General Public: “…All The Rage” (1984/2023) Vinyl Review

When The Beat (also known as The English Beat) broke up in 1983, two of that band’s members – Dave Wakeling and Roger Charlery (known as Ranking Roger) – formed General Public. Joining them were Andy “Stoker” Growcott and Micky Billingham, both of whom had previously been members of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and Horace Panter, of The Specials. In addition, the band included Mick Jones of The Clash, though he left partway through the recording of the group’s first album, and was replaced by Kevin White. With that kind of talent, this band should have been huge. And for a brief time, General Public was certainly popular. That first album, …All The Rage, contained the hit “Tenderness,” which got a lot of airplay in 1984 and 1985, and was heard in the movie Weird Science. The band’s second album, Hand To Mouth, didn’t do as well, and the band broke up soon after its release. Now …All The Rage has been re-issued on vinyl. Sure, nostalgia is part of the record’s appeal. But enough time has passed to be able to listen to these tracks with fresh ears, to appreciate them without relying on those initial responses, those memories.

Side 1

The first side opens with “Hot You’re Cool,” a cool, fun number with a delicious beat and some great work on saxophone. That’s Saxa (Lionel Augustus Martin), who was a member of The Beat, on saxophone. How was this song not a hit? Apparently it was released as a single, with a longer version on the flip side. I need to find a copy of that. This song is totally fun to dance to. “Tie me up in a love knot/Boiling over, bubbling up/So hot you cool/So cool you’re hot.” This is one of my personal favorites, and an example of why 1984 was such a good year for pop music. “Tell them that it’s our affair/Tell them nothing else exists.” “Hot You’re Cool” is followed by the band’s big hit, “Tenderness.” It had been a while since I’d heard it, and I had forgotten that bit of breathy vocals at the beginning (is that a climax at the song’s beginning?). This song still holds up. What was appealing about it in 1984 is still appealing. “I don’t know where I am/But I know I don’t like it/I open my mouth and out pops something spiteful/Words are so cheap, but they can turn out expensive/Words like conviction turn into a sentence.” Bob Porter pays bassoon on this track, and Justine Carpenter joins the band on vocals.

Once “Anxious” kicks in, it has something of a reggae beat, which is interesting for a song about anxiety, because reggae feels like the opposite of anxiety to me. Still, it works. “If you take away the feelings/You take away everything/Anxious/I get a little bit anxious.” I’m enjoying this song even more now than I did back when I was a kid. I guess I can better appreciate it now. That’s followed by “Never You Done That.” This one has more of a regular pop sound, with a kind of sweet vibe. But I like these lyrics: “Well, who would’ve guessed?/Well, I guess I might/Another cheerless, restless night/Another day gone/None too bright.” The first side concludes with “Burning Bright,” which has a different sound and vibe in its opening moments, something darker, more sinister, industrial. But it soon kicks in, yet maintains a more serious aspect. Check out these lines: “Just a thousand ways to make torture sound polite/From H Block to Springbok/Tell me when does the beating stop/I’m not prepared to just sit and watch again tonight.” This is another of the album’s highlights. By the way, lyrics from this song are printed on the front and back of the album’s jacket.

Side 2

The second side opens with “As A Matter Of Fact,” an interesting number with some cool vocal play at the beginning, backed by percussion. Then it takes on a strong pop sound. Ah yes, the mid-1980s, so distinctive. I’m glad facts are now once again part of our nation’s story. We had a solid four years of such crazy and consistent lies that were deemed “alternative facts,” and some people got lost in that onslaught of bullshit and are still buried beneath it, even now when facts are back. “Roses are red/Yes, and now I’m seeing red as a sign of the times/Wassamatter, wassamatter as a matter of fact?” This track has a strong 1980s beat. The band then returns to more of a reggae vibe on “Are You Leading Me On,” particularly on the song’s chorus. “But are you leading me on/Or is there something behind it/I don’t know, but I mean to find out/Is there something you’re hiding/Oh, are you leading me on.” This is another of the record’s highlights, containing some interesting changes.

“Day-To-Day” is more firmly in the pop realm. “Stand and be firm/Just check the terms/In a hurry/Don’t you worry/If things don’t turn out your way.” That’s followed by “Where’s The Line,” which is more fun, with a catchy and strong beat. It features some nice touches by Steve Sidwell on trumpet. “Where’s the line between lust and love?” This is a totally enjoyable song, yet another of the record’s highlights. The album concludes with “General Public,” which puts this group in that category of bands who have songs sharing the band’s name, along with Bad Company, I See Hawks In L.A., They Might Be Giants and Kajagoogoo (among others). A cool, unusual opening sets the tone for this strong closing number. And check out these lines: “Seek out individuality/Make sure you show hospitality/Face it now ‘cause it’s reality/Watch the change in personality/What’s to change humanity?” Everything about this track works so well, and there is a surprising section of just drums. This song is an excellent ending to an album that is certainly worth revisiting.

Record Track List

Side 1

1. Hot You’re Cool
2. Tenderness
3. Anxious
4. Never You Done That
5. Burning Bright

Side 2

1. As A Matter Of Fact
2. Are You Leading Me On?
3. Day-To-Day
4. Where’s The Line?
5. General Public

This vinyl re-issue of …All The Rage was released on August 4, 2023 through BMG.