LISTENING TO THE MUSIC THE MACHINES MAKE-a book by Richard Evans

[Pughie]

NOT ERASURE: 'LISTENING TO THE MUSIC THE MACHINES MAKE - INVENTING ELECTRONIC POP 1978-1983'
This is a very exciting piece of news for me personally and I have been waiting for absolutely ages to be able share it with you: it feels incredible to come out and actually say it but I have only gone and written a book! The first thing I should say is that it's not an Erasure book, it's a book about the electronic pop music revolution from the end of the seventies to the start of the eighties, but I am beyond thrilled that Vince and Andy are both involved.

Publication will be officially announced by the publisher, Omnibus Press, on Monday but those lovely publishing peeps have allowed me to tell you about it here first. The book is called 'Listening To The Music The Machines Make - Inventing Electronic Pop 1978-1983' and it will be published everywhere with the exception of North America on November 3rd 2022, and then in North America on January 26th 2023. Vince has very kindly written the foreword and, if everything goes according to plan, Andy will be helping me to launch the book when it's published in November (I hope to have more details about that very soon!).

'Listening To The Music The Machines Make' has a brand spanking new website here which contains much more information about the book and its publication than I have space to include in today's newsletter, and I very much hope that you might take a moment to pop over to have a look? I have also set up Facebook, Instagram and Spotify channels to run alongside publication and it would be brilliant if you could head over to them and give them a like and/or a follow so I don't feel quite so lonely and exposed, it's quite scary all of this! A huge thank you to Andy and Vince for allowing me to mention the book here, and to all of you for allowing me this moment of indulgence...







https://omnibuspress.com/products/liste ... 81c8&_ss=r





By Richard Evans

Listening to the Music the Machines Make is the enthralling, explosive story of electronic pop between 1978 and 1983 – a true golden age of British music.

This definitive book explores how krautrock, disco, glam rock and punk inspired an electronic pop revolution and how that revolution went on to establish the foundations for hip-hop, house and EDM.

Drawing on years of research and with exclusive input from key figures – including Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure), Martyn Ware (The Human League, Heaven 17), Dave Ball (Soft Cell), John Foxx (Ultravox), Daniel Miller (The Normal, Mute Records) and Rusty Egan (Visage) – Richard Evans tells the stories of the movement’s underground pioneers and its superstars: from Devo, The Normal, Telex and Cabaret Voltaire to Gary Numan, OMD, Duran Duran and Depeche Mode.

Publication Date: 03.11.22
ISBN: 9781913172336
Extent: 528 pages
Format: Hardback

[Pughie]

SIGNED & DEDICATED COPIES​



This is in response to the question I have been asked the most about the book so, for those of you who are interested, here goes: if you’re in the UK then you can buy signed and/or dedicated copies of 'Listening To The Music The Machines Make' from Omnibus Press or from Lexer Music. Those signed copies are also available for international shipping however I am very aware that international postage and packing costs can make that a very expensive option. With that in mind, if you are outside the UK and would prefer to purchase the book locally then you can request a signed and/or dedicated bookplate via the book's website which we will post out to you, and which you can add to the title page of the book.

https://omnibuspress.com/products/liste ... ember-2022

https://www.lexermusic.com/richard-evan ... hines-make

https://inventingelectronicpop.com/#buybook

Listening to the Music the Machines Make: Inventing Electronic Music A Panel Discussion
About this event

Listening to the Music the Machines Make is the enthralling, explosive story of electronic pop between 1978 and 1983 – a true golden age of British music.

Our panel discussion will draw on contributions from Richard Evans, Martyn Ware and Martyn James.
Richard Evan's 'Listening to the Music the Machines Make' is the revolutionary story of electronic pop from 1978 to 1983, a true golden age of British music. This definitive account explores how krautrock, disco, glam rock and punk inspired a new generation to rip up the rulebook and venture toward a new frontier of electronic music – one that laid the foundations for Hip-Hop, house, techno and beyond.
Including an extensive collection of archive images throughout, Richard Evans’s kaleidoscopic narrative draws on years of research, a plethora of archive press materials and the input of key figures, including Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure), Martyn Ware (The Human League, B.E.F., Heaven 17) and Daniel Miller (The Normal, Mute Records).
From the gritty and experimental to the camp and theatrical, this book charts the careers and impact of electronic pop’s earliest innovators and luminaries, from Devo, The Normal, Telex and Cabaret Voltaire to Soft Cell, Gary Numan, OMD, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode.

