Art Of Noise Biography
Anne Dudley, Gary Langan, and Paul Morley were members of producer Trevor Horn's in-house studio band in the early '80s before they formed the Art of Noise, a techno-pop group whose music was an amalgam of studio gimmickry, tape splicing, and synthesized beats. The Art of Noise took material from a variety of sources: hip-hop, rock, jazz, R&B, traditional pop, found sounds, and noise all worked their way into the group's distinctly postmodern soundscapes.
Dudley was the center of the group, having arranged and produced material for Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC, and Paul McCartney before forming the Art of Noise. The trio signed with Trevor Horn's ZTT label, releasing their first EP, Into Battle With the Art of Noise, in 1983. The following year, the group released the full-length (Who's Afraid Of?) The Art of Noise!, which featured the hit single "Close (To the Edit)."
After "Close (To the Edit)," the group parted ways with Horn and ZTT, releasing In Visible Silence in 1986; the album included the U.K. Top Ten hit "Peter Gunn," which featured Duane Eddy on guitar. Re-works of the Art of Noise, an album of remixes and live tracks, was released that same year. In No Sense? Nonsense!, released in 1987, saw the band experimenting with orchestras and choirs, as well as horns and rock bands. The next year, the Art of Noise released a greatest-hits collection, The Best of the Art of Noise, which featured their collaboration with Tom Jones on Prince's "Kiss."
Below the Waste (1990) captured the band experimenting with world music; it received a lukewarm critical and commercial reception. The following year, a low-key remix album directed by Killing Joke's Youth called The Ambient Collection appeared. Later in the year, the Art of Noise broke up. Dudley eventually worked with Killing Joke's Jaz Coleman and Phil Collins. Horn, Dudley, and Morley reunited in 1999 for a new album, The Seduction of Claude Debussy. Kevin Godley and Lol Creme were added to the lineup. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Talla 2xlc Biography: After charting several singles on his country's dance and alternative charts, Germany's Talla 2XLC gained an American deal with Cleopatra's Hypnotic subsidiary in 1997, and released his debut...
Afi Biography: Hardcore punk revivalists AFI (A Fire Inside) originally formed in 1991 when their members -- vocalist Davey Havok, guitarist Markus Stopholese, bassist Vick, and drummer Adam Carson -- were...
Akhenaton Biography: A member of the popular IAM collective, French rapper and producer Akhenaton also enjoyed considerable success as a solo act. Born Philippe Fragione in Marseille on September 17, 1968, he spent much...
Jackyl Biography: Boogie rockers Jackyl were instantly lumped into the hair metal category upon their debut in 1992, but their sound was only vaguely reminiscent of the genre. Still, this label stuck with them after...
Pop will eat itself Biography: Taking their name from an NME feature on the group Jamie Wednesday (later known as Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine), the archetypal grebo band Pop Will Eat Itself formed in Stourbridge, England in...
Letters to cleo Biography: The pop/rock group Letters to Cleo formed in 1990 in Boston, where many young bands begin to grow a fan base by taking advantage of airplay on local college radio stations. Guitarists Greg McKenna...
Neurotic outsiders Biography: A supergroup formed in Los Angeles the mid-'90s consisting of B-list guys from A-list bands, Neurotic Outsiders picked up an unexpected following when a one-time charity concert at the Viper Room led...
Insania Biography: German thrashers Insania were formed in 1988 by singer F.R. Shorty, guitarist Gerald Nagy, bassist Jürgen Grziwotz (aka Simon Sledge), and drummer Wolfgang 'Wolle' Haitz. Numerous demo and...