Wire 'Ahead' Music Video

Rare video from classic punk group WIRE.

[@checkerboreds]

Wire ROCKED at the Depeche Mode 101 Concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California in June 1988! Thomas Dolby, OMD, Wire, and of course, Depeche Mode performed. What a great show!

[@halenbud]

I Was There.

[@robertfox8244]

And they’ll be back in the Rose Bowl again with Depeche Mode again next year for the Cruel World festival.

[@brianmartinez315]

That would be amazing! 🤞

[@shawn6669]

Is that the one that made Dave Gahan cry at the end of the show because, as he said of the show, "It can't ever be better than that."?

[@clewismessina6630]

I am not jealous of much in the world, but this… if I had a Time Machine (and could have been there a year earlier than I was). 😔

[@thescarecrowcat]

One of the best songs of the whole decade. This song always gets me excited. Top 5 Wire tracks.

[@Joeskee68]

Absolutely! I lived thru it and I agree wholeheartedly w/you. 95% better than the majority of alternative radio stations today and the crap they try to shove down our throats...did I actually put a % out there??? Geez

[@finnkdy]

Feed me.

[@Tusitala1967]

One of two songs that could get me on the dancefloor. The other was She Sells Sanctuary by the Cult.

[@ArielX2K]

This song was my introduction to the greatness that is Wire. It's been love ever since.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

It was “12XU” for me, when I was 13 years old, way back in the fall of 1980. I’ll never forget the exact moment when I first heard it. Even though that song is considered by many to be a textbook punk anthem, for me something about it went way beyond the standard angry thrashing of simple punk rock. Soon after that a friend of mine played me the entire Pink Flag album, and to say it blew me away would be the understatement of a lifetime. It took me a couple more years before I could appreciate the brilliance of Chairs Missing and 154, but once those two albums got their hooks in me, they never let up. It’s difficult to not go way off on a tangent when discussing my love for this band. They still to this day have that exact same ability to blow my mind, some 43 years later. Definitely one of my top 3 bands for life.

[@shawn6669]

That synth thing that happens (and repeats a couple times) from 1:00 to 1:06 always grabs me by the brain in a groove of ecstasy. 9 tones going down into a 10th going up. Just perfect! Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo...DOOO!!! Beauty....

[@jdgaumer]

The whole "Ideal Copy" cd is incredible, and these guys are doing great stuff to this day. Priceless stuff!

[@taufactor]

I don't know how Wire did it, but they did something with melodies that's just... intoxicating.

[@fahnke]

I haven't heard this in a long time, but it was a seminal to my high school soundtrack. This ended up on many of my mix tapes and hearing it again I can imagine myself at 17, smudging my eyeliner, putting on a wrist full of bracelets, pulling my long bangs down to my lips, wearing pointy shoes (John Fluevogs) and thinking that I was terribly cool. I'm happy that I've grown up, but thanks to music like this my teen years were fantastic. Cheers.

[@TheIsaiahkane]

I remember hearing it for the 1st time on 120 minutes and remembering the lyrics and was able to find it not too long after seeing the video, by singing the lyrics to an employee at watrax records down the street from where I grew up, he was able to tell me the band, I have loved wire ever since, this was back in 1987, when I was 16.

[@cristinaserrate7983]

I was the same, this was a classic of new wave sessions in Spain :) So happy dancing to this music 16-18 years old :____D

[@blktom77]

i think maybe we dated....

[@cawag98]

@@blktom77 Naw, I was there with you three.

[@bobbyt1318]

You weren't wrong, that style is cool :)

[@JagdT34]

Super Dark Times movie brought me here! Forgot this gem of a song from back in the days. Movie was like a Donnie Darko meets The Shining or something!

[@sobercompanion1506]

Thank you for the movie-tip!

[@hannathelion6844]

nice

[@TheHypercube92]

I’ve seen Super Dark Times twice very good and stomach churner film. Kinda disturbed me but is well filmed glad this song was on it!

[@JBackkkkk]

Ahhh that's where I heard it before, knew I recognised it

[@logicalthought]

I found it after "Carlos", too, last night on the on-demand Sundance Channel. The second I heard it, I was like "Wow, this is an awesome song," and after I Googled it I was thinking "How can I never have heard of these guys?"

