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{{For|the 2009 single by [[Die Antwoord]]|$O$}}
{{For|the 2009 single by Die Antwoord|$O$}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
{{Infobox album
| Name = Beat Boy
| Type = studio
| name = Beat Boy
| Artist = [[Visage]]
| type = studio
| Cover = Visage-Beat-Boy.jpg
| artist = [[Visage (band)|Visage]]
| cover = Visage-Beat-Boy.jpg
| Released = 22 October 1984
| alt =
| Recorded = 1982–1983, [[Trident Studios]], [[London]]
| released = 26 October 1984<ref>{{cite magazine|date=20 October 1984|title=News|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/84/Record-Mirror-1984-10-20-OCR.pdf|magazine=[[Record Mirror]]|page=4|access-date=20 August 2022}}</ref>
| Genre = [[Synthpop]], [[New wave music|new wave]]
| recorded = 1982–1983
| Length = 40:33
| studio = [[Trident Studios]], [[London]]
| Label = [[Polydor Records|Polydor]]
| Producer = [[Visage]]
| venue =
| genre = *[[Synth-pop]]
| Chronology = Visage studio album
*[[New wave music|new wave]]
| Last album = ''[[The Anvil (album)|The Anvil]]''<br />(1982)
| length = 40:33
| This album = '''''Beat Boy'''''<br />(1984)
| label = [[Polydor Records|Polydor]]
| Next album = ''[[Hearts and Knives]]''<br />(2013)
| producer = [[Visage (band)|Visage]]
| chronology = Visage studio album
| prev_title = [[Fade to Grey – The Singles Collection]]
| prev_year = 1983
| next_title = [[Hearts and Knives]]
| next_year = 2013
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Beat Boy
| type = studio
| single1 = [[Love Glove]]
| single1date = 17 August 1984
| single2 = [[Beat Boy (song)|Beat Boy]]
| single2date = 9 November 1984
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}} [{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r215802|pure_url=yes}} link]
}}
}}
'''''Beat Boy''''' is the third [[studio album]] by the British [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Visage]]. It was recorded at [[Trident Studios]] between 1982 and 1983 and released on [[Polydor Records]] in October 1984 (delayed by contractual problems the band were having at that time). It reached #79 on the UK album chart<ref name=Chartstats>[http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=3390 UK Chart Stats (Visage)]</ref> and would be the band's last studio album for almost thirty years.


'''''Beat Boy''''' is the third studio album by the British [[synth-pop]] band [[Visage (band)|Visage]]. It was recorded at [[Trident Studios]] between 1982 and 1983 and released on [[Polydor Records]] in October 1984 (delayed by contractual problems the band were having at that time). Reaching No. 79 on the UK album chart, the album was poorly received by critics and would be the band's last studio album for almost thirty years.
==History==
The album was recorded and released after [[Steve Strange]] decided to make Visage a live band instead of being solely a studio-based project, a decision that left him working only with drummer [[Rusty Egan]] and a trio of newer musicians. Whilst the first two Visage albums had a typical synthpop/post-punk feel, ''Beat Boy'' attempted to mix the synthetic sound with American styled [[rock music|rock]]. However, neither the singles or the album itself had the impact hoped for, and effectively marked the end of Visage as a recording act.


== Background ==
The cassette version of the album featured remixes of the album's original tracks, with a total running time of over 50 minutes. This included an extra track, the instrumental "Reprise" (a [[reprise]] of the track "Questions").
The album was recorded and released after lead singer [[Steve Strange]] decided to make Visage a live band instead of being solely a studio-based project, a decision that left him working only with drummer [[Rusty Egan]] and a trio of newer musicians. [[Billy Currie]] (the [[Ultravox]] keyboardist who had been part of Visage for their first two albums) left the band soon after recording commenced, though co-wrote and played on the track "Only The Good Die Young". Keyboardist [[Dave Formula]], who co-wrote two tracks, also departed the band during this time.


Originally only released on vinyl and cassette, ''Beat Boy'' was finally released on Compact Disc for the first time in February 2009 by [[Cherry Red Records]], and featured the same tracklisting as the original vinyl album with four extra tracks (see below).
''Beat Boy'' was released on 26 October 1984 on vinyl and cassette by [[Polydor Records]]. The cassette version of the album featured remixes of the album's original tracks, with a total running time of over 50 minutes. This included an extra track, the instrumental "Reprise" (a [[reprise]] of the track "Questions").


