"The 1984 original, from German band Alphaville, was a gloriously histrionic ode to cold war anxiety. But in Youth Group's hands, synths were replaced by mellow guitar and the song was set to footage of kids skateboarding in Sydney in 1978. It was pure sun-dappled nostalgia that shot to No 1 on the Aria charts in 2006 after it was used on The OC."
"We definitely have a love-hate relationship with it, admits Toby Martin, he of the pensive vocals. We were asked to do it by the musical director of The OC and we were hesitant. I'm very proud of it, but we also got a bit narky when people expected to hear it. Sometimes we didn't play it in our set at all, which would go down pretty badly. Now, I feel much more relaxed about it."
"Martin looks every ounce the distinguished academic he is now, sitting in an empty lecture room at the University of Sydney where he's Dr Martin, senior lecturer and program leader in contemporary music practice. He and the band guitarist Cameron Emerson-Elliott, bassist Patrick Matthews and drummer Danny Lee Allen are all parents now, with kids ranging from three to 18 years old."
Youth Group turned Alphaville's 1984 synth-driven anthem into a mellow, guitar-led, sun-dappled version that reached No 1 on the Aria charts after placement on The OC in 2006. The band felt hesitant about recording the cover but experienced pride alongside irritation when audiences expected the song. Frontman Toby Martin now works as a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney. All band members are parents with children aged three to 18, and the sixth album Big Whoop explores fatherhood, fear of death and persistent angst. The track "Kim Deal" uses a music icon to examine teenage restlessness and the urge to leave home.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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