So it happened, as I have dreaded! Colin Vearncombe (the man behind Black) passed away yesterday after a 2 week battle to recover from a dreadful car accident in Cork, Ireland. A long time fan and supporter, I’d seen him solo a few times. Collected everything he released and found myself enjoying the folk/acoustica of his later offerings, a general musical area I had never really explored. It was and always will be about the voice, for me the hairs stood up on the back of my neck when I heard it. So many memories from his songs I did actually cry (not done that for 15 years!)
So it’s back to the start. Where it all began. Imagine a cocky scouser catching the eye of another cocky scouser, Pete Wylie, and going into the studio with 2 mates to produce some wonderful, melodramatic New Wave stuff. classical overtones, even synths!! Major label WEA signed them up and dropped them after a few releases. This compilation came out to cash on the success of “Wonderful Life” and shows a youthful naivety, but depth and inventiveness. A band trying to find an identity and trying all the styles. The pulsing, bass driven bombast of “Hey Presto.” “Stephen” a gorgeous piano, torch ballad. “Butterfly Man” twisted blues, “More Than The Sun” Hurts would murder for a song like that! “I Could Kill You” jangles as good as The Smiths whilst “Liquid Dream” evokes clandestine affairs with tight electronic percussion.
SO MUCH MORE THAN BLOODY “WONDERFUL LIFE !”
NEW LINK 2018
http://www88.zippyshare.com/v/hva4muo3/file.html
WEA – WX 137 
| A1 | Hey Presto | |
| A2 | Stephen | |
| A3 | Liquid Dream | |
| A4 | More Than The Sun | |
| B1 | Widemouth | |
| B2 | I Could Kill You | |
| B3 | Butterfly Man |
So, so sad
thank you. i’m sorry that that it took his death for so many to appreciate how much of a talent he was.
Such a shame that Colin has left us. Thanks for your kind words & for sharing precious memories.
This year is really hard to come to terms with so far. Colin was, I’m sure you’ll agree, one of those artists that his fans held fast and tight. His music has always meant a great deal to me – from these early offerings (which I will readily admit I didn’t know about until after Wonderful LIfe was a hit) all the way to the beauty of 2015’s Blind Faith.
Hearing Hey Presto the last few days reminds me that he came out of that post punk pop sound (you can even hear some Wylie influence on Hey Presto) but he quickly found his sound and has built on and away from it maturing along with his audience. I won’t just miss Colin’s music, I will really miss the man, the artist mind whence it all came.
Thanks for all your comments. I just thought I’d give a different perspective. Echorich I tried to comment on your blog but it is impossible if you have been blocked out of Blogger, so sorry I couldn’t do it directly. Great blog btw.
Thanks, for that. I have toyed with leaving Blogger as lots of people tell me they have issues…Have to figure what it would entail to move it all to wordpress.
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/26/colin-vearncombe-dies-the-voice-of-black-aged-53
Late discoverer, like the music and an outstanding voice !!
Colin Vearncombe (Black) RIP
one of the best Albums from the 80 ties and totally underrated, for me a Masterpiece!!!!