THE HUMAN LEAGUE are a British New Wave band first formed in 1977 and, after a change in line up, achieved huge popularity in the 1980s. They have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success in the 1990s and 2000s.
Originally a synthesizer-based group from Sheffield, the only constant band member since the Human League formed in 1977 is vocalist and songwriter Philip Oakey. Today, the Human League still are recording and performing. The group now is presented as a trio of Oakey and long-serving female vocalists Joanne Catherall and Susan Anne Sulley.
Over the years, the Human League has been sampled and covered by various artists including George Michael and Robbie Williams. The band has been a huge influence for many electro-pop acts including early Depeche Mode, Madonna, Moby, and other bands.
The electronic duo SOFT CELL – singer, showman and lyricist Marc Almond and electronics whizz and producer Dave Ball – forged their creative bond in the art department of Leeds Polytechnic in 1977. They went on to achieve huge success in the 1980s, when they topped the UK singles chart with Tainted Love, sold over 21 million records, notched up one platinum album and two gold ones, and changed the course of pop by paving the way for a host of other synth-based acts, including Yazoo, Eurythmics, Tears for Fears, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure. With their songs covered by Marilyn Manson, David Gray and Nine Inch Nails, they also made music that has firmly stood the test of time. With personal and commercial pressures ultimately taking a toll, Marc and Dave began a 17-year hiatus in 1984, bringing Soft Cell’s first chapter to an end, but they subsequently reunited for two years in the 2000s for live gigs and a new album, Cruelty Without Beauty, before again going their separate ways to resume successful solo careers.
What was intended to be Soft Cell’s 2018 farewell at The O2 instead sparked a major career revival. The overwhelming fan response and Dave and Marc’s renewed creative chemistry led to a "third coming" for the band, spanning new music, live tours, and a series of CD and vinyl reissues of their early albums
Despite the challenges of remote recording during the pandemic, their 2022 album, *Happiness not included, became a critical and commercial success. Produced by Dave Ball and Phillip Larsen, the record blended sophisticated electronics with Marc Almond’s globally-minded lyrics. It secured the band’s first UK Top 10 album in nearly four decades, proving Soft Cell remains as influential and re-energized as ever.
Known for her bluesy contralto, ALISON MOYET is an English singer and songwriter who was formerly the other half to the duo that was Yazoo. The three-time BRIT Award winner has released nine studio albums and sold over a million singles and twenty three million albums.
