To call this ten-disc career-spanning Soft Cell boxset ‘exhaustive’ would be an understatement. It’s a treasure trove for fans of the synth pop legends, all the more remarkable when you consider Marc Almond and Dave Ball came to fame with their chart-topping ‘Tainted Love’ cover in 1981 and split just three years later, reforming in 2001 for a tour and new album before going their separate musical ways again.
They sure made their mark though, with guy-linered Almond pushing the envelope when it came to androgyny and Ball pioneering new electro sounds as they explored sex and the seedy underbelly of Soho on songs like ‘Bedsitter’ and ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’. They were also, as this collection attests, incredibly prolific.
You want all the 12 inch mixes? No problem. All the B-sides? Ditto. Demos and early cuts? No worries. Rarities and curios? Sure thing. Audio of their 1983 show in Los Angeles plus other live recordings? Go on then!
There’s also a fantastic disc called ‘Non-Stop Euphoric Dubbing’ that blends down-tempo tracks like ‘Where The Heart Is’ and ‘Loving You, Hating Me’ into a continuous hypnotic mix.
As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a DVD featuring the infamous ‘Non-Stop Erotic Video Show’ (which takes pushing the envelope to another level) and other promo clips plus a hardback book chronicling their assent, dissent and current reformation for a one-off farewell show at The O2 on September 30th that’s sure to be as magnificently excessive and celebratory as this boxset.
Want tickets? Good luck with that. They sold out ages ago but the show is being broadcast live in cinemas that night, which should offer nice close-ups of sex dwarves and disco dollies and whatever other debauchery Almond and Ball decide to chuck on stage as they say hello and wave goodbye.
Rating: 5/5
For more about Soft Cell and the September 30th live broadcast visit softcell.co.uk
Words: Simon Button