History Information Society (band)

1 history

1.1 founding , debut album
1.2 hack
1.3 peace , love, inc.
1.4 don t afraid , cleopatra records
1.5 compilations , bands reunited
1.6 oscillator, synthesizer, , modulator
1.7 _hello world
1.8 orders of magnitude
1.9 side projects

history
founding , debut album

amanda kramer – keyboardist information society 1986 1988

the band formed in harland s dorm room in dupre hall @ macalester college in saint paul, minnesota, in 1982, , performed avant-garde electronic music flourishes of hip-hop, dub, , electro. name chosen partly after ingsoc, newspeak term english socialism in dystopian novel nineteen eighty-four. in 1983 independently released 2 albums, insoc ep , creatures of influence. 2 years later released running, group s first single, became hit popular in new york city latin dance clubs , put them on map. song, 7-minute excursion electro-freestyle, written , sung murat konar, left band afterward. released on minneapolis-based label twin-tone records, known rock music rather dance music. growing success led group move native minneapolis nyc, , ensuing revenues , contacts, addition of amanda kramer lineup, led group record proper debut album tommy boy records, bought out group s twin-tone contract because of expertise in street-oriented music. kramer left band shortly after second single walking away released. insoc tommy boy act have of albums released through major-label distribution channels rather independent distribution, since label, former subsidiary of warner bros. records, had option available throughout years warner subsidiary. in case, warner sub-label reprise records distributor. group s 12-inch vinyl singles, however, distributed through independent channels.

in addition s on mind (pure energy), group’s self-titled major release debut information society (1988) produced top 10 billboard hit in walking away reached no. 5 on dance chart , no. 9 on hot 100 chart. third single, ballad repetition managed reach no. 76 on hot 100 also. fourth single album cover of abba s lay love on me hit no. 23 on dance chart , no. 83 on hot 100.

the audio samples star trek authorized use on album partially efforts of adam nimoy, fan of band , son of star trek s leonard nimoy. album sold out initial pressing in united states in 2 weeks. information society reached gold status after 5 months of release , turn platinum (1,000,000) in u.s , finish no. 25 on 200 album chart. album went platinum in brazil. disc 1 of few use cd+g, included digital graphics on compact disc version in addition music. graphics cd+g portion can seen on information society web site along computer-based information has been included on other releases. songs s on mind (pure energy) , walking away used in sampler disc bundled sega cd showcase console s cd+g capability, using same graphics album.

during time band released anonymous single (composed of 2 tracks forthcoming second album) under name think tank. years later, robb release tracks under name think tank through formerly-fictional record label hakatak.

they had song – instrumental track hit me – placed on soundtrack movie earth girls easy. 1989 information society joined club mtv tour included paula abdul, milli vanilli, tone loc, not , lisa lisa.

hack

the second release, hack (1990), wasn t successful, had top 40 hit think , went no. 5 on dance club/play songs list. how long went no. 20 on dance club/play songs list. album managed sell quite in late 1990, staying on billboard charts fourteen weeks achieving no. 77 spot. music videos produced 2 tracks, think got video airplay; adam ant-directed spot how long put aside nobody involved happy it. third single, have , remixed , sent out djs never released. in january 1991 band performed @ rock in rio ii festival in front of 190,000 fans @ maracana stadium. in 2006 video how long resurfaced on mtv.com, still viewable of 2010.

peace , love, inc.

the group’s third release, peace , love, inc. (1992), proved more powerful , critically acclaimed, although label failed promote despite featuring production karl bartos of legendary electronic band kraftwerk. first single, peace & love inc., reached no. 10 on billboard dance chart. music video produced track, mtv declined play it. album notable being perhaps first album ever produced contain track of modem tones, which, when played telephone connected computer, resulted in bonus message band.

don t afraid , cleopatra records

in 1997 band released fourth album, don t afraid (1997). written , performed kurt harland alone , produced steven seibold, dba more industrial-driven previous albums , reflected more of harland wanted during of tenure insoc. cleopatra records released album, — tommy boy records — did little promote it. harland s love of computer-related materials continued evident, album included cd-rom filled bonus material, not yet common occurrence in 1997. disc included selection of digital samples used in album s production, miscellaneous works of art insoc fans, program generate distinctive border graphics used on album s cover, , music video of peace & love, inc.

