Holiday '80

Last updated

Holiday '80
Holiday80cover.jpg
UK 2×7" and 12" cover
EP by
The Human League
Released18 April 1980 [1]
RecordedDevonshire Lane, Sheffield February 1980
Genre Synthpop, new wave
Length23:23
Label Virgin
Producer John Leckie
The Human League
The Human League singles chronology
Empire State Human
(1979)		Holiday '80
(1980)		 Only After Dark
(1980)

Holiday '80 is an EP released by the original line-up of the British synthpop band The Human League. The EP was issued in the UK by Virgin Records in April 1980, a month before the release of the band's second album Travelogue . The EP peaked at no. 56 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1980, but was later reissued and returned to the chart, peaking at no. 46 in February 1982.

Contents

The recordings were produced with John Leckie, who had also been working with new wave bands such as Simple Minds and XTC. The principal song on the EP was "Marianne", however Virgin felt the band's preferred version of the track was not strong enough and refused to release it. [2] The EP also featured a new, more elaborate recording of the band's debut single "Being Boiled", which would subsequently be included on the Travelogue album. The last track was a medley consisting of a cover of Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll" (titled "Rock 'n' Roll" in the track listings) seguéing into the Iggy Pop track "Nightclubbing". The Japanese release also features the song "Toyota City", which also appears on Travelogue.

The track "Dancevision" is a short instrumental track originally recorded by Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware under the name of The Future, of which Adi Newton had also been a part. Newton released a longer version of "Dancevision" in 2015 as part of his career spanning Horology 2 compilation, which also included several other tracks recorded as The Future. [3] The 2002 CD release The Golden Hour of the Future did not include "Dancevision".

The UK release of Holiday '80 was as a double 7" (containing four tracks) and two single 7" versions (both containing three tracks each), all with the same catalogue number, and a 12" EP (containing four tracks). The Japanese release was a 12" with different tracks to the UK 12".

The band performed "Rock 'n' Roll" on Top of the Pops on 8 May 1980, even though the EP had not entered the Top 40. Although the EP would chart no higher than 56 after their appearance, the band garnered mainstream attention and their album Travelogue would enter the UK Top 20, peaking at no. 16, following the performance. This would be the band's only Top of the Pops appearance featuring the original line-up of Oakey, Ware, Marsh and Wright. The performance was officially issued for the first time on the DVD of the 2016 anthology by The Human League, A Very British Synthesizer Band. [4] The anthology CD also features "Nightclubbing" as a standalone song without being immediately preceded by "Rock 'n' Roll".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

On 26 April 1980 Tony Jasper, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week , named "Rock 'n' Roll / Nightclubbing" medley an "infectious tongue-in-cheek mix", "best commercial cut" and predicted a debut chart entrance "for this clever Sheffield band". [6]

Track listing

UK 2×7" Gatefold (Virgin SV-105) [7]

  1. "Marianne" (Marsh/Oakey/Ware) 3:17
  2. "Dancevision" (Marsh/Ware) 2:21 [performed by The Future]
  3. "Being Boiled" (Album Version) (Marsh/Oakey/Ware) 4:22
  4. "Rock 'n' Roll / Nightclubbing" (Gary Glitter, Mike Leander) (Jim Osterberg, David Bowie) 6:22

UK 12" (Virgin SV-105-12) [8]

  1. "Marianne" (Marsh/Oakey/Ware) 3:17
  2. "Being Boiled" (Album Version) (Marsh/Oakey/Ware) 4:22
  3. "Dancevision" (Marsh/Ware) 2:21 [performed by The Future]
  4. "Rock 'n' Roll / Nightclubbing" (Glitter, Leander) (Osterberg, Bowie) 6:22

UK 7" Holiday '80: Being Boiled (Virgin SV-105) [9]

  1. Being Boiled (Oakey) 4:10
  2. Marianne (Oakey) 3:14
  3. Dancevision (Marsh/Ware) 2:15

UK 7" Holiday '80: Rock 'n' Roll (Virgin SV-105) [10]

  1. Rock 'n' Roll (Glitter, Leander) 3:15
  2. Being Boiled (Oakey) 4:10
  3. Dancevision (Marsh/Ware) 2:15

Japanese 12" (Virgin VIP-5906) [11]

  1. "Marianne" (Marsh/Oakey/Ware) 3:17
  2. "Dancevision" (Marsh/Ware) 2:21 [performed by The Future]
  3. "Toyota City" (Marsh/Ware) 3:22
  4. "Rock 'n' Roll / Nightclubbing" (Glitter, Leander) (Osterberg, Bowie) 6:22
  5. "Being Boiled" (Album Version) (Marsh/Oakey/Ware) 4:22

Charts

ChartPeak
position
U.K. 198056 [12]
U.K. 198246

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven 17</span> English new wave and synth-pop band

Heaven 17 are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1980. The band were a trio for most of their career, composed of former Human League members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh (keyboards) with vocalist Glenn Gregory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Human League</span> English synth-pop band

The Human League is an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album Dare in 1981 after restructuring their lineup. The album contained four hit singles, including the UK/US number one hit "Don't You Want Me". The band received the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act in 1982. Further hits followed throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, including "Mirror Man", "(Keep Feeling) Fascination", "The Lebanon", "Human" and "Tell Me When".

<i>Travelogue</i> (The Human League album) 1980 The Human League album

Travelogue is the second full-length studio album released by British synth-pop group The Human League, released in May 1980. It was the last album with founding members Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, as they would leave to form Heaven 17 later that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Oakey</span> English singer-songwriter and producer

Philip Oakey is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the lead singer, songwriter, and co-founder of the synth-pop band the Human League. Aside from the Human League, Oakey has enjoyed an extensive solo music career and has collaborated with numerous other artists and producers.

