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London 1982. As the new romantic youthquake of 1981/1982 faded, and after what felt like a lifetime since punk’s last gasp, a tiny nightclub opened its doors in London’s Soho. Drawing to it a new generation of misfits and miscreants with a penchant for polysexual hedonism, for dressing up and showing out, The Batcave became the dark heart of alternative club culture, just like The Roxy and The Blitz before it.
Art school students, ex-punks and psychobillys, boys and girls, gays, straights, don’t knows and don’t-cares, Camden and Kensington Market stallholders, professional squatters, kids on the dole, kids in bands, nocturnal music journalists, edgy fashionistas, androgynous randoms and even a smattering of bona fide popstars – from Nick Cave to Siouxsie Sioux, Marc Almond, Robert Smith, Killing Joke and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. All were welcome to pile in, gawp at the hair, ripped, torn, bleached and rubberised fashions, and death-mask make-up and take in the dancefloor’s heady musical mix of beats-heavy post-punk pioneers, outsider icons like Wayne County and The Cramps, and a teetering pile of lusty glam rock singles from the likes of T. Rex and The Sweet.
The club even had its own house band, Specimen, fronted by charismatic and ghoulishly handsome frontman Olli Wisdom (RIP) as well as playing host to a slew of first-wave bands of what came to be known as “goth”. And it is with Specimen’s Jon Klein (later, a Banshee, too) and keyboardist Jonny Slut (later founder of legendary club night Nag Nag Nag) along with Sophie Chery from another stalwart Batcave band, Sexbeat, who’ve worked with Demon in putting together this deluxe and definitive musical and visual accompaniment to a moment that sparked a global youth cult.
This 20-track 2LP cut down is the first of its kind. It captures both the fun and freedom of The Batcave and a revolutionary moment in time. It’s also the first to reflect the musical influences on the scene and how that scene pointed forwards. Above everything else, it’s a fascinating evocation of what you’d have actually heard had you stumbled into that sweaty, energetic dive between ’82 and ’84. With its very strong tracklisting, Young Limbs Rise Again includes music from just about everybody that mattered – from The Cure to The Sisters Of Mercy to The Birthday Party.
The Batcave’s liberating air of anything-goes creativity spawned, encouraged and hosted a new generation of bands while its fashion aesthetic – fishnets, rubber, leather, diamante, piercings, jewellery, and absolutely *anything* in black – seeped first into the wider alternative scene and then the mainstream in Britain before spreading its tentacles literally all around the world. From Sydney to Mexico City to Paris to Brazil to Berlin - what came to be known as goth here in early-80s London, is arguably one of the UK’s greatest cultural exports.
The goth aesthetic forged in those tiny west end dives has gone on to inform generation after generation of bands from Nine Inch Nails to Yungblud as well as walking fashion runways for Burberry, McQueen and Galiano and giving Hollywood a whole new dark palette to work with - from Tim Burton’s weird cinematic adventures to TV shows as diverse as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and American Horror Story. That thing the kids still like? It all started HERE.
As Specimen’s Jonny Slut says - "It was a light bulb for all the freaks and people like myself who were from the sticks and wanted a bit more from life. Freaks, weirdos, sexual deviants ... There's people around who'll always be attracted by something shiny, glittering, exciting…It was more Gotham City than Aleister Crowley.”
