The Passions - Fascinating Facts
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From The Youngsters to The Passions
The band's early history involved more than one name. They began in west London in 1978 as The Youngsters, subsequently became Rivers of Passion, and eventually settled on the shorter name The Passions. Their beginnings were rooted in the same lively London post-punk environment that produced many independent bands at the end of the 1970s.
Barbara Gogan's first band was The Derelicts
Before The Passions, guitarist and singer Barbara Gogan had played in The Derelicts, a punk group that included her friend Sue Richards. In a later interview, Gogan recalled how unusual it still was for women to play electric guitar in bands. That experience helped shape her perspective on the London scene in which The Passions emerged.
Clive Timperley had played with Joe Strummer
Guitarist Clive Timperley was previously a member of The 101'ers, the west London pub-rock group fronted by Joe Strummer before he joined The Clash. The Passions therefore had a direct link to one of the most important pre-punk bands in the capital, although their own music developed in a distinctly different direction.
Their first single appeared in 1979
The Passions made their recorded debut with the double A-side single "Needles and Pills" and "Body and Soul", released on the Soho label in March 1979. The release helped them secure a deal with Fiction Records, the independent label associated with The Cure. Early copies are of particular interest to collectors tracing the band's development before their albums.
The original line-up had two singers
The early group included Mitch Barker as a vocalist alongside Gogan, who played guitar and sang. Barker left before the band's first John Peel session, and Gogan became the principal singer. This change was important to the sound that eventually reached a wider audience: her restrained, distinctive delivery became one of The Passions' defining features.
Michael & Miranda was produced by Chris Parry
Their debut album, Michael & Miranda, was released in April 1980 on Fiction Records. It was produced by Chris Parry, the label's head, with Mike Hedges engineering. Hedges would become well known for his work with major artists, but the album captures his involvement with the independent post-punk scene at an early stage of his career.
They toured with The Cure
In May 1980, The Passions toured Britain and Europe as support for their Fiction labelmates The Cure. The association placed them in front of audiences already interested in the darker, more atmospheric side of new music. It also connected the band to a wider network of musicians and listeners beyond London's club and pub circuit.
John Peel recorded three sessions with the band
The Passions recorded three sessions for John Peel's BBC radio programme, in November 1979, May 1980 and November 1980. The sessions document the band's progress from their early material to songs such as "The Swimmer" and "I'm in Love with a German Film Star". Peel was a consistent supporter, and his broadcasts helped bring their music to listeners who might not have encountered their records in shops.
They were dropped by Fiction before their breakthrough
Following the first album and the tour with The Cure, The Passions were dropped by Fiction Records. They subsequently signed with Polydor, the larger label that released their best-known single. Their story is a reminder that a move from an independent label to a major company did not necessarily mean a sudden change in musical identity.
Claire Bidwell left and joined The Wall
Bassist Claire Bidwell departed in 1980 and went on to join The Wall, another British band associated with the post-punk era. David Agar took over bass duties in The Passions. The change happened during a period of considerable upheaval, as the group moved labels and worked towards the recording that would become their most recognisable release.
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The story behind "I'm in Love with a German Film Star"
Barbara Gogan wrote the lyrics to the song, inspired by Steve "Roadent" Connelly, a roadie associated with The Clash and the Sex Pistols who also appeared in German films. The title sounds like a piece of cinematic fantasy, but its origins were connected to a real person moving around the punk scene. The song became the band's defining recording.
The guitar sound is central to the record
The single's distinctive atmosphere owes much to Clive Timperley's guitar, treated with an Echoplex tape-delay effect. Rather than relying on a conventional, hard-edged rock riff, the guitar creates a repeating, almost suspended sound around Gogan's vocal. That combination helps explain why the record still feels so different from many other British chart singles of 1981.
John Peel attended the recording session
The band's third Peel session was recorded on 5 November 1980, with "I'm in Love with a German Film Star" among the tracks. Peel himself attended the session, which took place in the Langham 1 studio across the road from Broadcasting House rather than the more familiar Maida Vale studios. The session was first broadcast on 17 November 1980.
The single reached number 25 in Britain
Released by Polydor in January 1981, "I'm in Love with a German Film Star" reached number 25 on the UK singles chart. It remains the group's only charting single. The original 7-inch paired it with "(Don't Talk to Me) I'm Shy", a B-side that gives collectors a useful companion track to the hit.
Their second album combined old and new material
Thirty Thousand Feet Over China appeared in 1981. It was not simply a collection of entirely new recordings: the album brought together previously released singles and additional material. This mixture makes it a useful snapshot of a band whose sound and line-up were changing quickly while they were trying to establish themselves on a major label.
The album was recorded at Surrey Sound
Thirty Thousand Feet Over China was recorded at Surrey Sound, a studio that became an important location for British pop and rock recordings. The album credits include producers Nigel Gray, Pete Wilson and the band. Its sound combines the group’s atmospheric guitar approach with a broader, more polished production than their early independent releases.
Kevin Armstrong replaced Timperley
Clive Timperley had left by the end of 1981, and guitarist Kevin Armstrong joined the group. Armstrong had previously played with Local Heroes and later worked with a range of prominent musicians. His arrival marked another change in the band's personnel as they moved towards their third album, Sanctuary.
A keyboard player with Lene Lovich joined the line-up
The Passions also added keyboard player Jeff Smith, who had played with Lene Lovich. The expanded line-up reflected the band's evolving arrangements and the broader sonic palette of their later work. By this stage, The Passions were no longer the same four-piece that had first appeared on the Soho label in 1979.
Sanctuary was their final studio album
Released in September 1982, Sanctuary was the band's third studio album. The title track also appeared as a single, following releases including "Africa Mine". The album shows The Passions continuing beyond the sound of their best-known hit, although the group dissolved shortly afterwards, in 1983.
Barbara Gogan later made music with Hector Zazou
After The Passions split, Gogan continued making music. In 1998 she released Made on Earth, a collaboration with French experimental musician and producer Hector Zazou. The project was a considerable distance from the group's early post-punk records and demonstrated her interest in music beyond the conventional band format.
Their hit has continued to find new audiences
"I'm in Love with a German Film Star" has been revisited by other musicians, including a 2008 version by artist and filmmaker Sam Taylor-Wood, produced by the Pet Shop Boys. The original has also appeared in later compilations and in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Its afterlife has helped keep The Passions' name alive well beyond their brief chart success.
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