Ep. 251: Martin Fry discusses ABC's "The Look of Love"

Chris DeMakes A Podcast

Chris DeMakes

Music History, Music Commentary, Music, Music Interviews

4.9 • 923 Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2025

⏱️ 86 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode, Martin Fry gives a look behind the scenes of ABC’s dazzling 1982 hit, “The Look of Love.” With Trevor Horn at the helm, the song’s lush, high-gloss production helped ABC stand out in the new wave explosion, pushing sonic boundaries with cutting-edge techniques. Martin shares how the band approached the track like a stage production, weaving in drama and grandeur to make every moment feel larger than life. And as if the recording process wasn’t magical enough, a chance run-in with David Bowie at the studio made the experience even more surreal. From orchestral flourishes to cinematic ambition, this episode explores how “The Look of Love” became one of the era’s most groundbreaking singles. Chris DeMakes A Podcast is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/demakes For bonus episode of The After Party podcast, an extensive back catalog of past After Party episodes, early ad-free releases of new episodes of Chris DeMakes A Podcast, full video versions of episodes, and MUCH more, head to the Patreon at http://www.ChrisDeMakes.com Follow Chris DeMakes A Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdemakesapodcast/ Join the Chris DeMakes A Podcast community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2643961642526928/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Distro Kid.
0:04.2	Hey, hey, have you heard?
0:06.7	I'm coming back to give guided tours at the Punk Rock Museum
0:09.5	and Las Vegas, Friday, May 2nd, Saturday, May 3rd, and Sunday, May 4th.
0:14.8	Two tours each day, one at 12.30 p.m. and one at 4 p.m.
0:18.8	Get your tickets now at the punkrockm museum.com. The punk rock museum,
0:23.7	where you can expect the unexpected. Like the time I saw Fletcher from Pennywise and noodles
0:28.4	from the offspring, randomly hanging out on a Tuesday afternoon, or flee from red hot chili
0:33.6	peppers having a casual stroll through. or the time myself and a group walked
0:38.6	around the corner to find Fat Mike grilling a married couple about their um never mind
0:43.6	join me Cinque de Mayo weekend May 2nd 3rd and 4th as I guide you five decades of
0:48.9	punk rock memorabilia flyers musical instruments outfits, literature, and so much more.
0:55.7	Tickets available now at the punk rock museum.com.
1:09.4	Hey everybody.
1:16.3	Today's guest is Martin Fry, lead vocalist for the Sheffield, England New Wave pop band, ABC.
1:24.3	Together, we rip back the covers and dive deep into the writing, recording, and inspiration behind the 1982 smash hit single.
1:29.0	The Look of Love, taken from ABC's debut album, The Lexicon of Love.
1:34.9	The phrase ahead of its time gets thrown around a lot, but in this instance it's 100% true.
1:40.4	The band, along with producer Trevor Horn, created an undeniable masterpiece with this song.
1:45.3	The production melded analog instruments with the latest digital technology available in the early 80s. The mix is flawless, and elements of this track can be heard on other projects
1:51.0	that Trevor Horn worked on afterwards, namely Art of Noise and Yes. This was one of the hardest
1:57.2	songs for me to dissect. There's so much going on at all times.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 9 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Chris DeMakes, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Chris DeMakes and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.