WE’RE UP IN THE STARS AND WE’RE FLYING TONIGHT
A CONVERSATION WITH MARC ALMOND OF SOFT CELL
Soft Cell probably didn’t know it at the time, and may disagree today, but when they released their debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, in 1981, they changed music. David Ball’s dark, driving synth-pop foundation combined Marc Almond’s brilliant lyrics and his passionate vocals, they redefined synth-pop. Countless bands were influenced by the duo then and now. Sadly, we lost Dave Ball in 2025, just after completing Soft Cell’s sixth studio album, Danceteria.
It came as somewhat of a surprise when Soft Cell had announced a new studio album, given that their 2022 album *Happiness Not Included appeared to be their final album. “Soft Cell albums are few and far between so it’s always a surprise especially to me,” agreed Marc Almond. “After each one I say this is it, but like the penultimate album *Happiness Not Included, Dave just sends me a bunch of tracks to see if I feel inspired and I always do. The same with this album, a file appeared with a lot of instrumentals, and I loved these ones even more than the last. They felt stronger.”
Almond had been working on new lyrics and themes while Ball was busy with the music. The end result is one of Soft Cell’s strongest albums. It is reflective, beautiful and still very danceable. “I’d already made a rough start on some lyrics leading on from the *Happiness Not Included album. On that album a song called “Polaroid” was about meeting Andy Warhol at the Factory studio in 1982, the reality and the fantasy, and I thought then about writing a collection of songs inspired by that amazing and crazy period of my life recording our first album in 1982. A love letter to New York I suppose, and to our first American experience. I didn’t really know then if there’d be another Soft Cell album, I thought more likely there wouldn’t, due to David’s ill health. Danceteria is the first word that came to my mind, it summed up that spirit of those days in New York in 1982 and just the word “dance” echoes through the album. I was thinking of Einstein’s quote about dance: ‘We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for sadness, dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams.’ It’s one of the things that gets us through life. It perfectly captures how movement serves as the ultimate universal language for all human experiences.”
Danceteria pays tribute to the New York City club scene of the 1980s, and time and place that Marc Almond holds dearly in his heart.
“Even though we were a northern England duo and very British; (in tune with the early electronic music scene that was happening in the North of England in the late 70’s) when we formed, recording our first album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret in New York really shaped us as a band. It inspired our rebellious art college spirit and changed us completely. We loved the creative downtown electricity and transgressive spirit of New York at that time, and the club we frequented the most was Danceteria which was more than just a dance club but a creative hub of performance and art. I met some of the most wonderful people there that opened the door to another side of New York, a place before we had only dreamed of going to.”
This includes Almond’s loving tribute to Times Square, a famed portion of New York City that has undergone several changes throughout time. “I’m sure there are many songs called ‘Times Square,’” agreed Almond. “I tried to think of another title so it wouldn’t get lost on Spotify but it just seemed the only title (but it’s my own personal experience). It’s actually a true story that happened, though I may have coloured it up a little. It has an uplifting feeling which I wanted to run through this album.”
Not only did Soft Cell record their debut album in New York City, but they made a number of lasting and impressionable friends and collaborators. But the overall ambience of the city is what drew Almond’s attention. “New York was a culture shock for us to say the least. At that time, it was dirty, run down, and dangerous, but incredibly exciting. On our first few nights we were taken to Studio 54 (its dying days), plied with drugs and I ended up sitting on the sidewalk and crying – it was all too much. We made some great friends early on that steered us through and introduced us to New York nightlife, and Danceteria which was a must for visiting British bands. I also heard on the radio for the first time when arriving in New York, an item about a new nameless disease affecting gay people, drug addicts and Haitians, at that time called GRID. In many ways it was both an end and a beginning for me.”
PURCHASE DANCETERIA VIA BANDCAMP
As with all Soft Cell albums, there is a cover version of a brilliant song, “Out Come The Freaks,” featuring Nona Hendryx. “We like to do a cover on each album and “…Freaks” was the first song that came to mind. I’d DJ’d it back in the very early 80’s when I ran a club night and I always loved it as I did everything on the Ze label at that time. I thought it was the perfect song for Soft Cell and tells character stories… Nona Hendryx is a long-time friend so I gave her the track and said just do what you want on it. She sounds fantastic and makes the song. It was the last song Dave Ball worked on, so it has poignancy.”
