Battle of New Wave Bands - Round 1 Results

The Votes are cast, and the winners of Battle of New Wave Bands Round 1 are tabulated below.

In the end, a baker's dozen UK bands advanced as well as three seminal New York acts that received their first breaks at CBGBs.

With early returns it appeared that Devo, Gary Numan, Billy Idol and Talk Talk were poised to upset their much higher seeded opponents.  However the heavy final Sunday selections pushed them all out of contention.

Nonetheless, #6 Undertones advanced and #5 seeds Pretenders and Duran Duran won handily.  The only unanimous choice was the Sex Pistols (perhaps due to relatively unknown Toronto punk opponent, the Diodes) with Police and Clash nearly perfect.  However the match-ups in the 'Sweet Sixteen' Round 2 will been increasingly more difficult.  Good Luck to all remaining New Wave Bands!!!

A) El Mocambo			B) CBGB
1. English Beat	1.English Beat (64%)		1. Ramones
8. Devo		1. Ramones (86%)	8. Jam
4. Cure	4. Cure (64%)		4. Depeche Mode
5. Eurthymics		4. Depeche Mode (86%)	5. Madness
2. Blondie	2. Blondie (71%)		2. Smiths
7. B-52s		2. Smiths (64%)	7. Simple Minds
3. Police	3. Police (93%)		3. Joe Jackson
6. Human League		3. Joe Jackson (64%)	6. Gary Numan
D) 100 Club			C) Roxy
1. Sex Pistols	1. Sex Pistols (100%)		1. Clash
8. Diodes		1. Clash (93%)	8. Boomtown Rats
4. Cars	5. Duran Duran (71%)		4. Kraftwerk
5. Duran Duran		5. Pretenders (71%)	5. Pretenders
2. Elvis Costello	2. Elvis Costello (57%)		2. New Order
7. Talk Talk		2. New Order (64%)	7. Billy Idol
3. Talking Heads	3. Talking Heads (71%)		3. Specials
6. Joy Division		6. Undertones (64%)	6. Undertones

Battle of New Wave Bands (VOTING DEADLINE: Sunday March 30th 5pm EST)

Borrowing a page from the NCAA College Basketball 'March Madness' tournament, I have created a Battle of New Wave bands (punk, synth, power pop, ska) ranked bracket of 32 artists/bands grouped into four 'concert venue' categories.

Simply send a Comment  (enter Name only in Name/URL drop-down option) to this post with your selections, ie A) 1, 4, 3, 2  B) etc...

When voting take into account the Artist/Band's impact to the New Wave genre and entire body of work.

The winners for each round will be announced in a few weeks after enough votes are collected.  Then the voting continues..... until ONE Champion New Wave Artist/Band is Selected by Popular Vote.

Good Luck and keep the Votes coming in!

A) El Mocambo			B) CBGB
1. English Beat	A Winner 1 vs. 8		1. Ramones
8. Devo		B Winner 1 vs. 8	8. Jam
4. Cure	A Winner 4 vs. 5		4. Depeche Mode
5. Eurythmics		B Winner 4 vs. 5	5. Madness
2. Blondie	A Winner 2 vs. 7		2. Smiths
7. B-52s		B Winner 2 vs. 7	7. Simple Minds
3. Police	A Winner 3 vs. 6		3. Joe Jackson
6. Human League		B Winner 3 vs. 6	6. Gary Numan
D) 100 Club			C) Roxy
1. Sex Pistols	D Winner 1 vs. 8		1. Clash
8. Diodes		C Winner 1 vs. 8	8. Boomtown Rats
4. Cars	D Winner 4 vs. 5		4. Kraftwerk
5. Duran Duran		C Winner 4 vs. 5	5. Pretenders
2. Elvis Costello	D Winner 2 vs. 7		2. New Order
7. Talk Talk		C Winner 2 vs. 7	7. Billy Idol
3. Talking Heads	D Winner 3 vs. 6		3. Specials
6. Joy Division		C Winner 3 vs. 6	6. Undertones

CLASSIC SONG & LYRICS - Free Nelson Mandela (Special AKA, 1984)

December 5th of this year 2013, Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of 95. For those of us that grew up in unjust era of South African Apartheid rule, Mandela represented the unwavering fight for freedom despite personal sacrifice and hardship.

I must admit that in the early 80s, even though the South African situation was gaining notoriety throughout North America,  it wasn't until I heard the song by Specials AKA in spring 1984 that I began to really appreciate Nelson Mandela's plight.

The original Specials ska 2-tone band had splintered by 1982, but under Jerry Dammers vision and Elvis Costello's incomparable production, a disturbing single was released two years later that captured the frustrations of many who were calling for an end to Apartheid rule, the release of ANC leader Nelson Mandela and a democratically run government that recognized the equal rights of black South African population.  

The lyrics affected me in a powerful manner when I first heard the song, every time I subsequently listened to it and especially after Mandela had passed away.  The plaintive cries to "FREE" Nelson Mandela, the 21 years of captivity and abuse, the shoes to small to fit his feet and ignoring the evil that persisted for far too long.

Despite world-wide condemnation and economic sanctions against Apartheid government, it would take another painful SIX YEARS before Nelson Mandela would be released, for a total 28 difficult years in captivity!!!!!   He was 71 years old when he became a free man once again, and he made up for lost time in a BIG way.  The rest was history in the making.  End of Apartheid, democratic elections for all South Africans and Mandela as President 1994-1999.

For many of us, this song was the powder keg that raised our collective consciousness of this great man's struggle for equality.   R.I.P. Nelson!

Free Nelson Mandela 

Free, Free, Free, Nelson Mandela 

Free Nelson Mandela 

Twenty-one years in captivity 

His shoes too small to fit his feet 

His body abused but his mind is still free 

Are you so blind that you cannot see 

I say Free Nelson Mandela 

I'm begging you 

Free Nelson Mandela 

He pleaded the causes of the ANC 

Only one man in a large army 

Are you so blind that you cannot see 

Are you so deaf that you cannot hear his plea 

Free Nelson Mandela 

I'm begging you Free Nelson Mandela 

Twenty-one years in captivity 

Are you so blind that you cannot see 

Are you so deaf that you cannot hear 

Are you so dumb that you cannot speak 

I say Free Nelson Mandela 

I'm begging you 

Oh free Nelson Mandela, free 

Nelson Mandela I'm begging you 

begging you Please free Nelson Mandela 

free Nelson Mandela 

I'm telling you, you've got to free Nelson Mandela