History
The group's longest serving original members are Martin Moscrop (born 24 September 1960) (guitar, trumpet) and Jez Kerr (bass, vocals). Another current member, Donald Johnson (drums, vocals), joined after the first drummerless single. Two of their original members have left the band: Simon Topping (left in 1983 for Quando Quango and later joined T-Coy), plus guitarist Peter Terrell, who left in 1982. Keyboardist Andy Connell, who joined in 1982, left to form Swing Out Sister in 1985.
A Certain Ratio's first recording contract was with Factory Records in 1979. They released The Graveyard and The Ballroom only on cassette in 1980. This led them to put out another experimental album; To Each..., released in 1981, was the band's official debut album. With growing popularity and success, the band signed with A&M Records in 1987, and Good Together was released in 1989. The album failed to produce a hit, leading to the band's departure from the label. In the early 1990s, they signed with Rob's Records, owned by New Order manager Rob Gretton.
In 1990 Creation Records reissued the albums on CD and in 2002 Soul Jazz Records reissued the albums with bonus tracks (but using the same masters as the Creation editions.) Further re-issues and a live recording from 1980 have also been made available on the LTM label.
Although the band does not play full time, they continue writing, recording, and performing. A Certain Ratio performed in the U.S. for the first time since 1985 on 16 November 2008, headlining the Part Time Punks Festival at The Echo in Los Angeles, California.
A Certain Ratio were managed by Tony Wilson. They are featured in the film 24 Hour Party People where Tony Wilson (played by Steve Coogan) describes them as "having all the energy of Joy Division but better clothes." Martin Moscrop was Musical Supervisor of 24 Hour Party People.
Read more about this topic: A Certain Ratio
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“It would be naive to think that peace and justice can be achieved easily. No set of rules or study of history will automatically resolve the problems.... However, with faith and perseverance,... complex problems in the past have been resolved in our search for justice and peace. They can be resolved in the future, provided, of course, that we can think of five new ways to measure the height of a tall building by using a barometer.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)
“It’s not the sentiments of men which make history but their actions.”
—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)
“I am not a literary man.... I am a man of science, and I am interested in that branch of Anthropology which deals with the history of human speech.”
—J.A.H. (James Augustus Henry)