808 State

2025-03-27T19:13:43Z

90.217.178.227: /* Former members */

{{Short description|English electronic music group}}
{{About|the band|the US state sometimes called the "808 state"|Hawaii}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = 808 State
| image = 808 State press kit.jpg
| caption = 808 State in 1991
| image_size = 
| landscape = yes
| origin = [[Manchester]], England
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Electronic music|Electronic]]
* [[acid house]]
* [[techno]]
* [[Madchester]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thequietus.com/articles/00502-808-state | title=808 State | publisher=[[The Quietus]] | date=2 October 2008 | access-date=12 April 2015 | author=Solaris, Don}}</ref>
}}
| years_active = 1987–present
| label = {{flatlist|
* [[ZTT Records|ZTT]]
* [[Tommy Boy Records|Tommy Boy]]
* [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
* [[Rephlex Records|Rephlex]]
* [[Circus Records|Circus]]
* [[Shadow Records|Shadow]]
}}
| website = {{URL|www.808state.com}}
| current_members = * [[Graham Massey]]
| past_members = * Andy Barker
* [[A Guy Called Gerald|Gerald Simpson]]
* Martin Price
* Darren Partington
}}

'''808 State''' are an English [[electronic music]] group formed in 1987 in [[Manchester]]<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book| first= Martin C.| last= Strong| year= 2000| title= The Great Rock Discography| edition= 5th| publisher= Mojo Books| location= Edinburgh| pages= 311–312| isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref> by [[Graham Massey]], Martin Price and [[A Guy Called Gerald|Gerald Simpson]]. Taking their name from the [[Roland TR-808]] [[drum machine]] and the "state of mind" the members shared, they released their debut album ''[[Newbuild (album)|Newbuild]]'' in September 1988.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> They secured commercial success in 1989, when their song "[[Pacific State (song)|Pacific State]]" was picked up by [[BBC Radio 1]] [[Disc jockey|DJ]] [[Gary Davies]] and charted for 11 weeks in the UK.<ref>IMO Records. [http://www.imorecords.co.uk/house-2/house-artists/808-state-biography/ "808 State Biography"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326094821/http://www.imorecords.co.uk/house-2/house-artists/808-state-biography/ |date=26 March 2013 }}, ''[[IMO Records]]'', London, Retrieved 25 January 2012.</ref>

The group's early work influenced the UK's burgeoning [[acid house]] scene.<ref name="allmusic-bio"/> [[AllMusic]] called them "one of the most important [[dance music]] acts of all time," and noted their influence on subsequent [[techno]], [[intelligent dance music|IDM]], and [[alternative dance]] artists.<ref name="allmusic-bio"/>

==History==
Martin Price owned Manchester's influential Eastern Bloc Records<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Bradley|first=Lloyd|date=5 March 1991|title=Genius Plastic|journal=Q Magazine|volume=55|pages=16–17}}</ref> and was also the founder of the [[independent record label]], Creed.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> Customers Graham Massey and Gerald Simpson joined with Price to form a [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] group called Hit Squad Manchester.<ref name=":0" /> The group shifted to an acid house sound and recorded their debut ''[[Newbuild (album)|Newbuild]]'' in 1988, under the name 808 State.<ref name=":0" />

''Newbuild'' was released on Price's own record label. In an interview with [[Mojo (magazine)|''Mojo'' magazine]] in 2005, Graham Massey explained that the album was recorded over a weekend in January 1988 at Spirit Studios, Manchester. Named after a Bolton housing co-operative, the record was re-released in 2005 on [[Aphex Twin]]'s [[Rephlex Records]]. Aphex Twin was a huge fan of the record: "It was the next step after Chicago acid, and as much as I loved that, I could relate much better to 808 State. It seemed colder and more human at the same time."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stuartaitken.com/post/43672088536/808statemojo|title=Acid Muthas Mental|author=Stuart Aitken|work=Mojo Magazine|date=February 2005}}</ref>

Around the same time, the band also recorded an acid house version of [[New Order (band)|New Order]]'s "[[Blue Monday (New Order song)|Blue Monday]]". A favourite at [[The Haçienda]]'s Hot Night, the recording was believed lost until [[Autechre]]'s Sean Booth asked Massey to dig through his archive of old material. The record was released in 2004 by Rephlex Records. "We didn't put a lot of thought into it but maybe that's its charm," said Massey at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2004/10/01/808_state_prebuild_music_feature.shtml|title=Saved from the vaults, back on the decks|author=Stuart Aitken|work=bbc.co.uk|date=October 2004}}</ref>

The band's song "Pacific State" became the band's breakthrough [[single (music)|single]], peaking at number 10 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> Simpson left the group in 1989 to form his own solo project, [[A Guy Called Gerald]]. At this point, the remaining personnel enlisted DJs Andrew Barker and Darren Partington, known as the Spinmasters, and recorded the [[mini-LP|mini-album]] ''[[Quadrastate]]'' in July 1989.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The group signed to [[ZTT Records|ZTT records]],<ref name=":0" /> and ''[[90 (album)|90]]'' was released in December 1989.

