The “Whisper” EP artists: CW from bottom – Brendon Moeller, Lola Dutronic, Dub Gabriel, Jeremy Gluck, Kate McEwan “The Whisper Story: 2000 and Fifties” ” The gently attractive “Whisper” would have made a very pretty song were Rev to give it lyrics.” – Trouser Press In a unique connect across two generations of artists and song, several genres and real inspiration, legendary Red Star Records founder “Chairman” Marty Thau breaks cover this year to launch Red Star Digital with a remix project bringing together the talents of many in the service of just one song: “Whisper”. It’s a tribute to a track – snapshots from a number of dizzying angles defying description but demanding attention – written by Suicide’s Martin Rev and Thau and included on Rev’s instrumental CLOUDS OF GLORY LP in 1980, which the latter also co-produced. The two having hooked up randomly on Facebook, Initially the idea was just to do a “Whisper” single produced by Thau and featuring ex-Barracudas’ Jeremy Gluck, but the project expanded. Different versions from different producers – each paying homage to the song in their own inimitable style but using Jeremy’s vocals however they wished plus all-new backing tracks in their style of choice – has resulted in mixes by some stellar names, notably star DJ Brendon Moeller, whose new Steadfast label is shaking and stirring; revolutionary mixer Dub Gabriel, riding high with his new “Ciao” compilation and whose version is an ingenious tribute to Suicide and dramatic departure both; Grammy-nominated Lola Dutronic’s Serge Gainsbourg reinvention; and UK rising star Amurgit, who offers a robot reggae. With digital distribution from Redeye , interest is bound to be serious from across the underground rock’n’roll and club spectrum, the “Whisper” EP is going to make a lot of noise. “The Whisper Story (Remix)” In a random Facebook hook-up, about a year ago Thau came across Jeremy Gluck, former singer and songwriter of second generation garage punk heroes The Barracudas, whose solo work includes late-Eighties “ I Knew Buffalo Bill ”, a collaboration with Nikki Sudden and Rowland S Howard considered the first “alt.country” work, and a body of underground electronica leaked out on download sites. A hardcore Suicide fan, Gluck duly interviewed Marty for esteemed UK fanzine Bucketfull of Brains. It didn’t stop there, though. An inclination to collaboration was catalysed when Thau suggested Jeremy covering “Whisper”; Thau always believed “Whipser” might be something special with a lyric, so he wrote one but did nothing with it until he invited Gluck to do the vocal. Graudally “Whisper” was knocked into shape: Jeremy would send Marty draft vocals, the latter communicated instructions back by email and the odd call. A female part was nailed by Jeremy’s partner, Kate McEwan. The files were duly despatched to the States where Marty polished them, conjuring a Fifties romantic pop sensibility and late Sixties touches to create a timeless feel both intimate and chaste, defying the vogue for crude pop by replacing sex drive with a muted love cruise. Disarming and deceptively catchy, a rendezvous where the future precedes the past, “Whisper” is a hit worthy of an imaginary “Alphaville” chart
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"The Whisper Story (Remix)"