''Beat Boy'' was eventually released on CD for the first time in February 2009 by [[Cherry Red Records]], and featured the same track list as the original vinyl album with four extra tracks (see below). The remixed version of the album (as featured on the original cassette) was released by Rubellan Remasters on CD in 2022.
==Track listing==
All songs composed by S. Barnacle/[[Rusty Egan|Egan]]/[[Steve Strange|Strange]] unless otherwise noted.


== Reception ==
#"[[Beat Boy (song)|Beat Boy]]" <small>(Barnacle/Barnett/Egan/[[Dave Formula|Formula]]/Strange)</small> – 6:46
{{album ratings
#"Casualty" <small>(Barnacle/Barnett/Egan/Strange)</small> – 5:28
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
#"Questions" – 6:11
| rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/beat-boy-mw0000811490 |title=''Beat Boy'' – Visage <nowiki>| Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |</nowiki> AllMusic |last=LeRoy |first=Dan |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=December 22, 2014}}</ref>
#"Only the Good (Die Young)" <small>(Barnacle/Barnett/[[Billy Currie|Currie]]/Egan/Formula/Strange)</small> – 5:58
| rev2 = ''[[Smash Hits]]''
#"Can You Hear Me" – 6:29
| rev2score = 2/10<ref name="Cranna">{{cite journal |last=Cranna |first=Ian |date=25 October 1984 |title=Album Reviews (Visage – "''Beat Boy''") |journal=[[Smash Hits]] |volume=6 |issue=21 |page=21 |publisher=EMAP Metro}}</ref>
#"The Promise" <small>(Barnacle/Barnett/Egan/Strange)</small> – 3:59
}}
#"[[Love Glove]]" – 4:45
#"Yesterday's Shadow" – 6:29


''Beat Boy'' was poorly received by critics. In a scathing review of the album, Ian Cranna of ''[[Smash Hits]]'' characterised Strange and Egan as "two wafer-thin talents" and described the album as "a cross between all-purpose [[Euro disco|Euro-disco]] and [[Queen (band)|Queen]], with excruciatingly amateurish lyrics".<ref name="Cranna"/>
=== Bonus tracks on 2009 CD re-release ===
#<li value="9">"Beat Boy (Dance Mix)" – 7:19
#"Love Glove (Long Version)" – 6:38
#"She's a Machine" <small>([[Gary Barnacle|G. Barnacle]]/Barnacle/Barnett/Egan/Strange)</small> – 4:54
#"Der Amboss" <small>(Currie/Egan/Formula/Strange/[[Midge Ure|Ure]])</small> – 5:39


Though the band's first two studio albums peaked within the Top 20 and Top 10 respectively, each earning a Silver disc in the UK, ''Beat Boy'' peaked at number 79 and spent only two weeks on the album chart. Two singles were released from the album, "Love Glove" in August 1984 (UK No. 54) and "Beat Boy" in November 1984, which did not chart.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/visage/ |title=Visage <nowiki>| Artist |</nowiki> Official Charts |website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] |access-date=December 22, 2014}}</ref> The critical and commercial failure of the album effectively marked the end of Visage as a recording act for the next couple of decades.
===Remixed cassette version===
#"Beat Boy" - 7:15
#"Casualty (Dance Mix)" - 5:58
#"Questions (Dance Mix)" - 7:06
#"Only The Good (Die Young)" - 5:30
#"Can You Hear Me" - 6:26
#"The Promise (Dance Mix)" - 4:08
#"Love Glove" - 5:40
#"Yesterday's Shadow" - 6:30
#"Reprise" - 2:35<small>†</small>


== Track listing ==
<small>† an instrumental reprise of the intro section to the Dance Mix of "Questions".</small>


