The Austin Music Minute supported by Howler Brothers, an Austin-based designer of creative outdoor apparel since 2011, and by Planet K, Austin’s local hemp emporium since 1990.
Welcome to one of the more intriguing rabbit holes one could possibly go down in music. Many might recognize “One Thing Leads To Another” simply by its pulsing beat at the beginning, or the ominous shades of “Red Skies” preparing you for its “whoa-oh-oh” chorus. Those are the more well-known treasures. But this is the AMM’s personal invitation to dive further into the sophisticated layers and nuances coursing through the discography of The Fixx.
- For starters: Hands down, one of the best albums out of the ’80s that still holds weight today, Shuttered Room (1982), in its entirety. “Red Skies” and “Stand or Fall” are, indeed, in this collection that also boasts “Cameras In Paris”, “Lost Planes” and the absolutely chilling “The Fool”.
- Don’t skip “The Sign of Fire”, “Running” or “Changing” on Reach the Beach.
- The underrated Phantoms (1984) contains fan favorites “Woman On A Train” and “Wish” to pierce the soul, while Walkabout (1986) includes today’s AMM-featured single “Secret Separation” and “One Look Up”.
Really, Fixx albums warrant a complete listening, from start to finish. Then again, it’s easy to become completely hooked on singles like “Deeper and Deeper” from the 1984 film Streets of Fire (with a relatively unknown Willem Dafoe tearing up the scenes as a villain should).
The Fixx will always stand out as an innovative, unique band that shaped ‘80s music, with songwriting exploring complex, introspective themes, and a signature sound that’s instantly recognizable – a singular sound difficult to pin down within genre description.
Can you tell a fan wrote this? (Back in the day, we in the international fan club were known as “Fixxtures”.) Tonight is the night to experience The Fixx at Antone’s. Doors at 7 p.m.
