Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik | |
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 Sigue Sigue Sputnik, 1986. | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Sci-Fi Sex Stars |
| Origin | London,[citation needed] England |
| Genres | |
| Years active |
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| Labels |
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| Past members |
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Sigue Sigue Sputnik are a British new wave band formed in 1982 by former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band have had three UK top-40 hit singles, including "Love Missile F1-11" and "21st Century Boy".
The band's music, image and inspiration draw from a range of electronic and glam bands such as Suicide and the New York Dolls.[1]
History[]
Early years[]
The band, which is often just called "Sputnik",[2] was formed by Tony James, ex-bassist of the defunct Gen X,[2][3] and Neal X (Whitmore), who recruited singer Martin Degville. Degville was a clothes designer and supplied the band's wardrobe, and YaYa, the store where he worked, became the band's base.[2] Their first gig was in Paris, supporting Johnny Thunders, with James' former Generation X colleague and then drummer for Thunders, Mark Laff, on drums.[2]
Mick Jones, formerly of the Clash, worked with the band as live sound engineer, helped manipulate their sound, and appeared with them when they opened for New Model Army.[2] Fachna O'Kelly, manager of the Boomtown Rats who had provided much of the band's equipment, provided the band with the name Sigue Sigue Sputnik, a reference to a Filipino street gang and meaning, in rough translation "go, go satellite" ("sigue" coming from Tagalog, and from original Spanish meaning "go on", and Sputnik referencing the first man-made satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957).[2][3] The band's sound was, according to James, arrived at by accident, when he inadvertently mixed elements of film soundtracks with their demo track "Love Missile F1-11" while putting together a video compilation from his favourite films.[2]
Commercial success (1984–1989)[]
Interest in the band increased sharply in 1984 after James was interviewed by the NME, with several record companies sending representatives to their next performance at the Electric Cinema in London, and they were invited to perform on The Tube.[2] The band were signed by EMI, with the band themselves claiming in the press that they had signed for £4m, though in fact revealed to be £350,000.[4] The band's first single, the Giorgio Moroder-produced "Love Missile F1-11", was released in February 1986, and reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, number 2 in South Africa and was a major hit in several countries in Europe and Asia.[2][1] Its popularity was boosted by its inclusion in the John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The samples used in the single had not received copyright clearance, and were replaced in the US version.[2]
Their second single, "21st-Century Boy" reached number 20 in the UK, and, despite largely negative reviews, their debut album, Flaunt It, also produced by Moroder, made the top ten in the UK, and reached 96 in the US.[2] The album included paid commercials between tracks,[5] James stated prior to its release that they would sell 20–to-30-second advertising slots for between $2,500 and $7,000.[6] He explained this by saying "commercialism is rampant in society. Maybe we're a little more honest than some groups I could mention," and "our records sounded like adverts anyway".[7][8] Advertisements that did sell (including spots for i-D Magazine and Studio Line from L'Oréal) were complemented by ironic spoof ads including one for the Sputnik corporation itself claiming that "Pleasure is our Business".[1] A subsequent tour was characterised by poor ticket sales and crowd violence.[9]
It was two years before the band followed this up, and subsequent releases fared less well. The Stock Aitken Waterman produced "Success" peaked at number 31 in late 1988 and the singles that followed peaked outside the top 40.[2] Second album Dress for Excess peaked at number 53 in the UK but sold well in Brazil.[2] The band split up in July 1989, with James joining the Sisters of Mercy later that year.[2] Chris Kavanagh went on to Big Audio Dynamite II joining Mick Jones.[1] Mayhew formed .
A collection of early demo recordings from 1984 and 1985, along with three tracks from 1990, First Generation, was released in 1991.[10]
Reunions[]
In 1995, James and X formed a new version of the band with Christopher Novak (vocals) and John Green (keyboards). Their song "Cyberspace Party" was a major hit in Japan, and an album, Sputnik: The Next Generation, was released there, selling 50,000 copies.[2] In 1998, with Degville back on vocals and with Claudia Cujo on drums,[2] the band started to perform again, resulting in the 2000 release of Piratespace.[8][11]
In 2004, Degville left the band to pursue a solo career and has performed as Sputnik 2/ Sputnik 2 – The Future and Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic, self-releasing tracks under those and his own name over the years through www.sputnik2.com and other digital sites. In 2016, a 12" vinyl version of a track called "Timex Kid" was released under the Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic name.
