Electronic (band)
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Bernard Sumner, Johnny Marr |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Manchester , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Electronic was an English alternative dance supergroup formed by vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner (from New Order) alongside guitarist Johnny Marr (formerly of the Smiths). Between 1989 and 1998, the duo co-created the majority of their songs, collaborating early on with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys for three tracks, and later working with ex-Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos on nine compositions in 1995.
History
Sumner and Marr's paths first crossed in 1984 when Marr contributed guitar to a track by Quando Quango, which Sumner was producing. By 1988, Sumner, frustrated by New Order's reluctance to embrace synth programming, intended to craft a solo project but ultimately sought collaboration, leading him to partner with Marr.
Their concept drew inspiration from contemporary dance genres such as Italo house and artists like Technotronic. Initially, they aimed to anonymously release white label records on Factory, distancing themselves from their established names. This approach is embodied in the track "Lucky Bag" and the choice of the band's name, Electronic.
The debut single "Getting Away with It", launched in December 1989, achieved sales nearing 350,000 copies. The drums were performed by David Palmer of ABC, complemented by string arrangements from Anne Dudley. The single entered the US Top 40 in spring the following year, facilitating a support tour with Depeche Mode in August 1990. Building on this momentum, Sumner and Marr oriented their style toward a more commercial sound that blended synthesizers, guitars, and analogue equipment within an alternative rock structure.
Electronic
Eighteen months after releasing "Getting Away with It", and following a year of dedicated studio work, their debut album Electronic was unveiled to critical praise and domestic commercial achievement. It featured the Top 10 hit "Get the Message" alongside the Top 40 track "Feel Every Beat". Globally, the album exceeded one million copies sold.
Merging elements of rock, pop, and dance music, Electronic invited renowned DJs such as Danny Rampling, DNA, and Mike Pickering to remix their singles and other tracks—a practice they maintained throughout their career.
After this initial success, Marr and Sumner engaged in separate projects with The The and New Order before reuniting with Neil Tennant in 1992 to release their highest-charting single "Disappointed".
Raise the Pressure
The recording sessions for their second album commenced in late 1994 with former Kraftwerk percussionist and songwriter Karl Bartos joining the duo. Released in July 1996 through Parlophone in the UK and Warner Bros. internationally, Raise the Pressure fused dance rhythms with guitar-driven sounds. Some reviewers felt that its lush production overshadowed the songwriting. The album spawned UK singles including "Forbidden City" (No. 14), "For You" (No. 16), and the more dance-oriented "Second Nature" (No. 35).
Twisted Tenderness
Opting not to tour for Raise the Pressure, Electronic swiftly moved on to their third album to avoid extended recording periods, emphasizing quick songwriting and demo creation. They expanded to a traditional four-piece lineup by incorporating bassist Jimi Goodwin of Doves and drummer Ged Lynch from Black Grape. The resulting album, Twisted Tenderness, received favorable critical reception despite not reaching the commercial heights experienced during their early 1990s peak.
Current status
Although neither Sumner nor Marr has officially ended the band, both have moved on to separate endeavors. In 2003, Marr described the group as having reached "its natural conclusion" and expressed contentment with the way it wrapped up. After the final album, Sumner returned to New Order and later established Bad Lieutenant in 2009. Marr engaged in collaborations with several artists such as The Healers, Pet Shop Boys, The Cribs, and Modest Mouse, while also releasing solo records.
In January 2006, Marr and Sumner appeared alongside Doves at the Manchester v Cancer charity event. That September saw the release of the compilation Get the Message – The Best of, which experienced limited promotion and moderate sales, peaking at number 194 in the UK charts. In July 2013, Sumner joined Marr at Jodrell Bank to perform "Getting Away With It" during Marr’s support slot for New Order.
Members
- Bernard Sumner – vocals, guitar, keyboards (1988–2001)
- Johnny Marr – guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards (1988–2001)
Collaborators
- Neil Tennant – vocals, keyboards, guitar (1989–1994)
- Chris Lowe – keyboards (1989–1994)
- Karl Bartos – percussion, synthesizers, vocals (1994–1995)
- Jimi Goodwin – bass, vocals, keyboards (1996–1999) [TV Performances and Twisted Tenderness]
- Ged Lynch – drums, percussion (1996–1999) [TV Performances and Twisted Tenderness]
- Phil Cunningham – guitar (1999) [For TV Performances]
Studio albums
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | CAN | US | |||
| Electronic |
|
2 | 42 | 66 | 109 |
|
| Raise the Pressure |
|
8 | 94 | 31 | 143 |
|
| Twisted Tenderness |
|
9 | 78 | — | — | |
| "—" indicates a release that did not chart or was unavailable in that region. | ||||||
Compilation albums
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK | ||
| Get the Message – The Best of Electronic |
|
194 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Chart rankings | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | GER | IRE | NLD | SWE | US | US DCP | US DMS | US Alt | |||||
| "Getting Away with It" | 1989 | 12 | 40 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 7 | 13 | 4 |
|
Electronic | |
| "Get the Message" | 1991 | 8 | 71 | 37 | — | 60 | — | — | 8 | 15 | 1 | |||
| "Feel Every Beat" | 39 | 156 | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | 27 | ||||
| "Disappointed" | 1992 | 6 | — | 20 | 17 | 77 | 14 | — | 10 | 6 | 9 | "Songs from the Cool World" | ||
| "Forbidden City" | 1996 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 31 | "Raise the Pressure" | ||||||
| "For You" |
16 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|||||
| "Second Nature" | "1997" | "35" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | ||
| "Vivid" | "1999" | "17" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "Twisted Tenderness" | ||
| "Late at Night" (withdrawn) | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "Twisted Tenderness" | |||
Promotional singles
| Title | Year | Chart rankings | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Alt | |||
| "Tighten Up" | 1991 | 6 | Electronic |
| "Until the End of Time" | 1997 | — | Raise the Pressure |
Music videos
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Getting Away with It" | Chris Marker |
| 1990 | "Getting Away with It" (US Version) | Greg Copeland and Judith Briant |
| 1991 | "Get the Message" | Gunther Deichman |
| "Feel Every Beat" | Peter Scammell | |
| 1992 | "Disappointed" | Howard Greenhalgh |
| 1996 | "Forbidden City" | Tom Merriton |
| "For You" | Richard Heslop | |
| 1999 | "Vivid" | Nick Wood |
| "Late at Night" | Jason Smith | |
| "Late at Night" (Version 2) | Jason Smith |