1981: Turquoise tights and big-shouldered blazers. Poppers and greyhounds on the dance floor. And Bleep’s cheerfully perverted “Rubber Lover” whipping clubbers into a hopping, bopping frenzy.

But beneath the new-wave nostalgia lies a tragic tale of ambition, self-loathing and ketchup. Driven by a desperate need to be taken seriously, Bleep singer Martin Jarrow was ultimately undone by the sheer silliness of his best-known song.

Fortunately, those with fewer metaphysical pretensions can wallow guilt-free in the tongue-twisting lewdness of “Rubber Lover.” It’s easy to hear why the song was a club favorite from Mykonos to Melbourne, guaranteeing its inclusion in ‘80s music compilations for decades to come. Full story...


listen: Rubber Lover | Space Doors

more: How Bleep's tortured singer finally found peace...