PREVIEW: The Lexicon Of Love Live captures 'magical night', says ABC’s Martin Fry

And he is still right on target with a new 40th anniversary live show recording of the band’s iconic debut album Lexicon Of Love.

In an exclusive video interview with Graham Walker – watch in full here – he tells how it captures the magic and emotion of the night, returning to the Steel City where the original was made and released 40-years to the day.

BUY: The Lexicon Of Love Live, recorded on June 21 last year, at Sheffield City Hall, is out via Live Here Now Recordings on May 19 – available as a two CD set, as a collector’s edition book with three CDs and as a three sparkly purple vinyl edition. Fans can also buy a signed souvenir poster - visit www.abcmartinfry.com and liveherenow.co.uk.

It is a sing-a-long sensation for 80s music lovers featuring all of ABC’s iconic global hits, including the seminal album played in its entirety in the second half of the show, including the band’s signature anthems Poison Arrow, Tears Are Not Enough, All Of My Heart and The Look Of Love.

The first half is a feast of the band's other greatest hits, including When Smokey Sings, The Night You Murdered Love, Viva Love, Flames Of Desire and Be Near Me.

The original The Lexicon Of Love album, produced by Trevor Horn, is a timeless classic. It is a fusion of big band, disco funk and post-punk romanticism which pioneered a new wave era of glam pop, re-igniting dance floors as the soundtrack to the early 80s.

Anne Dudley, who created the album's lush strings and brass arrangements, more than a decade before she went on to win best soundtrack Oscar for that other made in Sheffield classic The Full Monty, returned for the live shows to conduct the 38-piece Southbank Symphonia orchestra.

It's a job she's been doing for 10-years, joining Martin centre stage for live ABC orchestral performances.

But the anniversary show was extra special and emotional not least of all because the original album was made in Sheffield, Martin explained.

He said: "We knew it was going to be a magical evening because it was four decades to the day since the original album came out, all those years ago.

"The Lexicon Of Love was forged in the city. It was made in Sheffield. It was the sum of all those pub conversations down West Street where me and the other guys in ABC would tell everybody we were the future of rock and roll. We were redefining music back in the early 80s.

"So the 40th anniversary live album recording had to be at Sheffield City Hall on June 21. Exactly four decades to the minute when that album came out. We knew the stakes were high and we had to come up with something strong performance wise.

"It feels great to be standing on stage, you know, performing those songs live. I have to say, what makes for a great performance is the audience, and they were lit that night. It's the magic of the crowd. And that was clearly there on that night, it was a an emotional night for us and the audience.”

He added:" We didn't want to record 14 shows and then edit everything together. I didn't want to auto tune all the vocals or edit the bass parts. The recording is that night in that moment, as it is, untouched.

"I think I edited out a little bit of the conversation between songs, when it was kind of getting a bit overloaded. But apart from that, it is exactly as the night took place. And you can feel the excitement in the crowd. The audience response is what it's all about. We feel we've captured a magical night."

He said of the venue: "Sheffield City Hall is a very special place to me. The first time I went there I was in a band called Vice Versa and we played in the ballroom, with Clock DVA and Cabaret Voltaire, back in '79.

"I've had so many incredible nights there. One of the best was a free night. I was sat in the Wapentake and a guy came in and gave us some free tickets to sit in the gods to see Hall & Oates. I think I've also seen Blondie at the City Hall. I've seen countless people play there.

"So whenever I'm waiting in the wings about to go on stage with ABC, I never forget that legacy. Yeah so it's an incredible place.

The City Hall anniversary concert was not filmed but Sky Arts cameras did roll when the tour visited the London Palladium and the resulting programme is due to broadcast around June 15.

Martin explained why he treasures the ABC songbook but says it actually belongs to the fans. He said: "As soon as you release a record it becomes public property. I'm just a curator. But playing these shows with the orchestra for more than 10 years feels like we showcase ABC in the right way in 2023. I really wanted to document that legacy because it's kind of like ABC on steroids, you know, everything is larger than life.

"Originally we had an orchestra on All Of My Heart and strings on The Look Of Love. But there's far less strings on the original album. It feels right all these years on to play those songs with Anne Dudley's beautiful arrangements enhanced so that you can hear the violas, the violins, you know, the cellos, the horn section, it's kind of grown in size and I hope people can really enjoy that aspect of it. We didn't want a facsimile of what we did in the past. It's about a shiny, epic, big sound for today.

"Anne refined the arrangements. She was there originally when we were making The Lexicon Of Love. Her talent is enormous, as a musician, as an arranger and she works on a lot of soundtracks. She's definitely the ringmaster. We spend most of the afternoon running the set and then play the show in the evening. It's a kind of big endeavour. You need to have the right people flying the plane."It feels right to play The Lexicon of Love in its entirety. I know the audience loves that. When you're on stage there's no hiding place, you know, people can see you, they can see a commitment to the material, your authenticity.

As for the future he already has more than enough songs for a new album and has dates in the US with more shows and festival appearances planned over the summer.

More big orchestral theatre tours are also planned due to public demand. He’s not ruled out playing other ABC albums in their entirety.

He said: "It would be nice to make a new album. I've got about 24 songs I'm working on. I've also got some shows in the USA including California, then we come back and play some festivals.

"We are also going to do another orchestral tour due to public demand. Yeah, it might be nice to put together a show in an arena, but it's a very different set of acoustics and ABCs natural habitat is theatre.

"Maybe one day it'd be nice to showcase each of the albums we've done as ABC over the years. I think that shows dogged determination and a great memory for lyrics."

LINKS:

Web: www.abcmartinfry.com

Twitter: @ABCFRY

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ABClexicon

Instagram: www.instagram.com/abcmartinfry

Bandsintown: www.bandsintown.com/a/229887-abc

Live Here Now: liveherenow.co.uk.