After last year’s inaugural tour of the U.S., Poptone — the new group featuring longtime bandmates Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins, plus Haskins’ daughter Diva Dompe on bass — are preparing their debut EP, a 13-song live radio session featuring performances of classic-era songs originally recorded by Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets and Bauhaus.
The self-titled album (see full tracklist) is due out June 8, but Poptone this week offered up the first taste of the record, debuting the trio’s new version of Tones on Tail’s 1984 classic “Go!” Stream it below.
The new album features Ash and Haskins digging into their back catalog during a live radio session the band recorded last year for the “Part Time Punks” club night that was broadcast on Los Angeles’ KXLU 88.9 FM. The album is available to pre-order now via Bandcamp in digital, CD and vinyl editions.
The band also is heading out on a previously announced tour, which opens May 10 in Solana Beach, Calif., just north of San Diego, and is scheduled to include four additional dates in California (including Los Angeles and San Francisco) before hitting Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C.
Stream Poptone’s “Go!” below.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Poptone performs Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets and Bauhaus on debut album
- Poptone announces West Coast tour, preps ‘Part Time Punks’ radio session for release
- Watch: Poptone plays Tones on Tail’s ‘Go!’ live — plus 20-minute interview with group
- Poptone — featuring Bauhaus’ Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins — to release live album
- Poptone resurrects Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets catalog in live debut — setlist, video
Why did Kevin and Daniel bother, aside from (presumably) owning the licensing of this re-recording? This is not a reinvention of the song; it aims to be a replica but, alas, it’s nowhere near as punchy or exciting as the original.
Dissapointing. Re-recording this song should return a track that is fresh, fun and a well done tribute to the original. Instead, this version sounds like a track Glenn Campling and friends quickly recorded on a 4 track in 10 minutes while at a party.
@ David & Rj = This is “a live radio session the band recorded last year for the “Part Time Punks” club night that was broadcast on Los Angeles’ KXLU 88.9 FM” so not simply a re-recording but rather a live radio session… which is why it may sound “like a track Glenn Campling and friends quickly recorded on a 4 track in 10 minutes while at a party”.
“We actually were approached four or five years ago about doing it, and it was really exciting, but I don’t honestly know that Glenn Campling can do it. I think for health reasons. People have said to me, “Fuck that, get another bass player!” But he came up with those basslines and they’re brilliant, and I have a real problem with someone else playing them and getting the credit.” – Daniel Ash
https://noisey.vice.com/en_ca/article/6wywx6/daniel-ash-bauhaus-love-and-rockets-tones-on-tail-stripped-interview
… and for the record, Diva fucking rocks in Poptone (and may actually be a better live bass player than ever her uncle, David!).
Oh, I like this very much! Definite “Swing the Heartache: The BBC Sessions” vibe present on this version.
That’s an excellent comparison.
Be careful what you say, you might send Daniel back into hiding.