ELECTRONIC

Random and bite-sized facts on all things on the mythical band Electronic. Totally random but totally fascinating if you're into it. Do you know Electronic now?

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Electronic Began as Bernard Sumner's Side Project

Electronic began in 1988 when New Order's Bernard Sumner wanted to make music outside the restrictions of his existing band. He initially approached Johnny Marr for help, and their shared enthusiasm for dance music gradually developed into a full songwriting partnership.

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Sumner and Marr Had Met Before Electronic

Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr were not complete strangers when they began working together. Their paths had crossed during the 1980s, including a session connected with Quando Quango, the Manchester group associated with Factory Records.

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The Initial Plan Was to Release White Labels

Electronic originally considered issuing a few thousand white-label records without revealing who was responsible. Sumner and Marr wanted the music to be judged independently of their reputations with New Order and The Smiths. Their eventual success made the anonymous approach impossible to sustain.

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Electronic's Name Reflected Its Musical Approach

The group's name suited a project built around synthesiser programming, sequencers and electronic rhythms rather than the traditional guitar-band format. Although Johnny Marr was famous for his guitar playing, he was keen to explore programming and other musical possibilities that had received less attention in The Smiths.

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Italian House Was an Important Influence

Sumner and Marr shared an interest in contemporary dance music, including Italian house. Their enthusiasm for club records helped shape Electronic's sound, which combined the rhythmic precision of dance music with melodic songwriting and recognisable guitar parts.

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Johnny Marr Had a Background as a Manchester DJ

Before becoming internationally famous with The Smiths, Marr had worked as a DJ in Manchester. His record collection extended well beyond guitar music, with funk and disco among his interests. This background helped explain why he was comfortable working on a project so closely connected to dance music.

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Neil Tennant Helped Bring the Debut Single to Life

Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant became involved after learning that Sumner and Marr were working together. A session arranged with Tennant and Chris Lowe led to "Getting Away With It", Electronic's debut single, released in December 1989.

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The Debut Single Was Made Before the Album Was Ready

Although "Getting Away With It" appeared in 1989, Electronic's self-titled debut album did not arrive until May 1991. The single had created considerable interest, but the pair still had much of the album to develop and complete.

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Getting Away With It Reached Number 12 in Britain

Electronic's first single became a substantial hit, reaching number 12 on the UK singles chart. It also attracted attention in the United States, establishing that the collaboration could succeed commercially as well as artistically.

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David Palmer Played Drums on Getting Away With It

The debut single featured drummer David Palmer, associated with ABC. His contribution added a human rhythmic performance to a recording otherwise strongly identified with electronic programming and synthesiser textures.

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Anne Dudley Arranged the Strings

Anne Dudley of Art of Noise arranged the strings on "Getting Away With It". Her involvement helped give the track its sweeping orchestral dimension, contrasting with the programmed rhythms and understated vocals.

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The Pet Shop Boys Were More Than Guest Vocalists

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe contributed to Electronic's early recordings as musicians and collaborators. Their involvement extended beyond singing on "Getting Away With It", with Tennant and Lowe also participating in the writing and performance of material for the debut album.

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The First Album Was Recorded at Clear Studios

Much of Electronic's debut album was recorded at Clear Studios in Manchester, Johnny Marr's own studio. Having access to their own working environment gave the musicians considerable freedom to experiment with arrangements and revisit material without the pressure of a conventional studio booking.

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The Album Took Around 200 Days to Complete

In an interview with *Sound On Sound* in 1991, Bernard Sumner said the debut album took approximately 200 days from beginning to end. The long period reflected the musicians' other commitments, breaks between sessions and the time needed to become familiar with one another's working methods.

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The Songs Were Not Necessarily Demoed First

Sumner explained that the duo kept their arrangements on computer for as long as possible rather than producing conventional finished demos. This allowed them to change keys and alter arrangements after the vocal melodies and lyrics had been developed.

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Some Vocals Were Recorded Without Rehearsal

The duo sometimes recorded vocal performances immediately after the words had been written. Sumner explained that they would still spend time finding the right feel, but the approach helped preserve spontaneity rather than turning every performance into a heavily rehearsed exercise.

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Computer Technology Was a Creative Tool

Sumner rejected the suggestion that computer-based music automatically lacked human feeling. He described computers as modern recording tools that helped musicians write and arrange songs, rather than machines capable of producing a successful record without musical ideas behind them.

