Ariel Aparicio recommends Richard Butler and The Psychedelic Furs

Ariel Aparicio’s recommendation: “Richard Butler, or as I called him back in college “God,” has a voice like no other. Leader of the quintessential pop/punk/goth band of the ’80s, The Psychedelic Furs, Butler’s rasp and poetry has left an indelible mark on Rock & Roll. The Furs have a sound all their own – dark yet sexy, driving yet melodic, hypnotic yet invigorating. But the voice is the stand out instrument. No one sings like Butler. Plus, no one is as mesmerizing in performance. I had the honor of playing with The Furs’ current drummer, Paul Garristo, who’s been with them since the mid-’80s. He’s shared quite a few choice stories with me. When I covered their classic Pretty in Pink a few years ago, Richard himself ( I mean “God”) managed to hear it and approved. “I loved it,” he said. Needless to say, I melted. ”

New to The Psychedelic Furs? Ariel suggests you start here: “The Psychedelic Furs second record, Talk Talk Talk continues to blow me away 30 years later. Brilliant songwriting and an exquisite delivery. It has the rawness and full-frontal assault of any punk record, but with melodies that could be sung by Sinatra. When you listen to Richard sing, you hear others in his style but at the same time, it’s totally unique. That falsetto melts your heart. This band and this record will rip out your heart and then gently put it right back in.”

About our guest author, Ariel Aparicio: Ariel has been building a cult following in New York City for years. This eclectic Latino/rock & roller who is proud to proclaim equal love for punk, Gang of Four and Madonna has five albums under his belt and his most recent release, Aerials can be best summed up by the songwriter’s description of “…a dance record, but with all guitars.” Our personal favorite track is Sorry which features Lisa Germano (who you may remember as John Mellencamp’s fiddle player but you should, as other music nerds will, remember her for her outstanding solo records). Viewers of Logo TV will know Aparicio from his hotly requested videos, Pretty In Pink (clip below) and his version of Jim Carroll’s classic People Who Died. Be sure to check Ariel’s tour page for upcoming appearances and visit his official site to sign up for his Twitter feed and more.