[@debbieturner6194]

I think this is their best single. LOVE this so much.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Their best? Really? I mean, it’s a great single, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that Wire has *SO MANY* absolutely brilliant singles, that span nearly a half century… but I do realize it’s down to personal preference and subjectivity. My personal favorite is a tie between “I Am The Fly” and “A Question Of Degree”. Absolutely stunning singles.

[@bobbyt1318]

i first heard this song in the "Carlos" miniseries -- the song and the series, both amazing

[@ranrio70]

I remember,I remember when 120 min. on MTV use to kick ass!

[@hannathelion6844]

fintv

[@jennylinvog7404]

I LOVED 120 MINUTES!

[@alexchristianmusic]

Yup they would play this a lot and Eardrum Buzz. Good times.

[@therecordplayer2001]

Facts I still have a couple of VHS Tapes of 120 min from 1990

[@capriomrowkicz1751]

I will remeber 1987 😎

[@luis21207]

Those synthetic choirs... wow... very good song and video. I was crazy about this song back in ´87 in Peru. Thanks for posting!

[@milagroscasas1217]

Wow!! Very good song and video. I love this. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@andivoid]

wow the last time i saw this video was in 1987, now its 2007, wow it makes my hair stand. this really gave me good memories from that year. the name of the album is "the ideal copy" hope it's still out in the market coz i'd sure wana get one...

[@springhillgolfer878]

Thank you Carlos mini series for introducing me to this song. Can't believe I didn't hear it on college radio in the late 80's early 90's. Better late than never.

[@limesparks]

i will never forget the time i walked into the young men's department in Macy's in NJ sometime in the late 90s and lo and behold this video was playing... of all the places to see it, it was so random...

[@tastyorange]

One of my favorite music tracks ever.

[@mike196212]

I'm 59 and have seen tons and tons of videos and many are obscure to most folks,but this is the first time I've ever seen this one. Thanks.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Yep. I’m a longtime Wire fan since 1980 and until about a month ago this was a complete new one on me. Granted I was never much of an MTV viewer back in the day, even though I was the perfect age (born ‘67). Kind of wild discovering this so late in the game. It has a Blue Velvet ‘joyride’ kind of vibe to it, which considering that this was only a year after the movie was released, and the fact that the members of Wire are all big David Lynch fans would stand to reason. Great stuff. I’m glad they can still surprise me after all these years.

[@JOCKEYSI3OLLIX]

I'd never heard this song before until tonight, it just popped up on one of the digital music channels while I was rolling a reefer and it really caught my ear! Top tune...

[@DavySolaris]

one of those rare songs you just get hip to as soon as you hear it. fucking awesome.

[@joyegreg]

Had to see this after hearing it featured in the amazing film, "Carlos" about Carlos the Jackal. This song is used in a really great sequence. So great to hear it again!

[@cindraclark7204]

Awesome wake-&-bake music. Loved this video, this music, this decade

[@Guevaristas]

Amazing band! Great in the 80s and still great now

[@capriomrowkicz1751]

I will remeber super light times now its super dark times

[@erixoff]

I love both N.O. and WIRE, they're different, both plays guitar/bass ... and synths/computer... in their different world.

[@Kazilikaya]

They sound a lot like N.O. …. Only better

[@Shikta-poobah67]

@@KazilikayaAside from some similar syncopated beats, the two bands sound nothing alike. Total apples and oranges comparison.

[@chcgo2undaground]

...WLUW-88.7 FM Chicago Sound Alliance played this song yesterday fabulous recording from one of the more underrated bands from the late 70s new music movement.....

[@soulminer]

One of my favourite bands. So much material to choose from and I have attended one of their gigs. Cheers from Australia

[@Decotrash1]

One Of My "ALL TIME"-Favorites!!!!-Thanks!

[@acmedata]

They were beyond good. I'm glad they didn't become a huge commercial success in the US.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

I know your comment is ancient, but if you’re still paying attention… why? Why would you not want them to have success in a specific country? Hopefully you’ve grown up a bit since you left that comment.

