The Golden Hour of the Future
Encyclopedia
The Golden Hour of the Future is a compilation album of recordings made by the electronic band The Future and early recordings by the original line-up of The Human League
.
Material by The Future features Martyn Ware
, Ian Craig Marsh
and Adi Newton, who recorded around ten songs in the home studio of a recording engineer in 1977. The band compiled a demo tape from those recordings, which they played to record companies on an ill-fated trip to London. The band did not find a recording deal and Newton left the band to form Clock DVA
.
Ware and Marsh continued as The Future for a short while before deciding to recruit Ware's friend Philip Oakey
as lead vocalist. Now renamed The Human League, the trio recorded in an abandoned Sheffield factory, where they put together their first two singles for the Fast Product
label ("Being Boiled
" and "The Dignity Of Labour") as well as a number of other recordings before signing to Virgin Records
. Most of those other recordings are included on this compilation album, along with many of The Future's recordings - only those songs that were later re-recorded for Virgin were omitted from the compilation, for contractual reasons.
The album was compiled by Richard X
and released on his Black Melody label in 2002, with assistance from Human League members past and present and Sean Turner, creator of the Blind Youth website. The album was preceded by the promotional limited edition EP
Dance Like a Star
, which included four Human League recordings not featured on the album.
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
.
Material by The Future features Martyn Ware
Martyn Ware
Martyn "Teddy Bear" Ware is a British musician and music producer. He is the chairman of a local football team: PPA. As a founder member of both The Human League and Heaven 17, he was partly responsible for hit records such as "Being Boiled" and "Temptation"...
, Ian Craig Marsh
Ian Craig Marsh
Ian Craig Marsh is a former English musician. He was a founding member of the electronic band The Human League, writing and playing on their first two albums and several singles, until leaving in 1980 to form B.E.F...
and Adi Newton, who recorded around ten songs in the home studio of a recording engineer in 1977. The band compiled a demo tape from those recordings, which they played to record companies on an ill-fated trip to London. The band did not find a recording deal and Newton left the band to form Clock DVA
Clock DVA
Clock DVA are an industrial music, post-punk and EBM group from Sheffield, England. The group was formed in 1978, with two members, Adolphus "Adi" Newton and Steven "Judd" Turner. Along with contemporaries Heaven 17, Clock DVA's name was inspired by the Russian-influenced Nadsat of Anthony Burgess'...
.
Ware and Marsh continued as The Future for a short while before deciding to recruit Ware's friend Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
as lead vocalist. Now renamed The Human League, the trio recorded in an abandoned Sheffield factory, where they put together their first two singles for the Fast Product
Fast Product
Fast Product was an independent record label, established in Edinburgh by Bob Last in December 1977. Its first release was also the first single by the Mekons, released on 20 January 1978....
label ("Being Boiled
Being Boiled
"Being Boiled" is a song composed by Sheffield musicians Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, with lyrics by Philip Oakey, and recorded by them as The Human League...
" and "The Dignity Of Labour") as well as a number of other recordings before signing to Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. Most of those other recordings are included on this compilation album, along with many of The Future's recordings - only those songs that were later re-recorded for Virgin were omitted from the compilation, for contractual reasons.
The album was compiled by Richard X
Richard X
Richard Philips, best known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for artists including Annie, Kelis, Liberty X, Rachel Stevens...
and released on his Black Melody label in 2002, with assistance from Human League members past and present and Sean Turner, creator of the Blind Youth website. The album was preceded by the promotional limited edition EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Dance Like a Star
Dance Like a Star
Dance Like a Star is an EP released in the UK in September 2002. It was released by Black Melody records on behalf of the original lineup of the British synthpop band The Human League and contains very early tracks recorded in 1977 when the Human League were known briefly as The Future. All tracks...
, which included four Human League recordings not featured on the album.
Personnel and credits
- Produced by The Future and The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
- Recorded in Sheffield
- Philip OakeyPhilip OakeyPhilip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
– Vocals & synthesizer - Martyn WareMartyn WareMartyn "Teddy Bear" Ware is a British musician and music producer. He is the chairman of a local football team: PPA. As a founder member of both The Human League and Heaven 17, he was partly responsible for hit records such as "Being Boiled" and "Temptation"...
– Vocals & synthesizer - Ian Craig MarshIan Craig MarshIan Craig Marsh is a former English musician. He was a founding member of the electronic band The Human League, writing and playing on their first two albums and several singles, until leaving in 1980 to form B.E.F...
– Synthesizer & devices - Adi Newton – Vocals
- Cover design by Designers Republic
Track listing
- "Dance Like A Star" 4:48 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Looking For The Black Haired Girls" 3:40 (Ware/Marsh/Newton) [The Future]
- "4JG" 4:36 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Blank Clocks" 3:20 (Ware/Marsh/Newton) [The Future]
- "Cairo" 3:08 (Ware/Marsh/Newton) [The Future]
- "Dominion Advertisement" 0:25 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Dada Dada Duchamp Vortex" 5:49 [The Future]
- "Daz" 3:40 (Ware/Marsh/Newton) [The Future]
- "Future Religion" 3:44 (Ware/Marsh/Newton) [The Future]
- "Disco Disaster" 5:06 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Interface" 2:59 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "The Circus Of Dr Lao" 3:58 (Oakey) [Philip Oakey]
- "Reach Out (I’ll Be There)" 3:55 (Holland/Dozier) [The Human League]
- "New Pink Floyd" 2:14 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Once Upon A Time In The West" 1:53 (Morricone) [The Human League]
- "Overkill Disaster Crash (V.1)" 2:02 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Year Of The Jet Packs" 5:26 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]
- "Pulse Lovers" 4:02 (Ware/Marsh/Newton) [The Future]
- "King Of Kings" 1:56 (Rozsa) [The Human League]
- "The Last Man On Earth" 10:01 (Ware/Marsh/Oakey) [The Human League]