The Human League
- Ian Craig Marsh
- Adi Newton
- Joanne Catherall
- Susan Ann Sulley
The Human League are a British New Wave band that was primarily known for their hit Do not You Want Me in winter 1981/1982. It is one of the pioneers of electronic pop music.
- 2.1 Studio albums
Band History
After some early musical experiments in the experimental music scene in Sheffield Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh formed the band The Future in June 1977. Initially, Adi Newton was also a member, but shortly thereafter got out again to form the band Clock DVA. As a singer Phil Oakey now was added, a former classmate of Martyn Ware, and the band was called off in October 1977 for a term from the board game " Star Force " " The Human League ". In support of their live show with visual effects art student Adrian Wright was added as a fourth member of the band.
The great success (1981-1986)
With this lineup were The Human League to one of the fundamental bands of the New Romantic scene. The next singles, " Love Action " (7/ 81) and " Open Your Heart " (10/ 1981) have been top 10 hits, the album " Dare! " (10/ 1981) to a milestone of the genre. In particular, the single "Do not You Want Me " (12/ 1981) became a worldwide hit.
It was followed by other hit singles like " (Keep Feeling) Fascination" (4/ 1983) or the guitar-based "The Lebanon ". The band was not able already with her 1984 album "Hysteria " to the earlier successes. This was mainly due to the quieter sound of this album, while the general trend in electronic pop music in 1984 went more towards metallic and sampled sounds ( see Depeche Mode - People Are People, Duran Duran - Wild Boys, Bronski Beat - Why? ).
The Human League can be described as a pioneer of today, in the electronic music with successful artists almost obligatory, remix albums. Appeared in 1982 with Love and Dancing is one of the first remix albums in pop history. The album included by Martin Rushent, the former producer of the band, together mixed instrumental versions of successful Human League songs. It does not appeared here under the band name The Human League but probably as a nod to Barry White's The Love Unlimited Orchestra backing band under the name The League Unlimited Orchestra.
With the single human, the band had one last major hit, the the now successful U.S. producers from Minneapolis, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis -produced, in the summer of 1986. The Human League is the first "white" band, with whom have worked the U.S. producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
In recent years, The Human League are as a live band again very active and there were adaptations of their old hits, such as by George Michael, who built his song " Shoot the Dog" on a Human League - sample. Situated on London's Q Awards show The Human League in 2004 received the "Q Innovation In Sound Award" for her contributions to electronic music. The concerts of their European tour opened in 2007, the band for the first time with the complete songs of the '81 classic Dare before further hits and favorites followed. In German-speaking only a date was set: On December 17, the trio performed at the Cologne Live Music Hall. " Being Boiled " was included in the list Wire The Wire 's " 100 Records That Set The World On Fire (While No One Was Listening ) ".
In 2010 the band signed with the label Wall of Sound and announced at the same time a new album, which was released in March 2011 under the title credo.
Discography
Studio albums
Awards
- ASCAP Award 2008: for " 20 Million U.S. Radio Plays" ( Do not You Want Me)
- Q Award 2004: in the category "Innovation in sound"