Ball and Almond had some help with the production of Danceteria, in the form of Phillip Laarson, who co-produced and played on the album. “Philip has been working with Soft Cell for quite a few years now; and always worked closely with David. He would often take Dave’s work and produce it further, adding his own touches. He’s had a long experience working with electronic based dance music and while Dave couldn’t often travel, Philip as well as co-producing, filled the synth and keyboard seat when we performed live. Saxophonist-flautist Gary Barnacle has been part of the Soft Cell family since the 80’s though doesn’t always come out on tours, so he brought some brilliant touches to the tracks. We have three or four backing singers that I work with on arrangements, and I produce their vocals in the studio.”
While Almond has been busy touring and recording new music with Soft Cell, he has been very active on many other fronts. This business helps him keep his voice in shape. One of his other bands, The Loveless, is the opposite of Soft Cell and more of a garage punk band. I was able to see them in London in the spring, and they are fantastic live (and on record). “I don’t do warm up exercises as I just keep working and singing constantly. I have three bands presently, my solo band, Soft Cell and a rock group called The Loveless, not to be confused by a USA band of the same name, (now defunct I think), We’ve made a few records and we do 60’s Garage psychedelic, punk and glam rock and we write some of our own songs too in those styles. We’re just indulgent. We have a little following in the UK. I love singing rock, it stretches my voice, but I love singing folk too. Just keep singing, it’s the only way. You stop and you fall off the bike.
Danceteria is an album that Soft Cell should be very proud of. It is another stellar addition to their diverse and brilliant body of work. “Dave had his own inimitable sound and style, recognisable hooks and chords. He didn’t often like bridges in songs preferring a more linear verse chorus, though I would occasionally suggest a bridge part and middle eight being a traditionalist. As well as soul and dance music he was heavily influenced by film soundtracks, particularly composer John Barry (who I once passed on the stairs going to meet Dave in the studio in the early days). He also loved experimental electronic music, like the industrial German electronic music of Kraftwerk and Georgio Moroder. I had my own influences, French Chanson like Jacques Brel, 1960’s big ballads, and 70’s punk and glam rock. We were both influenced by American post-punk like New York duo Suicide, Devo, and what was called Mutant Disco of Ze Records. We put it all into the mix.
“I hope when we return in November and next Spring for a two-part tour we can include a longer version of Danceteria as well as showcase the new album a bit more. It was Soft Cell growing and changing and finding direction—a conscious attempt to move away from the ‘electro pop’ tag the record company tried so hard to pigeonhole us with. We both, Dave particularly, felt that “Tainted Love,” though grateful for its huge success, had put us in a musical prison and we had to escape from it. The next album The Art of Falling Apart was a lot weightier, and darker and that was down to New York bringing back the artists in us. The record company and our producer Mike Thorne thought we were committing commercial suicide, which I suppose we deliberately were in a way. It was risky. Our next records weren’t as initially successful, but it freed us, and gave us a loyal following and longevity.”
Until there are new dates announced, fans, old and new, can enjoy Soft Cell’s Danceteria. It is a complex album full of emotions, and expert music. It is an album that, on one hand reflects a specific time in history, is a timeless creative piece of art. “I wanted it to be ultimately emotive and uplifting. The last album written and recorded through COVID lockdown was a bit cold and angry, not surprisingly, and I wanted this to have a different spirit and even include an out and out feel good pop song called “‘I’m in Heaven (When I Dance with You),” which doesn’t necessarily have to be about New York, but the title Danceteria is just a great word that can be about the club or a dancing spirit, the word goes through the album. Dave passed away two days after hearing the album finished for the first time and loved it, no changes he said, which makes it sadder as I would have liked him to enjoy it…. as well as helping me with the promo, which he enjoyed with his dry sardonic humour, I miss his presence. It’s one of our best moments I think and though incredibly sad to lose him, it is a fitting way to bring the Soft Cell recording side of things to a close. It brings our story full circle. And that is what I wanted people to take away from this album.”
Soft Cell Links
Marc Almond Links
Background Photo Credit: Mike Owen
