Techno Twins
Encyclopedia
The Techno Twins were a British
electronic music
duo in the 1980s.
and Bev Sage, formed in 1977. In the 1990s, Mixmag
magazine credited the Techno Twins with coining the phrase 'techno' and starting the techno music revolution.
Separating from the band Writz, the duo decided that they would combine old songs with modern electronic sounds, and in December 1982 they were signed by PRT Records. Their debut single
was a cover
of "Falling in Love Again", and the song received airplay and critical acclaim from the press. It peaked at #70 in the UK Singles Chart
, their only appearance in any UK
chart
. An album
, Technostalgia followed, made up of songs from the 1930s and 1940s, and some self composed songs with Dave Hewson. Later in the year "Can't Help Falling in Love" was released.
In 1983, following the name change to 'The Technos', the single "Foreign Land" produced by Joe Glasman
was released, and reached the Top 10 of the US
Hot Dance Club Play
chart. It became a particular hit in West Coast gay clubs. Later that year, The Technos began work with the producer Anne Dudley
, and recorded an album at AIR Studios.
In early 1984, the single "Nighttime Heaven" was released, along with a board game
invented by Steve Fairnie called "Hype", a rock and roll
career game. In August 1984, their last single, "Spirit Of The Thing", was released.
Sage was guest vocalist on the Modern Romance
song "Queen Of The Rapping Scene (Nothing Goes The Way You Plan)", which reached #37 in 1982 in the UK Singles Chart. It was performed on Top Of The Pops
that year.
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...
electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
duo in the 1980s.
Career
The band, consisting of husband-wife duo Steve FairnieSteve Fairnie
Steve Fairnie was a British musician, painter, sculptor, actor, board game designer and chicken hypnotist, best known as the frontman of the post-punk band Writz, and as one half - with his wife Bev Sage - of the 1980s pop outfit Techno Twins .-Career:Born in Fraserburgh and raised in Bristol,...
and Bev Sage, formed in 1977. In the 1990s, Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
magazine credited the Techno Twins with coining the phrase 'techno' and starting the techno music revolution.
Separating from the band Writz, the duo decided that they would combine old songs with modern electronic sounds, and in December 1982 they were signed by PRT Records. Their debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Falling in Love Again", and the song received airplay and critical acclaim from the press. It peaked at #70 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 ...
, their only appearance in any 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...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. An album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Technostalgia followed, made up of songs from the 1930s and 1940s, and some self composed songs with Dave Hewson. Later in the year "Can't Help Falling in Love" was released.
In 1983, following the name change to 'The Technos', the single "Foreign Land" produced by Joe Glasman
Joe Glasman
Joe Glasman is a British musician, record producer and composer. He produced the album 7000 Danses by French rock band Indochine, as well as the 1983 single 'Foreign Land' by the Techno Twins. He now works as a composer for film and television....
was released, and reached the Top 10 of the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart. It became a particular hit in West Coast gay clubs. Later that year, The Technos began work with the producer Anne Dudley
Anne Dudley
Anne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
, and recorded an album at AIR Studios.
In early 1984, the single "Nighttime Heaven" was released, along with a board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
invented by Steve Fairnie called "Hype", a rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
career game. In August 1984, their last single, "Spirit Of The Thing", was released.
Sage was guest vocalist on the Modern Romance
Modern Romance (band)
Modern Romance were a British pop music band that found popularity in the early 1980s. Formed in 1980 by previous members of an earlier punk rock band, The Leyton Buzzards, the band enjoyed a string of UK chart hits before they broke up in 1985...
song "Queen Of The Rapping Scene (Nothing Goes The Way You Plan)", which reached #37 in 1982 in the UK Singles Chart. It was performed on Top Of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
that year.
Singles
- 1981: Techno Twins - "Falling in Love Again" b/w "Donald & Julie Go Boating"
- 1981: Techno Twins - "Can't Help Falling in Love" b/w "Kings & Queens of Pleasure"
- 1982: Techno Twins - "Swing Together" b/w "Beautiful Women in Bermuda Shorts"
- 1983: The Technos - "Foreign Land"
- 1984: The Technos - "Hype" b/w "Nightime Heaven"
- 1984: The Technos - "Spirit of the Thing" b/w "Visions of the Night"
- 1985: The Technos - "Falling in Love Again" b/w "Prisoner of Love"
- 1985: The Technos - "Foreign Land"
Albums
- 1982: Techno Twins - Technostalgia:
- "Swing Together (I Want to be Loved By You/In the Mood)"
- "Beautiful Women in Bermuda Shorts"
- "Gone With the Wind"
- "Hi-Tech"
- "Donald & Julie Go Boating"
- "I Got You Babe"
- "Falling in Love Again"
- "Romantic Nights"
- "Kings & Queens of Pleasure"
- "Can't Help Falling in Love"
- "Angels of Mercy"
- 1982: Techno Orchestra - Casualtease
- "Let There Be Neon"
- "Mechanical Ballet"
- "Berlin Ballerina"
- "Observation"
- "Techno Refugee"
- "Lunatic Republic"
- "When Is Pleasure Pain?"
- "Boy"
- "Lily Marlene"
- "Military Business (Muscle Culture II)"
- 1983: Various Artists - Curious Collection (compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
)- Pietro Dinzee - "When You Get What You Wanted"
- Famous Names - "You're The Cream in my Coffee"
- Steve Rowles - "Venetian Blind"
- Steve Fairnie - "Button Up"
- Bev Sage - "Blind Girl"
- Nick Battle - "Big Boy"
- Early Warning - "Escape From Emotion"
- Click - "Touch Too Much"
- P.S. Personal - "Compassion"
- Writz - "Downtown"
- Techno Orchestra - "Dance On"
- Crocodile Tears - "Angel Station"
- 1985: The Technos - Foreign Land
- "Falling In Love Again"
- "Spirit of the Thing"
- "Prisoner of Love"
- "Crying in the Rain"
- "Visions Of The Night"
- "Foreign Land"
- "Nightime Heaven"
- "Lunatic Republic"
- "Clowns on the Ground"
- "Slowboats to China"
- 1988: The Technos - Songs For A Nervous World
- "Friends & Frontiers"
- "Dare to Dance"
- "Share Food Like The Bees"
- "Beat The Wings"
- "Mechanical Ballet"
- "Half A Story"
- "War: One Voice"
- "Pioneer's Song"
- "Walk Into The Light"
- "What You Believe"