Friday, January 26, 2007

Romeo Void


Never Say Never


Romeo Void was a New Wave band from San Francisco California. They are best known for the above song "Never Say Never" 1982. In many ways Never Say Never was a quintessential new wave song, delivered with strong guitar riffs and powerful vocals. In 1984 Romeo Void had another minor hit with "A Girl in Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)" latter becoming a Top 40 pop single. Their popularity was primarily in alternative and college radio, and as a dynamic performing act.


After the demise of Romeo Void, Debora Iyall, the lead singer and lyricist, put together and sang in the groups Knife in Water and Lower East Venus. John Haines played drums for Pearl Harbour and the Explosions.


The band was reunited briefly in 2003 for a one-off concert by VH-1's Bands Reunited, although Benjamin Bossi was unable to perform due to hearing loss. The band wrote and recorded four demo tracks in October 1993 (If I Was Your Cat, Stormy Eyes, Two Rivers, and Safe Place), which were sent to Sony Music but never released.

Personnel
Debora Iyall: vocals
Benjamin Bossi: saxophone
Peter Woods: guitar
Frank Zincavage: bass
John Haines: drums (It's a Condition)
Larry Carter: drums (Never Say Never (EP) and Benefactor)
Aaron Smith: drums (Instincts)

Discography
Studio albums
It's a Condition, March 1981 (never issued on CD; however, five of its ten tracks are on the Warm, in Your Coat compilation (indicated by WIYC)
"Myself to Myself" WIYC – 3:44
"Nothing for Me" –
"Talk Dirty (To Me)" WIYC – 4:47
"Love Is an Illness" –
"White Sweater" WIYC – 4:48
"Charred Remains" WIYC – 3:04
"Confrontation" –
"Drop Your Eyes" –
"Fear to Fear" –
"I Mean It" WIYC – 5:40
Benefactor, November 1982 (issued on CD in 2006 with the Never Say Never EP as bonus tracks)
Instincts, October 1984 (issued on CD in 2003 with one bonus track)
EPs
Never Say Never, January 1982 EP co-produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars (issued on CD in 2006 as bonus tracks to Benefactor).
Compilations/Live albums
Warm, in Your Coat (compilation), 1992

Singles
White Sweater b/w Apache, 7’ single, 415 Records S-0012 – February 1981
Never Say Never, b/w Guards, 7” Single, Columbia Records # 38-03378
Never Say Never, b/w Undercover Kept; Wrap It Up, 12” Single, Columbia Records # 32-08558
A Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing), b/w Going To Neon, 7” Single, Columbia Records # 38-04534
A Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing) (DJ edit), b/w A Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing) (Dance & Album versions), 12” Radio Promotional Single, Columbia Records # AS-1886
A Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing) - (Dance Mix - 6:12), b/w Six Days and One, 12” Single, Columbia Records # 44-05103
Say No, b/w Six Days & One, 7” Single, Columbia Records # 38-04660
Say No, b/w Out on My Own (Dance Mix- 5:06), 12” Single, Columbia Records # 44-05135

Trivia
The fact that the band had 3 different drummers at various stages in their history led Debora to quip once in a WBRU radio interview that they were like Spinal Tap.

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