Portion Control (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Dean Piavani, Ian Sharp, John Whybrew |
| Headquarters | South London , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Electronic and industrial music recordings |
| Website | www |
Portion Control is an electronic and industrial music group originating from South London, established in 1979. The founding members remained active until 1987; following a short stint under the name Solar Enemy, the band regrouped in 2002.
They were trailblazers in sampling technology, particularly utilizing the Greengate DS3 system based on the Apple II computer. Their innovative approach left a mark on artists including Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy, Orbital, and Nine Inch Nails.
History
Formed in 1979 by Dean Piavani, Ian Sharp, and John Whybrew, Portion Control derived their name from Whybrew’s background in catering school, selecting it for its neutral implication.
Their debut release was the cassette-only A Fair Portion (1980), succeeded by three additional cassettes issued through In Phaze Records: Gaining Momentum, Private Illusions No 1 (both 1981), and With Mixed Emotion (1982). These early self-produced recordings featured artwork created by hand and employed cost-effective electronic gear such as the ARP Axxe synthesizer and Roland CR-78 drum machine.
In November 1982, they launched their first full-length vinyl album, I Staggered Mentally, under In Phaze. This record earned underground acclaim for its pioneering use of the Roland TB-303 synthesizer well before it gained traction in acid house and techno genres. Following this, a series of 12" singles—"Raise the Pulse," "Rough Justice," and "Go Talk"—demonstrated a transition towards a more dance-oriented sound.
In January 1984, Portion Control recorded a session for John Peel’s radio show. The same year saw the release of Step Forward, which introduced a more tuneful style and led to an opportunity to open for Depeche Mode on tour.
By the late 1980s, under the management of Tom Watkins, the band signed with London Records and collaborated with producer Arthur Baker. Despite this, the label ultimately rejected Dean Piavani’s vocal delivery, resulting in an abandoned project and ending their association after two years of development.
Solar Enemy
Due to difficulties with London Records and over two years of inactivity, the group adopted the name Solar Enemy to restart their career. Gary Levermore of Third Mind Records, who had previously expressed interest in signing Portion Control, played a key role in this change. Solar Enemy promptly released the single "Techno Divinity," which featured a sound that was less vocal-heavy and softer compared to Portion Control’s earlier work. They produced two albums—one released through Third Mind Records and another via T.E.Q. Music—that attained moderate recognition within club circuits before disbanding in 1993.
Re-formation
After their Solar Enemy period with T.E.Q. Music, plans were made to reissue several Portion Control works, culminating in the 1994 compilation The Man Who Did Backward Somersaults. Following a period of inactivity, Piavani and Whybrew revived Portion Control in 2002 and independently released the reunion album Wellcome in 2004. At this stage, they transitioned exclusively to software instruments, moving away from their original analog equipment sound. Between 2004 and 2012, they consistently produced new albums; after releasing Pure Form in 2012, their output slowed to mainly compilations and live recordings. The band made a comeback in 2020 with the full-length album Head Buried alongside the "SEED" EP series.
Influences and style
Although often linked with pioneering industrial groups like SPK and Chris & Cosey, Portion Control acknowledges punk and post-punk bands such as Wire and The Pop Group as their main inspirations. They referred to their initial sound as "electropunk", highlighting their punk roots while distancing themselves from more "hippyish" movements. By 2015, they described their musical approach as "electro punk infused with elements of EBM and industrial." Their early recordings featured a blend of analog synthesizers (including Roland and Moog) alongside software and modular samplers like the Apple II-based Greengate DS:3 and Akai S-series units. Following their reunion, the band transitioned to fully digital configurations, employing software synthesizers and midi controllers to recreate the essence of their original analog tones.
Music scholar S. Alexander Reed observed that their initial sound merged with the darker atmospheres found in Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle, incorporating harsh distortion reminiscent of Esplendor Geometrico. Their subsequent releases showcase a fusion of dancefloor-ready tracks with more experimental, soundtrack-inspired pieces, illustrating a progression in their artistic direction.
