The Reds
Philadelphia's The Reds debuted in 1979 on A&M records. They released a self-titled LP and a 10" vinyl EP (remember those?) both produced by David Kershenbaum (Joe Jackson, Duran Duran). The EP contained a scortching cover of The Doors
"Break On Through" but The Reds never managed that feat commercially and their stay with A&M ended. Next came two independent LPs, "Stronger Silence" and "Fatal Slide." 1984 found them as a duo after the drummer and bassist left. They landed on Sire Records with Mike Thorne (Soft Cell, Nina Hagen, Wire, Blur) producing. The album "Shake Appeal" led the band to work with film /TV director/producer, Michael Mann. Mann hired them to score the film "Manhunter" as well as using their music in "Band Of The Hand" and episodes of "Miami Vice". The 90's saw the release of "Cry Tomorrow (1992, Tarock Music) once again produced by Mike Thorne. The CD was remastered and rereleased in 1999.
The Reds were:
Rick Shaffer - Guitar, Vocals
Bruce Cohen - Keyboards,
Tommy Geddes - Drums,
Jim Peters - Bass
You can find out more about the Reds at The Stereo Society
You can find The Reds "Cry Tomorrow" CD here.
Go to the download page to get The Reds - "Whatcha Doin' To Me"
9 Comments:
Man, I love this site! All those records that I thought nobody bought but me! The Reds and The Brains are two of the great secrets of their day.
Oddly enough, I bought that first Reds album because the review in Rolling Stone compared them to Pere Ubu, another personal fave in 1979 or so. That comparsion wasn't really warranted, but I was glad I got steered to the Reds.
I would love to hear their version of Break On Through. I will be searching high and low now.
I don't know why this was, but the Reds had a fervent following in FRANCE. Go figure...
This site's bringing back memories... I got pretty involved in the Philly punk scene back in the late '70s and early '80s, when I was going to college and lived in West Philly. I don't recall The Reds causing such a splash in Philly. But in the real punk scene that I hung out with (which went to the Hot Club, etc.), they were maybe considered a little too commercial-New Wave. (I had one of their first singles - if not their first - I think it was called "Victims"? Long-ago memories, and I don't know whatever happened to that 45 - probably broke or something...)
I lived in the same house as one of The Stickmen (Philly's answer to The Contortions) and I was friends with people in some other really offbeat bands of the day - like Head Cheese (some of whom later moved to NYC and formed Book of Love, which had a top 40 dance hit in the '80s).
My faves from the scene were bands probably no one had ever heard of... I got to like Ruin, for instance.
Back in the early days of punk/new wave, I thought it was much more fun to be involved in an obscure scene. I was from New York (where I am again), but the Philly punk club scene was more intimate and less pretentious. Of course, it also meant some obstacles for bands who might have thought they'd fare better if they had come from somewhere else...like The Reds.
Anyway, hope you don't mind such a long comment and all these personal reminiscences... This site just really brings back memories. (For some people, this is just retro, but not me - this was my life!)
My friend recently asked me to sell some CDs for him and THE REDS double CD went for a good price on Ebay.A guy who didn't win the auction asked me to look for a copy for him this week.I went into my local record store and found another copy of the Fatal Slide/Stronger Silence CD.Amazing.
Este magnifico grupo New Wave es uno de los mejores grupos norteamericanos de la historia del Rock. Sonaban a una Nueva Psicodelia fresca y con una acidez en las guitarras que le daban ese toque Punk a un disco que no ha sido valorado como se merece en la historia del Rock, me refiero al primer disco de este magnifico grupo. Mi hermano lo tiene en vinyl verde y yo lo tengo en vinyl negro. Para mi fue una escuela este disco de hecho una gran compilación del Punk y la New Wave se llamo "Propaganda" y ahi venian The Reds,donde en la portada aparecia una pintura de Mao aventadose un Rock and Roll. ¿Quien puede olvidar a los Reds? solo el mainstream pero no siempre tienen muy buen gusto que digamos.Que bueno es que esta pagina revalore a muchos de los heroes de los tiempos gloriosos de una musica que hoy parece ser apreciada incluso por muchos grupos nuevos que se estan influenciando por muchas de estas bandas que por mas de 2 decadas estuvieron olvidadas. Felicidades y gracias por contribuir a nuestra cultura de Rock and Roll. La New Wave tenia un alma que ahora tratan de imitar con formulas cool, pero que esos grupos lograron un sentimiento en el alma que se que solo lo sentimos los que vivimos ese tiempo. Por favor no se olviden de los Original Mirrors,New Musik, Ipso Facto,Departments,Martha and The Muffins, The Newsboys (los de los 80), The Jags. Felicidades y hasta la proxima. Les escribo en español desde México.
Su amigo
DANNY PUNK
Hello!
Could somebody tell me where can I find the lyrics of The Reds?
English is not my mother tongue and, even though I understand most of their songs, there are always some missing phrases that make me unable to fully enjoy their works.
Asides of that, it's nice to share this space with other fans of this great band, so undeservedly forgotten. Later on I will share with you further thoughts about them. Thanks beforehand and greetings from Barcelona,
Pere
The Reds, long time ago, thinking about my early days. Bought their lp that time. Find it some time ago in a box in the basement. I'll never forget what this music did whith me. Very special sound. Great!
Now I want those early days back and I'm searching for their muscic on cd.
I used to be a homeless rodeo clown but now I am a world class magician !
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