there orchestrated digital scavenger hunt culminating in discovery of bonus track called white roses. scavenger hunt began decoding modem s signal recorded @ end of audio cd, resulting in text message harland pointed way web site search began. there cover included of gary numan s friends electric? . included ozar midrashim , later used main theme videogame soul reaver. album went out of print, had second release in remastered version in 2008, time white roses included audio track.

a remix album, insoc recombinant (1999), produced, featuring vocals band s earlier hits remixed various artists. vocals songs pre-don t afraid not originals, new versions re-recorded harland alone remixers use. included on bonus, unadvertised cd-rom digital copies of band s officially-produced promotional videos, including copy of peace , love inc. video of higher quality distributed don t afraid. cd-rom, however, did not feature how long video.

compilations , bands reunited

in 2001, strange haircuts // cardboard guitars // , computer samples released including hits 1988 1992.

in 2004, cleopatra records released compilation titled pure energy. release consisted of tracks don t afraid , insoc recombinant, supplemented altered mix of friends electric? , 2 new remixes of s on mind, 1 effcee, , 1 unattributed mix labeled s on mind (pure energy) attempted emulate original tommy boy version of track. robb called album insult both band , fans. harland, despite being credited producer in liner notes, had nothing release; , while declining either endorse or un-endorse album, did take particular issue cover art, both low quality , portrayal of him holding gun. [1]

the group featured in episode of vh1 s bands reunited in november 2004. broadcast, appeared aamer haleem (host of show) got every member agree reuniting. however, kurt had declined appear in planned concert, reasons later detailed in post on band s official website. post details experiences behind scenes of production, , how differ portrayals in episode broadcast.

the vh1 show followed period of relative quiet, although harland, cassidy, , robb gave 2 performances @ weekend music festival in new york city on august 20–21, 2005.

oscillator, synthesizer, , modulator

in 2006, announced paul robb , james cassidy had decided reconvene information society without kurt harland s full participation in recording process. [2] harland s absence in studio line-up cited being due family , work obligations. harland contributed lead vocals 1 track, seeds of pain.

the new lineup included christopher anton lead vocalist on oscillator , synthesizer , co-wrote several tracks on each including title track of latter. joined sonja myers played additional keyboards , provided return female background vocals.

christopher anton performed live lead singer information society throughout 2006–2008, including shows in california, oregon, new york, new jersey, , são paulo, brazil. mid-2007, band began return original lineup of harland, cassidy, , robb, performed on july 21, 2007 @ freestyle reunion 2 concert @ madison square garden. after release of synthesizer, trio performed series of concerts in philadelphia, seattle, san francisco , austin, tx. concert in philadelphia filmed forthcoming dvd.

on 19 march 2007, information society self-released ep titled oscillator, first internet-only release – first commercial release in on 6 years. ep later released in cd format audio track , bonus cd-rom video track. includes remixes brazilian duo kain & arvy way werk (only on cd version) , in day (on both releases). followed new album, synthesizer released on october 9 in north america , october 5 in europe on dancing ferret discs. album released digitally in north america , europe on september 4, 2007. several live shows in followed album s release.

information society commissioned chiptune/micromusic artist 8 bit weapon remix way werk it. 8 bit weapon remixed song using both commodore 64 computer , game boy classic handheld console. remix titled way werk – 8 bit weapon remix. way werk remixed la-based indie promoter , electronica artist jon hershfield. remix titled werk v.2. both robb , anton have been guests on hershfield s internet radio program isgoodmusic.com.

modulator, ep of remixes synthesizer, released in digital-only format in september 2009. included in entirety on 25 years of information society dvd released later year. notable remixers on modulator ep included dave aude , tommie sunshine. modulator included live version of wrongful death , brand new song, don t touch devil kurt on vocals.

_hello world

in september 2014, information society released first album of new material featuring old harland/cassidy/robb line-up since 1992. robb , harland worked on album throughout 2013 , first half of 2014, project, still unannounced of 10/01/14.

orders of magnitude

information society released next album on march 11, 2016, again featuring old harland/cassidy/robb line-up. album features numerous covers, including dominion sisters of mercy, beautiful world devo, , don t want me human league. guest artists include vitamin c, ayria, leila mack, , gerald v. casale.

side projects

information society s members kurt harland , murat konar s brother mithat collaborated under name a.k.a. recorded 2 songs ( cruel lovin sung mithat, , ever told lies sung harland) produced harland. released few 12 singles in 1988, , 1 cd in 1991.