A Secret Wish

Description

Propaganda was founded in 1982 by keyboard player Ralf Dörper, programmer Andreas Thein and singer Susanne Freytag. In 1983, Claudia Bridges, also singer and classically trained percussionist Michael Mertens joined. The band was a group of contrasts: one singer was not a singer in her own opinion, and the other had one of the most charismatic voices of her time. On the one hand, propaganda drew its inspiration from the past, and on the other hand, her music, dominated by keyboards and percussion, sounded electronically futuristic. Although propaganda was overshadowed by the hype and sales of her label mate Frankie Goes To Hollywood, she created one of the most outstanding popoles of the 80s with their debut album ‘A Secret Wish’, released in 1985. Before Briefen and Mertens joined propaganda, they aroused interest in Paul Morley, who had just abandoned his job as a music journalist on the New Musical Express to become ‘Minister of Information’ and promotion director at ZTT, the legendary label that together with producer Trevor Horn and Horn’s manager Jill Sinclair founded. Propaganda was signed to ZTT in 1983 as the second act after Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Due to the ‘Frankie’ phenomenon, the label was included accordingly, so that the first single ‘Dr. Mabuse’ only came on the market in February 1984 and became a respectful success. The final commercial breakthrough came with the second single ‘Duel’ in April 1985 and the June album ‘A Secret Wish’, which won another hit single with ‘P-Machinery’. On January 26, a deluxe version of ‘A Secret Wish’ will be released on CD and in 180g vinyl format in the ‘Art Of The Album’ series. The new liner notes, written by renowned journalist and ZTT expert Ian Peel, tell the story of the band, album production and the musical influence the album has left behind 34 years after its release. The booklet also contains memorabilia from Ian’s personal archive. CD and vinyl were remastered from the original tapes at Sarm Studios, where the album was originally recorded.