Non-Hit Wonder
Then there are those records which not only didn't make the charts but seemed to have made so little impression anywhere you get the feeling you were the only person on the planet who bought a copy. Like "Questionnaire" by ex-Blockhead Chaz Jankel which I'd even forgotten I owned myself until I dug it out the other day. I thought it would probably sound dated and make me wonder why the hell I did buy it (I have quite a few records like that) but it still sounded like a pretty tasty slice of dance pop, not bad considering it came out in 1981. I can't remember ever hearing it on the radio or in a club but I suppose I must have at least once otherwise I wouldn't have bought it — in 12" format too. But did anyone else? That's the, um, question.
Download: Questionnaire (12" version) - Chaz Jankel (mp3)
The video is rather brilliant too (and very 80s). Thinking about it, it might have been seeing this somewhere that made me buy the record.
10 Comments:
The video for this was created by his sister Annabel Jankel, pop trivia fans!
She also created Max Headroom, and these great videos for Elvis Costello and Tom Tom Club
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8JkB-OR7H4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnC1Xzm5uKM
and also a fantastic video for Donald Fagen's New Frontier, which strangely doesn't seem to be on Youtube. Shame.
Duncan
Oh yes, Annabel Jankel, I remember her stuff. I was going to say it looked a little like Barney Bubbles' work.
Here's the Donald Fagen video, directed by Annabel Jankel (it's one of my favourite videos ever - really nice use of animation)
http://www.clevver.com/music/video/138545/donald-fagen-new-frontier.html
Duncan
this track was a minor independent hit here in melbourne on the strength of the blockheads success, indeed there was a very strong jazz/pop scene here that almost mirrored the movement in the uk at the time. if you get a chance, send me your email address and i'll mail you a few melbourne based bands of the period so you can enjoy
steve
oo-er, I just picked up his first solo lp and another, Chazablanca, in my local thrifty charity shop. Really groovy dance music. easy to see why the blockheads albums without him were never as good..
I also have this in 12", and I, also, cannot tell you exactly why.
Great musician but this sounds like a musician's record. Presumably that'll be Norman Watt-Roy boinking and (in my mind's eye) gurning all over it...
Glad to have heard it though...
Like it. Slap that funky 80s bass!
The Blockheads were so much more than Ian Dury's backing band. I saw them last year at the Wychwood Festival and they were the best thing all weekend. "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" officially has one of the funkiest basslines ever.
Enough about funky basses already...
That's why I love internet and blogs. This video was vivid in my memory, from a cult tv show here in Italy in early 80's, called Mister Fantasy. Is there anybody out there who remember Carlo Massarini and his Video Hit, where this video was ALWAYS on? Thanks for this fond memory I thought was forever lost.
Andrea
all new to me amigo.....
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