"Tar"
Single by Visage
from the album Visage
B-side	"Frequency 7"
Released	2 November 1979[1]
Recorded	1979
Genre	Synth-pop new wave
Length	3:27
Label	Radar Records
Songwriter(s)	Barry Adamson, Billy Currie, Rusty Egan, Dave Formula, John McGeoch, Steve Strange, Midge Ure
Producer(s)	Midge Ure, Visage
Visage singles chronology
"Tar" (1979) "Fade to Grey" (1980)

"Tar" is the debut single by the British synth-pop group Visage, released in 1979.

Background

"Tar" was the band's sole release on Radar Records in November 1979, before they signed to Polydor Records the following year. The song's lyrics are centred on the habit of smoking cigarettes. As Steve Strange put it in his autobiography, the song is about "the pleasure and pain of nicotine".^[2] The B-side to the single is "Frequency 7", a rapid synthesizer composition with vocoder vocals. (An extended, instrumental "Dance Mix" of the song was released on the "Mind of a Toy" single in 1981. Both versions were re-released by the band in 2013).

"Tar" was not a chart hit, and Radar's distribution deal collapsed shortly after the single was released. A newer version of the song appeared on Visage's eponymous debut album released in 1980. The "Tar" single is the only Visage release featuring bassist Barry Adamson as a member of the band,^[3] receiving composing credits for both songs. He played a smaller role as a session musician in all subsequent releases. No music video was produced for the track.

Track listing

• 7" single (1979)^[4]

A. "Tar" – 3:27

B. "Frequency 7" – 3:05

Personnel

• Steve Strange — vocals
• Midge Ure — synthesizer, backing vocals
• Billy Currie — synthesizer
• John McGeoch — saxophone
• Rusty Egan — drums, electronic drums programming
• Barry Adamson — bass
• Dave Formula — synthesizer
• Peter Ashworth – sleeve photography

References