How Men Are
Encyclopedia
How Men Are is the third album by the English
synthpop
group Heaven 17
, released in September 1984 by Virgin Records
. The album peaked at no.12 in the UK and was certified Silver (60,000 copies sold) by the BPI
in October 1984.
Three singles were released from this album: "Sunset Now" (UK#24), "This is Mine" (UK#23) in 1984, and an edited remix
of "...(And That's No Lie)" (UK#52) in early 1985, which was the first Heaven 17 single to fail to reach the UK Top 40
since "Let Me Go" at the end of 1982.
Although digital sample-based instruments such as the Fairlight CMI
and the Linn LM-1
drum machine were still responsible for most of the album's sounds, How Men Are marked the beginning of an increased usage of acoustic instruments in Heaven 17's music. A small orchestra
is employed on three tracks, and two tracks make use of The Phenix Horns
Esquire, Earth, Wind & Fire
's famous brass section
. Another notable contribution to this album was made by the vocal group Afrodiziak
, who sang on four tracks.
In 2006, Heaven 17's first three albums were remaster
ed and reissue
d with bonus track
s.
Tracks marked with "+" are bonus tracks added to the 2006 remastered version of the album; all originally appeared on various formats of the singles taken from the album and had never appeared on CD before. "Counterforce II" was originally a B-side
from the "Sunset Now" 12-inch single
, and was also released under the title "Chase Runner" on the Electric Dreams
soundtrack.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
group Heaven 17
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 are an English synthpop band originating from Sheffield in the early 1980s. The trio comprises Martyn Ware , Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory...
, released in September 1984 by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. The album peaked at no.12 in the UK and was certified Silver (60,000 copies sold) by the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
in October 1984.
Three singles were released from this album: "Sunset Now" (UK#24), "This is Mine" (UK#23) in 1984, and an edited remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of "...(And That's No Lie)" (UK#52) in early 1985, which was the first Heaven 17 single to fail to reach the UK Top 40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
since "Let Me Go" at the end of 1982.
Although digital sample-based instruments such as the Fairlight CMI
Fairlight CMI
The Fairlight CMI is a digital sampling synthesizer. It was designed in 1979 by the founders of Fairlight, Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie, and based on a dual-6800 microprocessor computer designed by Tony Furse in Sydney, Australia...
and the Linn LM-1
Linn LM-1
The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
drum machine were still responsible for most of the album's sounds, How Men Are marked the beginning of an increased usage of acoustic instruments in Heaven 17's music. A small orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
is employed on three tracks, and two tracks make use of The Phenix Horns
Phenix Horns
are Earth, Wind & Fire, Phil Collins and Genesis's brass main section. The four members were Don Myrick on saxophones, Louis "Lui Lui" Satterfield on trombone, Rahmlee Michael Davis on trumpet and Michael Harris on trumpet.-The Pharaohs:...
Esquire, Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
's famous brass section
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
. Another notable contribution to this album was made by the vocal group Afrodiziak
Afrodiziak
Afrodiziak was the collective name used by the British singers Caron Wheeler and Claudia Fontaine in the mid-to-late 1980s. As a duo, they were best known for performing backup vocals on Elvis Costello's 1983 album Punch the Clock, especially its single, the international hit "Everyday I Write the...
, who sang on four tracks.
In 2006, Heaven 17's first three albums were remaster
Remaster
Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
ed and reissue
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
d with bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
s.
Track listing
- "Five Minutes to Midnight" (3:46)
- "Sunset NowSunset Now"Sunset Now" is synthpop trio Heaven 17's first single of 1984 from the album How Men Are. It was written by all three members. The single was released in late 1984 and peaked at #24 in the UK, spending 6 weeks on the chart...
" (3:35) - "This Is MineThis Is Mine"This Is Mine" is synthpop trio Heaven 17's second and last single of 1984 from the album How Men Are. It was written by all three members. The single was released in late 1984 and peaked at #23 in the UK, spending 7 weeks on the chart...
" (3:51) - "The Fuse" (3:05)
- "Shame is on the Rocks" (3:59)
- "The Skin I'm In" (3:46)
- "Flamedown" (2:59)
- "Reputation" (3:03)
- "...(And That's No Lie)...(And That's No Lie)"..." is synthpop trio Heaven 17's first and only single of 1985 from the album How Men Are. It was written by all three members. The single was released early 1984 and peaked at #52 in the UK, spending 5 weeks on the chart. This was the band's first single to miss the top 50 since 1983...
" (10:02) - "This is Mine (Cinemix)" (8:43) +
- "...(And That's No Lie) (Re-mixed to Enhance Danceability)" (6:17) +
- "Counterforce II" (3:08) +
- "Sunset Now (Extended Version)" (5:21) +
Tracks marked with "+" are bonus tracks added to the 2006 remastered version of the album; all originally appeared on various formats of the singles taken from the album and had never appeared on CD before. "Counterforce II" was originally a B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
from the "Sunset Now" 12-inch single
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
, and was also released under the title "Chase Runner" on the Electric Dreams
Electric Dreams (soundtrack)
Electric Dreams is a soundtrack album from the film Electric Dreams, released in 1984Several popular rock and New Wave musicians of the 1980s contributed original music to the film's soundtrack. It was available throughout Europe but remained unreleased on compact disc in the U.S. until September...
soundtrack.
Chart performance
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| German Albums Chart | 31 | ? |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 28 | 2 |
| UK Albums Chart | 12 | 11 |