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The Human League came into being in 1977. The group was united in their quest to create avant-garde, fresh, electronic music that relied on the technology of their day. The group began to gain traction and popularity after they hired a Director of Visuals and began including video clips and extreme lighting within their sets. The sheer entertainment value coupled with the fresh sounds of singles such as “Being Boiled” won the group the beginnings of their following, but this fan base grew exponentially with the release of “Don’t You Want Me”.
The Human League are considered to have started the second wave British Invasion of the United States after their breakthrough single “Don’t You Want Me” went to number one in the US and multiple countries around the world. The song and the band inspired multiple new wave artists and exploded the electronic, avant-garde music scene.
The band has released nine studio albums since 1979. Five were top 20 hits in the UK and two were top 40 hits in the US. The band’s most successful album was 1981’s “Dare” which hit the number one spot in the UK, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada and peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart. It was this album that contained the platinum selling single “Don’t You Want Me” as well as “Open Your Heart” and “Love Action (I Believe In Love)”.
Having sold more than 20 million records world wide, the band has certainly been influential on individuals and bands worldwide. Bands such as Moby and the Pet Shop Boys as well as Little Boots all attribute their sound and style to The Human League. The Human League has toured extensively across the globe and in 2007 they toured with a performance of the set list from their hit album “Dare”. Fans were so excited for this special performance that the band managed to sell out nearly every date. One thing’s for certain, when it comes to any live performance from The Human League: they’ve still got it!
Prior to the earliest incarnation of Bananarama, Bristol-natives Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin had been friends since the age of four. Dallin subsequently studied fashion journalism in London, which is where she met fellow-student Siobhan Fahey, whom shared her interest in punk-rock. The three soon became a formula for success with the trio performing early impromptu sets at gigs for the likes of The Monochrome Set, Iggy Pop, and The Jam in the late 1970s. By 1981 Bananarama’s members were housed above a rehearsal room used by then-Sex Pistol members Steve Jones and Paul Cook, who helped the group record and release their debut cover single “Aie a Mwana” in 1981.
The single found its way to the to a number of label executives, however Bananarama ultimately signed with Decca Records, whom they remained with until 1993. After hearing their debut single “Aie a Mwana”, Fun Boy Three member Terry Hall invited the trio to contribute vocals to their single “T’ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It)”. The single rose to the Top 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and propelled the group to mainstream recognition. The group’s debut full-length album “Deep Sea Skiving” appeared in 1983 and peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart, led by the Top 5 hit singles “Really Saying Something”, “Shy Boy”, and “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”. The album also peaked at No. 63 on the U.S. chart, however Bananarama were considered more of a cult band in the States.
The band’s self-titled sophomore album charted at No. 16 on the UK Albums Chart in 1984, however is notably marked by social commentary on drug culture and social apathy among other topics. Spawning the singles “Hotline to Heaven”, “Rough Justice”, “Robert De Niro’s Waiting”, and their U.S. breakthrough single “Cruel Summer”, the record was received favourably by critics. After appearing on the Band Aid single “Do They Know Its Christmas?” in 1984, the group released the single “Do Not Disturb” in 1985 raising the anticipation for their subsequent release.
1986’s “True Confessions”, spawned Bananarama’s international breakthrough single “Venus”, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 upon release. Also finding the top spot in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, and Italy, the record earned the band an unprecedented level of exposure. The full-length “Wow!” followed in 1987, which found notable success in Australia for its Europop sound, following which, due to tensions in the group Fahey left after its release. Fahey went on to become one half of the duo Shakespeare’s Sister, and Bananarama subsequently invited Jacquie O’Sullivan to fill the spot. In 1991 the group released the studio album “Pop Life”, followed by “Please Yourself” in 1993, and “Ultra Violet” in 1995. In 1998 Fahey returned for a special one-off reunion for the cover of the ABBA track “Waterloo”, before Dallin and Woodward released Bananarama’s eighth studio album “Exotica” in 2001.
The Human League started out as an experimental electronic band obsessed with science fiction and the prophetic dystopian novels of JG Ballard. Despite their extreme eccentricity and tendencies to defy conventions they ended up as a huge pop success. They deserved every bit of it. They were a group that created demand; not one which acted as a means to fill it. They anticipated the future of pop music and expressed it to its fullest potential.
The Human League entered into the mainstream, but approached it in a completely unorthodox manner. If they were to play the game of becoming pop sensations they were going to do it their way. If you go to one of their shows you will not see a stage with guitarists, bass players and drummers, but rather one filled with synths, dancers and a wildly idiosyncratic singer (that of course being Philip Oakley). Well maybe you will find a drummer at the performance (i.e. Rob Barton); however he will not be playing an acoustic set. The instrumentation of the Human League is all electronic and they do not intend to abandon that trait.
But times have changed and the band has gone in different directions. Founding member Ian Craig Marsh went on to form the equally reputable synth-pop group Heaven 17 and every other member left except Oakey and the two extraordinary vocalist (Joanne Catherall and Susan Sulleey). The Human League is still keeping at it and are releasing consistently good material.
New tracks such as the club thumping "Night People" are heavily rotated in their setlist and you better believe that they will play the timeless single "Don't You Want Me". The stage presence of the band is formal but characteristically off-kilter and the light designs are state of the art. Their sets often include abstract videos that really compliment the futuristic tone of the band. The Human League have not only proven themselves as artists whose material can stand the test of time, but have shown that they can adapt with and influence current trends in music.
Bananarama is an all-female English pop band that was formed in London, England in the year 1979. They are most famously known for their songs "Venus" and "Cruel Summer". The band has released ten studio records since their creation.
I first had the chance to watch Bananarama perform live in 2010 in Alton Towers, United Kingdom. They performed at an outdoor venue in broad daylight so there were no visuals and there were also no props. There was plenty of room for an audience and plenty of fans showed up to watch the band perform.
I am pretty sure everyone who showed up had an excellent time because the crowd would erupt with cheers after every song. The whole concert was a great experience because of both the ability of the band and the passionate and fun audience. The audience really erupted in to cheers after they performed their most popular song, "Venus".
The interaction between the band and the audience really put this concert on another level compared to the other concerts I have previously attended by other bands. I would gladly watch this band perform again! Anyone who has a chance to watch them perform should certainly take that opportunity and you will have the time of your life!