Alison Moyet is awarded an MBE

[Long Lashes]

Alison Moyet was made an MBE by Princess Anne last Wednesday. She has now joined the Members of the Order of the British Empire and is recognised for her services to music. Alison began her career in a succession of punk bands before forming synth-pop duo Yazoo with former Depeche Mode musician Vince Clarke in 1981 and then embarked on a solo career following Yazoo’s disbandment in 1983.

Alison said - "A remarkable, happy-making 60th birthday surprise for me. Basildon’s Alf with extra initials. I didn’t see that coming. Recognition for a life in music is always unpredictable and humbling. This doesn’t come with a goody bag or gym membership, so I don’t feel too bad a thief. Instead, I think of my grandparents who toiled so that I might prance. It makes me proud to be able to attach their history to this. Thank you."





Very well deserved. I'm so pleased for her, she has an incredible unique voice and always seems to be down to earth.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Gosh, I didnt recognise her with all that weight loss

I think of her 1980s style, overweight and in black

She has a great voice and will take her over over rated Adele any day of the week = Congrats on her award

This was always a fav

 

[Biggie]

Very well deserved. I'm so pleased for her,

I second this.

Remarkable talent, this is has been earned.

And, this is my favourite.

 

[Englishboy]

I seem to remember her appearing on “Top of the Pops” and being known as Alf. Was this her nickname or something?

I’m guessing that this would be around the early to mid 1980s.

Anyhow, congratulations to her on the award.

 

[Long Lashes]

I seem to remember her appearing on “Top of the Pops” and being known as Alf. Was this her nickname or something?

I think 'Alf' was her punk-era nickname which she also used for the title of her first solo album was also called 'Alf' . I've since discovered that her real name is Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard (nee Moyet).




I remember someone previously posting this video on the old site (pre crash) it was either @Mel O'Drama or @Ome ? forgive me, I can't recall which one of you it was? but, I'm thankful that you did.

I think its worth posting this again, because its bliss ....

 

[Biggie]

@Long Lashes that was beyond excellent. Thank you for posting and making me aware.

The perfect example of a great song being made even better.

Alison Moyet? Yes Yes YES.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I remember someone previously posting this video on the old site (pre crash) it was either @Mel O'Drama or @Ome ? forgive me, I can't recall which one of you it was? but, I'm thankful that you did.

I can’t remember for certain either, but I think it was probably @Ome.

I do remember that I downloaded the entire Alison Moyet Live For Burberry EP as soon as I saw the video and I haven’t regretted it for a moment. It’s terrific.

 

[Long Lashes]

@Long Lashes that was beyond excellent. Thank you for posting and making me aware.

The perfect example of a great song being made even better.

She is magical, isn't she I've just been listening to WHISPERING YOUR NAME from the same event on YouTube and that's equally stunning.

I do remember that I downloaded the entire Alison Moyet Live For Burberry EP as soon as I saw the video and I haven’t regretted it for a moment. It’s terrific.

I'm so glad you said this because I had no idea such an EP existed. I'm going to get my own copy, thanks Mel.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'm so glad you said this because I had no idea such an EP existed. I'm going to get my own copy, thanks Mel.

Oh, that’s great. I’m glad it was a nice little bonus for you. Happy listening, Lashes.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I've been in a very Moyet place the last couple of weeks. She's currently my go-to artist if I'm in a pop mood and I've started expanding my AM album collection.

My most-played track of late is Whispering Your Name. I've always liked it a great deal, but I've crossed the line to absolutely loving it. My preference is for the acoustic-sounding album version over the electronic single/Vince Clarke mixes. And of course the Live For Burberry version is gorgeous.

I'm quite surprised to realise that Whispering Your Name didn't become part of Alison's discography until 1994. To me it feels like one of those songs that's been around forever and I've always subconsciously thought it was from a decade earlier. It's certainly up there with the best of her earlier work.

Now that I'm paying attention to the lyrics, it's a fascinating and different way to tell a song. It's essentially someone speaking to someone else about a third party and my imagination is running wild trying to work out the messy relationship between the three.