[@acmedata]

@@Shikta-poobah67 had they achieved massive success, I doubt their music would have been as creative. I could be way off on that. Maybe it would have been grist for their music. But, with more success comes more money, more ego and more problems. We, in the USA, have a knack for ruining good things. I stand by my original comment. Keep in mind, commercial success is different than artistic success. They certainly achieved the latter.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

@@acmedata I’m an American too, and I couldn’t agree more about how this country has a way of completely ruining good/great things, but the truth of this matter is that’s down to the individuals, and how much integrity they have. I don’t know the guys in Wire personally. I met Robert and Graham and talked to them briefly when I last saw them live (2017), but it wasn’t a long enough conversation to determine what kind of people they are deep down inside. My point being that even though I know it’s typically the exception rather than the rule, there are certain people who have proven that they don’t have to be ruined or corrupted by success. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the four members of Wire possess that kind of integrity. It all boils down to how committed one is to their chosen art form, and from what I can tell, they’re all in.

[@acmedata]

@@Shikta-poobah67 well stated.

[@devonferris]

I’ve never heard of this song before. I love it. Super Dark Times brought me here.

[@YootoobSteve123]

Trying to decribe how great this song is, is impossible. It strikes chords in your brain you didn't know you had.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Not to diminish this song in any way, but roughly 90% of everything Wire has ever recorded and released has had that exact effect on me, whether it’s from the initial first three albums of the late 70’s, this era right here, or their entire lengthy post-Y2K catalog. They’ve always had the ability to scratch a specific itch of mine, that very few other bands/artists have been able to reach. Add this song to a very long list. There are no words in the English vocabulary that can accurately convey the feeling this band makes me feel.

[@alna1287]

Introduced to this fantastic band through the brilliant "Carlos" miniseries.

[@soulminer]

Kick ass track. Remeber being at their gig at The Bakery( actually a bar- night club) in Perth Australia.

[@goobah01]

Great post, didn't know there was a video for this track... It still sends tingles down my spine and I got the 'Ideal Copy' album when it came out. A gem.

[@parkinson1963]

Me too

[@finnkdy]

they threw out a right few gems ma'am / squire.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

My first time seeing the video as well, and I’ve been heavily into Wire since the fall of 1980. However I was never much of an MTV viewer, especially after ‘83 or thereabouts, so that probably has something to do with it. It’s a decent video, as far as 80’s music videos go. Definitely captures and matches the overall mood of the song. I would expect nothing less from a band whose music is essentially pure art.

[@TV225TS1]

Awesome tune, very underated band

[@theflyintheointment]

I love Pink Flag/Chairs Missing/154, but for me the '80s stuff is just untouchable. The Ideal Copy is the greatest album ever made.

[@_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_]

Whole album is 🔥

[@andrewbirch9634]

seconded.

[@cawag98]

Well, Ideal Copy was my first CD. That scintillating, crisp sound, so new to us then!

[@hannathelion6844]

and then some

[@galetinm]

No

[@PixieCabanyaler]

Ufff, menudo temazo. Recuerdo esas noches en Barraca antes de todo el mal llamado estereotipo de "ruta del bacalao". Eran los 1985..1987 y pinchaba Carlos Simó. Menuda musicota. El otro día viendo uan serie llamada "Carlos", pincharon este tema y hasta que no lo he encontrado no he parado.

[@tsartodd]

the Wire song that sounds like a New Order ... which means i love it of course XD

[@nightofchillblue4697]

The baseline which influenced New Order ;)

[@Thefubeca12]

@@nightofchillblue4697 yeah they influenced New Order retroactively in 1980 from 1987 when Live started as "Public Affection* in high school and didn't have their first EP until 1989. Peter Hook was tearing up the bass when they were still Joy Division in 1978...i sure hope you just got that comment backwards on who influenced whom.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

This sounds nothing like New Order to me, but you do you.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

@@Thefubeca12Yep. I specifically remember an old interview with Peter Hook, where when asked who his biggest influences were stated that in the early days of Joy Division it was Graham Lewis from Wire who inspired him more than anyone else. They may have started out at roughly the same time, but Wire had about a year jump on Warsaw/Joy Division, and got an album out before they did. Two albums actually.

[@TheIsaiahkane]

Beautiful, beautiful sound.

[@jenniferaaparo]

Love this song from the moment I heard it in 1987.

[@nickknox75]

After I first signed on to KZbin for the Cure "All Cats are Grey" live the next thing I had to see was this. Love this band...

[@gewglesux]

heard this on "first wave" today... snagged it on iTunes shortly after that.