Tracklist
2LP
LP1: SEXBEAT : A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR
1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (12” Version) – Specimen 4.53
2. Alice – The Sisters Of Mercy 3.34
3. Pagan Lovesong (Vibeakimbo) - Virgin Prunes 6.49
4. Sexbeat - Sexbeat 3.35
5. Release The Bats - The Birthday Party 2.35
6. Ignore The Machine - Alien Sex Fiend 6.47
7. Follow The Leaders - Killing Joke 5.35
8. Human Fly – The Cramps 2.12
9. Let’s Go To Bed – The Cure 3.34
10. Slowdive - Siouxsie and the Banshees 4.18
LP2: THE HOP : A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 2
1. Resurrection Joe (Long Version) - The Cult 6.04
2. Deathwish - Christian Death 2.13
3. The Hop - Theatre Of Hate 2.57 4. Soul Inside - Soft Cell 4.31
5. I Wish I Was A Girl - Wasted Youth 5.43
6. Roman Candle (12” Version) - Flesh For Lulu 10.18
7. Incubus Succubus II - Xmal Deutschland 4.43
8. Propaganda - Play Dead 3.15
9. Punch Drunk - Gene Loves Jezebel 2.23
10. My Daddy Is A Vampire - The Meteors 3.32
6LP
LP1: THE HOP (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 1)
1. Temple Of Love (Extended Version) - The Sisters Of Mercy 7.40
2. Let’s Go To Bed - The Cure 3.34
3. Incubus Succubus II - Xmal Deutschland 4.43
4. The Light Pours Out Of Me - Magazine 3.28
5. Garbageman - The Cramps-3.34
6. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Specimen- 5.00
7. Pagan Lovesong (Vibeakimbo) - Virgin Prunes 6.49
8. Against The Wind - Getting The Fear 3.42
9. The Hop - Theatre Of Hate 2.57
10. Fodder - The March Violets 2.30
LP2: SLOWDIVE (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 2)
1. Follow The Leaders - Killing Joke 5.35
2. Slowdive - Siouxsie and the Banshees 4.18
3. Release The Bats - The Birthday Party 2.35
4. We Love You - The Psychedelic Furs 3.27
5. Black Leather - Nightmares In Wax 5.04
6. Strict Tempo - Dave Ball featuring Gavin Friday 3.42
7. Planet Claire - The B52’s 4.33
8. My Daddy Is A Vampire - The Meteors 3.32
9. United - Throbbing Gristle 4.00
10. Collapsing New People - Fad Gadget 4.15
11. I Wish I Was A Girl - Wasted Youth 5.43
LP3: ADOLESCENT SEX (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 3)
1. Ignore The Machine - Alien Sex Fiend 6.47
2. Being Boiled – The Human League 4.22
3. Soul Inside - Soft Cell 4.31
4. Copped It - The Fall 4.15
5. Kick! - Adam & The Ants 2.06
6. Adolescent Sex - Japan 3.42
7. Dr Mabuse (First Life) - Propaganda 5.02
8. Like An Animal - The Glove 4.42
9. Punch Drunk - Gene Loves Jezebel 2.23
10. Jo’s So Mean To Josephine - Flowerpot Men 5.00
LP4: CLUB COUNTRY (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 4)
1. Resurrection Joe (Long Version) - The Cult 6.04
2. Club Country (12” Version) - The Associates 6.57
3. All About You - Scars 5.06
4. Your Turn To Run - Malaria! 4.09
5. Metal Dance - SPK 3.39
6. This Is Not A Love Song (12” Version) - PiL 4.29
7. The Back Of Love - Echo and the Bunnymen 3.13
8. I Travel (Extended Version) - Simple Minds 6.03
9. The The - Uncertain Smile 4.56
10. Cccan’t You See… - Vicious Pink 3.32
LP5: SEXBEAT (THE BANDS WHO PLAYED)
1. Dead Man’s Autochop - Specimen 3.57
2. Sexbeat - Sexbeat 3.35
3. RIP - Alien Sex Fiend 3.49
4. Last Year’s Wife (12” Version) - Zero LeCrêche 4.35
5. Sleaze - Marc and the Mambas 7.22
6. Roman Candle (12” Version) - Flesh For Lulu 10.18
7. Deathwish - Christian Death 2.13
8. Dance With Me - Lords Of The New Church 3.43
9. Propaganda - Play Dead 3.15
10. Fats Terminal - Bone Orchard 2.45
LP6: HELL RAISER (THE GLAM ROCK ROOTS)
1. Hell Raiser- The Sweet 3.16
2. Telegram Sam - T Rex 3.42
3. All I Want Is You- Roxy Music 2.53
4. Roll Away The Stone- Mott The Hoople 3.11
5. Needles In The Camel’s Eye- Brian Eno 3.15
6. Only After Dark- Mick Ronson 3.31
7. Amateur Hour- Sparks 3.37
8. Jet Boy- New York Dolls 4.41
9. Vicious- Lou Reed 2.55
10. Ghost Rider- Suicide 2.33
11. Fun Time- Iggy Pop 2.53
