Crash

**Todd (VO):** Today's episode is brought to you by Curiosity Stream. Check out Curiosity Stream, a streaming service with thousands of documentaries and non-fiction titles on pretty much every subject you can imagine. Love cute animals? They've got that. Wanna learn more about quantum physics? Gotcha covered. Anything from the worlds of science, history, society, and more. Check out their many historical documentaries, like *Frank Sinatra or America's Golden Age*, about the life and times of the pop music legend. The best thing, it's just $2.99 a month. And for you guys, you'll get 26% off an annual subscription plus complementary access to Nebula if you use promo code: "Curiositystream.com/toddintheshadows" at sign-up. So click the link in the description and check them out now. Thank you, and on with the show.

*We cut to a black screen, then the episode plays.*

**Todd:** At what cost, a hit?

**Todd:** I've glanced at this a bit in other episodes, but you can absolutely have some of the biggest success of your career and still have it qualify for this show. Sometimes, your commercial success doesn't disguise a massive artistic failure. Sometimes, a short-term gain comes hand in hand with a long-term loss. The history of pop music is littered with Pyrrhic victories. Sometimes, it's just not worth it.

**Todd:** So with that in mind, let's talk about synthpop.

[*clip from The Young Ones*]

**Rick:** Okay, pop music, let's go! Anyone here like The Human League?

[*Video of "Don't You Want Me?"*]

**Todd:** There are writers who've made the case that, The Human League, are what really kicked off the 80s; at least in America. Other new wave acts had made inroads; Gary Numan and Devo had cracked the top 20, sounds of synth were seeping into mainstream pop. But the moment it really arrived was "Don't You Want Me".

**Phil Oakey and Joanne Catherall:** Don't you want me baby. Don't you want me, ooooohhhhhh.

**Todd:** When "Don't You Want Me" became a UK number one hit in the winter of '81, and a US number one the following summer it was a real turning point. The first number one song of the 80s, from someone who couldn't have hit number one in the 70s. And the hits, kept, coming.

[*Video of "(Keep Feeling) Fascination"*]

**The Human League:** Keep feeling fascination..

**Todd:** For a couple years The Human League were one of the biggest acts in the UK. And they were leading a second British invasion into America. Every element from that initial burst of Human League hits; the synthesizers, the striking videos, the imposing robotic baritone, the makeup that looks like it was applied with a t-shirt cannon; all these things would soon be widespread throughout the culture and define the 80s to this day.

**Phil Oakey and Joanne Catherall:** Don't you want me, ooooohhhhhh.

**Todd:** But by 1986, The Human League had fallen behind.

[*Video for "Louise"*]

**Phil Oakey:** Remember me.

**Todd:** They were having real trouble making people keep feeling fascination. The making of their follow-up album "Hysteria" was, apparently a pretty tortured and expensive process. And the result didn't exactly set the world on fire. And now the follow-up to that album wasn't going well either. Producers came and exited, months of work were thrown out, band members quit; shit just wasn't getting done. Band leader and front man Phil Oakey got called into a difficult meeting with his bosses about the future of the record, and that's when the label made a minor suggestion: if they wanted to finish the album, why not just work with the hottest and best producers alive? Oh, of course; why didn't we think of that?! Having money problems? Just make a million dollars; it's that easy!

[*Video for "Human"*]

**Todd:** Oakey didn't think there was a chance of this actually happening but it did. The label made some phone calls and, improbably, they managed to pull in Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; the R&B funk masters of the 80s. This was a real pull because this was right as Jam and Lewis began their era of commercial dominance. And in no time at all they had worked their magic again.

**Phil Oakey:** I'm only human...

**Todd:** Late that summer The Human League released their lead off single from their new album. And by the fall they were back on top. That November, The Human League were again ruling the charts with their second number one hit. And their last.