<i>Dare</i> (album) 1981 studio album by the Human League

Dare is the third studio album by English synth-pop band the Human League, first released in the United Kingdom in October 1981 then subsequently in the US in mid-1982. The album was produced by Martin Rushent and recorded between March and September 1981, following the departure of founding members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, and saw the band shift direction from their previous avant-garde electronic style toward a more pop-friendly, commercial sound led by frontman Philip Oakey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock and Roll (Gary Glitter song)</span> 1972 single by Gary Glitter

"Rock and Roll" is the debut single by English glam rock singer Gary Glitter that was released in 1972, from his debut studio album Glitter. Co-written by Glitter and Mike Leander, the song is in two parts: Part 1 is a vocal track with a "Rock and Roll, Rock" chorus and some verses reflecting on the history of the genre, while Part 2 is an instrumental piece aside from the regular exclamation of the word "Hey" in different tones as the only lyric.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (The Human League album) 1988 greatest hits album by The Human League

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the English synth-pop band The Human League, released on 31 October 1988 by Virgin Records. It contains 13 singles released by the band, spanning from their debut single to their most recent album at the time, as well as lead singer Philip Oakey's collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, "Together in Electric Dreams" (1984). The album reached No. 3 in the UK.

<i>Reproduction</i> (album) 1979 studio album by The Human League

Reproduction is the debut studio album released by British synth-pop group The Human League. The album was released in 1979 through Virgin Records.

<i>The Dignity of Labour</i> 1979 EP by The Human League

The Dignity of Labour is a 12" vinyl record released in 1979. The tracks were written and performed by The Human League featuring a line-up of Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh and Phil Oakey. It was released as the follow-up to their earlier single "Being Boiled" on Fast Product Records, the label on which the band released their early singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Being Boiled</span> 1978 single by The Human League

"Being Boiled" is the debut single by the British synth-pop band the Human League. Composed by Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, with lyrics by Philip Oakey, it has been released several times since 1978, finally becoming a UK top ten hit in 1982.

Ian Craig Marsh is an English musician and composer. 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 the British Electric Foundation and later Heaven 17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boys and Girls (The Human League song)</span> 1981 single by The Human League

"Boys and Girls" is a song by the British synth-pop group The Human League. It was released as a stand-alone single in the UK in February 1981 and peaked at number 48 in the UK Singles Charts. It was written by lead singer Philip Oakey and the band's visual director / keyboard player Philip Adrian Wright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sound of the Crowd</span> 1981 single by The Human League

"The Sound of the Crowd" is a song by the British synth-pop group The Human League. It became the band's commercial breakthrough, reaching #12 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Depend on You</span> 1979 single by "The Men" aka the Human League

"I Don't Depend on You" is a disco-influenced song by the British synth-pop group the Human League released under the pseudonym The Men. It was released as a single in the UK in July 1979, but failed to chart. It was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh; was produced by Colin Thurston and featured guest backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike.

<i>Dance Like a Star</i> 2002 EP by The Human League

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 are previously unreleased. The record is a limited edition 12-inch vinyl EP released as a companion to The Golden Hour of the Future, CD released in October 2002. Only 2000 copies of the 12-inch were ever pressed.

<i>The Golden Hour of the Future</i> 2002 compilation album by the Future and the Human League

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire State Human</span> 1979 single by The Human League

"Empire State Human" is a song by the British synth-pop group The Human League. The song was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. It was co-produced by The Human League and Colin Thurston, and recorded at Monumental Studios in Sheffield.

<i>YMO Versus The Human League</i> 1993 EP / Remix by Yellow Magic Orchestra / The Human League

YMO Versus The Human League is an EP released in Japan and Asia in April 1993. It was released by Alfa Records and is a collaboration between Japanese electropop/synthpop band Yellow Magic Orchestra and British new wave/synthpop band The Human League. It was the first release by The Human League after their abrupt dismissal from their 14-year-long recording contract with Virgin Records 10 months previously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Glitter discography</span>

English glam rock singer Gary Glitter released seven studio albums, four live albums, 13 compilation albums, one extended play (EP) and 42 singles, including three UK number-one singles. He became known for his energetic live performances and extremely glam rock image of glitter suits, make-up, and platform boots.

<i>Music for Stowaways</i> 1981 studio album by British Electric Foundation

Music for Stowaways is the debut album by English electronic act British Electric Foundation (B.E.F.), formed by musicians Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. The album released in the United Kingdom as a limited edition cassette in March 1981 by Virgin Records, who also released an LP version of the album titled Music for Listening To later in the year with a different track list and cover art, aiming its release for export markets. The Stowaways version was originally released concurrently with Ware and Marsh's first single with Heaven 17, "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang", itself a developed version of the Music for Stowaways track "Groove Thang".

References

  1. ↑ "Cut price League from Virgin" (PDF). Music Week . 19 April 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "HUMAN LEAGUE BIOG 1980 - 1992". Archived from the original on 9 August 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Clock DVA – Horology 2 - Clockdva, The Future & Radiophonic Dvations". discogs.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "ANTHOLOGY - A VERY BRITISH SYNTHESIZER GROUP: SUPER DELUXE". udiscovermusic.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Allmusic review
  6. ↑ Jasper, Tony (26 April 1980). "Review: The Human League – "Holiday 80" (Virgin SV 105, Virgin)" (PDF). Music Week . Gwent: Pensord Press Ltd. p. 28. ISSN   0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022– via World Radio History.
  7. ↑ "The Human League – Holiday '80 (1980, Gatefold, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "The Human League – Holiday '80 (1982, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "The Human League – Holiday '80 / Being Boiled (1981, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "The Human League – Holiday 80 / Rock 'N' Roll (1980, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "The Human League – Holiday '80 (1981, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "holiday 80 | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.