The whole BLITZ scene was started in London back in '79/'80 by RUSTY EGAN. He ran a club that only played early BOWIE, ROXY MUSIC, KRAFTWERK etc...Bit by bit more and more people started to come to this club,as the music was so different to what was being played everywhere else, like Disco, New Wave etc. Rusty found a young guy who called himself STEVE STRANGE to be the Doorman who would only let people into the club if they were dressed in an unusual and glamourous way.
After
about a year they had to find a bigger club as it had become so popular
People need to escape their dull and boring every-day lives, even if for
only one night! per week...... The new club was a wine bar in Covent Garden
called BLITZ. A young man who looked like a beautiful girl used to work
as the cloakroom attendant (he would look after peoples' coats when they
entered the club) He was
BOY GEORGE. Basically with it being such
a small scene, and only in London, at this time everybody knew everyone
else.SHOCK performed at BLITZ Playing in front
of all these people MIDGE URE and BILLY
CURRIE from ULTRAVOX boys who would very shortly become SPANDAU
BALLET, TIK & TOK were still part of SHOCK
at this time and did one video for ULTRAVOX. We
also knew DURAN DURAN because JANE
KAHN made all our clothes used to be SIMON LE
BON's girlfriend.......Everyone who made music was very influenced
by European music, because it seemed to reflect a more decadent,romantic
age... SHOCK used The YELLOW MAGIC
ORHESTRA for one of our pieces ,as well as CABARET VOLTAIRE, FAD GADGET,
TALKING HEADS, and our own stuff...............
When SHOCK split up, TIK & TOK became more and more interested in Japanese culture and went to TOKYO in 1982 to perform in and choreograph a very large Hair Exhibition It was in a huge, very expensive hotel!!The exciting mixture of a very old culture, SAMURAI tradition,and a very Hi Tech,Futuristic society existing at the same time, the courtesy of the people,their grace and elegance. It was like visiting the future! Tik and Tok came back with lots of Japanese influences for clothes and stage shows. They used elements of Noh & Kabuki and a wonderful theatre group called SANKAI JUKU. Also changed the opening piece from a ROBOTIC style to NINJA! Plus they also brought back a Roland SH 101 synth that amazed them!!!!
"It
was very interesting to see how young Japanese people embraced Western
Pop music and the culture,but were also very proud and aware of their
own" said Tim Dry. When
TnT were in Tokyo, a Japanese friend showed them around. He used to drive
them in a black ,1960's London Taxi Cab and he used to wear all of Jane
Kahn's New Romantic clothes!! SAKAMOTO's solo music was liked above all,
and SANDII &THE SUNSETS too! She was very sexy and glamourous! Plus
the Japanese food and those beautiful girls!
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(Text Written By Tikky)