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London, England (1979 – present)
The The is an alternative/new wave band formed in 1979 in London, England. Matt Johnson (vocals, multiple instruments) is the only constant band member. Releases are fairly few and far between but over the years The The has managed to sell several million albums internationally.
Johnson formed the first version of the band in 1979, with synth player Keith Laws. The group, after opening for Scritti Politti, issued its first single “Controversial Subject” on the 4AD label in 1980. One year later, it contributed a track to the Some Bizzare Records compilation album, Some Bizarre Album. In 1981 Johnson released Burning Blue Soul, which, despite the fact that it is technically a Matt Johnson solo album (and was released under his name) is often considered to be the first The The album. The album featured Johnson and various musicians from the British post-punk underground, including various members of Wire.
By 1982, The The had become Johnson’s solo project, with a revolving lineup of musicians. That year, the album The Pornography of Despair was recorded, but not released. In 1983, the band released its first real album Soul Mining, which featured the single “This Is the Day,” recorded with Orange Juice’s Zeke Manyika, pianist Jools Holland and cult legend Thomas Leer. The band’s next album, Infected, was a commentary on the state of modern urban life in Great Britain. The album was released in 1986, with Johnson joined by musicians like Neneh Cherry, Art of Noise’s Anne Dudley, Marillion’s Steve Hogarth, and Swans’ Roli Mosimann, among others. It was accompanied by an album-length video and spawned The The’s first UK hit single, “Heartland”.
Johnson formed the first version of the band in 1979, with synth player Keith Laws. The group, after opening for Scritti Politti, issued its first single “Controversial Subject” on the 4AD label in 1980. One year later, it contributed a track to the Some Bizzare Records compilation album, Some Bizarre Album. In 1981 Johnson released Burning Blue Soul, which, despite the fact that it is technically a Matt Johnson solo album (and was released under his name) is often considered to be the first The The album. The album featured Johnson and various musicians from the British post-punk underground, including various members of Wire.
By 1982, The The had become Johnson’s solo project, with a revolving lineup of musicians. That year, the album The Pornography of Despair was recorded, but not released. In 1983, the band released its first real album Soul Mining, which featured the single “This Is the Day,” recorded with Orange Juice’s Zeke Manyika, pianist Jools Holland and cult legend Thomas Leer. The band’s next album, Infected, was a commentary on the state of modern urban life in Great Britain. The album was released in 1986, with Johnson joined by musicians like Neneh Cherry, Art of Noise’s Anne Dudley, Marillion’s Steve Hogarth, and Swans’ Roli Mosimann, among others. It was accompanied by an album-length video and spawned The The’s first UK hit single, “Heartland”.
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Soul Mining
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Dusk
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Mind Bomb
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Infected
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Shoutbox
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oberondarksoul wrote:
One of my favourite accidental musical discoveries - I'm a huge Smiths fan, looked through Johnny Marr's other work, and thought "that looks interesting - wonder what it sounds like?" Expecting to hear jangly indie guitars I was instead rewarded with the most emotional, bleak, optimistic, sexual, downright enthralling set of LPs I'd come across in a long time. I can't find enough superlatives.
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SoulShock wrote:
I would love to hear a Johnson/Thirlwell team-up.
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namrael wrote:
Definitely Burning Blue Soul.
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polymorphous71 wrote:
Burning Blue Soul.
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TrebuchetUK wrote:
Matt Johnson revoices the Infected-era 'Giant' on DJ Food's The Search Engine. Most exciting bit of the album, review here: http://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/index.php/site/article/dj_food_the_search_engine/
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cha0sm0nkey wrote:
Not a million miles from Cathal Coughlan and the Fatima Mansions...
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FoolmeThrice wrote:
Uncertain smile is like the best songonr ever la;jggd;
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lastfmgs wrote:
Matt Johnson is God
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jugglersgirl wrote:
ya'll are impossible to search.
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flashbleu wrote:
The Manic Street Preachers' new version of This Is The Day just shows the difference between talent and mediocrity. How to ruin a great song - bury it under six feet of bombast.
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schwartz- wrote:
it will left unrecognized on itunes :(( #infowatir
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P-atch wrote:
one of the most underrated bands to have emerged from the UK ... infected is an album of poetic and sonic genius
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grimmbo68 wrote:
ich vermisse sie ....
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onealbumaday wrote:
Johnny Marr arrived after all the decent action had happened under this moniker...
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BrainPies wrote:
Wha? No mention of Johnny Marr in the bio?
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synistrycrow wrote:
la cancion uncertain smile (remix 12) me ha encantado el toque que le da a la cancion.
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peirastic wrote:
spectacular.
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MySci-FiLullaby wrote:
so ironical band name :D
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dAniel_brit wrote:
The Beat(en) Generation <3
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crazydude1992 wrote:
These guys were genius by choosing this name. They knew about music piracy over the internet that would spring up in 25 years, so they chose a name with which it would be impossible to find their music on Soulseek or other sites.
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janesaston, stephenjones195, musicforpylons and 16 other people added The The to their libraries. yesterday morning
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Suzanne2008 wrote about The The in Seen Live (a Work in Progress, updated 5 February 2012). Sunday afternoon
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Suzanne2008 wrote about The The in a deleted journal. Sunday afternoon
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mjsilverman, dzenifr, fionacjohnstone and 36 other people added The The to their libraries. Saturday evening
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SimonePerrota tagged The The with ‘post-punk’. last month
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SimonePerrota, petercederling, Perhesthaven and 10 other people added The The to their libraries. last month
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MeganKearin tagged The The with ‘british’. last month
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