[[MC Tunes]] worked with the band on the 1990 album ''The North at Its Heights''. The album was a moderate success, reaching number 26 on the [[UK Albums Chart]],<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| pages= 179–180}}</ref> and also saw a European and Japanese release. It spawned three UK singles, "The Only Rhyme That Bites" – featuring a [[sampling (music)|sample]] of "The Big Country" performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic (UK number 10), "Tunes Splits the Atom" (UK number 18) and "Primary Rhyming" (UK number 67).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The first two issues credited MC Tunes versus 808 State, whilst the latter was simply MC Tunes.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> Tunes later returned in 1996 to work on a new track, "Pump", taken from 808 State's album ''Thermo Kings''.

808 State's next album, 1991's ''[[ex:el]]'', featured the vocals of [[Bernard Sumner]] and [[Björk]] and the singles "[[In Yer Face]]" (UK #9), "Cubik" (UK #10) and "Lift" (UK #38).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>

In October 1991, Price left the group to perform solo production work, eventually forming his own label, Sun Text. The remaining members released a fourth album called ''[[Gorgeous (808 State album)|Gorgeous]]'', and after that, did some remix work for [[David Bowie]], [[Soundgarden]], and other performers, before returning with the album entitled ''[[Don Solaris]]'' in 1996. It featured vocal contributions from [[James Dean Bradfield]] on "Lopez", which reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> and was remixed by [[Brian Eno]]. In 1997, they had remixed the [[Mansun]] track "[[Skin Up Pin Up / Flourella|Skin Up Pin Up]]" for the [[Spawn (1997 film)#Soundtrack|''Spawn'' soundtrack]]. The song "Bond" featured vocals by [[Mike Doughty]] from the band [[Soul Coughing]] and "Azura" featured [[Lou Rhodes]] from [[Lamb (electronic band)|Lamb]]. They released a [[greatest hits]] [[compilation album]], ''[[808:88:98]]'' in 1998. In 2000, ''Newbuild'' was re-released.

Some of the band's work, particularly in the albums ''ex:el'' and ''Gorgeous'' show their [[New wave music|new wave]] influences by sampling or featuring new wave icons such as [[Bernard Sumner]] on the song "Spanish Heart" and [[Ian McCulloch (singer)|Ian McCulloch]] on "Moses". The song "Contrique" samples the bassline to [[Joy Division]]'s "[[She's Lost Control]]" and "10 X 10" is a gospel-house track built on the foundation of [[the Jam]]'s "[[Start!]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Wood |first=Sam |url=http://articles.philly.com/1993-02-09/entertainment/25956120_1_dance-floor-tommy-boy-album |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213222911/http://articles.philly.com/1993-02-09/entertainment/25956120_1_dance-floor-tommy-boy-album |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 December 2014 |title=808 State Defies The Odds Again with a Consistently Fine Album - Philly.com |publisher=Articles.philly.com |date=1993-02-09 |access-date=2013-09-14}}</ref>

In 2003, they released ''[[Outpost Transmission]]'' which featured guest collaborations from [[Alabama 3]] and [[Guy Garvey]] from [[Elbow (band)|Elbow]].

In May 2008, the re-issue of the mini-album ''[[Quadrastate]]'' completed a trilogy of pre-ZTT releases on CD for the first time.

Partington left the band after being jailed for 18 months in January 2015 for dealing [[heroin]] and [[crack cocaine]].<ref name="bbc.co.uk">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30743371 808 State DJ Darren Partington jailed for drug dealing] ''[[BBC News]]'', 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.</ref>

Barker died on 6 November 2021, leaving Massey as the sole remaining member of the group.<ref name="Louder Than War">[https://louderthanwar.com/andy-barker-808-state-rip/ Andy Barker (808 State) RIP] ''[[Louder Than War (website)|Louder Than War]]'', 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.</ref>

==Musical style==
808 State's style has been labeled as [[techno]]<ref name="allmusic-bio"/> and [[House music|house]], and the band are regarded as "a pioneer of the [[acid house]] sound".<ref name="allmusic-bio">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/808-state-mn0000921306/biography | title=808 State | publisher=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=21 October 2014 | author=Ankeny, Jason}}</ref> The band's album, ''Newbuild'', was influential in the development of the [[Madchester]] and [[baggy]] scenes.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KPOsu8JOHO8C&q=pacific+%22808+state%22+madchester&pg=PA97 | title=The A to X of Alternative Music | publisher=A&C Black | author=Taylor, Steve | year=2006 | pages=97 | isbn=0826482171}}</ref>

==Pseudonyms and side projects==
In 1990, 808 State [[composer|composed]] the [[theme tune]] to the [[Channel 4]] [[television program]]me, ''[[The Word (TV series)|The Word]]''.<ref>{{cite web|author= Simon Donohue |url=http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/news/2820_madchester_revival_may_be_on_the_cards |title=Madchester revival may be on the cards – News – Music – Greater Manchester's CityLife |publisher=Citylife.co.uk |date=2002-12-31 |access-date=2009-08-22}}</ref>

Partington and Barker presented the ''808 State Radio Show'', first on [[Sunset 102]] from 1989 to 1993, and later on [[Kiss 102]] from 1994 to 1997. In 2012, they reinvented the program as the ''808 State Webio Show'' for a number of months on [[Mike Joyce (musician)|Mike Joyce]]'s internet based BeatWolf Radio.