Neal X is a key member of the Marc Almond band, and went on to form his own group, the Montecristos [1], which released its debut album "Born to Rock n' Roll" in 2015 following a successful crowd funding project.
Tony James formed the group Carbon/Silicon with Mick Jones which has released a number of free tracks digitally via www.carbonsilicon.com as well as selling music commercially, including the 2007 album release The Last Post.
Image[]
James claimed he had chosen his bandmates for their looks, and the band's slogan was "Fleece the World".[7] James billed the band as "Hi-tech sex, designer violence, and the fifth generation of rock 'n' roll".[3]
The themes and imagery in the band's songs were often influenced by futuristic, dystopian or post-apocalyptic films such as A Clockwork Orange, The Terminator, Blade Runner and the Mad Max trilogy.[3][1] Visually, their image included fishnet masks and brightly coloured hair.
Members[]
- Tony James – space guitar, electric guitar, synth guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1982–1989, 1995, 1998–2004)
- Martin Degville – lead vocals (1982–1989, 1998–2004)
- Neal X – guitar, backing vocals (1982–1989, 1995, 1998–2004)
- Chris Kavanagh – drums, electronic drums(1982–1989, 1995)
- Ray Mayhew – drums, electronic drums (1982–1989)
- Yana YaYa (Jane Farrimond) – keyboards, special effects(1982–1989)
- John Green – keyboards (1995)
- Christopher Novak – lead vocals (1995)
- Claudia Cujo – drums (1998)
- Jenny Z – effects (2001–2009)
Discography[]
Albums[]
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [12] |
AUT [13] |
FIN [14] |
GER [15] |
NED [16] |
NZ [17] |
SWE [18] |
UK [19] |
US [20] | |||
| 1986 | Flaunt It |
|
70 | 16 | 4 | 33 | 58 | 16 | 29 | 10 | 96 |
| 1988 | Dress for Excess |
|
— | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | 53 | — |
| 1996 | Sputnik: The Next Generation | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | Piratespace |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | Blak Elvis vs. The Kings of Electronic Rock and Roll |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | Ultra Real |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released | |||||||||||
- Compilations
- 1990: The First Generation
- 1997: The First Generation – Second Edition
- 1998: The Ultimate 12" Collection
- 1999: Flaunt It + Dress for Excess – French single CD edition of both albums (minus "Success" and "Dancerama").
- 2000: Sci-Fi Sex Stars
- 2001: 21st Century Boys: The Best of Sigue Sigue Sputnik
- 2003: The First Generation – Vid Edition[21]
- 2007:One-Up: Sigue Sigue Sputnik – The Remixes (digital only release)
- 2007: Ray of Light (digital only release which includes 6 tracks recorded for "tribute" albums)
- 2008: 1984 Flaunt It: Demos and More
- 2013: Demo Bomb (free digital only release via sputnikworld.com)
Singles[]
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT [22] |
FIN [14] |
GER [23] |
IRE [24] |
IT [25] |
NZ [26] |
SA [27] |
SPA [28] |
SWI [29] |
UK [19] |
US Dance [30] | ||
| 1986 | "Love Missile F1-11" | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 50 |
| "21st Century Boy" | — | 4 | 28 | 16 | 43 | — | — | 6 | 24 | 20 | — | |
| "Sex Bomb Boogie" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Rockit Miss U.S.A." / "Teenage Thunder" (released under the name 'Sci-Fi Sex Stars') | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Massive Retaliation" (US-only release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1988 | "Success" | — | — | — | 28 | 21 | 49 | — | — | — | 31 | 25 |
| "Hey Jane Mansfield Superstar!" (Brazil-only promo release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1989 | "Dancerama" | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 50 | — |
| "Ride 'Em Carmen" (released under the name 'Bizet Boys') | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Albinoni vs. Star Wars" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 75 | — | |
| "Rio Rocks" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1995 | "Cyberspace Party" (Japan-only release under the name 'Sputnik: The Next Generation' featuring Hotei) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996 | "Like There's No Tomorrow" (UK 12" promo release under the name 'T.N.G.') | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | "Love Missile F1-11" (WestBam Remix) (Germany-only release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | "Everybody Loves You" (Germany-only release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | "Grooving with Mr. Pervert"[21] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | "Ride My Love Missile" (white label only techno mix of "Love Missile F1-11") | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | "Into the Unknown" (free digital-only single release via sputnikworld.com) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | "C'mon Everybody" (Japan-only digital release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released | ||||||||||||