{{track listing
==Singles: UK chart positions==
| headline = Side A
#Love Glove – 4:00 (Aug. 1984), #54<ref name=Chartstats/>
| all_writing = S. Barnacle, [[Rusty Egan]] and [[Steve Strange]], except as noted
#Beat Boy – 3:30 (Oct. 1984), did not chart
| title1 = [[Beat Boy (song)|Beat Boy]]
| writer1 = Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, [[Dave Formula]], Strange
| length1 = 6:46
| title2 = Casualty
| writer2 = Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Strange
| length2 = 5:28
| title3 = Questions
| length3 = 6:11
| title4 = Only the Good (Die Young)
| writer4 = Barnacle, Barnett, [[Billy Currie]], Egan, Formula, Strange
| length4 = 5:58
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Can You Hear Me
| length1 = 6:29
| title2 = The Promise
| writer2 = Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Strange
| length2 = 3:59
| title3 = [[Love Glove]]
| length3 = 4:45
| title4 = Yesterday's Shadow
| length4 = 6:29
}}
{{track listing
| headline = 2009 reissue bonus tracks
| title9 = Beat Boy
| note9 = dance mix
| length9 = 7:19
| title10 = Love Glove
| note10 = long version
| length10 = 6:38
| title11 = She's a Machine
| writer11 = Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Strange
| length11 = 4:54
| title12 = Der Amboss
| writer12 = Currie, Egan, Formula, Strange, [[Midge Ure]]
| length12 = 5:39
}}


=== Remixed cassette version ===
==Personnel==
Visage members at the time of the album's recording were:
*[[Steve Strange]] - [[Lead vocalist|lead vocals]]
*Andy Barnett - [[guitar]]
*Steve Barnacle - [[Bass guitar|bass]]
*[[Gary Barnacle]] - [[saxophone]]
*[[Rusty Egan]] - [[Drum kit|drums]], [[electronic drum]]


{{track listing
Guest musicians:
| headline = Side A
*[[Billy Currie]] - [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]]
| title1 = Beat Boy
*[[Dave Formula]] - keyboards
| note1 = Different mix to the 12” and DJ Promo 12”
*Marsha Raven - [[Backing vocalist|backing vocals]]
| length1 = 7:15
*Karen Ramsey - backing vocals
| title2 = Casualty
*Rose Patterson - backing vocals
| note2 = Dance mix
| length2 = 5:58
| title3 = Questions
| note3 = Dance mix
| length3 = 7:06
| title4 = Only The Good (Die Young)
| note4 = Different intro to album version
| length4 = 5:30
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Can You Hear Me
| note1 = Different mix of intro
| length1 = 6:26
| title2 = The Promise
| note2 = Dance mix
| length2 = 4:08
| title3 = Love Glove
| note3 = Longer version of album mix, different to 12”.
| length3 = 5:40
| title4 = Yesterday's Shadow
| note4 = Identical to album version
| length4 = 6:30
| title5 = Reprise
| note5 = instrumental reprise of the intro section to the Dance Mix of "Questions"
| length5 = 2:35
}}
{{track listing
| headline = 2022 Rubellan Remaster CD reissue bonus tracks
| title10 = Beat Boy
| note10 = Extended dance mix from DJ Promo 12”
| length10 = 8.44
| title11 = Love Glove
| note11 = Full 12” version
| length11 = 6:36
| title12 = She's a Machine
| length12 = 4:50
| title13 = Yesterday’s Shadow
| note13 = Unreleased 7” version
| length13 = 4.02
| title14 = Beat Boy
| note14 = 7” version
| length14 = 3.30 <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rubellanremasters.com/visage-beat-boy | title=Visage / Beat Boy }}</ref>
}}


==References==
== Personnel ==

{{reflist}}
'''Visage'''

* [[Steve Strange]] – lead vocals
* Andy Barnett – guitar
* Steve Barnacle – bass
* [[Gary Barnacle]] – saxophone
* [[Rusty Egan]] – drums, [[electronic drum]]

; Additional personnel

* [[Billy Currie]] – keyboards
* [[Dave Formula]] – keyboards
* Marsha Raven – backing vocals
* Karen Ramsey – backing vocals
* Rose Patterson – backing vocals

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{Discogs master|76850}}


{{Visage}}
{{Visage}}


{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Visage albums]]

[[Category:Visage (band) albums]]
[[Category:1984 albums]]
[[Category:1984 albums]]
[[Category:Polydor Records albums]]
[[Category:Polydor Records albums]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at Trident Studios]]

Latest revision as of 02:39, 7 July 2024

For the 2009 single by Die Antwoord, see $O$.

Beat Boy
Studio album by
Visage
Released26 October 1984[1]
Recorded1982–1983
StudioTrident Studios, London
Genre
Length40:33
LabelPolydor
ProducerVisage
Visage studio album chronology
Fade to Grey – The Singles Collection
(1983) 		Beat Boy
(1984) 		Hearts and Knives
(2013)
Singles from Beat Boy
  1. "Love Glove"
    Released: 17 August 1984
  2. "Beat Boy"
    Released: 9 November 1984

Beat Boy is the third studio album by the British synth-pop band Visage. It was recorded at Trident Studios between 1982 and 1983 and released on Polydor Records in October 1984 (delayed by contractual problems the band were having at that time). Reaching No. 79 on the UK album chart, the album was poorly received by critics and would be the band's last studio album for almost thirty years.

