Ok, so for the shorthand version of how "Warm Leatherette" became a song, listen to "Venus in Furs" [for background], the first Throbbing Gristle album [for substance], and "Trans-Europe Express" [for context]. So, why is it that I love "Warm Leatherette" but what it begat in part, [industrial music, in general] doesn't do it for me? The first and most obvious reason is the tight, mechanical beat. The song is a relentless machine without any indecision or doubt. That beat is matched with a tonality that is harsh without being grinding, muscularly catchy without being fluffy. Furthermore, it doesn't wander off into the wilderness like so many other industrial songs. Three and a half minutes. Direct, powerful, dark, and fun.
Of course, it isn't as though the only kind of music I like is devoid of any humanism and resembles a train traveling at a million miles an hour in its single-mindlessness and violence. But "Warm Leatherette" does it so well, it's hard not to admire.
By the way, please ignore the actual video that goes along with this song, as it is a fan-made video and a poor one at that.
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