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Martin Fry of ABC
artin Fry still recalls the exact moment he finally understood the magnitude of what he ’ d achieved with The Lexicon of Love , his picture-perfect soul-pop 1982 debut with ABC . Produced by ex-Buggle ( and future Yes anchor ) Trevor Horn , the horn-punctuated concept album had already begun spinning out chart-topping singles like “ Tears Are Not Enough ” and “ Poison Arrow ” before hitting a # 1 UK position itself . But the success hadn ’ t really registered with him yet , not until the Brit heard the disc ’ s definitive smash “ The Look of Love ” first played in a French supermarket while he was shopping , and then later in his hometown of Sheffield around Christmas . “ I was walking down this lonely street , and it was snowing ,” he notes . “ And I looked up , and I could see this window open — they were having a party , and they were playing ABC ’ s “ The Look of Love ” in the party , and they were all dancing around to it .” He actually doubled back and stood watching the festivities , a feeling of well-deserved accomplishment washing over him . “ And then I thought , ‘ You ’ ve made a record , and there it is ! And people are having a good time and dancing to it !’ It was a really great feeling .”
It isn ’ t easy to downplay the importance of Lexicon , easily one of the best rock albums ever made and every bit as exemplary of the early ’ 80s New Wave era as Big Country ’ s The Crossing , Ultravox ’ s Vienna , and Scritti Politti ’ s Cupid & Psyche 85 . But Fry had his own unique vision , revolving around lounge-campy vocals , dress suits , Memphis-sultry saxophone and horns , and elaborate orchestral hooks that don ’ t sound synth-cheesy ( and thereby forever datestamped ) like many of their peers did . This , of course , makes it the perfect classic to re-introduce on tour in 2022 , on its hallowed 40th anniversary . And given that Fry , at 64 , still looks and sounds great on stage in his traditional two-piece formal togs , he felt it was important to celebrate the landmark achievement , as well , even though he is the sole remaining founding member of ABC . “ So I am so fortunate because I ’ ve been playing ever since those early days ,” says the now-London-based artist , who penned countless new compositions during lockdown for a post-pandemic comeback . “ And when I play a big show now , and I sing a song from a few decades earlier , and the crowd sings it back at me ?” He sighs contentedly , “ That , too , is a pretty good feeling . And it ’ s really nice to still hear that ... that appreciation ….” Fry checked in from his English home office on the eve of ABC ’ s summer Stateside jaunt .
IE : Like me , you started with your own fanzine , right ? MARTIN FRY : Yeah . Mine was called " Modern Drugs ." I ’ d write about anything that was stimulating , mainly local bands that I liked . And it was in Sheffield , so there was so much going on , like Def Leppard and The Human League back then , just loads of bands . And I didn ’ t discover any , as such , myself — I was just documenting what was going on .
IE : Looking back , what were some influential things happening then , music or arts-wise ? MF : In Sheffield , back in the day ? Well , here ’ s what I think . Sheffield is an industrial city in the North of England , a steel city . But in the late ‘ 70s , early ‘ 80s , a lot of the steel factories were getting closed down , and there was a lot of unemployment . So you kind of realize , as a young man living in that city , that you ’ ll have to do something o get up and out of there . And if you weren ’ t gonna be a professional footballer , you ’ d drift into music , I suppose . And it was a great escape . But the thing that was really influential on the music was , there was this steel hammer that you would hear all night long , just kind of going , ‘ Da-Konch ! Da-Konch !’ The factories just kept running , a bit like Blade Runner or a David Lynch movie . I remember seeing Eraserhead and thinking it was very much like my apartment , like my bedsit in Sheffield . Continued on page 8