Play Information Society Radio

Information Society

558,896 plays (88,556 listeners)

Listening now: playdope

73 shouts

Add to my Library Share
Information Society (also known as InSoc) is a U.S. band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily consisting of Kurt Harland (aka Kurt Valaquen), Christopher Anton, Paul Robb, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006. Their breakout hit was 1988’s PlayWhat’s On your Mind (Pure Energy), a dance hit which included a sample of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from Star Trek, saying “pure energy,” and opened with a sample of Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), also from Star Trek, saying, “It’s worked so far, but we’re not out yet!”

The band was formed in Minneapolis in the early 1980s, and they performed avant-garde electronic music with flourishes of hip-hop, dub, and electro. In 1983 they independently released two albums, The InSoc EP and Creatures Of Influence. Two years later they released PlayRunning, their first single, which became a hit popular in New York City Latin dance clubs and “put them on the map”. The song, a 7-minute excursion into electro, was written and sung by Murat Konar, who left the band soon after. Their growing success led them from their native Minneapolis to NYC, and the ensuing revenues and contacts, as well as the addition of Amanda Kramer to the lineup, led them to record their proper debut album.

In addition to “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)”, their self-titled major release debut Information Society (1988) also had another hit, PlayWalking Away, and a cover of ABBA’s PlayLay All Your Love on Me.
Read more… Edit

Top Albums

See more

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).
See all 73 shouts

Videos

See more

Featured Tracks

Play Wrongful Death (2007) full track 3:12
Play Growing Up With Shiva (2008) full track 5:15
Play Running full track 3:56
See all tracks

Listeners

See more

Recent Activity

Related Journals

See more

More Information

Links
Band Members
Labels