MYTHS, MELODIES & METAPHYSICS: - Prefab Sprout

One week during August 1984, Prefab Sprout recorded When Love Breaks Down, their
intended next single. It was produced by Phil Thornalley, ex-bass player with The Cure,
lead vocalist with Johnny Hates Jazz, mixing engineer with Paul McCartney and boasting
a broad experience, having worked with others such as The Thompson Twins, The
Psychedelic Furs, XTC and Duran Duran.
Thornalley was a contact Keith Armstrong had picked up during his friendship with
Postcard's Alan Horne, who had been working with Orange Juice's Edwyn Collins.
When Love Breaks Down was the nearest Paddy had got to a song actually "pouring
out" of him. He says that a sense of panic made him write it: "I'd always thought that
everything I wrote was commercial, maybe off-centre, but poppy. Then we did Swoon
and found out for the first time what people thought, and I started to look on what I did
more coldly. I realized that Swoon was all private music, full of personal reference. I
panicked and thought: 'I've got to write something simple'. So I wrote it in one sitting,
from top to bottom, which is unusual for me."
It's a simple lyric, driven by two lines: "The lies we tell - they only serve to fool
ourselves" and "You join the wrecks who lose their hearts for easy sex."
Kitchenware wanted a major chart success for the Sprouts and so called on Thornalley's
broad experience. The session in the studio didn't go without incident, however. Martin
and Neil did a take together and Thornalley thought it was great. Martin wasn't happy
with the bass and wanted to try again. An argument ensued and Martin walked out. Neil
Conti agreed that he, too, had made a few minor errors, but thought it more 'natural' to
leave them in. The Sprouts weren't the first to have come across the unwavering attitude
of Thornalley, however. In January 1982, Thornalley, taken from the post of RKA
Engineer, was selected to produce The Cure's album Pornography. Robert Smith had
problems ranging from timekeeping to the sound of his guitar.
Thornalley had taken part in forging a (albeit short-term) new sound for the band.
Prefab Sprout had proved things with Swoon and now it was time to develop on their
sound. Thornalley used multi-tracking wizardry with samples of Wendy's wispy vocals to
great effect.
CBS were greatly enthusiastic with the recording, especially as they could not pick off
any serious chartable prospects from Swoon.
The band had also recorded Diana, which was produced by Hal Remington (as was The
Devil), which was chosen as the B-side for the single for its release in October, which
reached number 81 before being consumed into the pre-Christmas chart fodder.
Back in January, Paddy had heard Thomas Dolby on Radio One's Round Table,
reviewing their first post-Swoon single Don't Sing. Everyone slated the song except for
Dolby, who was very constructive with his comments and saying that it had given him
some good ideas, describing the band as "a massive explosion of talent". Paddy admired
the bizarre image that Dolby had in the UK and the fact that in the US he was considered
as a serious songwriter.
Dolby's management contacted CBS explaining that Dolby was interested in possibly
working with the band. McAloon and Keith Armstrong liked the idea of having Thomas
come up to Newcastle to see Paddy at home to listen to some material, so it was arranged.
McAloon prepared a batch of songs in a local studio after a binge of equipment buying,