Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap

It's hard for me to believe that it's almost 30 years since this album was released, to huge anticipation by a few (such as my immediate circle of friends)  in May 1980. Howard Devoto had left Buzzcocks just as they were on the verge of success and formed Magazine.  Their storming first album, Real Life, was followed by Secondhand Daylight, which was (as I recall) rather unfairly labelled as being a bit Pink Floyd-like, which was a fair old insult at the time.

The Correct use of Soap blasted out of my speakers like a revelation.  Devoto's snarled and sardonic lyrics, the great Barry Adamson's bass and John McGeoch's guitar work stand out for me. The production on this album was by Martin Hannett, and boy does that show.  The overall sound is kind of sharp and precise, and as if it was recorded in a BIG space.  Of course being as how I bought this when it was released (more truthfully a year or so later), my copy is on vinyl - I recently got my mitts on a digital copy which is a 2007 remaster, with a bunch of extra tracks which is now happily ensconced on my iPod.  It's likely to be my turbo training soundtrack of choice for the nexy week or so.

Standout tracks: none, as I like them all, but I suppose the opener Because You're Frightened and A Song From Under the Floorboards might just squeak it.  On the other hand, the digital album includes various single releases from the same sessions, including the magnificent re-recording of The Light Pours out of Me...

The band lineup for this album was

Howard Devoto – vocals
John McGeoch – guitars
Barry Adamson – bass guitar
Dave Formula – keyboards
John Doyle – drums

Shortly after this album was released, John McGeoch moved on to a stellar career with a number of bands including Siouxsie and the Banshees, before his untimely death in 2004.  Magazine continued for a further studio album, Magic, Murder and the Weather, before calling it a day.  Barry Adamson went on to the Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds and a very productive solo career.  After a solo album and one or two projects, including a couple of albums with Luxuria, Devoto left music for a while before returning with Buzzkunst (a patchy hook-up with fellow Buzzcock Pete Shelley).  Magazine reformed earlier this year.