Tainted Love did not begin with Soft Cell.
The song was recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964 and initially remained fairly obscure. Years later it found a second life in British northern soul clubs. Marc Almond knew it from that scene, and Soft Cell recorded their own version.
From soul band to two people and electronics
Producer Mike Thorne did not try to imitate the original. The 1981 version became sparse, electronic and almost claustrophobic: drum machine, synths and Almond’s voice.
That approach fit Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret perfectly. Recorded in New York, the album combined catchy synthpop with stories about nightlife, desire and a world much darker than the cheerful melodies suggested.
Carbon Fibre Brush
Record Cleaner 200 ml