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Information Society (band)
Encyclopedia
Information Society is an American
band
originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota
, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson
(aka Kurt Valaquen/Kurt Harland), Paul Robb
, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton
as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist by 2008.
The group's breakout hit was 1988's "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)," a dance
–freestyle–synthpop hit that included a vocal 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 sample
s are from Star Trek episodes "Errand of Mercy", and "I, Mudd" respectively. The group is known for its loyal fan base in Brazil
, Japan
, Spain
, and Mexico
. Information Society became part of the American response to the Second British Invasion
.
was formed in Kurt's dorm room in Dupre Hall at Macalester College
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
, in 1982, and they performed avant-garde
electronic music
with flourishes of hip-hop
, dub
, and electro. The name was chosen partly after Ingsoc, the newspeak
term for British socialism in the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
. In 1983 they independently released two albums, The InSoc EP
and Creatures Of Influence
. Two years later it released "Running," the group's 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-freestyle
, was written and sung by Murat Konar, who left the band soon afterward. It was released on the Minneapolis-based label Twin-Tone Records, which was known for rock music rather than dance music. Its growing success led the group to move from its native Minneapolis to NYC, and the ensuing revenues and contacts, as well as the addition of Amanda Kramer
to the lineup, led the group to record its proper debut album for Tommy Boy Records
, which bought out the group's Twin-Tone contract because of its expertise in street-oriented music. Kramer left the band shortly after the second single "Walking Away
" was released. InSoc was also the only Tommy Boy act to have all of its albums released through major-label distribution channels rather than independent distribution, since the label, a former subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records
, had that option available to it throughout its years as a Warner subsidiary. In this case, Warner sub-label Reprise Records
was the distributor. The group's 12-inch vinyl singles, however, were distributed through independent channels.
In addition to "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)," the group’s self-titled major release debut Information Society
(1988) also produced another Top 10 Billboard hit in "Walking Away
", as well as a third single, the ballad "Repetition
." The final single from the album was a cover
of ABBA
's "Lay All Your Love on Me
."
The audio
samples
from Star Trek
were authorized for use on the album partially thanks to the efforts of Adam Nimoy
, fan of the band and son of Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy
. The album sold out its initial pressing
in the United States
in two weeks. Information Society reached gold status after 5 months of its release and would eventually turn platinum (1,000,000) in the U.S. The album also went platinum in Brazil. The disc was one of the few to use CD+G
, which included digital graphics on the compact disc
version in addition to the music. The graphics for the CD+G portion can be seen on the Information Society Web site along with computer based information which has been included on other releases. The songs "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" and "Walking Away" were used in a sampler disc bundled with the Sega CD to showcase the console's CD+G capability, using the same graphics as the album.
During this time the band released an anonymous single (composed of two tracks from their forthcoming second album) under the name Think Tank. Years later, Robb would release tracks under the name Think Tank through the formerly-fictional record label Hakatak
.
They also had a song
– the instrumental
track "Hit Me" – placed on the soundtrack
to the movie Earth Girls Are Easy
. By 1989 Information Society
joined the "Club MTV
Tour" which also included Paula Abdul
, Milli Vanilli
, Tone Loc
, Was Not Was and Lisa Lisa.
(1990), wasn't as successful, but had 2 top 40 hits with "Think"
and "How Long." The album managed to sell quite well in late 1990. Music videos were produced for those two tracks, but only "Think" got video airplay; the Adam Ant
-directed spot for "How Long" was put aside as nobody involved was happy with it. A third single, "Now That I Have You", was remixed and sent out to DJs but was never released. In 2006 the video for "How Long" resurfaced on MTV.com, where it is still viewable as of 2010.
(1992), proved to be more powerful and critically acclaimed, although its label failed to do much to promote it despite featuring production by Karl Bartos
of the legendary electronic band Kraftwerk
. The first single, "Peace & Love Inc.," reached number one on the Billboard
Dance Chart. A music video
was produced for the track, but MTV
declined to play it. The album
is also notable for being perhaps the first album ever produced to contain a track of modem
tones, which, when played into a telephone connected to a computer, resulted in a bonus message from the band.
