Marc Almond of Soft Cell on Why ’80s Music Survives: ‘It’s About Liberation In Repressive Times,’ he says
Stranger Things has served as a crash course in 1980s culture for those who were too young to remember it. Stranger Things is more than simply a journey down memory lane for Marc Almond, whose band Soft Cell provided the soundtrack to those exhilarating years.
It’s an opportunity to remember what made the 1980s so memorable. When discussing Soft Cell’s involvement with the Stranger Things x Doritos Live From The Upside Down performance, Marc tells HollywoodLife, “I believe a good thing about Stranger Things is that you don’t have to be a kid to watch it.” “If you’re older than me, you’ve lived through those decades and watched them make all those amazing references, and you [get] where that came from and everything.”
“I believe they’ve gotten their hands on all of the different references.” They may download a variety of songs—the music their parents enjoyed is no longer considered “uncool,” Marc jokes. Take, for example, Stranger Things, which is so well-considered in its love of ’80s nostalgia and culture. It’s not merely a historical horror story; it includes elements of horror, science fiction, teenage angst, drama, and intrigue, all of which appeal to young people. ”
Stranger Things 4 (available today, May 27) has relied heavily on music to set the tone for this horror/science fiction/teenage drama. Doritos’ upcoming Live From The Upside Down virtual event will give fans the entire ’80s experience.
In addition, Marc and Soft Cell will appear with such renowned peers as The Go-and-Go’s Corey Hart in the film Live From The Upside Down, which is based on a tour bus crash in Hawkins, Indiana, in 1986. Also, Charli XCX, who has taken on the look and feel of the 1980s, will join the other celebrities who are being held captive.
Marc understands why the sound of the 1980s continues to reverberate. With albums like Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing, and The Art of Falling Apart, Marc and Dave Ball helped pioneer that decade’s particular tone, music that perfectly matches today’s synth-powered pop. He tells HollywoodLife that “eighties music resonates because it’s nice.”
“It’s a little naive.” It has a naive sweetness to it, as well as a visual thrill. It’s all about having a good time. hedonistic It’s political on occasion, which appeals to young people. In such harsh times, I believe it’s also about liberation. ”
Soft Cell performing in 1982 (Shutterstock)
Soft Cell performing with vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball.
“These types of themes” in ’80s music are “hooking onto these kinds of themes,” Marc continues, “which I think are important and resonate now with young people.”
After earning a ticket via a bag of Doritos or Doritos 3D Crunch with the limited-time Stranger Things packaging, fans young and old can tune in to Live From The Upside Down. They may also reserve their tickets for the Upside Down event on June 23 at Doritos.com/StrangerThings.
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When asked if this nightmare scene was the worst place he’d ever worked, Marc considered it. He said, “I’ve been to the worst places and the nicest places.”
“I’ve played in everything from a closet to a — the craziest spot was when I had to sing an entire concert to someone while sitting at a restaurant table.” Because they were getting married, it was a major favor for them.
It turned out that one song wasn’t enough. I ended up doing something like fifteen songs while sitting at a restaurant table. With a giggle, he continued, “I won’t disclose if they were paying me or not.”
On June 23, anyone may watch Marc and Soft Cell perform at Live From The Upside Down, whether they are sitting at a table, standing on a subway, or anyplace else with a decent internet signal. For more information, go here.