I'm looking forward to exploring Alison's more recent work. I already have her Voice album which I adore (I bought it back in 2011 along with her Essential compilation and until recently these were the only two albums I felt I needed), but I've now ordered Hometime as I love the sound of many of the songs on it from the samples I've heard. Should I Feel That It's Over and If You Don't Come Back To Me both sound amazing. The Deluxe Edition I've ordered also features a beautiful French version of the latter:

I love hearing Alison sing in French, and I'm going to enjoy learning the lyrics to this one.

 

[James from London]

I think my favourite Moyet album is still Hoodoo, but her most recent one Other is great too.

Lyrically, this one feels like a spiritual cousin to Knowing Me, Knowing You:

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Lyrically, this one feels like a spiritual cousin to Knowing Me, Knowing You

Oh yes, it does. I've been listening to this one quite a bit this week and I'd say it's a current Top Three.

I still can't work out if the Hoodoo version has a different vocal to the 1987 version (B-side to Love Letters) or just a different orchestration. Alison sounds uncannily similar on both.

her most recent one Other is great too.

Oh, that's really lovely. Those lyrics and that delivery give it the feel of a spontaneous poem recital.

 

[James from London]

I still can't work out if the Hoodoo version has a different vocal to the 1987 version (B-side to Love Letters) or just a different orchestration.

Hmm, I think it's different but I can't be certain. I'm very much wedded to the original.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I've now ordered Hometime as I love the sound of many of the songs on it from the samples I've heard.

My Hometime Deluxe Edition arrived last night. I haven't even finished listening to it yet but I already love it. Many of the songs sound quite Bondian, and there's also a moody, smoky Sixties R&B vibe that really suits Alison's voice. It's absolutely gorgeous.

The smoke-filled lounge bar atmosphere reminds me of Mandy Barnett's Strange Conversation album (albeit Hometime was around sixteen years earlier. It's hard to believe this album is already twenty years old).

Lyrically, this one feels like a spiritual cousin to Knowing Me, Knowing You:

As I got to the end of disc one of Hometime, I thought the very same thing about this one:

On reflection, though, it's far less resigned, and so is perhaps lyrically closer to Take A Chance On Me. With a dash of The Way Old Friends Do. By way of Bondian, moody, smoky, Sixties-meets-R&B.






Edited to add:

Oh my. I'm working my way through the bonus disc, and Bilan is like a playful French musical version of Gary Ewing's devastating Season Ten critique of Jill Bennett's character defects:

C'est notre amour usé
C'est ton nom ridicule
C'est le bruit quand tu manges
Tes cadeaux débiles
C'est notre progéniture
C'est toi que je fatigue
C'est toi et c'est moi
Et c'aurait dû etre mieux

Which a certain well-used translation tool tells me means:

It's our worn out love
It's your ridiculous name
It's the noise when you eat
Your stupid gifts
It's our offspring
It's of you that I tire
It's you and it's me
And it should have been better

Edit to the edit: (I've just realised Bilan is a French translation of the song More).

 

[Willie Oleson]

As I got to the end of disc one of Hometime, I thought the very same thing about this one:

​

By way of Bondian, moody, smoky, Sixties-meets-R&B.

Gorgeous!

Edit to the edit

This needs to be the title of a new Kylie Minogue song.

 

[Rove]

Alison Moyet was made an MBE by Princess Anne

Goodness. How did I miss this thread? Her voice? Just stunning. Sorry Adele fans but give me Alsion Moyet's voice any day...it's deep and lush...it would melt icecream.

 

[Ome]

it was either @Mel O'Drama or @Ome ?

My reaction to this was "That would be Mel, I remember going straight to iTunes and buying the EP"

I can’t remember for certain either, but I think it was probably @Ome.

But then I read this and ......



I don't know why I felt confident it was Mel, but I do... So that makes me wonder if it was @James from London or @Kevmac

Goodness. How did I miss this thread?

I second that.







I had tickets to see Tears for Fears last Saturday night with the wonderful Alison as support. Sadly, due to an injury to Curt Smith, it was cancelled. I've seen Alison live before, both solo and with Yazoo and she gives an amazing performance, I was gutted when last week's gig was cancelled. Her voice is incredible.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

My reaction to this was "That would be Mel, I remember going straight to iTunes and buying the EP"


But then I read this and ......



I don't know why I felt confident it was Mel, but I do...

Well, I couldn't swear it wasn't me. But equally...

So that makes me wonder if it was @James from London or @Kevmac

That's very possible as well.

