The Human League

Electronic pioneers The Human League were formed in Sheffield at the height of punk by computer operators Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. Inspired by the likes of Kraftwerk, Roxy Music and disco producer Giorgio Moroder, they recruited Martyn's schoolfriend Philip Oakey as lead singer and local art student Adrian Wright to handle slides and other visuals.

The group were swiftly signed by the influential indie label Fast Product to release their seminal debut single "Being Boiled" (1978) and were then snapped up by Virgin, for whom they produced two groundbreaking albums, "Reproduction" (1979) and "Travelogue" (1980).

Martyn and Ian then left to form Heaven 17 with Glenn Gregory, leaving Philip and Adrian to famously recruit teenagers Joanne Catherall and Susanne Sulley (now known as Susan Ann Gayle) after spotting them dancing at Sheffield's Crazy Daisy club.

With additional recruits Ian Burden and Jo Callis on synthesizers, they recorded the 5-million-selling album "Dare" (1981) which spawned worldwide hits such as "Don't You Want Me" and "Love Action", and effectively introduced synthesizers into the US mainstream. This was followed by probably the world's first remix album, "Love And Dancing" (credited to the League Unlimited Orchestra) which would have a tremendous impact on dance and remix culture.

However, the group struggled to follow "Dare" with a full studio album and their next release, "Hysteria" (1984) was patchy and coolly-received. For their next album, "Crash" (1986), US R&B producers were drafted in; the results sounded little like The Human League, though lead single "Human" provided them with a second US #1.

After the "Greatest Hits" compilation (1988), the group returned with "Romantic?" (1990), but with little commercial success. Dropped by Virgin, they finally bounced back into the UK Top 10 in 1995 with "Tell Me When" and the album "Octopus" (East West), but were dropped again within two years.

They eventually returned on Papillon in 2001 with the critically-acclaimed "Secrets" album, but with little support from the under-funded record label, the album sank without trace, leaving the group little choice but to resort to the nostalgia package tours they detest in order to stay afloat in 2002.

However, the League's influence continues to be felt on the current electro scene, with artists such as Ladytron, Felix Da Housecat, Ex-Rental and Les Rythmes Digitales all citing them as an important influence, and bootleggers such as Richard X (Girls On Top) and Frenchbloke & Son releasing stunning records based on the League's work.