Hohokam MARK II (1984 - 1986) HARLEQUIN TEARS ...a.k.a. Lagrimas de Arlequin... Released June 1985
COMMENTARY AND RATING	CREDITS AND INFORMATION	SONG LYRICS

CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED SONGS TO HEAR SAMPLES
Hohokam NU 8 7 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m. NUM 8 12 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m. Numan Music, 1985 FTM 31577 12 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m. Full Time Records, 1986 Rome, Italy	(Ho Ho Kam) MX-0133-7, 12 inch vinyl 33 1/3 r.p.m. High Energy Music Records and Tapes, 1986 Mexico	Razormaid! Productions 5737 E. Lamarche Ave. Scottsdale, AZ 5254-1867 U.S.A. http://www.razormaid.com/
A §0 8:31 Harlequin Tears (Extended Mix) B §1 4:27 To Sleep §2 3:26 Harlequin Tears (Radio Edit) [uncredited on NUM 8] all tracks written by Alum / Devier / Earl Produced by Gary Numan Engineered by Giro Gunsight Andy Coughlan, Bass Guitar Ian Herron, PPG Wave Mike Smith, PPG Wave Steve Devier, Vocals and Keyboards Dave Earl, Guitar and Keyboards Tony Alum, Keyboards and Drums Mike Eveleigh, Sleeve Design Recorded at Rock City Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England Marketed and Distributed by Precision Records & Tapes Ltd.	A 8:18 Lagrimas de Arlequin (Extended Mix) B 4:27 A Dormir 3:26 Lagrimas de Arlequin (Version Radio) P. 1986 Numa Music, Derechos Protegidos Hecho en Mexico y Distribuido por: Frabrica de Discos Peerless, S.A. de C.V. Marca Reg Apdo. 17-674 Mexico, D.F. Miembro de Amprofòn	7:14 Harlequin Tears (Razormaid Remix) CD7 §1 Razormaid 7th Anniversary Box Set ANV70, 7xCD, 1992 Specialty Item #11 §8 Heightened Anxiety A Tribute To Gary Numan November 1999 CVC CD 8 §9 Custom Vinyl Classics 8xCD SCE 1 §9 Special Collectors' Edition RM-CD-06 §7 Very Best of Razormaid! VI
		6:53 Harlequin Tears (Razormaid "r-1" Mix) Specialty Item #11 §11 Heightened Anxiety A Tribute To Gary Numan November 1999 Original version available on 80s Classic Club Hits v. 11 (CD)

Ratings (1-5)
A	4
B§1	4
B§2	5
overall	13 / 15

Comments LAST UPDATED ON 28 NOVEMBER 2004

Though officially departed, George Kamm's influence can still be felt in Hohokam's second and, to date, most successful non-Numan release on the Numa label. Soon after Kamm was ousted from the group, and Earl was inducted, Hohokam Mark II wrote "Harlequin Tears" to demonstrate to Numa that Alum and Devier were still artistically viable without their former primary songwriter. Their song proved that, and more. So popular was "Harlequin Tears" that it became the darling of independent radio stations even in the U.S. heartland and a club favorite that Razormaid! adopted and included in several of its remix series. The single was also reissued in Mexico as a Spanish language title, "Lagrimas de Arlequin," and marketed with a different cover (including a collage of the trio on the backside that's oddly reminiscent of Charlie's Angels!). The success of "Harlequin Tears," especially as a follow-up single to "King," inspired Numa Records to take a more active interest in nurturing the band's career. With MTV that same year successfully establishing music video as the primary vehicle for the promotion of new music, Tony Webb, Gary Numan's father and Numa Records manager, enlisted Philip Jap--best known for his 1982 synth-pop single "Total Erasure" and its 1983 follow-up "Brain Dance" (produced by Trevor Horn)--to direct a video for "Harlequin Tears." Unfortunately, the video received virtually no exposure except for several programs on British cable and video jukeboxes, and now remains in Numa's archival vaults. However, in 1987, the "Harlequin Tears" video re-emerged to represent Hohokam as a featured artist on MTV's Basement Tapes, which showcased six videos by unsigned bands then invited the public to vote for a favorite. Not only were Hohokam not chosen, their management (no longer Numa Records by this point) never even informed them of its intention, much less the outcome, of promoting them on MTV.