12. Devil Gate Drive- Suzi Quatro 3.47
5CD
CD1: THE HOP (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 1)
1. Temple Of Love (Extended Version)- The Sisters Of Mercy 7.40
2. Let’s Go To Bed- The Cure 3.34
3. Isolation- Joy Division 2.53
4. Resurrection Joe (Long Version)- The Cult 6.04
5. Garbageman- The Cramps-3.34
6. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (12” Version)- Specimen- 5.00
7. Pagan Lovesong (Vibeakimbo)- Virgin Prunes 6.49
8. Incubus Succubus- Xmal Deutschland 4.43
9. The Hop- Theatre Of Hate 2.57
10. This Is Not A Love Song (12” Version)- PiL 4.29
11. Subterraneans- Flesh For Lulu 5.1
12. Against The Wind- Getting The Fear 3.3
13. Club Country (12” Version)- The Associates 6.57
14. Cccan’t You See… - Vicious Pink 3.32
15. Misty Circles- Dead Or Alive 3.39
16. The Light Pours Out Of Me- Magazine 3.28
17. All About You- Scars 5.06
CD2: SLOWDIVE (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 2)
1. Follow The Leaders- Killing Joke 5.35
2. Slowdive- Siouxsie and the Banshees 4.18
3. Release The Bats- The Birthday Party 2.35
4. We Love You- The Psychedelic Furs 3.27
5. Fodder- The March Violets 2.30
6. Black Leather- Nightmares In Wax 5.04
7. Your Turn To Run- Malaria! 4.09
8. Planet Claire- The B52’s 4.33
9. The Back Of Love- Echo and the Bunnymen 3.13
10. I Travel (Extended Version)- Simple Minds 6.03
11. My Daddy Is A Vampire- The Meteors 3.32
12. Strict Tempo- Dave Ball featuring Gavin Friday 3.42
13. Collapsing New People- Fad Gadget 4.15
14. Heaven Is Waiting- The Danse Society 3.45
15. Nemesis- Shriekback 3.40
16. United- Throbbing Gristle 4.00
17. Sweat- Sexbeat 3.00
18. Holes- Specimen 4.00
19. I Wish I Was A Girl- Wasted Youth 5.43
CD3: ADOLESCENT SEX (A NIGHT ON THE DANCEFLOOR 3)
1 . Temptation- New Order 5.24
2. Soul Inside- Soft Cell 4.31
3. Uncertain Smile- The The 4.55
4. Ignore The Machine- Alien Sex Fiend 6.47
5 .Alice- The Sisters Of Mercy 3.34
6. Copped It- The Fall 4.15
7. Adolescent Sex- Japan 3.42
8. Kick!- Adam & The Ants 2.06
9. Qual- Xmal Deutschland 3.55
10. Human Fly- The Cramps 2.12
11. Dr Mabuse (First Life)-Propaganda- 5.02
12. Metal Dance- SPK 3.39
13. Being Boiled-The Human League 4.22
14. The Beauty Of Poisin (12” Mix)- Specimen 4.15
15. Like An Animal- The Glove 4.42
16. Punch Drunk- Gene Loves Jezebel 2.23
17. Baby Turns Blue- Virgin Prunes 3.43
18. Jo’s So Mean To Josephine- Flowerpot Men 5.00
19 . She’s Fallen In Love With A Monster Man- The Revillos 3.18
CD4: SEXBEAT (THE BANDS WHO PLAYED)
1. Dead Man’s Autochop- Specimen 3.57
2. Sexbeat-Sexbeat 3.35
3. R.I.P. - Alien Sex Fiend 3.49
4. Deathwish- Christian Death 2.13
5. Sleaze- Marc and the Mambas 7.22
6. Propaganda- Play Dead 3.15
7. Roman Candle (12” Version)- Flesh For Lulu 10.18
8. Fats Terminal- Bone Orchard 2.45
9. Last Year’s Wife (12” Version)- Zero LeCrêche 4.35
10. Dance With Me- Lords Of The New Church 3.43
11. Tracey’s Burning- Anorexic Dread 9.33
12. Cuts- Lets Wreck Mother 3.06
13. Raymond- Turkey Bones & The Wild Dogs 8.33
14. The Gold Of Our Lives- Furyo 3.48
15. Torment- Marc and the Mambas 4.21
CD5: HELL RAISER (THE GLAM ROCK ROOTS)
1. Hell Raiser- The Sweet 3.16
2. Telegram Sam - T Rex 3.42
3. Vicious- Lou Reed 2.55
4. All I Want Is You- Roxy Music 2.53
5. Amateur Hour- Sparks 3.37
6. Jet Boy- New York Dolls 4.41
7. Funtime- Iggy Pop 2.53
8. Ghost Rider- Suicide 2.33
9. Roll Away The Stone- Mott The Hoople 3.11
10. Mr Soft- Cockney Rebel 3.17
11. Needles In The Camel’s Eye- Brian Eno 3.15
12. Only After Dark- Mick Ronson 3.31
13. Night Time- Wayne County and the Electric Chairs 3.28
14. Then He Kissed Me- Hollywood Brats 3.13
15. Cherry Bomb- The Runaways 2.18
16. Kick Out The Jams-MC5 2.45
17. I’m Waiting For The Man- Velvet Underground 4.37
18. Dance With The Devil- Cozy Powell 3.33
19. New York Groove- Hello 2.45
20. Devil Gate Drive- Suzi Quatro 3.47
Soundwave
https://youtu.be/o6QTn000MHA