BLANCMANGE’S DEBUT ALBUM HAPPY FAMILIES SCRAPED THE UK TOP THIRTY IN 1982 – DUE, IN PART, TO THE HIT SINGLE LIVING ON THE CEILING. THIRTY-TWO YEARS ON NEIL ARTHUR AND STEPHEN LUSCOMBE HAVE ISSUED HAPPY FAMILIES TOO – AN UPDATED VERSION WHICH FEATURES RE-RECORDED VERSIONS OF ALL ELEVEN SONGS.
In this new edition of The Mouthcast, Arthur explains the motivation behind such a curious move, and discusses the process of putting the new versions of his old songs together. With influences as diverse as Fats Waller, Morecambe And Wise and Pere Ubu, Arthur also describes Blancmange’s trajectory as “making mistakes in public”. Order the CD edition of HAPPY FAMILIES TOO here.