Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Encyclopedia
Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave
band
created in 1982 by the former Generation X
bassist Tony James
. The band had three UK
Top 40 hit single
s, including the song "Love Missile F1-11
".
Tony James decided to form a "fantasy band" after leaving Generation X and playing in Lords of the New Church
. He recruited Neal X
(Whitmore) via an advert in Melody Maker
, and then set about recruiting a singer. After considering approaching Andrew Eldritch
and Annie Lennox
, he recruited Martin Degville
after meeting him in the YaYa clothes shop in Kensington Market
where he was working. Degville was a clothes designer and supplied the band's wardrobe, and YaYa became the band's base. Early names considered for the band included Sperm Festival and Nazi Occult Bureau, and they had not decided on a name by the time they played their first concert, supporting Johnny Thunders
in Paris. James' former Gen X colleague and then drummer for Thunders, Mark Laff, played that first gig with the band.
On their return to London, they recruited drummers Ray Mayhew and Chris Kavanagh, both of whom acquired drum kits from former drummers for the Clash
, Topper Headon
and Terry Chimes
respectively. There was a further Clash link, with Mick Jones
working with the band as live sound engineer. At the suggestion of Fatchner O'Kelly, manager of The Boomtown Rats
who had provided much of the band's equipment, the band adopted the name Sigue Sigue Sputnik - a reference to a Russia
n street gang (which was said to translate as "burn, burn satellite", though the word "sigue" does not exist in Russian). They also recruited Degville's YaYa co-worker Yana (real name Jane Farrimond) to play keyboards.
The band's sound was, according to James, arrived at by accident, when he inadvertently mixed elements of film soundtracks with their demo track "Love Missile F1-11" while putting together a video compilation from his favourite films.
, with several record companies sending representatives to their next performance at the Electric Cinema in London, and they were invited to perform on The Tube
. The band were signed by EMI
, with the contract reported to be worth anywhere between 1.5 million US dollars and 4 million pounds. The band's first single, the Giorgio Moroder
-produced "Love Missile F1-11", was released in February 1986, and reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart
, and was a major hit in several countries in Europe and Asia. Its popularity was boosted by its inclusion in the John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off
. The samples used in the single had not received copyright clearance, and were replaced in the US version. The follow-up, "21st Century Boy" reached number 20 in the UK and, despite largely negative reviews, the album that followed, Flaunt It
, again with Moroder at the controls, went top ten in the UK, and also reached number 96 in the US. The album included paid commercials between tracks, James stated prior to its release that they would sell 20-30 second advertising slots for between $2,500 and $7,000. He explained this by saying "commercialism is rampant in society. Maybe we're a little more honest than some groups I could mention," and "our records sounded like adverts anyway". Advertisements that did sell (including spots for i-D Magazine
and Studio Line from L'Oréal
) were complemented by ironic spoof ads including one for the Sputnik corporation itself claiming that "Pleasure is our Business". A subsequent tour was characterised by poor ticket sales and crowd violence.
It was two years before the band followed this up, and subsequent releases fared less well. The Pete Waterman
-produced "Success" peaked at number 31 in late 1988 and the singles that followed peaked outside the top 40. Second album Dress for Excess
peaked at number 53 in the UK but sold well in Brazil. The band split up in July 1989, with James joining The Sisters of Mercy
later that year. Chris Kavanagh went on to Big Audio Dynamite II joining Mick Jones. Mayhew formed Mayhem Deranged. Degville claimed to have spent the next few years travelling and making a couple of "specialist" porn films.
A collection of early demo recordings from 1984 and 1985, along with three tracks from 1990, First Generation, was released in 1991.
. James later formed the group Carbon/Silicon
with Mick Jones.
The themes and imagery in the band's songs were often influenced by futuristic, dystopian or post-apocalyptic films such as A Clockwork Orange
, The Terminator
, Blade Runner
and the Mad Max
trilogy. Visually, their image included fishnet masks and brightly-coloured wigs.
The band's music and image and inspiration also mashed together a range of other pop culture influences, including the electronica influences of Suicide
, and the New York Dolls
. Former Tronics member Zarjaz has also been identified as an influence.