[*Video of "I Need Your Lovin'"*]

**The Human League:** I need your lovin...

**Todd:** In hindsight the combination of the words "Human League" and, "funk" should, maybe have set off alarm bells. The weird partnership worked for, a song. But the fundamental mismatch of these Prince-acolyte producers, and these stiff-ass new wave robots made about as much sense as DJ Mustard producing the next Lumineers record. The album was called "Crash". And it would be fun to say that it, indeed crashed but it didn't even do that; it limped into the charts and then quietly slipped back out into obscurity, remembered only as an awkward curio, a miscalculation, and arguably even a death knell for new wave as a genre.

**Phil Oakey:** Born to make, mistakes.

**Todd:** They're only human, and they're born to make mistakes. And boy; this was a big one. The Human League crash out of the 80s. This, is Trainwreckords.

[*Trainwreckords intro featuring the album cover for "Crash"*]

**Todd:** I want to be clear that, that album cover is not a mistake on my part. I didn't put up a low res photo by accident it just looks like that that's actual blur on the actual cover. Apparently they were going to do like a real fancy cover but, the photographer was a dick who wanted the girls to do some inappropriate things and the band stormed out and they, they just took this quick out of focus shot later to meet deadline. I'd be really pissed about this photo, especially if I were a band as concerned with visuals as The Human League, but, it sounds like everyone involved just wanted it to be done and move on. Like they brought in the new producers to finish the record but, reports are that it just led to more fights, more power struggle, more dissatisfaction; eventually the band just flew home while the producers finished the album by themselves. The overwhelming sense that I get is they all thought the record would be shipped directly into a landfill, and that instead of promoting it they'd be spending the next few months contemplating their futures. Perhaps they'd all soon be working as a waitress in a cocktail bar. And even after it started to take off, the fact is I still don't think they believed in it. Once they had their big single they did an interview with Melody Maker and the interviewer who, thought the album was straight crap *("Unadulterated disco drivel")*, he even asked them "is this even a Human League record?" *(Caption: "Yeah" says Phil. "It says Human League on the front".)* "Well, it's got our name on it doesn't it?" Do you even like this record?! *(Caption: "We took two years to write six songs" says Phillip, "and that means, if we hated this LP, what would we have done? We'd have to put it out anyway. That's why I say I think I like it, I HAVE to, I haven't got anything else")* "I think so. I have to; I haven't got anything else." *(Todd can only ooft)* But for what it's worth, Oakey was also very quick to talk up Jam and Lewis and what a big fan he was of their work.

**Phil Oakey:** I thought they were the best, new producers in the world.

**Todd:** So, before we get to the album you need to know these two guys in the Blues Brothers outfits.

[*Live performance of "1999" by Prince*]

**Todd:** In the early-mid 80s, R&B blew up with what they call the "Minneapolis sound". The leader of that sound was Prince but, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis did almost as much for the Twin Cities as the Purple One. They had been members in Prince's opening act; funk legends The Time, but Prince fired them after they missed a gig while they were side hustling as producers. With production now their full-time job they started racking up R&B hits. But that was during a time when, R&B wasn't really crossing over. In '86 they finally found the artist that could bring them to the top.

[*Video for "Nasty" by Janet Jackson*]

**Janet:** It's Janet, Miss Jackson if you're nasty. Nasty!

**Todd:** Janet Jackson, the forgotten kid sister of the Jackson dynasty, brought Jam and Lewis on to produce her third album. The previous two albums had flopped; this one had five top ten hits. It was really an honor for The Human League that Jam and Lewis chose to work with them right after this triumph. But the thing is, the name of that album, was, "Control". And that was exactly what The Human League would have to give up, if they wanted to save the album. So, let's look at what they made.

[*Video for "Human"*]

**Todd:** This is the album's lead off single, "Human"; the one that went to number one. Second number one for both the band and the producers.

**Phil Oakey:** Come on baby dry your eyes.

**Todd:** "Human" is... I-I guess it's kind of a controversial song. Hasn't really been forgotten exactly; you still hear it sometimes but it also hasn't become one of those enduring 80s classics. As far as its legacy goes, I have seen people say that they still really like it. I have seen critics say that they really don't. Here's my take on it: if you like the Jam and Lewis sound, then, this is really just top tier stuff from them.

**Lisa Keith:** I am just a man.

**Todd:** Every note, is, immaculate; every synth line, every chord, every little keyboard glissando they throw in there. I'm just, in awe of it. You know, musically. But what is it about?