This feels like a taste of my future: reminiscing over stuff that's happened but not quite sure if it happened to me or someone else.

I had tickets to see Tears for Fears last Saturday night with the wonderful Alison as support. Sadly, due to an injury to Curt Smith, it was cancelled. I've seen Alison live before, both solo and with Yazoo and she gives an amazing performance, I was gutted when last week's gig was cancelled. Her voice is incredible.

Oh, that's such a shame. I really hope you get to see both Alison and TFF again before too long.

After the amazing discovery thread on The Hurting, you're always at the forefront of my mind whenever someone mentions Tears For Fears.

I have added to my Alison CD collection recently, and there are a number of live tracks in among them. She sounds absolutely amazing, and the Live CD from the reissue of Singles makes much of the fact that there are no overdubs, so it's completely raw and live. She also has a great rapport with the audience and there seems to be a lot of banter and interactivity.

At the moment I can't get enough of the live version of There Are Worse Things I Could Do. I've had her studio version for a long time and it's always been a favourite. I didn't expect to love the live version as much, but it's floored me:

Do you know what the story is with Alison and this song? I get the sense it's a regular of hers in concert, but it's not a track I remember ever associating with her outside of concerts. It does seem very compatible with her personality, and clearly there's quite a bit of Rizzo in her, as she completely nails the sass, defiance and sadness of the song.

 

[Ome]

Well, I couldn't swear it wasn't me. But equally...

It's all so very mysterious..

Oh, that's such a shame. I really hope you get to see both Alison and TFF again before too long.

This is the second time its happened. I bought tickets to see them both a few years back, however, Roland's (TFF) died and they re-scheduled the concert for the following year. I did get to see it in the end. This time, it's not been re-scheduled, but cancelled, so I don't know what the future holds...

After the amazing discovery thread on The Hurting, you're always at the forefront of my mind whenever someone mentions Tears For Fears.

That was a wonderful experience for me to share that special album.

I have added to my Alison CD collection recently

I have both Alf & Raindancing in my shopping basket. I have such a large basket and my vinyl spending is out of control that I need to keep that basket alive, maybe a trolley would be more appropriate.

She sounds absolutely amazing, and the Live CD from the reissue of Singles makes much of the fact that there are no overdubs, so it's completely raw and live.

Oh, wow! I didn't know this existed. I have her live from when she performed as Yazoo in 2007 which is incredible.

Do you know what the story is with Alison and this song?

No, but now I'm intrigued. I wonder if it's from her childhood, or when she first became famous. I seem to remember she was seen as a bit of a misfit. Although, that could be me just clutching at straws.


That's a brilliant version all the same. It wasn't part of her set a few though which is a shame, I'd love to hear that in concert.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

This time, it's not been re-scheduled, but cancelled, so I don't know what the future holds...

Oh darn. That's really disappointing. Based on what you've said it must be a very weird time for the band.

That was a wonderful experience for me to share that special album.

And I'm really glad you did.

I have both Alf & Raindancing in my shopping basket. I have such a large basket and my vinyl spending is out of control that I need to keep that basket alive, maybe a trolley would be more appropriate.

Ha ha.

Is this you, relaxing at home, by any chance?

Oh, wow! I didn't know this existed. I have her live from when she performed as Yazoo in 2007 which is incredible.

In that case I'm glad I mentioned it. The 11 track live CD I have is from 1995. As well as terrific versions of her hits and a few Yazoo songs, there's an amazing cover of Chain Of Fools. Live performances can be hit and miss for me, and I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying this one.

(I'm just not sure it's available on vinyl, which might rule it out for you anyway).

I seem to remember she was seen as a bit of a misfit.

That's pretty much where my reasoning had gone as well, so I won't argue with that.

There's so much about Alison I find endearing and intriguing. From what I've seen she's been quite frank about her own struggles and the impact it's had, which adds meaning to a lot of the music.

I love the way she more or less sings in her own accent rather than doing an American accent as most pop singers do. And something that's always stuck with me are the notes from the Voice album where she mentions she had real problems with her cover of What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? because of some non-British expressions like "summer, winter, spring and fall" and "all the nickels and the dimes of your days". I remember being struck by how refreshing it was to see a singer talking about the difficulties they had with the song lyrics instead of the standard blurb about how much the song means to them.