As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.
The late 80s were an unusual moment in music history. New alt rock forms were birthed, including the beginnings of some of the most influential rock bands: Jane’s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Pixies, just to name a few. The latter is often credited with igniting the grunge era. A little, unknown band called Radiohead also got its start during this time. But what made the late 80’s even more unusual was this really late resurgence of synth pop making its way onto the airwaves — through outfits like When in Rome, Anything Box and Kon Kan. “I Beg Your Pardon” is one of the beautiful by-products of this era.
Let’s be honest. This song was immediately addictive, but by the thousandth listen we were all just about ready to give it up. It starts with a phone ring, as if signaling it’s coming to us with an important message. But the message wasn’t important. “I Beg Your Pardon” was simply a fun, almost meaningless little fling. The beats and synth hooks sounded like a blend between Pet Shop Boys and Anything Box. But then it took samples and weaved them in effortlessly into the melody. At times it was hard to tell what was the sample and what was original. Decades later, “I Beg Your Pardon” hasn’t aged nearly quite as well as some of its synth pop peers, but it remains a prime example of pure, fun nostalgic pop.
“I know now's the time that I went to find something new. You know it's your crime that I'm out to find someone, too.”