Finn Johannsen – Putzlicht Mix

I was deeply involved in the local subcultures in my small coastal hometown in the 80s. I did not know what I wanted to be, of course, but I know I did not want to be as boring as so many other people my age I met. So local subcultures seemed like an easy way out to be or at least act different. I always listened to a lot of different music at the same time but I opted to be part of the Two Tone/Mod scene. I liked the style and the hierarchical challenge. And well, the fashion was so much better than in other scenes. Of course the town was so small that you kind of were stuck with all the other scenes though, because the majority of other youths hated other youths who thought they were something else, and looked different (and better), and thus you were constantly beaten up. Given the many rules of conduct of “my” subculture many records I loved had to stay guilty pleasures, though I gained a lot of pleasure from them nonetheless (and still do). Now in the process of assimilation in Berlin I also realized how lots of 80s styles were already recycled for a while, like Post Punk, Synthpop, Electro or Italo Disco. I always was interested in context, so mixes like these were probably an effort to set things straight for myself. Never forget where you are coming from and so on. But probably they also reminded me that I was getting older too, and whether I should leave my years of being relatively irresponsible and unreasonable behind. The photo is a take on the Larry Levan story of him cleaning the mirror ball himself before the party, taken before a party at my flat.

Cabaret Voltaire – Just Fascination
Shriekback – Working On The Ground
John Foxx – Underpass
The Weathermen – Punishment Park
Impedance – Tainted Love
Dominatrix – Dominatrix Sleep Tonight
Yazoo – State Farm
The Fun Boy Three – Faith, Hope And Charity
Yellow Magic Orchestra – Behind The Mask
A Certain Ratio – Knife Slits Water
A.R. Kane – A Love From Outer Space
Yellow Magic Orchestra – Nice Age
Nitzer Ebb – Join In The Chant
Soft Cell – Torch
Liaisons Dangereuses – Etre Assis Ou Danser
Visage – Visa-Age
Suicide – Shadazz
Rheingold – Fluss
Godley & Creme – Under Your Thumb