“Walloping big-beat riffs with snaky sax and darkly intelligent lyrics characterized this San Francisco area dance/think combo. Native American artist-and-poet-turned- vocalist Debora Iyall uses her smoky, conversational voice to wax reflective on love and lust in these modern times; consistent with the band’s name, she sings not only of situations where love is absent, but also of when it should be absent. Its a Condition introduced Romeo Void’s unique blend of jazz, funk, rock and confrontational poetry in its formative stages, the music a bit tentative and unfocused, especially in contrast with Iyall’s hard-edged lyrics. …”
Trouser Press
W – Its a Condition
Genius (Audio)
iTunes
YouTube: Never Say Never (Live)
YouTube: It’s A Condition (High Quality Needledrop)38:36
Tag: Romeo Void
Romeo Void – White Sweater/Apache (1981)
“Romeo Void never really cracked the commercial threshold while they were together between 1980 and 1985, but they certainly left a decent musical legacy with three studio releases and a number of bootlegged live recordings. Formed in San Francisco in 1980 while the members were students at an art college, Romeo Void broke out of the growing alternative music scene in 1981, signing with 415, a division of Columbia Records based in the Bay Area. Featuring Deborah Iyall, the band’s female lead vocalist wasn’t much of a sex symbol, but she sure could sing. One of the most ‘musical’ of all the new wave bands to emerge in the late ’70s or early ’80s, Romeo Void excelled in their strong musicianship, especially saxophonist Ben Bossi, who took the place of a flashy lead guitarist. …”
Paste
Discogs
YouTube: White sweater, Apache
Punk Scrawled Artist 