Legacy
Portion Control's impact can be seen across numerous industrial and electronic artists, such as Skinny Puppy, Orbital, and Nine Inch Nails. In the liner notes for the anthology The Man Who Did Backward Somersaults, Bill Leeb from Front Line Assembly acknowledged them as a significant influence on his creative output.
Members
- Current
- Dean Piavani (1979–1987, 2002–present)
- John Whybrew (1979–1987, 2002–present)
- Former
- Ian Sharp (1979–1987)
- Andy Wilson (1979–1980)
Studio albums
- A Fair Portion cassette-only (1980, Ladelled Music)
- Gaining Momentum cassette-only (1981, In Phaze Records)
- Private Illusions No 1 cassette-only (1981, In Phaze Records)
- With Mixed Emotion cassette-only (1982, In Phaze Records)
- I Staggered Mentally (1982, In Phaze Records)
- Shot in the Belly cassette-only (1983, Third Mind Records)
- ..Step Forward (1984, Illuminated Records)
- Psycho-Bod Saves the World (1986, Dead Man's Curve)
- Wellcome (2004, self-released)
- Dissolve (2004, Catalyst)
- Filthy White Guy (2006, self-released)
- Onion Jack IV (2007, self-released)
- Slug (2008, self-released)
- Violently Alive (2010, Sigsaly Transmissions)
- Pure Form (2012, Other Sounds)
- Unrest in the Grime (2014, Minimal Maximal)
- Head Buried (2020, self-released)
Singles
- "Across the Fence" flexi-disc (1981, In Phaze Records)
- "Raise the Pulse" 7"/12" (1982, Illuminated Records)
- "Rough Justice" 12" (1984, Illuminated Records)
- "Go-Talk" 12" (1984, Illuminated Records)
- "The Great Divide" 7"/12" (1985, Rhythmic Records)
EPs
- Dining on the Fresh cassette-only (1981, In Phaze Records)
- Surface and Be Seen 12" (1982, In Phaze Records)
- Hit the Pulse 12" (1983, In Phaze Records)
- Purge 12" (1986, Dead Man's Curve)
- Code 11 digital release (2003, self-released)
- Stansted 7"/CD (2005, self-released)
- SEED EP1 digital release (2020, self-released)
- SEED EP2 digital release (2021, self-released)
- SEED EP3 digital release (2021, self-released)
Live recordings
- Assault (1986, For All and None)
- Live in Europe (Spain⦁UK⦁Sweden) (1987, Big Noise in Archgate)
- Live Granada 1985 (2014, Wet Dreams)
Collections and compilations
- Simulate Sensual (1983, In Phaze Records)
- The Man Who Did Backwards Somersaults (1994, T.E.Q. Music?)
- Archive (2006, independently released)
- Solar Enemy vs. Portion Control (2008, Bastet Recordings)
- Crop (2009, Sigsaly Transmissions)
- Progress Report 1980-1983 (2010, Vinyl-on-demand)
- Progress Report 1982-1986 (2015, Vinyl-on-demand)
- Dissolve Plus (2022, VUZ Records)
Extended plays
- Techno Divinity (1990, Third Mind Records)
Full-length albums
- Dirty vs Universe (1991, Third Mind Records)
- Proceed to Beyond (The Rape of Europa) (1993, T.E.Q. Music?)
Appearances on compilations
- The Third Mind (1990)
- Funky Alternatives Vol. 6 (1991)
- Pieces Of Mind (1991)
- Mindfield (1992)
- Ghafran (1993)
- Body Rapture II (1993)
- Taste This Vol. 3 (1995)
External links
- Electronic music groups from London
- English electronic music groups
- British industrial music groups
- English new wave musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1980
- Musical groups disbanded in 1987
- Musical groups reformed in 2002
- Third Mind Records artists
- In Phaze Records artists
- Cassette culture 1970s–1990s
- Musical groups disestablished in 1987