Empire State Human
www.youtube.com/watch?v=apnRojgtmXs&feature=related
The Human League are an English electronic new wave band formed in Sheffield, England in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.
The only constant band member since 1977 is vocalist and songwriter Philip Oakey. Originally an avant-garde all-male synthesizer-based group, they evolved into a commercially successful synthpop outfit under Oakey's leadership, yielding the group's biggest-selling album, Dare (1981). Since 1987, the band has essentially been a trio of Oakey and long-serving female vocalists Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley (who joined the band in 1980), with various sidemen. The Human League has influenced many electro-pop, other synthpop, and mainstream acts including Madonna, La Roux, Moby,[1] Pet Shop Boys[2] and Little Boots.[3] They have been sampled and covered by various artists including Utah Saints, Ministry of Sound, Craig David, George Michael, KMFDM, and Robbie Williams.[4]
Since 1978, The Human League have released nine studio albums and twenty-six singles. They have had four albums and eight singles in the UK Top Ten, one of which was #1 (two in the US) and they have played over 350 live concerts. The band have sold more than 20 million records worldwide.
Before adopting the name The Human League, the band briefly had two previous incarnations.[7] In early 1977, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh who had met at youth arts project Meatwhistle were both working as computer operators, and combined a love of pop music (such as glam rock and Tamla Motown) with avant-garde electronic music acts such as German group Kraftwerk. With the price of electronic components dropping in the mid 1970s, previously unaffordable equipment was now in the range of the average consumer. Ware and Marsh saved their money and purchased a Korg 700S synthesizer between them and set about learning how to play it.[8] Their musical reputation spread and they were invited to play at a friend's 21st birthday party. For the party, Ware and Marsh formed themselves into an informal band called The Dead Daughters. Their live highlight was a rendition of the theme of the British TV series Doctor Who.[7]
After a few more low-key, private performances, Ware and Marsh decided to form a proper band. Joined by their friend Adi Newton and another synthesizer (a Roland System-100), they formed The Future and began to create music in their own rehearsal facility in a disused cutlery workshop in the centre of Sheffield. Although The Future were never signed and released no material commercially at the time, a collection of demos from this period was released retrospectively on CD in 2002 titled The Golden Hour of the Future, mixed by Richard X.[7] The association with Adi Newton was short; Newton left The Future and went on to form Clock DVA. Ware at this point decided that he needed a singer rather than another keyboard player. The reason for this was twofold: record companies had been reluctant to sign The Future, as they couldn’t offer any "marketable" songs, and therefore a decent singer was required for any chance of commercial success; also the group only owned two synthesizers and could not afford a third.[7]
Ware and Marsh searched for a vocalist, but their first choice, Glenn Gregory, was unavailable (Gregory eventually became the lead singer of their later band Heaven 17). Ware then decided to invite an old school friend, Philip Oakey, to join the band. Oakey was working as a hospital porter at the time and was known on the Sheffield social scene for his eclectic dress sense. Although he had no musical experience, Ware thought he would be ideal as lead singer for The Future as "he already looked like a pop star." When Ware called on Oakey he found he was out, so asked him to join The Future by leaving a note stuck to his front door.[7] He accepted the invitation, but early sessions were awkward. Oakey had never sung in front of an audience before, could not play keyboards and only owned a saxophone (which he could not play). Listening to one of Ware and Marsh's demos, Oakey was inspired to write some lyrics which later became the single "Being Boiled".
With a new line-up, sound and vocalist, Ware decided that the band needed a new name. It would also allow them to approach record companies again from a different angle. Ware suggested a quote derived from the game Starforce: Alpha Centauri, a science fiction wargame. In the game, 'The Human League' arose in 2415 A.D, and were a frontier-oriented society that desired more independence from Earth. Ware suggested that The Future rename themselves after the game and in early 1978 The Future became The Human League.
Using Future material, The Human League released a demo tape to record companies under their new name. The tape contained versions of "Being Boiled", "Toyota City", and "Circus of Death". Ware's friend Paul Bower of Sheffield new wave band 2.3 who had just recorded a single for Bob Last's Edinburgh based independent label Fast Product took their demo to Last and he signed the band.