808 State and its various members have recorded under a variety of pseudonyms. An early EP, containing the tracks "Massage-a-Rama" and "Sex Mechanic", was released under the name Lounge Jays. These tracks have since been re-released by [[Rephlex Records]] on the ''Prebuild'' LP. Another early EP, ''Wax on the Melt'', was released under the name Hit Squad Mcr. This is the only release on which all five members of the group (Massey, Price, Simpson, Barker, and Partington) contributed simultaneously.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lounge Jays - Massage A Rama / Sex Mechanic |url=http://www.808state.com/discogs/808pages/sinpages/sinlounge/sinloungejays.htm |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=www.808state.com}}</ref>

Massey released the solo album ''Subtracks'' under the name Massonix on [[Skam Records]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massonix - Subtracks |url=http://www.808state.com/discogs/masspages/subtracks/subtracks.htm |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=www.808state.com}}</ref> He was a member of [[Biting Tongues]], an experimental [[jazz fusion|jazz rock]] group once signed to [[Factory Records]]. He also created the [[big band]] project called Massey's Toolshed Allstars (eventually shortened to 'Toolshed').<ref>{{Cite web |title=Graham Massey's Toolshed - Official Website |url=http://808state.com/Toolshed/ |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=808state.com}}</ref> Under the pseudonym Professor Vernon World, Massey as drummer/producer with the ladies combo organ quartet the Sisters of Transistors released an album, and is also a member of [[Sun Ra]] homage the Part-Time Heliocentric Cosmo Drama After School Club.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Graham Massey Article: The Quietus - Things I Have Learned Graham Massey Of Sisters Of Transistors On His Keyboard Addiction |url=http://808state.com/various/interview/1988-10-22-NME-Article.htm |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=808state.com}}</ref>

Price released a couple of EPs under the name Switzerland. He also managed the band [[Kaliphz]] (later known as Kaleef) who had a hit with a hip-hop cover version of [[the Stranglers]]' "[[Golden Brown]]". Barker has produced a small number of tracks under the names Atlas and Benaco.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metason |title=Martin Price |url=https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Martin%20Price |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=ArtistInfo |language=EN}}</ref> Partington has also recorded under the name Jeep.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeep - The Curse E.P. (featuring Darren Partington) |url=http://www.808state.com/discogs/propages/projeep0/projeep02.htm |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=www.808state.com}}</ref>

==Band members==
* [[Graham Massey]] (born 4 August 1960,<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> [[Manchester]]) – [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]], programming, [[Electric guitar|guitars]], [[saxophone]] (1987–present)

===Former members===
* [[A Guy Called Gerald|Gerald Simpson]] (born 16 February 1967, [[Manchester]]) – keyboards (1987–1989)
* Martin Price (born 26 March 1955, [[Farnworth]])<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> – keyboards (1987–1991)
* Darren Partington (born 1 November 1969,<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> [[Manchester]]) – keyboards, congas, [[electronic drum]]s (1989–2015)
* Andy Barker (9 March 1968, [[Manchester]] – 6 November 2021)<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/><ref name="Louder Than War"/> – keyboards, [[Bass guitar|bass]] (1989–2021)

==Discography==
{{Main|808 State discography}}

'''Studio albums'''
* ''[[Newbuild (album)|Newbuild]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Quadrastate]]'' (mini-album) (1989)
* ''[[90 (album)|90]]'' (1989)
* ''[[ex:el]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Gorgeous (808 State album)|Gorgeous]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Don Solaris]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Outpost Transmission]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Transmission Suite (album)|Transmission Suite]]'' (2019)

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.808state.com}}
* {{Discogs artist}}
* Ian Peel: ''[http://www.zttaat.com/article.php?title=172 Warriors of Pop, 21 years of ZTT]'' [[Record Collector]], September 2004 (copy at ''Zang Tuum Tumb and all that'') Article about ZTT's history, and contains information about 808 State
* {{IMDb name|2925989}}

{{808 State}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:808 State}}
[[Category:Acid house groups]]
[[Category:Alternative dance musical groups]]
[[Category:English electronic music groups]]
[[Category:English house music groups]]
[[Category:Madchester groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1987]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Manchester]]
[[Category:English remixers]]
[[Category:Rephlex Records artists]]
[[Category:Tommy Boy Records artists]]
[[Category:Warner Records artists]]
[[Category:ZTT Records artists]]
[[Category:1987 establishments in England]]

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808 State