Background

[edit]

The album was recorded and released after lead singer Steve Strange decided to make Visage a live band instead of being solely a studio-based project, a decision that left him working only with drummer Rusty Egan and a trio of newer musicians. Billy Currie (the Ultravox keyboardist who had been part of Visage for their first two albums) left the band soon after recording commenced, though co-wrote and played on the track "Only The Good Die Young". Keyboardist Dave Formula, who co-wrote two tracks, also departed the band during this time.

Beat Boy was released on 26 October 1984 on vinyl and cassette by Polydor Records. The cassette version of the album featured remixes of the album's original tracks, with a total running time of over 50 minutes. This included an extra track, the instrumental "Reprise" (a reprise of the track "Questions").

Beat Boy was eventually released on CD for the first time in February 2009 by Cherry Red Records, and featured the same track list as the original vinyl album with four extra tracks (see below). The remixed version of the album (as featured on the original cassette) was released by Rubellan Remasters on CD in 2022.

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Smash Hits2/10[3]

Beat Boy was poorly received by critics. In a scathing review of the album, Ian Cranna of Smash Hits characterised Strange and Egan as "two wafer-thin talents" and described the album as "a cross between all-purpose Euro-disco and Queen, with excruciatingly amateurish lyrics".[3]

Though the band's first two studio albums peaked within the Top 20 and Top 10 respectively, each earning a Silver disc in the UK, Beat Boy peaked at number 79 and spent only two weeks on the album chart. Two singles were released from the album, "Love Glove" in August 1984 (UK No. 54) and "Beat Boy" in November 1984, which did not chart.[4] The critical and commercial failure of the album effectively marked the end of Visage as a recording act for the next couple of decades.

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by S. Barnacle, Rusty Egan and Steve Strange, except as noted

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Beat Boy"Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Dave Formula, Strange6:46
2."Casualty"Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Strange5:28
3."Questions" 6:11
4."Only the Good (Die Young)"Barnacle, Barnett, Billy Currie, Egan, Formula, Strange5:58
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Can You Hear Me" 6:29
2."The Promise"Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Strange3:59
3."Love Glove" 4:45
4."Yesterday's Shadow" 6:29
2009 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
9."Beat Boy" (dance mix) 7:19
10."Love Glove" (long version) 6:38
11."She's a Machine"Barnacle, Barnett, Egan, Strange4:54
12."Der Amboss"Currie, Egan, Formula, Strange, Midge Ure5:39

Remixed cassette version

[edit]
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Beat Boy" (Different mix to the 12” and DJ Promo 12”)7:15
2."Casualty" (Dance mix)5:58
3."Questions" (Dance mix)7:06
4."Only The Good (Die Young)" (Different intro to album version)5:30
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Can You Hear Me" (Different mix of intro)6:26
2."The Promise" (Dance mix)4:08
3."Love Glove" (Longer version of album mix, different to 12”.)5:40
4."Yesterday's Shadow" (Identical to album version)6:30
5."Reprise" (instrumental reprise of the intro section to the Dance Mix of "Questions")2:35
2022 Rubellan Remaster CD reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Beat Boy" (Extended dance mix from DJ Promo 12”)8.44
11."Love Glove" (Full 12” version)6:36
12."She's a Machine"4:50
13."Yesterday’s Shadow" (Unreleased 7” version)4.02
14."Beat Boy" (7” version)3.30 [5]

Personnel

[edit]

Visage

Additional personnel
  • Billy Currie – keyboards
  • Dave Formula – keyboards
  • Marsha Raven – backing vocals
  • Karen Ramsey – backing vocals
  • Rose Patterson – backing vocals

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "News" (PDF). Record Mirror. 20 October 1984. p. 4. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  2. ^ LeRoy, Dan. "Beat Boy – Visage | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b Cranna, Ian (25 October 1984). "Album Reviews (Visage – "Beat Boy")". Smash Hits. 6 (21). EMAP Metro: 21.
  4. ^ "Visage | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Visage / Beat Boy".
[edit]
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