The Human League and Heaven 17 were among some of the most pioneering bands of the 1980s, with Martyn Ware having played an integral role in each of their numerous successes. Described by David Bowie as ‘the future of music’, Ware toured with the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Iggy Pop before having the colossal hit albums Penthouse and Pavement and The Luxury Gap with Heaven 17.

In the Chair is Martin James is Professor of Creative and Cultural Industries at Solent University.
Martin’s interests include: music cities and future cities; hidden histories of late twentieth-century alternative music - specifically punk, post-punk and electronic music; and also music journalism in the UK and US printed and online music presses. His current research projects explore the cultural economy of key cities, the role of music in future cultural growth, and the place of music archive in the creation of a cultural city identity.
Martin is an internationally acclaimed music critic with expertise in cultural histories of popular music. Martin has published books on the cultural histories of electronic music scenes as well as a number of music biographies that have been translated into fifteen languages.

Books by all contributors will be available for purchase on the day - our panel discussion will also be followed by a dedicated signing event

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/listenin ... 5968191057

[Pughie]

ANDY BELL: SAVE THE DATE - ANDY BELL WILL BE IN CONVERSATION AT THE 'LISTENING TO THE MUSIC THE MACHINES MAKE' LONDON BOOK LAUNCH IN NOVEMBER

And talking of 'Listening To The Music The Machines Make' I am beyond delighted to be able to tell you that the most marvellous Andy Bell will be helping me to launch my book at a special daytime event in London on either November 5th or November 6th. We are in the process of confirming the exact date and the venue details but I wanted to give you a heads up that the event is coming so you can put it in your diary now if it sounds like something you'd like to attend. If everything goes according to plan I will be interviewing Andy on stage about his life in electronic music as part of an afternoon of similar conversations with other electronic music icons. It is all unbelievably exciting and I cannot wait to get the final details nailed down so I can tell you about it properly. While I'm on the subject of the book, I will also be doing an event as part of the Louder Than Words Festival in Manchester on November 13th. Andy won't be with me for that one but instead I will be in conversation with 'I Say I Say I Say' producer Martyn Ware (The Human League, BEF, Heaven 17) and Professor Martin James. Thank you again for all your lovely support.

[Pughie]

ANDY BELL: ANDY BELL IN CONVERSATION AT THE 'LISTENING TO THE MUSIC THE MACHINES MAKE' BOOK LAUNCH ON NOVEMBER 6TH



Thank you so much for your patience on this one. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the very marvellous Andy Bell has agreed to help me launch my book, 'Listening To The Music The Machines Make - Inventing Electronic Pop 1978-1983', at a special event in London in November. The date has now been finalised and the event will take place at Queen's Gate House in Kensington over the afternoon of Sunday 6th November. And if that's not enough I am beyond delighted that Martyn Ware (The Human League, BEF, Heaven 17) will also be joining us that afternoon and I will be interviewing both Andy and Martyn about their roles in the history of electronic music at the event. I will also be signing copies of 'Listening To The Music The Machines Make', Martyn will be signing copies of his own book 'Electronically Yours Vol 1', and Andy will also be signing items. More details of all of those things are available on the book website here.

I am pleased to say that tickets for the event are available to buy right now and there is also a dedicated page on the 'Listening To The Music The Machines Make' website which contains all the details of the event, the venue, the tickets and more. I look forward to seeing some of you there for an afternoon of electronic music conversation. I will also be doing an event as part of the Louder Than Words Festival in Manchester on November 13th. Andy won't be with me for that one but once again I will be in conversation with Martyn Ware and this time we will be joined by Professor Martin James. Thank you again for all your fantastic support.



Tickets-

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/559699/

[Cesar]

Here's an interview with Richard:

[side-line.com] New book on electronic pop: ‘Listening To The Music The Machines Make’ (Foreword by Vince Clarke)

Source: Side-Line Magazine weekly newsletter, October 28th, 2022

César

[MikeyC]

Here's an interview with Richard:

[side-line.com] New book on electronic pop: ‘Listening To The Music The Machines Make’ (Foreword by Vince Clarke)

Source: Side-Line Magazine weekly newsletter, October 28th, 2022

César

Thanks for the link! Great interview!

[Pughie]

https://wearecult.rocks/review-intervie ... zIL0UdWeaI

[Pughie]

Fingers & thumbs crossed all fans heading to the book launch can get there ok with the train disruptions etc.
Hopefully I’ll see you there,if you know me let me know,it’s nice to meet fans from here I’ve never met before,don’t be shy.

[Pughie]

[MikeyC]

Looks like a fabulous time!!

Did Martyn talk about his experience producing I Sayx3?

What were some the items that fans had Andy sign?