The band released their first single, "Being Boiled", in June, 1978 which became Fast Product's third release. Although a limited release - because it was so unique and at odds with everything else on the market - it was picked up on by NME who championed the band, although one guest reviewer, Johnny Rotten of punk band Sex Pistols condemned the band as "trendy hippies."[9]
Boosted by critical praise, on 12 June 1978 the band played their first live gig together at Bar 2 in Sheffield's Psalter Lane Art College (now Sheffield Hallam University; a plaque now commemorates the spot in what is now a computer suite.)
With their reliance on technology and tape machines, the band had been nervous about playing live. After the Psalter Lane performance, they worried that they had appeared static and uninspiring. A friend of Oakey's who had been in the audience, Philip Adrian Wright, who also had an art and photography background was invited to become the band's Director of Visuals with a remit to "liven up" the stage performance with slides, film clips and lighting.
The band's live performances began to gain momentum and acclaim and they were asked to support first The Rezillos (featuring future band member Jo Callis), then Siouxsie and the Banshees as early as September 1978. In December, 1978 David Bowie appeared in the audience and later declared to NME that he "had seen the future of pop music."[7] Later, the hit song by The Undertones, "My Perfect Cousin", contained a dig at the perceived "arty" Human League in the lyric:
"His mother bought him a synthesiser/Got the Human League in to advise her/Now he's making lots of noise/Playing along with the art school boys"[10]
In April, 1979 The Human League released their first EP under Fast Record entitled The Dignity of Labour, which contained four experimental instrumentals. Although the EP barely charted, major record labels began approaching the band in an attempt to lure them away from Fast. Eventually in May, 1979, the band accepted an offer by Richard Branson's Virgin Records. Because of his label's early support, the band offered Bob Last the position as band manager.[7]
In June, 1979 The Human League supported Iggy Pop on his European tour before settling into recording their first single for Virgin. Despite being promised creative freedom, Virgin instead insisted on some sweeping changes to the band's style for their first single in order to make it more commercial. They insisted on conventional instruments and vocals as well as synthesizers. Because the band had accepted a large financial signing advance, Ware was in no position to refuse, but insisted that any releases in this style be credited to a pseudonym.[7]
The band's first single under Virgin Records was the disco influenced "I Don't Depend on You", released in July, 1979 under the pseudonym "The Men". The single did not chart and had very little in common with the previous work of The Human League. It did, however, feature prophetic female vocals by guest vocalists Lisa Strike and Katie Kissoon sounding like the yet-to-be-formed future Human League of 1981.[11]
Because the imposed style had not worked, Virgin permitted the band to return to their original style and the band recorded and released their first full studio album Reproduction in August, 1979. The album and the single "Empire State Human" failed to make any impact on the charts. After these flops, Virgin cancelled the band's December, 1979 tour. By this time, The Human League's role as UK electronic pioneers was usurped by Gary Numan when his single "Are 'Friends' Electric?" became a huge hit in the UK in mid-1979.[7]
In April, 1980 the band was able to release an EP entitled Holiday '80, containing the principal track "Marianne" and a cover of "Nightclubbing" (written by Bowie and Iggy Pop). The seven inch version of "Holiday '80" did well enough to get the band their first TV appearance on BBC TV Top of the Pops on 8 May 1980 opening a Peter Powell presented show with Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2". This was to be the only high profile TV appearance by the Oakey/Marsh/Ware trio on British television, with the sole exception of BBC2's Mainstream programme in late 1979, where a performance in the studio, complete with slideshow etcetera, was broadcast of the tracks "The Path Of Least Resistance" and the current minor hit "Empire State Human".
In May, the band toured the UK. Philip Adrian Wright was now playing incidental keyboards in addition to his visuals role. It was the last time all four members performed together live. Also in May, the band released their second studio album Travelogue. More commercial sounding than Reproduction, it peaked at #16 in the UK, giving the band their first real success. As a result, "Empire State Human" was re-released and the band made their second appearance on Top of the Pops even though it only reached #62 in the singles chart.
Because of their lack of commercial success, Virgin refused to release further singles from Travelogue. The Human League was booked to conduct a tour of the UK and Europe in October - November, 1980 but the lack of success after two years of hard work and perceived lack of faith by Virgin set about severe internal conflict within the band.