Compilations:
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
created in 1982 by the former Generation X
Generation X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
bassist Tony James
Tony James
Tony James is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik.- Career :He was originally a member of the punk band London SS, along with Brian James, , and Mick Jones plus Terry Chimes .Later, James joined the early punk band Chelsea...
. The band had three UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Top 40 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s, including the song "Love Missile F1-11
Love Missile F1-11
"Love Missile F1-11" is a song by British synthpop band Sigue Sigue Sputnik released in March 1986 as the first single from their debut album Flaunt It. It was the band's biggest hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart...
".
Early years
The Lords of the New Church
The Lords of the New Church were an English/American post-punk supergroup with a line-up consisting of four musicians from prominent 1970s punk bands...
. He recruited Neal X
Neal X
Neal X was the guitarist with the British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik. They had a #3 UK hit single with "Love Missile F1-11" in 1986. He has also worked as a sideman for Adam Ant and Marc Almond...
(Whitmore) via an advert in Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, and then set about recruiting a singer. After considering approaching Andrew Eldritch
Andrew Eldritch
Andrew Eldritch is the English frontman, singer, songwriter and only remaining original member of The Sisters of Mercy, a band that emerged from the British post-punk scene, transformed into a gothic rock band and, in later years, flirted with pop and hard rock.Eldritch also programs the tracks...
and Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
, he recruited Martin Degville
Martin Degville
Martin Degville was the lead singer and co-songwriter of the UK pop-cyberpunk band, Sigue Sigue Sputnik - which had a worldwide hit single in 1986 with "Love Missile F-1-11" - and six other EMI single releases...
after meeting him in the YaYa clothes shop in Kensington Market
Kensington Market
Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Market is an older neighbourhood and one of the city's most well-known. In November 2006, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Robert Fulford wrote in 1999 that "Kensington...
where he was working. Degville was a clothes designer and supplied the band's wardrobe, and YaYa became the band's base. Early names considered for the band included Sperm Festival and Nazi Occult Bureau, and they had not decided on a name by the time they played their first concert, supporting Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
in Paris. James' former Gen X colleague and then drummer for Thunders, Mark Laff, played that first gig with the band.
On their return to London, they recruited drummers Ray Mayhew and Chris Kavanagh, both of whom acquired drum kits from former drummers for the Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, Topper Headon
Topper Headon
Headon was extensively interviewed for the Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten documentary film about the late Clash frontman. He related his experiences during this period, how he became addicted to heroin and how there were problems before his dismissal...
and Terry Chimes
Terry Chimes
Terry Chimes was the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He originally played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again from May 1982 to February 1983. He was the drummer for Hanoi Rocks in 1985, before the band broke-up that same year...
respectively. There was a further Clash link, with Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
working with the band as live sound engineer. At the suggestion of Fatchner O'Kelly, manager of The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats were an Irish punk rock band that had a series of Irish and UK hits between 1977 and 1985. They were led by vocalist Bob Geldof.-Biography:All six members were originally from Dún Laoghaire, Ireland...
who had provided much of the band's equipment, the band adopted the name Sigue Sigue Sputnik - a reference to a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n street gang (which was said to translate as "burn, burn satellite", though the word "sigue" does not exist in Russian). They also recruited Degville's YaYa co-worker Yana (real name Jane Farrimond) to play keyboards.
The band's sound was, according to James, arrived at by accident, when he inadvertently mixed elements of film soundtracks with their demo track "Love Missile F1-11" while putting together a video compilation from his favourite films.
Commercial success (1984–1989)
Interest in the band increased sharply in 1984 after James was interviewed by the NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, with several record companies sending representatives to their next performance at the Electric Cinema in London, and they were invited to perform on The Tube
The Tube (TV series)
The Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme, which ran for five seasons, from 5 November 1982 until 1987...
. The band were signed by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, with the contract reported to be worth anywhere between 1.5 million US dollars and 4 million pounds. The band's first single, the Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
-produced "Love Missile F1-11", was released in February 1986, and reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and was a major hit in several countries in Europe and Asia. Its popularity was boosted by its inclusion in the John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
. The samples used in the single had not received copyright clearance, and were replaced in the US version. The follow-up, "21st Century Boy" reached number 20 in the UK and, despite largely negative reviews, the album that followed, Flaunt It
Flaunt It (album)
Flaunt It is the debut album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik. The album featured a remix of their hit single "Love Missile F1-11", used in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; as well as "21st Century Boy". Flaunt It was unique in that the band auctioned off spots between...
