Technique | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Synthpop |
| Years active | Mid-1990s |
| Labels | Creation Records |
| Past members | Kate Holmes Xan Tyler |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(September 2010) |
Technique were a British synthpop band from the mid-1990s featuring Kate Holmes of Frazier Chorus and singer Xan Tyler. The band was named after New Order's 1989 album of the same name, and they were signed to Creation Records, the record label owned by Holmes's husband, Alan McGee.
Holmes and Tyler met at Butterfly, the studio owned by legendary producer and former Killing Joke member Youth, where Tyler was working as a session backing vocalist. They began work on the group's debut album, with synthpop veteran Stephen Hague and Oasis producer Owen Morris handling production duties alongside Holmes herself. Other notable contributors to the album included Ash frontman Tim Wheeler, vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw and Youth himself on bass.
Technique released two singles on Creation in the summer of 1999: "Sun is Shining" and "You & Me". "Sun is Shining" reached No. 64 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1999 and "You & Me" got to No. 56 in August of the same year. [1] The album, by now entitled Pop Philosophy, was promo-ed but never officially saw the light of day after McGee decided to close the label. Technique lay dormant for several years while McGee set up his new venture, Poptones. Holmes and Tyler contributed to Mission Control's Dub Showcase album (produced by Holmes' long-term associate Mad Professor), which featured several unreleased songs from Pop Philosophy.
In 2000, C-pop singer Coco Lee had a huge hit on the Asian market with a cover of Technique's second single, "You and Me". Following this, Poptones released a truncated version of Pop Philosophy in Germany and Asia, featuring seven tracks plus two remixes by Matt Darey. "Sun is Shining" and "You & Me" were also re-released in Germany to capitalise on the new found interest, and the band toured extensively during 2001.
Technique disbanded, and Tyler was unable to take part in a tour supporting Depeche Mode. Kate Holmes replaced her with Sarah Blackwood from Newcastle-upon-Tyne band Dubstar, and shortly thereafter the two decided to collaborate and write material together. The new band, electro-pop band Client, signed a deal with Andy Fletcher's Toast Hawaii record label.
Creation Records Ltd. was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Alan McGee, Dick Green, and Joe Foster. Its name came from the 1960s band The Creation, whom McGee greatly admired. The label ceased operations in 1999, although it was revived at one point in 2011 for the release of the compilation album Upside Down.
Alan John McGee is a Scottish businessman and music industry executive. He has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian. He co-founded the independent Creation Records label, running it from 1983 until its closure in 1999.
Dubstar are an English indie-dance duo, performing songs with hints of Britpop, dream pop and synth, as well as the occasional pop ballad and guitar-laden rock with industrial twists. The group was formed in 1992 by Steve Hillier and Chris Wilkie in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Sarah Blackwood joined in 1993 as vocalist.
The Cosmic Rough Riders are an alternative rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. They were originally formed in 1998 by Daniel Wylie and Stephen Fleming, and later they were joined by Mark Brown, James Clifford, Gary Cuthbert and Paul Docherty. To date they have recorded five albums, and had four singles in the UK top 40.
The Primitives are an English indie pop band from Coventry, best known for their 1988 international hit single "Crash". Formed in 1984, disbanded in 1992 and reformed in 2009, the band's two constant members throughout their recording career have been vocalist Tracy Tracy and guitarist Paul "PJ" Court. Drummer Tig Williams has been a constant member since 1987. Often described as an indie pop or indie rock band, the Primitives' musical style can also be seen as straddling power pop, new wave and post-punk.
Arnold were a three piece alternative rock band from London, England, formed in 1996, who released two albums on Creation Records.
Poptones was a record label launched by Alan McGee after the demise of Creation Records in 1999. Its roster included The Hives, January, Oranger, Arnold, Cherrystones, King Biscuit Time, The Mardous, Thee Unstrung, The Boxer Rebellion, Beachbuggy, Pure Reason Revolution and Nick Laird-Clowes as Trashmonk. In May 2007, McGee wound down Poptones for financial reasons.
Client are an English electronic music group from London, formed in 2002. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success. They typically combine airline hostess uniforms or shiny fetish fashion outfits with glamour-girl aesthetics and harsh electronics to create a sound reminiscent of early forays into electronic sound manipulation and new wave. Their uniforms have become their trademark.
Red Box is a British pop group founded by Simon Toulson-Clarke and Julian Close. Active from the early 1980s to the present day, they scored two UK top ten hits with the singles "Lean on Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)" in 1985 and "For America" in 1986, both of which were included on their debut album, The Circle & the Square.
Frazier Chorus were an English pop group from Brighton, England. They were known for their unconventional instrumentation, including synthesizers, trumpets, flutes and clarinets, as well as frontman Tim Freeman's "soft, heavily accented ... talk-singing" and sarcastically witty lyrics.
The Creation are an English rock band, formed in 1966. Their best-known songs are "Making Time", which was one of the first rock songs to feature a guitar played with a bow, and "Painter Man", which made the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart in late 1966, and reached No. 8 on the German chart in April 1967. It was covered by Boney M in 1979, and reached the No. 10 position on the UK chart. "Making Time" was used in the film Rushmore, and as the theme song from season 2 onwards of The Great Pottery Throw Down.
Sing-Sing were an English indie pop/dream pop supergroup formed in 1997 in London, comprising vocalist Lisa O'Neill and guitarist/vocalist Emma Anderson. They worked with a variety of musicians to create a sound which nodded to 1960s girl groups, electronica and folk. They disbanded in 2007.
Biff Bang Pow! were an indie pop band from London, England, active between 1983 and 1991, centering on Creation Records boss Alan McGee.
Beachbuggy were a British rock group formed in early 1992 in Doncaster by Jack Straker (guitar/vocals), Jim VeVee (drums) and A.D (bass). The band's name reflected singer and main songwriter Jack's obsession with classic cars, drag racing and Americana. Musically, their earliest influences were UK indie bands such as The Fall, The Wedding Present and Cud and American rock groups such as Buffalo Tom and Sonic Youth.
The Jasmine Minks are a British indie pop band, whose early singles were amongst the first releases by Creation Records.
Xan Tyler is a British singer-songwriter.
The Revolving Paint Dream were a London-based indie band who released two albums and two singles on Creation Records between 1984 and 1989.
Enjoy the Melodic Sunshine is a collection of songs by Cosmic Rough Riders, featuring tracks from their first two self-financed albums as well as three new tracks. The album was put together by Alan McGee's Poptones label as a starting point for mainstream listeners. The album spawned four singles including the UK top 40 hits "Revolution " and "The Pain Inside".
Special Needs were a five-piece alternative rock group formed in London, England in 1998. They disbanded in 2005, reformed in 2011 with the group's comeback including a first tour for over six years in November 2011. The group disbanded for a second time towards the end of 2012.
Authority is the fifth studio album by British electronic music group Client, released on 21 March 2014 through German electronic music label Out of Line Music.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
 | This article on a United Kingdom electronic music band is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article on a house music band is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
