Lene Lovich (born March 30, 1949) is an English-American singer, songwriter and musician. She first gained attention in 1979 with the release of her hit single "Lucky Number", which peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and made her a leading figure of the new wave music scene.
Lovich was born Lili-Marlene Premilovich in Detroit, Michigan, to an English mother and American father of Serbian descent. After her father had health problems, her mother took her and her three siblings to live in Hull, England. Lovich was 13 years old at the time. She met the guitarist/songwriter Les Chappell when they were teenagers, and he became her longtime collaborator and life partner.
In autumn 1968, they went to London to attend art school. It was there that Lovich first tied her hair into the plaits that later became a visual trademark, though at first she did it to keep her hair out of the clay when studying sculpture.
She developed an interest in art and theater, enrolling at the Central School of Art and Design where she took saxophone lessons.
[One of Stiff Records' most stable staples, the truly alternative Lene Lovich laid much of the groundwork for an entire generation of singers left to pick up the pieces in the wasteland of the post-punk era. Her stunning debut, 1979's Stateless, was so unique, so vibrant, and her vocal stylings so unusual that the LP not only put her right at the front of the pack of nascent new wavers, it also sounded a commercial death knell of sorts, relegating her to the realms of novelty acts -- at least as far as the mainstream was concerned.
But that's not to say that the mainstream wasn't keeping an ear cocked. Re-recorded from the demo that landed her a deal in the first place, a unique rendering of the bubblegum puff piece "I Think We're Alone Now" provided such propulsion that its B-side, the now-classic "Lucky Number," was itself then re-recorded, to land Lovich a Number Three U.K. hit in early 1979.
Elsewhere, the darkly sinister "Home" played off the rumors concerning Lovich's exotic Eastern European background (she was actually from Detroit, but she could fake a great accent). The piano-led Patti Smith-y "Too Tender (Too Touch)" allowed Lovich to explore a quieter corner, as did a sexy, sensuous rehash of fellow Stiff-er Nick Lowe's "Tonight.
" The rambunctious squeak of "Say When," on the other hand, not only tempered that mood but also scored Lovich another hit. While Stateless is certainly very much of its era, and well-placed in its time, inspired and adventurous songwriting coupled with a truly pioneering intent ensure that this LP will always remain the lit roadside marker that whispered "this way" to the hundreds of bands who followed.
Review by Amy Hanson]
The album was first released outside the United Kingdom, then following the success of the lead single "Lucky Number". The UK version of the album was released with a slightly different track list. In the United States, the album was released in 1979.
The album was available in two very different variations. The more common release had most of the songs remixed from the original versions and now included the single version of Lucky Number. Some songs were slightly shortened and many had new vocals accentuating Lene's quirky singing style. The original vocals were often more straightforward. The running order was shuffled and the album cover also varied between countries.
Personnel
Lene Lovich: vocals, saxophone
Les Chappell: guitar, synthesizer, percussion, vocals
Jeff Smith: synthesizer
Nick Plytas: Hammond organ, piano
Ron Francois: bass, percussion, vocals
Bobby Irwin: drums, percussion, vocals
Don Snow: piano on "Too Tender (to Touch)"
Brian Griffin: photography
Tracklist
01. Lucky Number 2:47
02. Sleeping Beauty 2:58
03. Home 3:39
04. Too Tender (To Touch) 4:05
05. Say When 2:47
06. Tonight 4:30
07. Writing On The Wall 3:08
08. Telepathy 2:44
09. Momentary Breakdown 3:16
10. One In A Million 2:50
11. I Think We're Alone Now 2:44
12. Be Stiff 2:37
13. Big Bird 3:26
14. The Fall 3:38
15. I Think We're Alone Now (Japanese Version) 2:44
Remastered By: Bill Inglot, Ken Perry
Written-By: Lovich (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 10, 13), Chappell (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9, 10, 13)
Notes
Tracks 12 to 15 are identified as CD Bonus Tracks. Track order 1 to 11, and mixes, match the 1979 Stiff re-issue. No remixes are mentioned in the credits.
This is an INCREDIBLE album. I immediately bought it after I first heard "Lucky Number" on the radio, and I've loved it ever since that first listen. Though "New Toy" is definitely my favorite song of hers, every track on this album is fantastic.
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