Empire State Human
www.youtube.com/watch?v=apnRojgtmXs&feature=related
The Human League are an English electronic new wave band formed in Sheffield, England in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.
The only constant band member since 1977 is vocalist and songwriter Philip Oakey. Originally an avant-garde all-male synthesizer-based group, they evolved into a commercially successful synthpop outfit under Oakey's leadership, yielding the group's biggest-selling album, Dare (1981). Since 1987, the band has essentially been a trio of Oakey and long-serving female vocalists Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley (who joined the band in 1980), with various sidemen. The Human League has influenced many electro-pop, other synthpop, and mainstream acts including Madonna, La Roux, Moby,[1] Pet Shop Boys[2] and Little Boots.[3] They have been sampled and covered by various artists including Utah Saints, Ministry of Sound, Craig David, George Michael, KMFDM, and Robbie Williams.[4]
Since 1978, The Human League have released nine studio albums and twenty-six singles. They have had four albums and eight singles in the UK Top Ten, one of which was #1 (two in the US) and they have played over 350 live concerts. The band have sold more than 20 million records worldwide.
Before adopting the name The Human League, the band briefly had two previous incarnations.[7] In early 1977, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh who had met at youth arts project Meatwhistle were both working as computer operators, and combined a love of pop music (such as glam rock and Tamla Motown) with avant-garde electronic music acts such as German group Kraftwerk. With the price of electronic components dropping in the mid 1970s, previously unaffordable equipment was now in the range of the average consumer. Ware and Marsh saved their money and purchased a Korg 700S synthesizer between them and set about learning how to play it.[8] Their musical reputation spread and they were invited to play at a friend's 21st birthday party. For the party, Ware and Marsh formed themselves into an informal band called The Dead Daughters. Their live highlight was a rendition of the theme of the British TV series Doctor Who.[7]
After a few more low-key, private performances, Ware and Marsh decided to form a proper band. Joined by their friend Adi Newton and another synthesizer (a Roland System-100), they formed The Future and began to create music in their own rehearsal facility in a disused cutlery workshop in the centre of Sheffield. Although The Future were never signed and released no material commercially at the time, a collection of demos from this period was released retrospectively on CD in 2002 titled The Golden Hour of the Future, mixed by Richard X.[7] The association with Adi Newton was short; Newton left The Future and went on to form Clock DVA. Ware at this point decided that he needed a singer rather than another keyboard player. The reason for this was twofold: record companies had been reluctant to sign The Future, as they couldn’t offer any "marketable" songs, and therefore a decent singer was required for any chance of commercial success; also the group only owned two synthesizers and could not afford a third.[7]
Ware and Marsh searched for a vocalist, but their first choice, Glenn Gregory, was unavailable (Gregory eventually became the lead singer of their later band Heaven 17). Ware then decided to invite an old school friend, Philip Oakey, to join the band. Oakey was working as a hospital porter at the time and was known on the Sheffield social scene for his eclectic dress sense. Although he had no musical experience, Ware thought he would be ideal as lead singer for The Future as "he already looked like a pop star." When Ware called on Oakey he found he was out, so asked him to join The Future by leaving a note stuck to his front door.[7] He accepted the invitation, but early sessions were awkward. Oakey had never sung in front of an audience before, could not play keyboards and only owned a saxophone (which he could not play). Listening to one of Ware and Marsh's demos, Oakey was inspired to write some lyrics which later became the single "Being Boiled".
With a new line-up, sound and vocalist, Ware decided that the band needed a new name. It would also allow them to approach record companies again from a different angle. Ware suggested a quote derived from the game Starforce: Alpha Centauri, a science fiction wargame. In the game, 'The Human League' arose in 2415 A.D, and were a frontier-oriented society that desired more independence from Earth. Ware suggested that The Future rename themselves after the game and in early 1978 The Future became The Human League.
Using Future material, The Human League released a demo tape to record companies under their new name. The tape contained versions of "Being Boiled", "Toyota City", and "Circus of Death". Ware's friend Paul Bower of Sheffield new wave band 2.3 who had just recorded a single for Bob Last's Edinburgh based independent label Fast Product took their demo to Last and he signed the band.
