Living in a World (Turned Upside Down) by Private Lives

In 1984 I bought what I’ve long thought was Private Lives’ one and only released album – Prejudice and Pride. This isn’t quite true – it was their second. Anyway, I thought it was great, but I didn’t know anyone else who was listening to it. Later I wondered if there had only ever been a hundred of us out there, enjoying  Private Lives. There was no internet back then, and I had no idea really who the artists were.

I wasn’t very happy in 1984. I’d been uprooted (again) and forced to live in a small, pointless town in Sussex called Uckfield. Private Lives’ New Wave angsty sound matched my mood perfectly. I should say now that my knowledge of New Wave has always been limited. I read Smash Hits rather than Melody Maker. New Wave to me was Duran Duran, large floaty trousers, and silky baggy shirts. I had some rather nice grey suede boots that fitted this vibe. Back then, I was the opposite of cool. Even so, I still found my way to this great album, and maybe that’s what counts.

The best song on Prejudice and Pride is undoubtedly Living in a World (Turned Upside Down). It’s John Adams on vocals and Morris Michaels on piano:

It reached No.53 in the UK Singles Chart in 1984, and spent 5 weeks in the Top 75. Other singles followed (I’ll try to hunt these down on vinyl), but album sales were poor. Sadly, the group split soon after Prejudice and Pride was released. The album’s producer was Pete Schwier, and he’s got a fine site showcasing his work.

I emailed Pete a short while ago, keen to find out about the band. He said he’ll be in touch with some details, so I look forward to that.

A few more facts – this type of music was also called Sophisti-pop. Private Lives supported Hall & Oates UK tour, and also Duran Duran. And Kiki Dee was a guest vocalist on Prejudice and Pride!