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Sector 27 - Invitation: What Have We Got To Lose?

Tom Robinson was Sector 27. Or perhaps Sector 27 was Tom Robinson's band. Maybe Sector 27 was Tom Robinson's first album. It's unclear. The Internet people haven't come to a consensus on what should be an axiomatic concept and I've spent five minutes too long researching this shit.

What is clear? Steve Lillywhite produced the record in 1980. The guitars are angular and sharp like The Edge's, especially on this track. There's even this kind of Electric Co. phase distortion happening in the verses. Then there's the solo thing after the second chorus that is pure proto-Boy U2. By the way, this was released the same year as U2's debut. It shows just how influential Steve Lillywhite, the producer, might have been on the Irish band's sound. Another thing that stood out to me: Tom Robinson (born in 1950) was thirty when he recorded this. His voice lacks your typical new wave gloss. Instead, he's got this barking, nicotine stained, strep throaty holler ala Ian Dury.

During the chorus, Robinson invites us to take a walk on the wild side or something. "What have we got to lose if we try it on? None of them bastards notice when we're gone."

So, what have you got to lose? I'm not sure. It's not clear what all of this adds up to. Watch this video and, in the least, gain a deeper understand of how Steve Lillywhite shaped the sound of U.K. new wave.

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