**Phil Oakey:** Never like to see you cry.

**Todd:** "Human" is an apology song. From a guy who cheated and is begging for forgiveness.

**Phil Oakey:** Please forgive me.

**Todd:** And uh... look, as part of this job I have been exposed to quite a few shit-ass bullshit apology songs. And on the bullshit-shit-ass-o-meter this, ranks really high.

**Phil Oakey:** I'm only human.

**Todd:** I mean I just love this guy's justification for what happened. "I'm only human!"

**Phil Oakey:** Human. Born to make, mistakes.

**Todd:** "People fuck up sometimes; I never said I was God! Pobodies Nerfect!"

**Phil Oakey:** I wouldn't ever try to hurt you. I just needed someone to hold me, to fill the void while you were gone.

**Todd:** "Honey I know I cheated on you, but it's only because I missed you so much." Fellas you will have better luck with saying, "it wasn't me", before you get away with that one. For what it's worth Jimmy Jam has said that, all the reports of fighting in the studio are really exaggerated and that, it was actually all really professional; the band flew out to frozen Minnesota and they came into this new mode of recording, they worked their hardest. But there is one specific fight he admits to. Jam and Lewis knew this would be the single and they worked real hard on it but then Phil Oakey wanted the whole thing scrapped. Like, Jam and Lewis, their thing is, they, they do things the way they do them. Which includes their own session musicians and, crucially in this case their own backup singers *(Clip of Lisa Keith, backing vocalist 1985-2001)*. The Human League, had their own backup singers.

**Phil Oakey:** I'm only human (Clip of Susan Ann Sulley in the video with the caption: "Lip-syncing to someone else's voice".)

**Todd:** And you know Phil had to stand up for his girls, especially since he was dating one of them, so he said he didn't want to do the song anymore. And Jimmy and Terry did not do all this work just to throw it all out so, to keep the peace they compromised by giving Joanne Catherall her own spoken word section.

**Joanne Catherall:** The tears I cry, aren't tears of pain. They're only to hide, my guilt and shame. I forgive you, now I ask the same with you. While we were apart, I was human too.

**Todd:** They were both cheating. Heyuck? At the time Jimmy Jam said he wrote it thinking about, the differences and how men and women handle their infidelities and, y-you know maybe it is partially, but it's funny knowing now that it was more about behind the scenes drama so they had to turn their gut-rending regret ballad into the goddamn "Pina Colada" song. I-I just assumed this song ends on a freeze frame of them both laughing.

**Joanne Catherall:** While we were apart, I was human too (Cue laugh track)

**Todd:** Why (did) Jam and Lewis, even write this for them? I think Jam and Lewis saw the name and they were like, "Human League? Well you know let's write about being human." Which is a bad sign. Like I first heard about this album from Tom Breihan's number ones column and he pointed out that the name "Human League" is essentially sarcastic. They pick that name because it implies the existence of an anti-human league. And also they got it from a sci-fi board game. Yeah, 20 years later, this band would have called themselves "Saving Throw"; that's the kind of band they are. They are not a very human, sounding league. They cannot pull off a song that requires Phil to sound heartfelt. It's like if "The Notebook" starred Kelsey Grammer. Whatever; we have a hit. It's number one. I'm a regular person in 1986, I watch ALF, I wear a headband, I like this song, I'm gonna buy the album. Let's put in the old record player and see what comes out.

[*Live performance of "Money"*]

**Todd:** OK, this is the opener, "Money"

**The Human League:** You can haaaaaaave my money, I don't need it anymore.

**Todd:** This is um... I guess it's fine. It's not The Human League. In that, defensive Melody Maker interview the reporter asks like, "what happened to you guys you used to sound so futuristic?". And Phil is like "you know we're still futuristic we're so far in the future you can't even see that we're in the future because you're so far behind!" *(Caption: "We're EXTREMELY modern. That's why people don't like this LP, they've not caught up with us yet")*.