[@hannathelion6844]

good taste

[@gewglesux]

@@hannathelion6844 Such a fine tune thats for sure... plenty of "Extended" versions of this online too.

[@blackpassenger]

wwwwwooooowwww! i havent heard this song since my days on the air at KUSF San francisco, from 88 - 91. Bloody hell. Used to wear out this song.

[@ragnar010162]

Song and band epitomize a great era for music as art.

[@IvyMike777]

Saw them on this tour back in the day, great sounds...

[@clewismessina6630]

People are comparing this to New Order’s ‘Temptation’. They share a similar beat/rhythm but that’s pretty much it. Completely different feel/structures/melodies.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Yep. All the ridiculous comparisons to New Order originated in music press wankery back in the late 80’s. I remember well. A couple of British bands with origins in the 70’s punk explosion reinvent their respective sound and identity with the latest digital technology, and suddenly they’re supposed to be glomming off of each other, or some such piffle. I never bought into any of it. A few very obvious superficial similarities, but both bands had a very distinct sound and identity unto themselves, and were riding the wave of a natural progression. Apples and oranges, etc.

[@trexdet3876]

Está canción y todo el Ideal Copy es el soundtrack perfecto para un viaje en auto de noche

[@rogeriolopes1140]

Great song! Amazing band! Tks for share!

[@cockatoomagnet583]

I saw them this year in March in Philly. Awesome band.

[@retromusings]

Wow. First time seeing this video of one of my fav songs by Wire. Ahead is a timeless song for sure. Thanks for sharing this video.

[@Universe021]

Hit !!!

[@foto21]

Those droning background vocals, possibly samples, are so 80s underground.

[@TwisterTornado]

What's "underground" about a sound that New Order frequently used?

[@priestley0410]

Just been to Bruce Gilberts 60th and he is alive and well !!! Wire the best ever ..........

[@celiaayneto9232]

remembering the great time it was, happiness ahead!

[@DOitTOtheCROWD]

Listen to this in your car and you're sure to get a speeding ticket. Mind tha bass!!!

[@pacific707]

AWESOME SONG!!! I've never heard this shorter version, though. Bummer they didn't play it out till the end of the entire song....but that was videos, back in the day. Wire were brilliant. So many great songs.

[@35sixer]

Great tune ... Love Wire

[@matadorelov]

Holy Mother of God, Mary!!!! I love Wire Masters of all times

[@LoverSniper]

1-2 X U!! These guys were amazing and influenced MANY bands... I have this CD somewhere. They came to Seattle about, heck 15 years ago, and played at the Oz. I wish there was more WIRE stuff on here...

[@barbconch]

wire always a step "ahead"...an evening of fun in the metropolis of your dreams

[@TwisterTornado]

Why are all of YOU people here? This video is 18 years old. That has to be a record...

[@ericFJ]

that's sure stirring up some ghosts for me..

[@danielscissorhands]

Awesome band. :)

[@real80smusic]

they played this on kroq a lot and i saw them at the rose bowl with depeche mode, thomas dolbly and omd.

[@hralibras]

Uffff a great dark song¡¡¡¡, first time i hear this band, march 2020. Corona virus around the world, but i can see many people who wrote 9 years ago¡¡¡¡ , I like this band, from Perou.

[@anarchy41]

God I love wire!!!!!!!Saw them in Finsbury park in the eighties!

[@andrewazur2186]

Wire are brilliant

[@Shikta-poobah67]

I’m glad you used the present tense in that statement. It’s incredible to me, and a real testament to their talent and integrity that they’re still cranking out fresh and interesting music nearly half a century after they began. I’m not even sure what “Mark” they’re in now. 4? 5? All I know is that I own physical copies of every single one of their full length albums, most of their singles and EP’s, several compilations and anthologies, and have seen them live 5 times (an accomplishment when you live in middle America). I also own most of Colin’s solo albums, as well as Githead, Dome, Duet Emmo, some of Bruce Gilbert’s insane amount of solo releases, and other associated material, like the Desmond Simmons album. Anyhow, yes. Brilliant. That’s an understatement.

[@alansready]

great song i love wire.....

[@BeckoningChasm]

This is like a David Lynch film. Awesome.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Likely inspired by the “joyride” scene from Blue Velvet, which had only been out for a year or so when this video was made.