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The Debut Album Used an Extensive Range of Equipment

Sumner's 1991 equipment list included an Akai S1000 sampler, Korg T3, Roland Juno-106, Yamaha DX5, Moog Source and Roland TR-909 drum machine. The variety of instruments illustrates how Electronic combined sampled sounds, analogue synthesisers and programmed percussion.

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The Voyetra Eight Was a Particular Favourite

Among the instruments Sumner listed for the debut album was the Voyetra Eight analogue synthesiser. He praised its sound but complained that it could be difficult to program. His comments offer a glimpse of the practical challenges involved in making computer-assisted electronic music in the early 1990s.

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The Recording Software Did Not Always Behave

Sumner also discussed problems with the sequencing software used during the debut album sessions. He was particularly frustrated by programs that did not function reliably, pointing out that musicians expected their electronic equipment to work properly rather than obstruct the recording process.

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The Mill Provided a Change of Recording Environment

The duo moved some work to The Mill, a residential recording studio near Slough that had previously been associated with Jimmy Page. The larger facilities, Neve mixing desk and 32-track digital recording equipment provided a different environment for material requiring additional musicians and more space.

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The Patience of a Saint Had a Separate Recording History

"The Patience of a Saint", featuring Neil Tennant, was recorded largely at a different studio from much of the debut album. Sumner explained that it began at Marr's Clear Studios before the work moved to The Mill, reflecting the practical requirements of the larger collaboration.

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Donald Johnson Contributed Drums

Donald Johnson, associated with A Certain Ratio, played drums on Electronic's debut album. His involvement connected the project with another important part of Manchester's Factory Records musical community.

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Denise Johnson Added Vocals

Singer Denise Johnson contributed to the debut album. Known for her work within Manchester's music scene, she provided an additional vocal presence alongside Sumner, Marr and the Pet Shop Boys collaborators.

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Helen Powell Brought Classical Instrumentation to the Album

Helen Powell, a player associated with the Royal College of Music, contributed oboe to the debut recording. Her involvement illustrates that Electronic's music was not created entirely from synthesiser sounds and sampled instruments.

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Owen Morris Worked as the Engineer

Owen Morris engineered Electronic's debut album. He would subsequently become particularly well known for his work with Oasis, making his contribution to this early-1990s electronic pop project an interesting detail in his career.

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Andrew Robinson Contributed Additional Programming

Andrew Robinson provided additional programming during the debut album's production. Although Sumner and Marr were the central creative partnership, the finished recordings involved other specialists whose work helped realise the duo's arrangements.

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Idiot Country Was Tested at the Hacienda

Sumner and Marr developed their music in the same Manchester environment where club culture was transforming the city's musical identity. The Hacienda provided an important reference point for their dance-oriented approach, and Sumner would sometimes return from the club with friends to hear work in progress at Marr's studio.

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Bez Helped the Duo Find the Right Tempo

Johnny Marr recalled playing "Idiot Country" while Happy Mondays' Bez was visiting the studio. When Marr noticed that Bez was not dancing, he slowed the track down until he began to shuffle. The anecdote illustrates how the pair tested their rhythmic ideas against actual movement rather than relying entirely on studio judgement.

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Electronic Played Dodger Stadium in 1990

Electronic supported Depeche Mode at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in August 1990. The performance gave the group an opportunity to play developing material to a large audience before their debut album had been released.

Some Debut Album Tracks Were Performed Before Release

During the 1990 Depeche Mode support shows, Electronic played developing versions of songs including "Idiot Country", "Tighten Up", "Soviet", "Get the Message" and "Try All You Want". The performances provide evidence that much of the debut album's material was taking shape well before its 1991 release.

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Try All You Want Was Played as an Instrumental

"Try All You Want" was among the songs Electronic performed during their 1990 appearances supporting Depeche Mode. At that stage, the song was played instrumentally, illustrating how the group's live material could exist in an unfinished form while the arrangements and vocal ideas continued to develop.

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Get the Message Became One of Their Best-Known Songs

Released in 1991, "Get the Message" became one of Electronic's defining tracks. Its combination of Marr's guitar, Sumner's electronic arrangements and a strong pop melody demonstrated the central idea behind the project: dance-oriented production did not have to sacrifice traditional songwriting.

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The Get the Message Video Was Shot in the Maldives

The promotional video for "Get the Message" was filmed in the Maldives. The tropical setting offered a striking visual contrast with the industrial and urban imagery often associated with Manchester's alternative music scene.

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Electronic Retained Control of Its Visual Presentation

Sumner explained in 1991 that he and Marr wanted control over the photography and sleeve artwork associated with the debut album. This was part of the broader independence they sought from the expectations and established working practices surrounding their previous bands.

