In the U.S., Soft Cell, the British duo of singer Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball, was a classic one-hit wonder, that hit being the remake of Gloria Jones' "Tainted Love," which dominated dance clubs and eventually peaked in the pop Top Ten with its synth-pop sound and Almond's plaintive vocal in 1981-1982. In the U.K., the group not only had a longer career, but also influenced a raft of similar performers. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, originally released in Britain in the fall of 1981, contained both the band's first hit and its follow-up, "Bedsitter," its title referring to what in America would be called a studio apartment. (A third U.K. Top Five hit, "Say Hello Wave Goodbye," emerged from the LP.) At full album length, lyricist Almond's primary preoccupation, only suggested in "Tainted Love," was spelled out; this was a theme album about aberrant sexuality, a tour of a red-light district. The point was well made on "Sex Dwarf," with its oft-repeated chorus "Isn't it nice/Sugar and spice/Luring disco dollies to a life of vice?" Songs like "Seedy Films," "Entertain Me," and "Secret Life" expanded upon the subject. The insistent beats taken at steady dance tempos and the chilling electronic sounds conjured by Ball emphasized Almond's fascination with deviance; it almost seemed as though the album had been designed to be played in topless bars. British listeners saw through Almond's pretense or were amused by him, or both; more puritanical Americans tended to disapprove, which probably limited the group's long-term success stateside. But the music was undeniably influential. The 2002 CD reissue added two lengthy 12" single mixes of "Tainted Love," one of them a medley with the old Supremes hit "Where Did Our Love Go," the other a dub version. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Marc Almond (Vocals), Soft Cell (Main Performer), Dave Ball (Synthesizer), Dave Ball (Vocals), Dave Ball (Electronic Sounds), Dave Ball (Multi Instruments), Dave Ball (Producer), Cindy Ecstasy (Vocals), John Gatchell (Horn), Harvey Goldberg (Mixing), Paul Hardiman (Engineer), Daniel Miller (Producer), Mike Thorne (Producer), David Tofani (Clarinet), David Tofani (Saxophone), Roger Wake (Digital Remastering), Don Wershba (Engineer), Brian Chin (Liner Notes), Vicious Pink Phenomena (Vocals (Background)), Richard Smith (Liner Notes)
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the first album released by the synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in 1981 by Some Bizarre Records. The album's critical and commercial success was bolstered by the worldwide success of its single "Tainted Love", a cover version of a soul song by Gloria Jones which topped charts worldwide and became the best-selling British single of 1981 in the United States. The album produced two more Top-5 singles in the UK in "Bedsitter" and the unapologetically sentimental "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye."
Despite the reputation of many new wave bands as being on the cutting edge of technology, the album was created on a very low budget; it was supposedly recorded almost entirely with a Revox tape recorder, a borrowed Rolanddrum machine belonging to Kit Hain, a small, preset Roland bass synthesizer, and an NEDSynclavier, belonging to producer Mike Thorne. The album was recorded in New York City at the height of its gay club scene, at a time which the drug MDMA (also called ecstasy) was just beginning to become popular. The sound and club beats of the album reflect this atmosphere, with songs about pornographic cinemas and infidelity, although the album's themes sprang not from New York but the seedy underworld of early EightiesLondon. The group caused some controversy in the UK over the single "Sex Dwarf," the music video of which was banned for explicit, S&M-related content. The duo would delve deeper into its fascination with decadence on its subsequent works, including the 1982 remix album Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing, which features an alternate cut of "Sex Dwarf" on which singer Marc Almond, famous for his flamboyant, unabashed homosexuality, appears to simulate a female orgasm with his voice.
In 2008, American magazine OUT ranked Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret number 66 on their list of "100 Greatest, Gayest Albums."
Extra tracks on remastered CD: SOME BIZARRE/MERCURY (532 595-2, February 1996)
"Where Did Our Love Go?" - 3:14 [B-side of "Tainted Love" in the UK]
"Memorabilia" - 4:49 [B-side of "A Man Can Get Lost" in the UK and Tainted Love in the US]
"Facility Girls" - 2:25 [B-side of "Bedsitter"]
"Fun City" - 7:45 [B-side 12" Say Hello, Wave Goodbye]
"Torch" - 4:08 [non-LP single]
"Insecure Me" - 4:39 [B-side of "Torch"]
"What?" - 2:50 [non-LP single]
"....So" - 3:47 [B-side of "What ?"]
USA extra tracks:
"Tainted Dub" - 9:14
Trivia
An example of a valuable recording would be a misprint in the original 45 at the time that resulted in part of "Where Did Our Love Go?" being played at the end of the song before being cut off. Many radio stations would then have two copies on hand and time it right to switch from one board to the other board so the listener never notices an interruption. This became so popular that they were frequently grouped together at concerts and when the single was finally issued on casssette, some radio stations kept the tradition up despite the error.
Production
Produced By Dave Ball, Daniel Miller & Mike Thorne
Mixed By Harvey Goldberg
Engineered By Paul Hardiman & Don Wershba
Credits
Marc Almond: Vocals
Dave Ball: Backing Vocals, Synthesizers, Multi-Instruments, Electronic Sounds
