helterskelter.ca

ANIMOTION
1984 - Animotion.
way more Helter Skelter.

November 1984 - 2024: 40 years of: Animotion.

Obsessive 80's pop-art.

Straight outta Los Angeles, a different kind of newwave would make your body move. In full control, a hip new poprock vibe is now in motion.

Like a piledriver, the global MTV lust hit "Obsession" crushes the competition and forever cements the band in 80's lexicon. From the commanding keyboard chords and melody, to the Astrid + Bill vocal-duo unison, to the raging lead-guitar screams. An instant pop-icon.

The late moon-lit drive of "Everything's Leading To You" and the rock grip of "Let Him Go" are both solid chimes. Electric-guitars gets a share of the pie along synthesizers, as "Turn Around" and "Fun Fun Fun" cranks it up ...a colorful mix.

Out of the red zone and right into the limelight, ANIMOTION rapidly became, for a little while, a dance-floor sweeper. Cool American synthpop, facing the bold British tidalwaves, the sextet rocked with pride. The bonus sunny cool cover-artwork is somewhat reminiscent of Patrick Nagel's creation.

Their second and last engineering would be 1986's Strange Behavior LP ...before disintegrating and reuniting much later in 2001.

RIP Frenchy O'Brien (1947-2019)

*
Obsession = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIs5StN8J-0
Let Him Go = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bInm0SMs1s
Animotion = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNC7tvnhnCE
Interview in 1985
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V80MIDGz71g
Live on American Bandstand in 1985
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roAhuWcEdUw
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq7DylmdMd0
some girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH4vTYsk3Gc
some other guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4po7TKL-17I
some other guy again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9uOv1xlj1k