, again with Moroder at the controls, went top ten in the UK, and also reached number 96 in the US. The album included paid commercials between tracks, James stated prior to its release that they would sell 20-30 second advertising slots for between $2,500 and $7,000. He explained this by saying "commercialism is rampant in society. Maybe we're a little more honest than some groups I could mention," and "our records sounded like adverts anyway". Advertisements that did sell (including spots for i-D Magazine
I-D
i-D is a British magazine dedicated to fashion, music, art and youth culture. i-D was founded by designer and former Vogue art director Terry Jones in 1980. The first issue was published in the form of a hand-stapled fanzine with text produced on a typewriter...
and Studio Line from L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
) were complemented by ironic spoof ads including one for the Sputnik corporation itself claiming that "Pleasure is our Business". A subsequent tour was characterised by poor ticket sales and crowd violence.
It was two years before the band followed this up, and subsequent releases fared less well. The Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
-produced "Success" peaked at number 31 in late 1988 and the singles that followed peaked outside the top 40. Second album Dress for Excess
Dress for Excess
Dress for Excess is the second album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in 1988 .-Track listing:All songs by Martin Degville, Tony James and James Whitmore unless noted# "Albinoni Vs. Star Wars, Pts...
peaked at number 53 in the UK but sold well in Brazil. The band split up in July 1989, with James joining The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
later that year. Chris Kavanagh went on to Big Audio Dynamite II joining Mick Jones. Mayhew formed Mayhem Deranged. Degville claimed to have spent the next few years travelling and making a couple of "specialist" porn films.
A collection of early demo recordings from 1984 and 1985, along with three tracks from 1990, First Generation, was released in 1991.
Reunions
In 1995, James and X formed a new version of the band with singer Christopher Novak, John Green (keyboards), and former Gen-X guitarist Derwood. Their song "Cyberspace Party" was a major hit in Japan, and an album, Sputnik: The Next Generation, was released there, selling 50,000 copies. The band split up again but reformed in 1998, this time with Degville back on vocals and with Claudia Cujo on drums, as Sputnik 2.0. They reformed again in 2001 with Degville and Neal X, which resulted in the release of Piratespace. In 2004, Degville left the band to pursue a solo career, and has performed as Sputnik2, Sputnik2 The Future, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic (SSSE). Neal X has been playing with Marc AlmondMarc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
. James later formed the group Carbon/Silicon
Carbon/Silicon
Carbon/Silicon is a punk rock duo consisting of two experienced punk rock musicians: Mick Jones formerly of The Clash and former Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik member Tony James. The band formed around 2002.-Career:...
with Mick Jones.
Image
James claimed that he had chosen his bandmates for their looks, and the band's slogan was "Fleece the World". James billed the band as "Hi-tech sex, designer violence, and the fifth generation of rock 'n' roll".The themes and imagery in the band's songs were often influenced by futuristic, dystopian or post-apocalyptic films such as A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (film)
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
, The Terminator
The Terminator
The Terminator is a 1984 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, co-written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr., and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton. The film was produced by Hemdale Film Corporation and distributed by Orion Pictures, and filmed in Los...
, Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
and the Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
trilogy. Visually, their image included fishnet masks and brightly-coloured wigs.
The band's music and image and inspiration also mashed together a range of other pop culture influences, including the electronica influences of Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
, and the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
. Former Tronics member Zarjaz has also been identified as an influence.
Members
- Tony JamesTony JamesTony James is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik.- Career :He was originally a member of the punk band London SS, along with Brian James, , and Mick Jones plus Terry Chimes .Later, James joined the early punk band Chelsea...
- space guitar (Roland G-707) - Martin DegvilleMartin DegvilleMartin Degville was the lead singer and co-songwriter of the UK pop-cyberpunk band, Sigue Sigue Sputnik - which had a worldwide hit single in 1986 with "Love Missile F-1-11" - and six other EMI single releases...
