Band 4. Human League (1977-1980)
Now its easy to think of the Human league as ‘Don’t you want me’ but the band 2 years before that track. Were more experimental in nature than the later commercial efforts. Human league was formed in 1977 as a project called The Future. Which Had originally Adi Newton (clock DVA) in the line up. The Future had basic synths but its was the overall feel of the music that showed promise. Adi Newton left and the Human league performed concerts locally around Sheffield.
The original line up was Martyn Ware, Ian Marsh, Wright and Phil Oakey. The first single was ‘being Boiled’ which got them notice, but would not be a succesful single until it was re released on the back of success of the Dare album. Their first album ‘Reproduction’ featured some sparse electronic compositions amongst cover versions. The Human League was basically at this time two musicians , a vocalist and a slide show/projection. On paper it should not of worked but the early human league of this time worked on many levels.
Their was an under current with the human league . As a result of their exposure there was an expectation that success should follow. It did not quite work out like that. Singles like ‘Empire State Human’ and ‘Dignity of Labour EP’ gave the band more exposure, but their was not a crossover into the charts.
The Travelogue album followed and was followed by the Holiday 80 EP. You can see from the EP there was potential there and their was definate progression. At the moment they were due to make the crossover. Bob Fast who was the manager divided the band by his actions. So the band became two seperate bands BEF and the Human League, BEF would later become Heaven 17.
Looking back with Hindsight I feel that the Human League MK1 probably did split at the right time . As the music scene at that time was very much DIY orientated, but their was also the influence of Joy Division influencing other bands. So its hard to know where they would have fitted into the scenes and Genres around at the time.
Human League Mk2 is another story for another time. But they may have only released two albums and a few singles. But they were unique to the time and left behind a legacy of early electronic music. Almost in the vein of Girogio Moroder and Donna Summer with a bit of Kratwerk in the mix.
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