**Todd:** No. Nothing has ever sounded more like 1986 than this song. It was not the future; it was the present. And now it's very much the past. It's so dated. Especially that particular synth sound.

[*Synth solo plays*]

**Todd:** Eugh. I know that we've been living and breathing 80s nostalgia since like 2002, but that particular sound, has never come back and for good reason. Uh but I don't know; it's not the worst thing ever. Why don't we check out the next song which is called... *(Image of...)* "Swang". Whooof; I got a bad feeling about this.

[*Live performance with "Swang" playing over*]

**Phil Oakey:** Grab your partner, swang around, swang that girl all upside down. And if that girl won't swang with me, I'll swang me another girl, yessiree.

**Todd:** Whooooooof... yessiree...

**Phil Oakey:** Swaaaaaang

**Joanne and Susan:** Real city dancing

**Phil Oakey:** Yeah, yeah, yeah...

**Todd:** This is not good. It, I, do you even need me to explain it?

**Phil Oakey:** Swang, swang, swang

**Todd:** I-it's, it's, the word "swang", should not be coming out of this guy's mouth! Or my mouth for that matter! Neither of us should be saying it! I resent YOU for making me say it! I mean guys, were you prepared for this?! Like were you prepared to have to belt out, African-American vernacular?!

[*Interview with Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sully*]

**Joanne:** Not really it's, they really confused us at first by saying things like, "Hey man that record's kicking." And where we're going, "Whoa?! Why is it kicking"...

**Todd:** You didn't know kicking? Like just through context...

**Susan Ann:** And you have to sing with "attitude"...

**Joanne:** ...attitude, now that REALLY threw us...

**Susan Ann:** ..."Get, get some attitude". And- and we're still going... "Well what's attitude?"...

[*Todd can only put his face in his hands*]

**Todd:** I give Phil credit; he's trying, but he cannot pull this off. You should have put him in a fake jheri curl wig so he could look as ridiculous as he sounds! Jimmy, Terry; you guys clearly do not get this band and nothing you have works with them. You were on top of the world; you could have worked with anybody. How did you pick The Human League of all bands? What they say is, you know they respected these guys as synth pioneers because they also worked with a lot of synth. And The Human League was trying to go in a funk direction so, Jam and Lewis were the right people to bring in. But there's also one big thing looming over this: they wanted to go pop. You know they were R&B; they wanted to go mainstream. I think Jam and Lewis were looking at Nile Rogers; he was also a funk band refugee turned producer, and by then he was making giant smash hits for Madonna and David Bowie and Duran Duran. And Jam and Lewis, were probably thinking this could be their future but, *(Interview with Phil Oakey)* look at this, look at this. This isn't Madonna. One of the issues with this weird partnership is that The Human League were a real rock band who wrote their own music. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were Svengali producers who wrote all their own music. So they compromised by splitting the album like 60-40. Jam and Lewis's crew wrote "Swang" and "Human". But, let's see what The Human League wrote in their attempts to "shake their groove thing".

[*Live performance with "Jam" playing over*]

**Phil Oakey:** But you know that you will go back, where you used to... Jam! Gotta get some jam!

**Todd:** Oh good god.

**Phil Oakey:** Gotta get some...

**Todd:** Gotta get some jam? What, for your scones you, pasty brits?! I don't know maybe people were saying that in the 80s but I've never heard anyone use the word "jam" like that. He sounds like my Dad trying to sound down with the youths.

[*Video for "I Need Your Loving*]

**Todd:** But those were all album tracks; let's check out the second single. It's called "I Need Your Loving".

**The Human League:** I need your loving, I need your kissing baby. I need your loving, I need your kissing baby.

**Todd:** This was a single?

**The Human League:** Baby, now I see, I need your love. I need your loving...

**Todd:** Yeah I'm gonna be blunt here, "I Need Your Loving" just straight up sucks. And not in a way I even find interesting to make fun of. If you were alive in '86, you probably heard six billion other songs like this on your drive to work in the morning. The Human League went from Kraftwerk-style innovators to a poor man's Wang Chung. This, blows; I honestly prefer "Swang".

