal has finally been settled to where the album will finally be released on CD format. The primary seller will be former Scars lead guitarist Paul Research, who maintains a pretty site devoted to his solo work and to Scars memories and news.

For more information:

http://www.scarsresearch.com/ -- Paul Research's site
http://www.myspace.com/thescarsscotland -- (The) Scars on MySpace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scars_%28band%29 -- The band's Wikipedia article

"All About You" was the song of the week here. The only band I would compare them to are The Comsat Angels.

Their first Song Of The Week was actually "Fear Of The Dark" back in early 2003. That's how I first got acquainted with their music. If you'd like to sample some of their songs, they have four songs available for streaming on their MySpace profile, and I've definitely found the back catalogue of SOTWs on p2p sites. If you like what you've heard on their MySpace, email me.

And yeah, much of their music is akin to the Comsat Angels, but they also recorded and perfomed music that sounded more punky (I would say "rougher and grittier" as well). If you'll take a listen to that Lemon Jelly track (the video is available on YouTube), you can get a sample of what I'm talking about. Though it's a kind of punk that was in the same vein as the Buzzcocks, i.e. still melodic.

I have a clip of them when they appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test.Maybe I should upload it to You Tube?

[quote][i]Originally posted by PhilG[/i]
<br>I have a clip of them when they appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test.Maybe I should upload it to You Tube?
[/quote]

YES PLEASE (and provide a link to it here too, please). I've heard of their appearance on that show before (weren't they performing "All About You" then?) and I would love to see that footage.

Well, I'm interested to have some songs from THE SCARS because they weren't introduced here in MANILA during the NEW WAVE HEYDAYS.[8D] Since I don't have any right now.[V]

[:)]An apple a day keeps the doctor away!
DSR

The Whistle Test video is on their myspace, last time I looked.

I remember hearing the Lemon Jelly track on the radio when it first came out and thinking it was so cool to hear that guitar sound again.

http://www.thestudentteachers.com

This band sounds great.
Thanks for informing me about them.[:D]

[quote][i]Originally posted by O[/i]
<br>The Whistle Test video is on their myspace, last time I looked.

[/quote]

I've checked & it looks like it's been deleted.I'll try to upload it tonight..

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/56iWVP7I-n8"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/56iWVP7I-n8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

PhilG, would you believe that that's the first time I've ever actually SEEN the Scars perform??? And I played your video some ten times in a row. OMG, they were so powerfully awesome live. They were so, so powerfully awesome. And I have only known the Scars MySpace to include a video file that didn't work, so I wasn't aware that that was actually supposed to be their Whistle Test performance of "All About You". OH MY GOD. PhilG, I am so very grateful to you. I can't even put into words how grateful I am. Thank you.

I HAD NEVER HEARD "ALL ABOUT YOU UNTIL" BUFFALOCHIPZ SENT ME A MIX CD WITH IT ON IT. INCREDIBLE SONG!!!

SCHWENKO, MUNCHING ON GREEN TEA KITKATS IN NARITA KUKO

Here apposite to the weather and the atmosphere here[|)], one of my favorite Scar's songs.

The Scars - Leave Me In Autumn
www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=d ... 4C1679CF53

schwenko: Kiss Buffalochipz for me, please. (S)he RULES for doing that.

popreactor: I myself already have "Leave Me In The Autumn", but it's fab that you would post that link for those people who don't or who haven't heard it yet. I ADORE that song. On the album [i]Author! Author![/i] it comes immediately preceding "Fear Of The Dark", so you guys could totally do a back-to-back with this track and the former Song Of The Week, to hear the full impact of that awesome one-two punch.

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The time for the Scars to see their album [i]Author! Author![/i] finally released on CD is apparently just two short months away. Please see Paul Research's site and the Scars Wikipedia article for more information.

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