A nice, subversive campy SOTD to end the week from ‘legendary’ British dance troupe Hot Gossip. ‘Circus of Death’ was taken from the groups’ 1981 album ‘Geisha Boys and Temple Girls’. Produced by Martin Ware and Ian Marsh – former members of the Human League and BEF, the album is a curious collection of covers all done in a really bizarre and slightly amateur manner.

You might remember Hot Gossip for their ludicrous 1978 disco song ‘I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper’ which had former Andrew Lloyd Webber squeeze Sarah Brightman on vocals and crap TV dance show judge Arleene Phillips on choreography duties and the like but forget all that jazz, as this oddity deserve your attention. Upon its release, the album was an almighty flop and subsequently meant the end of the group. It was only when RPM records (an off-shoot of the great Cherry Red) re-issued the album in 2007 did re-appraisal come.

Covering the likes of Talking Heads, Sting and the aforementioned Human League, the album is a strange mix of classic BEF electronics with some really crappy singing. Anyway, I quite like Le Gossip’s take on the Human League classic, as it has an undeniably eccentric  late 70s/early 80s British quality about it (well I think so). Electro-pop before it had a clue if you know what I mean. Besides I’d rather listen to some campy dancers singing out of tune than listen to Little Boots. What am I on about? I do listen to campy dancers singing out of tune than Little Boots. Oh yeah, one more question, who is Steve McGarrett?

Hot Gossip- Circus of Death