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The Debut Album Reached Number Two in Britain

Electronic's self-titled album was released in May 1991 and reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. Its success demonstrated that the collaboration could attract a substantial audience despite the pair's original intention to release anonymous dance records.

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Electronic Was Released on Factory Records in Britain

The debut album appeared on Factory Records in the UK. The label was closely associated with New Order and the Hacienda, making it a natural home for Sumner's new project, while international editions appeared through other record companies.

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Gangster Had Origins in an Earlier Sumner Project

" Gangster", from the debut album, had roots in an abandoned solo album Sumner had started working on during the mid-1980s. The track therefore predated Electronic itself, demonstrating that the group's catalogue included ideas that had developed over several years rather than being written entirely from scratch.

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Reality Predated the Debut Album Sessions

"Reality" was written around 1988, when Sumner and Marr first began working together. Its early origins show that their partnership was already producing material well before Electronic became a fully established recording act.

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Sumner Saw Electronic as an Ongoing Project

In 1991, Sumner described Electronic as an ongoing project that could operate alongside New Order. He did not initially present it as a replacement for his established band, but as a separate outlet that allowed him to pursue musical ideas that might not fit New Order's working arrangements.

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Johnny Marr Wanted to Escape the Guitar-Hero Label

Marr said that he wanted to show listeners he was more than a guitar player. Electronic gave him the opportunity to work with programming and electronic textures, challenging the narrow expectations created by his celebrated guitar work in The Smiths.

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Raise the Pressure Took Five Years to Appear

Electronic's second studio album, "Raise the Pressure", was released in 1996, five years after the debut. The gap reflected the members' other commitments and the changing circumstances surrounding the project rather than a continuous run of album releases.

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Karl Bartos Joined the Second Album Project

Karl Bartos, formerly of Kraftwerk, contributed to Electronic's second album, "Raise the Pressure". His involvement brought another major figure from electronic music into the project and expanded the collaboration beyond the original Sumner–Marr partnership.

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For You Was One of the Second Album's Singles

"For You" was released as a single from "Raise the Pressure". The song continued Electronic's approach of placing strong pop melodies within arrangements shaped by synthesiser programming and guitar, even as the group's sound developed during the five-year interval between albums.

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Forbidden City Was Another Electronic Single

"Forbidden City" was released in 1996 and became one of Electronic's notable singles. It showed that the group continued to pursue melodic electronic pop rather than abandoning the approach that had brought them early commercial success.

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Twisted Tenderness Arrived in 1999

Electronic released their third studio album, "Twisted Tenderness", in 1999. It followed another substantial gap between albums and represented the final studio album issued under the Electronic name.

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Twisted Tenderness Featured a Different Supporting Line-Up

By the time of "Twisted Tenderness", Electronic's recordings involved musicians beyond Sumner and Marr, including bassist Jimi Goodwin and drummer Ged Lynch. Their contributions helped give the later material a more band-oriented performance dimension alongside the electronic programming.

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Electronic's Career Spanned Three Studio Albums

Between 1991 and 1999, Electronic released three studio albums: "Electronic", "Raise the Pressure" and "Twisted Tenderness". Their output was relatively small compared with New Order and The Smiths, but the project allowed Sumner and Marr to explore musical ideas across a decade without following a conventional annual album cycle.

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The Project Was Built Around Creative Independence

Sumner repeatedly described independence as the central idea behind Electronic. He and Marr could develop a track separately, change an arrangement without waiting for the other musician, or pursue an idea that would not necessarily fit their main bands. That freedom was one of the project's defining characteristics.

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Electronic Brought Together Two Different Musical Histories

Sumner brought experience of Joy Division and New Order, including their development from post-punk into electronic dance music. Marr brought the intricate guitar style that had defined The Smiths, together with a wider interest in funk, disco and programming. Electronic's distinctive sound emerged from the meeting of those backgrounds.

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The Group Never Became a Conventional Full-Time Band

Electronic operated alongside the members' other commitments rather than replacing them. Sumner continued to work with New Order, while Marr pursued collaborations and other musical projects. This arrangement helped preserve Electronic as a flexible outlet, although it also contributed to the long gaps between its albums.

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Electronic's Legacy Extends Beyond Its Hit Singles

Although "Getting Away With It" and "Get the Message" remain the group's best-known recordings, Electronic's three albums document a wider exploration of guitar, synthesiser and dance music. The project offered Sumner and Marr a way to experiment outside their established bands and helped connect Manchester's alternative music culture with the electronic pop of the 1990s.

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