Other releases[]
- 1986: Documentary/Rockit Miss USA (Remix)/She's My Man (Remix) (12" Limited Edition - 5000 copies given away free with the album Flaunt It at HMV)
- 1986: The Trial of Tony James – Myth or Reality (12" Interview Picture Disc)
Other album appearances[]
- 1986: Armed & Dangerous OST (includes the SSS track "She's My Man")
- 1989: Rude Awakening OST (includes the SSS track "Success")
- 1990: David Bowie Songbook (free CD included with magazine and includes the SSS version of "Rebel Rebel")
- 1990: A Tribute to Prince: Party O' the Times (includes the SSS version of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man")
- 2000: Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna – Volume Two (includes the SSS version of "Ray of Light")
- 2000: Don't Blow Your Cover: A Tribute to KMFDM (includes the SSS version of "Virus")
- 2000: Covered in Nails: A Tribute to Nine Inch Nails (includes the SSS version of "Piggy")
- 2001: (includes the SSS version of "Bullet with Butterfly Wings")
- 2002: A Tribute to Johnny Thunders: I Only Wrote This Song for You (includes the SSS version of "Personality Crisis")
- 2005: Tribute to Thunderbirds – 40th Anniversary Special (includes the SSS version of "Thunderbirds Are Go!")
- 2005: This Is Not Retro (includes the SSS track "Pussywhipper")
- 2011: All Time Super Guest by Hotei (featuring the collaboration with SSS on the track "C'mon Everybody")
- 2016: Ferris Bueller's Day Off OST (includes the SSS track "Love Missile F1-11")
- 2016: Say I'm Your Number One: Stock, Aitken & Waterman (30 CD Box Set includes a 10 track EP of the SSS track "Success")
Videography[]
- 1986: Sex Bomb Boogie (VHS UK video only single release)
- 2003: Live in Tokyo (DVD Japanese only release)
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Schabe, Patrick (2003) "TONY JAMES AND THE ARGONAUTSSS", PopMatters, 29 May 2003. Retrieved 25 September 2010
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. Miller Freeman. pp. 615–16. ISBN 9780879306076.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Handelman, David (1986) "Sigue Sigue Sputnik: 'Fantasy band?'", Gettysburg Times, 8 August 1986, p. 26. Retrieved 25 September 2010
- ^ Hibbert, Tom (12 March 1986). "Sigue Sigue Sputnik (feature)". Smash Hits. EMAP Metro. 8 (4): 27.
- ^ Newsweek, Volume 108, p. 43
- ^ Goddard, Peter (1986) "Sigue Sigue Sputnik is out to sell the sounds of silence", Toronto Star, 27 July 1986
- ^ Jump up to: a b Sanderson Healy, Lauren (1986 "With Cynical Hype, Five British Rockers Ride Sigue Sigue Sputnik to Semistardom", People, Vol. 26, No. 8, 25 August 1986. Retrieved 25 September 2010
- ^ Jump up to: a b Leigh, Danny (9 February 2001). "I just kept cool, you know. Travelled. Did a couple of porn movies". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
- ^ Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Where Are They Now?: Yahoo Music, 20 May 2010
- ^ Popson, Tom (1991) "Early Sigue Sigue Sputnik unearthed", Chicago Tribune, 5 April 1991
- ^ "Sputnik set to go into orbit again", Evening Times, 19 January 2001, p. 32
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 273. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Flaunt It". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Timo (12 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit SEN - SIG". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Flaunt It". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "charts.org.nz - Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Flaunt It". charts.nz. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com - Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Flaunt It". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 498. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: S". www.hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "charts.org.nz - Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11". charts.nz. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (S)". rock.co.za. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Davidalic (12 February 2010). "Listas de superventas: 1986". Listas de superventas. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11 - swisscharts.com". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Sigue Sigue Sputnik Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sigue Sigue Sputnik. |
- English pop music groups
- English new wave musical groups
- Cyberpunk music
- Glam punk groups
- Musical groups established in 1982
- 1982 establishments in England
- Parlophone artists
- EMI Records artists