This week, Dick has pulled out his synthesiser and emptied a can of hairspray on to himself, venturing back to the ‘80s and feeling the vibe of Seona Dancing’s debut single, More To Lose.
Wait, isn’t that…..?
Yes, it is. The well-coiffed gentleman on the left in the image above is none other than Ricky Gervais. This isn’t some joke band, there is no sign of David Brent and Forgone Conclusion, and there is no early version of Equality Street. This was a very serious outing for a young Gervais and his friend Bill Macrae and although it’s safe to say Seona Dancing were unsuccessful, the new wave duo provided him with his first taste of public performance.
So is this one of those singles that has become a cult classic?
Sadly, no. Seona Dancing’s problem is that More To Lose was almost a pastiche of the new wave and synth pop of the day, while trying to be taken seriously as a credible act. All the key components to make it a hit were there; the processed bits, whimsical piano leads to symbolise falling tears, and all the synth pads you could pour into a 4 minute pop song. It had the potential to be an underground success, but when so much better music was being released in 1983, Seona Dancing sadly didn’t get a look in.
After just two years and two singles, the duo would call it a day. Ricky Gervais would go on to have a successful acting career, while Bill Macrae faded into obscurity. However, More To Lose found a place in 1985, becoming a huge success in the Philippines, being seen as a “theme song for the angst-ridden youth,” and seen in the same light as Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes, and Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart.
This has made the 12” single of More To Lose to become somewhat of a collector’s item, and not something we often see. By the time you read this, it will probably be gone, but you can find out more about this release in our store.
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