Following in the footsteps of Depeche Mode, the new sound of Hohokam incorporated intense industrial techno into the fabric of the music. The lead vocalist, Steve Devier, was not nearly as talented as David Gahan, and lyrics were sometimes subsumed by boggy diction. However, after "Harlequin Tears" was recorded, Devier received the assistance of a voice coach. Consequently, his vocals were re-recorded for the album version. (Careful listeners, in fact, may note that the vocals used in the Razordmaid! remixes sound markedly improved compared to the Numa versions.) The NUM 8 extended remix of the "Harlequin Tears" includes dialogue clips from the film The Marathon Man that, although interesting, are largely irrelevant and outright incongruous to the lyrical content of the song. (Somehow, dancing to a song with suggestions of Nazi atrocities and references to Die Weiss Engel just strikes me as wronger than wrong. WWEWD? "What would Eli Wiesel do?") "To Sleep," the B-side of NUM 8, is a more evocative tune, slower paced and even ethereal at times--a favorite among fans. It retains that intellectual edge heard in the first Hohokam single, "King," innovatively juxtaposing an unorthodox fade-in to the song's abrupt à cappella conclusion.   Like its A-side, "To Sleep" was rerecorded with Devier's improved vocals and remixed for inclusion in the forthcoming album. Tony Alum, who wrote the track, confesses that its thoughtful composition had been inspired by a Joy Division song. However, from a lyrical standpoint, "To Sleep" also demonstrated the flexible range of songwriting talent possessed by Hohokam, vindicating them of any claims that they were merely cleaving to the techno bandwagon. Its introspective lyrics today remain as haunting as its music and were well suited to Devier's particular vocal inflections (an ability he repeats on the B-side of the next single). In consequence, the "Harlequin Tears" single proved to be a successful showcase of the group's strong suit: writing intelligent and thought-provoking pop music with techno appeal.

Although the members of, both, the once successful Hohokam and the Numan camp have been tight-lipped about the specific nature of the transgressions that irrevocably damaged working relations with Gary Numan, for those with inquiring minds Numan recommends listening to his 1988 song, "Respect" (Metal Rhythm), which is solely and entirely about his problems with Hohokam. Numanoids, however, who have been able to glean some of the facts suggest that it is related to Hohokam seeking to be released from a contractual obligation to Numa after Numa had already invested a sizable amount of money in finishing their album, Seven Deadly Sins (to which Ade Orange contributed as producer and keyboardist). Other theories focus on claims of backstabbing and ingratitude, insulting and slanderous remarks about Numan's musicians and family, and a contrived rumor about a raunchy prank aimed at Gary and his then-girlfriend, Tracey Adam. These remain part of the titillating folklore even today.

It is a fact though that Steve Devier was, himself, experiencing a gathering dissatisfaction with his Hohokam colleagues. Waiting in the wings, however, was a young man who initially had been serving as Gary Numan's in-house sound engineer at Rock City Studios, but who was invited to contribute his much acclaimed drumming talents as an unofficial member of Hohokam after George Kamm left. When Devier finally departed, Alum and Earl brought Andy King (a.k.a. Andy Reilly) on board in an official capacity as a new member of Hohokam and hastened to replace Devier with a new lead singer. Also around this same time, Tony Alum met Ade Orange in a music shop while purchasing keyboards. Orange's band, Hoorah Boys Hoorah, had just been dropped by E.M.I., and Alum introduced him to Numan as a potential co-producer for future Hohokam recordings. The timing of these events, however, was unfortunate insofar as the forthcoming album had already been recorded with Devier's vocals, which lead to the entire album being re-recorded. Rumors persist that this decision involved tens of thousands of pounds of unnecessary expenses for Numa Records; however, while some expense was incurred, most of the re-recording was accomplished economically when Numan's Rock City Studio in Shepperton, U.K. was otherwise unoccupied and only engineer's and producer's fees demanded the unavoidable outlay of funds.

