The Walrus - Music With Big Fuckin' Teeth!

10/29/2007

The Normal's Freaky Electro Classic, "Warm Leatherette"

The A-side of the only 7" single that British synth band The Normal, aka Mute Records founder Daniel Miller, ever released was based on the J.G. Ballard Novel, Crash. The subject of the novel is quite bizarre: car-crash sexual fetishism. Don't worry-it's not completely insane. It just involves those everyday, next-door types, who happen to be sexually aroused by staging and participating in very real car-crashes...often with very real consequences. Sounds like a typical Saturday evening...if you are a nutbar, or just totally bored with ghost-riding the whip.

"Warm Leatherette" is the aural and sonic epitome of this oh-so-popular fetish. James Spader, one of the stars of David Croenenberg's film adaptation of Ballard's novel, told me in a recent interview that he listens to the song on his iPod while driving. Go Speed Spader! Go!

And guess what? You can buy the original 7" for $250 dollars over at Wally's Groove World, or you can just download it for free below. So what if you are into post-car crash boning? You still know a great deal when you see one.