Sept. 22, 2025

🎹 Remembering Stephen Luscombe: The Sound of a New Wave

🎹 Remembering Stephen Luscombe: The Sound of a New Wave

Blancmange was just one of those bands you were introduced to by someone cool — the kind of band that made you feel like you were in on a secret. Stephen Luscombe co-founded the group with Neil Arthur, and together they carved out a sound that helped define the new wave era.

Stephen passed away on September 13, 2025, at the age of 70. His loss marks the end of an incredibly significant period of change, not just for those who loved Blancmange, but for anyone who ever danced to their music or found inspiration in their synth-driven innovation.

But as always, the music lives on — and what a legacy it is.

🎧 Jerry’s Playlist: A Tribute

https://www.pinkmoneypodcast.com/p/jerrys-playlist/

To celebrate Stephen’s life and the era he helped shape, I’m adding these tracks to Jerry’s Playlist. Together they paint a picture of a moment in time when music felt new, daring, and alive:

  • Blancmange – Living on the Ceiling
    Their biggest hit and still irresistible today. The driving beat, playful lyrics, and surprising Eastern-flavored flourishes make this song a perfect reminder of what made Blancmange unique.
  • Lene Lovich – Numbers
    A wonderfully off-kilter anthem that captures the weird and wonderful side of new wave. Lovich’s delivery is playful and sly, reminding you that pop music could also be performance art.
  • Klaus Nomi – The Nomi Song (Vince Clarke Remix)
    Klaus Nomi was a pioneer of androgyny and operatic new wave. This remix by Vince Clarke (of Erasure, Yazoo, Depeche Mode fame) is a perfect way to experience Nomi’s otherworldly voice through a modern lens.
  • Nina Hagen - New York, New York (Mix) Nina’s powerhouse vocals and punk-cabaret flair turn this song into a chaotic, theatrical ride - exactly the kind of fearless, gender-bending performance that makes her such an icon.

💭 Final Note

Music like this reminds us that innovation never really dies. It just waits for the next curious soul to press play. Stephen Luscombe may be gone, but the world he helped shape — quirky, colorful, and endlessly inventive — is still with us every time we hit repeat.

YouTube / streaming-friendly links for most of them:

▶️ Embed-/ Listen-Here Links

Podcast Extras
Jerry Williams Profile Photo

Jerry Williams

Host, The Pink Money Podcast | Financial Educator

With over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Jerry has worked as a financial and wealth advisor, guiding individuals and families to grow and protect their wealth. His mission has always been clear: provide actionable advice, demystify complex financial concepts, and help people make confident, informed decisions.

Jerry earned his BS from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and his Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning from the College of Financial Planning. Today, he uses that background to not only cover practical money topics but also to explore cultural conversations, personal growth, and the ways financial choices intersect with identity and community.

When he’s not podcasting, Jerry enjoys writing think pieces, curating Jerry’s Playlist (a celebration of music and culture), and encouraging listeners to think critically about the world around them.

ABC Firing Jimmy Kimmel – Why It’s the End of Broadcast TV

September 20, 2025 ABC just made Jimmy Kimmel their biggest competitor. Here’s why this could mark the beginning of the end for broadcast TV — and why the audience, not the networks, now holds the power. When Networks Forget Who Holds…

🎉 We Hit 1,000 Downloads – Thank You! 🎉

This milestone is extra special because Pink Money is reaching listeners across the globe — over 40% of our listeners are outside the U.S.! 🌎 A special shout-out to our listeners in Deutschland — danke schön for tuning in and shari…