[@Gedemondas]

damn, thanks! a rare gem

[@forsakengardens]

I love this song.. interesting video too, i wouldn't mind making that particular body search!

[@scottwaldon7420]

Great 80's track.

[@sonicrevic4928]

This song sounds like science to me for some reason. Great stuff.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

*SCIENCE!!!*

[@dimone]

The coolest song ever, ever, EVER.

[@racheldell732]

Love the music video. 😺

[@stadtrade102]

wire play pop is brilliant Album i have but this sounds great must look for it .

[@nitpicker]

Yes!

[@fortylove68]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

[@petertaylor9624]

This must be one of earliest house dance aka gothic music. It wasn't big at the time or notice how great this.

[@emilyoshiro]

GDMFSOB!!! I COMPLETELY 4GOT 'BOUT THIS CLIP... THANKS4 TOSSIN IT UP!

[@GardnerGoldsmith]

Surge! WIRE is amazing. Hit me with the new Read and Burn!

[@davidellis5141]

I Remember I Remember .

[@zombieshmombie]

wire is amazing!! somebody needs to post silkskin paws!

[@Handlemcdaniel]

At the time some people said they were ripping New Order. True, both used electronically treated guitars, but Wire were doing this sort of thing independent of New Order, while New Order were still Joy Division. This has a very clean, "Mute" sound to it, too, courtesy of Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones. Classic.

[@biodot88]

I had never heard that and at the time they were each very different.

[@connorttt-yc5uv]

I'll take Newman over new order anyday

[@clewismessina6630]

I like both bands. Apples to oranges comparison.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Yeah I definitely remember all the (mostly music journalists) comparisons to New Order back then, and I never bought into any of it. Total case of apples and oranges. Some obvious similarities - syncopated dance beats, digital sequencing, chorus pedal on the bass… but so what? Graham has been using the same chorus effect on his bass since Chairs Missing (1978), and both bands just happened to be making use of the (then) latest digital technology available. The music was/is completely different. Wire still sounded like classic Wire, just a lot more danceable. New Order was New Order. I remember an old interview with Peter Hook, where he said that in Joy Division’s early days that Wire was a huge influence, so those seeds were planted a very long time ago. In other words, no one was trying to emulate the other. With both bands it was just a natural progression. Of course the mouth-breathing music press tried to paint a different picture and deploy their ridiculous little ‘divide and conquer’ tactics, as they do. If you have an ear for music, you’ll easily be able to sort the lies from the truth.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Also, I don’t get what you mean by “New Order were still Joy Division”. By this time (1987) they had moved on well beyond their old sound. I’ll give you Ceremony, but that was in ‘83. N.O. were a completely different sounding band a few years later. I’m not sure what you meant there.

[@Paulie80]

This was the jam late 80's San Fran along with the missions tower of strength

[@tertommy]

As seen on Night Flight in 1987

[@andiboysuzara7183]

i always consider this as the best new wave song, thanks to MuchMusic Canada i found our abt this song.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

“New wave”? In 1987? I always kind of figured new wave was completely over by the end of ‘83. Maybe slightly into ‘84, but no later. By then there was nothing ‘new’ about it anymore. Not to diminish Wire, and they certainly were a major factor in the initial new wave, but not this era of Wire.

[@ShampooCell]

This is definitely on The Enigma Variations 2. Tons of great songs on that cassette if you can find it!

[@discombobulator64]

this is my favourite version of this song, but other version Wire did of it is just as good.

[@fyourself1]

great sound

[@capriomrowkicz1751]

Super Dark Times action film is 1995-1999 . Music is from 1987 and greate

[@govinda102000]

Two places would of played this in SW Conn. during the early 80s and both were in Westport.

[@davidellis5141]

The Comeback kids !!

[@IvyMike777]

1987

[@marcelbreitenstein4286]

great Song 👍👍👍👍👍🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒🆒

[@Stalker.00000]

🎤📣🎸🥁🎹💿🔥🔥🔥

[@carlo88moe]

@hume1234561 one of the things i always loved is how art feeds off other art, love discovering music via movies

[@anitacosmical]

***** Stars *****

[@uberalles2]

154 is my fav album from them

[@slvideo1]

brilliant