- vocals - Neal XNeal XNeal X was the guitarist with the British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik. They had a #3 UK hit single with "Love Missile F1-11" in 1986. He has also worked as a sideman for Adam Ant and Marc Almond...
- guitar (Gibson ES-295) - Ray MayhewRay MayhewRay Mayhew in Southampton is an English drummer and singer/songwriter, best known for being a member of the group Sigue Sigue Sputnik.He left Sigue Sigue Sputnik around 1990 and formed the group Mayhem Deranged....
- electro drums (Simmons SDS-7) - Chris KavanaghChris KavanaghChris Kavanagh is an English drummer, best known for playing in Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Big Audio Dynamite II....
- electro drums (Simmons SDS-7) - Yana YaYa (Jane Farrimond) - space echo (Roland RE-201)
Albums
- 1986 Flaunt ItFlaunt It (album)Flaunt It is the debut album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik. The album featured a remix of their hit single "Love Missile F1-11", used in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; as well as "21st Century Boy". Flaunt It was unique in that the band auctioned off spots between...
- UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#10 - 1988 Dress for ExcessDress for ExcessDress for Excess is the second album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in 1988 .-Track listing:All songs by Martin Degville, Tony James and James Whitmore unless noted# "Albinoni Vs. Star Wars, Pts...
- UK #53 - 2001 Piratespace
- 2002 Blak Elvis vs. The Kings of Electronic Rock and Roll
- 2003 Ultra Real
Compilations:
- 1990 The First GenerationThe First GenerationThe First Generation is a compilation album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in 1990 .-Track listing:# "Rockit Miss USA " - 6:57# "Sex Bomb Boogie " - 4:07...
- 1997 The First Generation - Second EditionThe First Generation - Second EditionThe First Generation - Second Edition is a compilation album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in 1997 .-Track listing:# "Rockit Miss USA"# "Sex Bomb Boogie"# "21st Century Boy"# "Teenage Thunder"# "She's My Man"...
- 1998 The Ultimate 12" Collection
- 1999 Flaunt ItFlaunt It (album)Flaunt It is the debut album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik. The album featured a remix of their hit single "Love Missile F1-11", used in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; as well as "21st Century Boy". Flaunt It was unique in that the band auctioned off spots between...
+ Dress for ExcessDress for ExcessDress for Excess is the second album by British band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, released in 1988 .-Track listing:All songs by Martin Degville, Tony James and James Whitmore unless noted# "Albinoni Vs. Star Wars, Pts...
- French single CD edition of both albums (minus "Success" and "Dancerama"). - 2000 Sci-Fi Sex Stars
- 2001 21st Century Boys: The Best of Sigue Sigue Sputnik
- 2003 The First Generation - Vid Edition
- 2008 1984 Flaunt It: Demos and More
Singles
- 1986 "Love Missile F1-11" (UK sleeve) - K Singles Chart|UK
- 1986 "Sci-Fi Sex Stars"
- 1988 "Success" - UK #31
- 1989 "Albinoni vs. Star Wars" - UK #75
- 1989 "Dancerama" - UK #50
- 1989 "Rio Rocks"
- 2001 "Love Missile F1-11" (Westbam remix)
- 2002 "Everybody Loves You"
- 2004 "Grooving With Mr. Pervert"
Other album appearances
- 2000 Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna - Volume Two
- 2000 Don't Blow Your Cover: A Tribute to KMFDM
- 2000 Covered In Nails: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails
- 2001 A Gothic-Industrial Tribute to The Smashing PumpkinsA Gothic-Industrial Tribute to The Smashing PumpkinsA Gothic–Industrial Tribute to The Smashing Pumpkins is a 2001 tribute album, featuring a variety of artists covering songs from the American alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins.-Track listing:# "Rhinoceros" – Günter Schulz & En Esch...
Videography
Videos- 1986 Love Missile F1-11
- 1986 21st Century Boy
- 1986 Sex Bomb Boogie
- 1988 Success
- 1988 Dancerama
- 1988 Albinoni vs Star Wars
- 1988 Rio Rocks
- 2002 Everybody Loves You
- 2003 Live in Tokyo - DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....