Maxell brings back the blown-away guy

We know it's a little peripheral, but we heard it through the grapevine that Maxell is finally bringing back the blown-away guy (aka Peter Murphy of Bauhaus), perhaps the 80s' most endearing and enduring icon of conspicuous consumption of consumer electronics. Though we might hope blown-away guy might have replaced his Le Corbusier with a Kjaerholm and his hi-fi with a Sonos, we're just glad to have his ass back around to show everyone how it's really done. Just as long as he's still listening to Wagner, anyway, and didn't trade his classical collection for some Bloc Party or Killers records or something.

[Via PSFK]

[Steven Kennard @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

This is an interesting commentary "or something".

[Charles @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Does anyone remember the rumors that the guy was none other than Peter Murphy? Who is it really, and why did that rumor start?

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Ah Peter Murphy, how we missed ye.

[clicclic @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I had this poster on my wall during high school. Engadget-early 80's dorkiness...

Now I see the connection!

[A friend of yours @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

One of the best random exclamations I ever heard came from a Goth in Albuquerque. After being told something surprising, he exclaimed, "Well, sit on my face and call me Peter Murphy!"

[the dibb @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

man, blown-away-guy is awesome

did anybody ever see the family guy where they had lois's dad pull a "blown-away-guy"?

[yinyang @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

wasn't the 'hi-fi' a Nakamichi, or was that for another 80's ad?

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Replacing Corbusier would be a crime against humanity.

[snapa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Whoa now...what is bloody wrong with Bloc Party?

[idesign @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Don't be knocking Bloc Party! Killers suck ass... but I'll be damned if i stand by and let the Bloc take the piss from you!

[Danny Purdue @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Great, now everyone is gonna get the Family Guy reference to the commercial. Or they'll think Maxell stole their idea from Family Guy.

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Ummm . . . this guy has always been around in Canada. I haven't seen a commercial in years, but he still adorns all their blank cassettes.

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

My favorite comment making fun of goths is "There was so much black in there (the club) I thought the place was closed."

[popeye @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I'm w/ Michael on replacing the chair. It cannot be replaced...

[Ben G @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Ahhh, cassette tapes. Yes. I remember seeing a commercial in a movie theater (in the UK) that featured two heaving breathing teens making out in a car at sunset to hot luvin music. Then the music goes all squiggly and you get this conversation:

Girl: "What happened?"
Boy: "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's not meant to do that!"
Girl: "What are you going to do? It's all over the place..."
Boy: "Er, I could use a pen"
Girl: "A pen?!"
Boy: "Yeah, just let me stick it in here and turn it around, and it should pull it all back in..."
Girl: "Derek, this is so unromantic!"

Cut to : Maxell Tapes, reliability when you need it most

[Armelo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Le Corbusier club chair was designed in 1928. Still looks cool and modern.

[flamer's grill @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Remember that John Ritter classic,"Stay Tuned"? They had a commercial with this guy and his head fell off.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Flamer's Grill - Are you Chris Farley's ghost?

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/92/92mfarley.phtml

[logiclust @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

The picture above isn't peter murphy. the origional add was. here's something peter said,

"Well, that ad was originally made in England in 1982, and I was the character in the ad. That won all sorts of awards, blah, blah, blah. It was so successful, Maxell wanted to do it worldwide, but they wanted a "mid-Atlantic"-sort of person for it. Because I looked completely unusual [chuckles]. "

half way down is the origional
http://www.nardwuar.com/vs/peter_murphy/print/

[narco @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Wow, I was all up on Bauhaus' grill in high school and I can't believe I didn't know this!

Fishes,
narco.

[d3 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Sorry, Bauhaus fans, it wasn't peter murphy:

http://www.totalmedia.com/trivia_15.asp
http://www.totalmedia.com/trivia_16.asp


"wasn't the 'hi-fi' a Nakamichi, or was that for another 80's ad?"

Nak's are black or silver, this one looks more like dull grey green of pro equipment of the day. If it is, there's no logo on it.

[d3 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

"The picture above isn't peter murphy. the origional add was. here's something peter said,

"Well, that ad was originally made in England in 1982..."


Since the press release in the link above says the poster is from 1979, that wouldn't make the peter murphy version the original.

[Heather @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Of course, that original '79 ad shows the JBL L100 speakers with the eggcrate grill foam.
Lotta folks rocked out with those in their dorms!

[Heather @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Of course, that original '79 ad shows the JBL L100 speakers with the eggcrate grill foam.
Lotta folks rocked out with those in their dorms!

[Dissent @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Uhhh... hey, old people, mind explaining to the non-geriatric generation what the hell youre all talking about? And whats a "peter murphy"?!

[Maurice @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

"this guy has always been around in Canada. I haven't seen a commercial in years, but he still adorns all their blank cassettes."

I haven't seen a blank cassette in years!

[d3 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Cool, I didn't know you could read Engadget on your LeapPad, Dissent.

[Dissent @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Preschool Haxx0r (TM)

[Rudy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I dig the speaker. Looks like a vintage JBL 100 Century (by looks of the grill).

[ex-902SH guy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

We never lost him here in Canada. I bought a spindle of Maxell DVD blanks and he is on the package. In fact, he is front and centre (note the spelling) on the web page. http://www.maxellcanada.com/home.htm

FSM is my master

[d3 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Indeed, Rudy, it's the L100 grille:

http://www.audioheritage.org/images/jbl/extracts/L100.jpg

[Studio 606 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Thanks for not messing with that image, Maxell. The fact that it's in black and white helps a lot, too. Gotta find my Robert Palmer album..it's here somewhere.

[Grant Guthrie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I've got the Steve Steigman "Blown Away" print - framed and hanging on the wall behind the couch - it's a classic image.

[jp @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Maxell has been using this ad recently to highlight very good customers of their pro line products, and the ads run in various trade magazines for the broadcast industry. A friend of mine was one of these folks and she was photographed and the ad began running 2 months ago.

[Anthony @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Grant beat me to it - Ditto here :)

[no3rdw @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Thanks a lot engadget... now I need to get a print of this image for my home theater :D

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Did Peter Murphy have this hair? I thought he was really a blond. Whats with the 80's Italian cut?

Its there any proof that this is Peter?

I still think this is bullshit.