**Phil Oakey:** Oh I need your love, so I can hug and squeeze ya tight.

**Todd:** This is just inane. Phil is not Bobby Brown, and even if he was, he probably still couldn't make this work; half the lyrics to this song are "I need your loving". And the record-buying public agreed. Unlike "Human" which hit number one, "I Need Your Loving" didn't even crack the top 40 in either country. The record limped into the charts but didn't crack the top 20. The essential shittiness of the album's foundation seemed to be catching up with it. The problem is really just, Phil Oakey who is not that kind of singer. Like he always said he was inspired by Bowie but, clearly he meant "Berlin" Bowie, not, "Let's Dance" Bowie. In fact I kind of don't have a read on his musical vision. I went back to listen to Human League's biggest record "Dare", and, that's the one that has the pop masterpiece "Don't You Want Me" so, I expected the record to be a lot slicker than it was but, it's actually pretty garage rock, or whatever the synth pop equivalent of that is. It certainly isn't as polished as the music it inspired. I liked it a lot but, compared to the polished NES graphics of the later '80s, "Dare" is strictly Atari. And that's kind of how Oakey wanted it. He started out as, a hired singer for this band and then he just kind of inherited it when the other members quit. And he remade it from an avant-garde act into a pop band. But, he still liked how unpolished they were that, none of the singers were trained or that the synth players didn't play synth till they joined. In fact he doesn't even seem to like "Don't You Want Me" very much; he thought the production was too slick. What happened? How did we get from this being too slick, to trying to be Kool and the Gang? The fact is, I think he was worried because synth pop, was, dying. The new wave bands that remained had either, gone pop or, got folded into the growing alternative movement. But the era of art school weirdos being big hit makers was disappearing. The rest of the world had taken their innovations and run with it. They had to adapt. Like there were tons of synth bands who mixed new wave with R&B. But I can't think of a worse band for it than The Human League; they just do not have that background, they didn't have the chops. By this point it was clear that the hit was not moving the album at all. Which is why the third single I think was only released in the UK. Here it is; it's called, "Love Is All That Matters".

[*Video for "Love Is All That Matters"*]

**The Human League:** After all is said and done, love is all that matters.

**Todd:** The song is, I, believe it is best called, "inessential". But, the music video...

**The Human League:** After all is said and done...

**Todd:** Wow. It's a straight up clip show. It's a compilation of scenes from old Human League videos. I have never seen that before. And that's because... this is, technically, not a single, off of "Crash". Like, it's on the album, but it was released, two years afterwards, off of a greatest hits record. I think that pretty much says it all. It took the world all of three months to reject this album. The one hit was enough to keep the band alive but, Oakey seems like he just wants to wash his hands of it. I've covered sellout albums on this show before but, what really gets me about this one is how, half-hearted it is. Usually, when an artist goes pop, you can tell there's a lot of desire behind it. Even if it's only desire for fame and money. This is the first time I’ve seen someone sell out solely out of exhaustion. And through that lens, its failure was entirely predictable. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis went on to great success but, as for going pop? Not really; they made one big hit for George Michael, but for the most part they, didn't really wind up doing much with white pop stars, guess they just stuck with R&B and they turned that into the sound of pop. As for the Human League, they never really made any waves in America again and, time has reduced them to a borderline one-hit wonder. In the UK they did better and, they managed a mid-level chart run through the mid '90s and, even one top 10 hit which is, pretty impressive considering. But they have also said that trying to keep a synth pop band going after 1988 was about as fun as it sounds. In the early 2000s when, electro-pop bands like Goldfrapp and Ladytron caught on, people started reevaluating The Human League and, their legacy as New Wave groundbreakers is pretty secure. But "Crash" remains a bad idea; an uncomfortable compromise, a clumsy patch job for a fundamentally broken project.

**Phil Oakey:** Won't you please forgive me?

**Todd:** Oh I do forgive you Phil. I forgive you for the cheating. But not for "Swang". Human or not; there's no excuse for that.

*Ending music: Todd plays "Human" on piano*

***THE END***

***"Crash" is owned by A&M Records***

***This video is owned by me***

***THANK YOU TO THE LOYAL PATRONS!!***