The band released their first single, "Being Boiled", in June, 1978 which became Fast Product's third release. Although a limited release - because it was so unique and at odds with everything else on the market - it was picked up on by NME who championed the band, although one guest reviewer, Johnny Rotten of punk band Sex Pistols condemned the band as "trendy hippies."[9]
Boosted by critical praise, on 12 June 1978 the band played their first live gig together at Bar 2 in Sheffield's Psalter Lane Art College (now Sheffield Hallam University; a plaque now commemorates the spot in what is now a computer suite.)
With their reliance on technology and tape machines, the band had been nervous about playing live. After the Psalter Lane performance, they worried that they had appeared static and uninspiring. A friend of Oakey's who had been in the audience, Philip Adrian Wright, who also had an art and photography background was invited to become the band's Director of Visuals with a remit to "liven up" the stage performance with slides, film clips and lighting.
The band's live performances began to gain momentum and acclaim and they were asked to support first The Rezillos (featuring future band member Jo Callis), then Siouxsie and the Banshees as early as September 1978. In December, 1978 David Bowie appeared in the audience and later declared to NME that he "had seen the future of pop music."[7] Later, the hit song by The Undertones, "My Perfect Cousin", contained a dig at the perceived "arty" Human League in the lyric:
"His mother bought him a synthesiser/Got the Human League in to advise her/Now he's making lots of noise/Playing along with the art school boys"[10]
In April, 1979 The Human League released their first EP under Fast Record entitled The Dignity of Labour, which contained four experimental instrumentals. Although the EP barely charted, major record labels began approaching the band in an attempt to lure them away from Fast. Eventually in May, 1979, the band accepted an offer by Richard Branson's Virgin Records. Because of his label's early support, the band offered Bob Last the position as band manager.[7]
In June, 1979 The Human League supported Iggy Pop on his European tour before settling into recording their first single for Virgin. Despite being promised creative freedom, Virgin instead insisted on some sweeping changes to the band's style for their first single in order to make it more commercial. They insisted on conventional instruments and vocals as well as synthesizers. Because the band had accepted a large financial signing advance, Ware was in no position to refuse, but insisted that any releases in this style be credited to a pseudonym.[7]
The band's first single under Virgin Records was the disco influenced "I Don't Depend on You", released in July, 1979 under the pseudonym "The Men". The single did not chart and had very little in common with the previous work of The Human League. It did, however, feature prophetic female vocals by guest vocalists Lisa Strike and Katie Kissoon sounding like the yet-to-be-formed future Human League of 1981.[11]
Because the imposed style had not worked, Virgin permitted the band to return to their original style and the band recorded and released their first full studio album Reproduction in August, 1979. The album and the single "Empire State Human" failed to make any impact on the charts. After these flops, Virgin cancelled the band's December, 1979 tour. By this time, The Human League's role as UK electronic pioneers was usurped by Gary Numan when his single "Are 'Friends' Electric?" became a huge hit in the UK in mid-1979.[7]
In April, 1980 the band was able to release an EP entitled Holiday '80, containing the principal track "Marianne" and a cover of "Nightclubbing" (written by Bowie and Iggy Pop). The seven inch version of "Holiday '80" did well enough to get the band their first TV appearance on BBC TV Top of the Pops on 8 May 1980 opening a Peter Powell presented show with Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2". This was to be the only high profile TV appearance by the Oakey/Marsh/Ware trio on British television, with the sole exception of BBC2's Mainstream programme in late 1979, where a performance in the studio, complete with slideshow etcetera, was broadcast of the tracks "The Path Of Least Resistance" and the current minor hit "Empire State Human".
In May, the band toured the UK. Philip Adrian Wright was now playing incidental keyboards in addition to his visuals role. It was the last time all four members performed together live. Also in May, the band released their second studio album Travelogue. More commercial sounding than Reproduction, it peaked at #16 in the UK, giving the band their first real success. As a result, "Empire State Human" was re-released and the band made their second appearance on Top of the Pops even though it only reached #62 in the singles chart.
Because of their lack of commercial success, Virgin refused to release further singles from Travelogue. The Human League was booked to conduct a tour of the UK and Europe in October - November, 1980 but the lack of success after two years of hard work and perceived lack of faith by Virgin set about severe internal conflict within the band.