Regardless of the upshot of these decisions, the eventual breakdown of professional relations between Gary Numan and Hohokam put the kibosh on Seven Deadly Sins, which was quite literally poised for a groundbreaking release in July of 1986 as the first album by an artist other than Gary Numan to be issued on the Numa Records label. Numan enthusiasts, in fact, will recognize the album's designated number as the catalog's missing Thirteenth Floor: Numa 1006. Bootlegs of the album, though scarce, are extant as unadorned cassette tapes, as the album was neither pressed on vinyl nor given a proper sleeve design; some of these tapes contain Devier's vocals, while others showcase the change of personnel and engineering.

In retrospect, there must have been a comity between Gary and the band at one time that fans could certainly recognize. Take, for instance, one of the long-standing legends of Numan's live recordings: the laughter that interrupts the closing number of the White Noise live album, recorded on the last night of the Berserker Tour. The laughter was in response to a prank sometimes falsely attributed to former support act Tik and Tok (though Tim Dry and Sean Crawford were, in fact, in attendance of the show that night). Seeking to exact revenge for an attack with shaving crème by Rrussell Bell and Chris Payne during the previous evening, the members of Hohokam donned women's clothing lent by several groupies and broke onto the stage during the performance of "Are 'Friends' Electric?" to mug about and scandalize the performers; at the moment of the now infamous guffaw, one of the pranksters lifted his bra cup to flash his nipple at Gary. Using one form of drag to bring down another, Hohokam showed the public its first glimpse behind the emotionally austere mask that so often preoccupied critics of Numan's performances. That laughter, therefore, was a testament to the tight bonds and chemistry that once existed between Hohokam and Numan. (Perhaps less than convincing is the rumor that Janet Jackson was in the audience that night, taking copious notes.)

For further information about Hohokam and added commentary on their next single, click HERE.

A hearty shout of thanks must go up to Tony Edwards and Andy Reilly for their helpful suggestions and accurate additions to this page. To Peter Steer, whose encouragement, trust and steadfast assistance have helped this Hohokam project to evolve, I plight thee my heartfelt and eternal gratitude. Anyone else who would like to contribute additional information or photos of Hohokam can reach me at Karl.Sherlock@gcccd.net. I will gladly acknowledge your input on this page.

(c) Karl Sherlock 2004

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LYRICS

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HARLEQUIN TEARS

LYRICS WRITTEN BY TONY ALUM, STEVE DEVIER AND DAVE EARL

[Get down, you son-of-a-bitch!]

You were not the one to listen.

No one told you what to do.

The games we played kept you contented,

secrets that I kept from you.

Chorus:

Where does your heart beat? Where does your heart beat?

Where does your heart beat?

Where does your heart beat? Where does your heart beat?

Where does your heart beat, heart beat now?

What was in your mind, I wondered,

as I bid our last farewell.

Will you be there waiting for me?

Only time is going to tell.

[I know who you are, you murderer! I know who you are! . . . Help! Help! Somebody is lying here! Help! Quick! A doctor! Quick!]

Chorus

[Help! Help! Help! My God, stop him! Help! Stop him! Das ist die Weiss Engel!]

Was it my naïve intention

to condescend and take the blame?

The only things that gave you pleasure

were only things that brought me shame.

Chorus

[repeat]

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TO SLEEP

LYRICS WRITTEN BY TONY ALUM

Replacing the fact that I wanted to sleep with

the fact that you want to forget.

And every breath that you took was your last one,

but still there's no sign of regret.

Chorus:

Do you hide in the shadows of lessons we learnt?

Do you hide in the ashes of bridges we burnt?

[repeat]

Is this the road that you wanted to tread while

sharing a mutual respect?

Convinced that your honesty was still intact, or

is it just fear, I suspect.

Chorus

[repeat]

Familiar, the feeling of guilt that will come,

the wishing for somewhere to hide,

dissolving the warmth that I held in my heart when

Mother and Father arrive.

Chorus

[repeat]

Deceived by the tongue though in more ways than one,

so young that I knew nothing else.

Refusing the gift that I offered, instead you

decided to offer yourself.

Chorus

[repeat]