(1997), was released. Written and performed by Kurt Harland
alone and produced by Steven Seibold, DBA was more industrial-driven than previous albums and reflected more of what Kurt had been wanting to do during most of his tenure with InSoc. Cleopatra Records
released the album, but—like Tommy Boy Records—did little to promote it. Harland's love of computer-related materials continued to be evident, as the album included a CD-ROM
filled with bonus material, not yet a common occurrence in 1997. The disc included a selection of digital
samples used in the album
's production, miscellaneous works of art by InSoc fans, a program to generate the distinctive border graphics
used on the album's cover
, and the music video
of "Peace & Love, Inc."
There was also a carefully orchestrated digital scavenger hunt
culminating in the discovery of a bonus track called "White Roses." The scavenger hunt began with decoding a modem's signal recorded at the end of the audio CD, resulting in a text message from Kurt which pointed the way to a Web site where the search began. There is also a cover included of Gary Numan
's "Are 'Friends' Electric?
". Also included is "Ozar Midrashim", later used as the main theme for the videogame Soul Reaver
. The album eventually went out of print, but it had a second release in a remastered version in 2008, this time with "White Roses" included as an audio track. So far, this release has only been available as digital media and not on CD or vinyl.
A remix
album, InSoc Recombinant
(1999), was produced, featuring vocals to the band's earlier hits remixed by various artists. The vocals to songs pre-Don't Be Afraid were not the originals, they were new versions re-recorded by Kurt alone specifically for the remixers' use. Included on a bonus, unadvertised CD-ROM were digital copies most of the band's officially-produced promotional videos, including a copy of the "Peace and Love Inc." video of higher quality than that distributed with Don't Be Afraid. This CD-ROM, however, did not feature the "How Long" video.
was released including all the hits from 1988 to 1992.
In 2004, Cleopatra Records
released a compilation titled Pure Energy
. The release consisted of tracks from Don't Be Afraid and InSoc Recombinant, supplemented with a slightly altered mix of "Are Friends Electric?" and two new remixes of "What's On Your Mind," one by Effcee, and one unattributed mix labeled "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" which attempted to emulate the original Tommy Boy version of the track. Robb called the album "an insult to both the band and the fans." Harland, despite being credited as producer in the liner notes
, had nothing to do with the release; and while declining to either "endorse or un-endorse" the album, he did take particular issue with the cover art, both for its low quality and for its portrayal of him holding a gun. http://community.livejournal.com/insoc/16324.html?thread=49604#t49604
The group was featured in an episode of VH1
's Bands Reunited
in November 2004. As broadcast, it appeared that Aamer Haleem
(host of the show) got every member to agree to reuniting. However, Kurt had declined to appear in the planned concert, for reasons he later detailed in a post on the band's official website. The post also details his experiences behind the scenes of the production, and how they differ from the portrayals in the episode as broadcast.
The VH1 show was followed by a period of relative quiet, although Harland, Cassidy, and Robb gave two performances at a weekend music festival in New York
on August 20–21, 2005.
and James Cassidy had decided to reconvene Information Society, initially without Kurt Harland
's full participation in the recording process. http://community.livejournal.com/insoc/53340.html Harland's absence in the studio line-up was cited as being due to family and work obligations. Harland ultimately contributed lead vocals to one track, "Seeds of Pain."
The new lineup included Christopher Anton
as lead vocalist and co-writer for several tracks from Oscillator and Synthesizer including the title track of the latter. They were also joined by Sonja Myers who played additional keyboards and provided a return to female background vocals.
Christopher Anton
performed live as the lead singer for Information Society throughout 2006–2008, including shows in California, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and São Paulo, Brazil. By mid-2007, the band began to return to its original lineup of Kurt, Paul and James, who performed on July 21, 2007 at the Freestyle Reunion 2 Concert at Madison Square Garden. After the release of Synthesizer
, the trio performed a series of concerts in Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco and Austin, TX. The concert in Philadelphia was filmed for a forthcoming DVD.
On 19 March 2007, Information Society self-released an EP
titled Oscillator
, as an Internet-only release – their first commercial release in over six years. This was followed by a new album, Synthesizer
which was released on October 9 in North America and October 5 in Europe on Dancing Ferret Discs. The album was released digitally in North America and Europe on September 4, 2007. Several live shows in the US followed the album's release.
Information Society commissioned chiptune/micromusic artist 8 Bit Weapon
to remix "I Like the Way You Werk It." 8 Bit Weapon remixed the song using both a Commodore 64
computer and a Game Boy
Classic handheld console. The remix was titled "I Like the Way You Werk It – 8 Bit Weapon Remix." I Like the Way You Werk It was also remixed by LA-based indie promoter and electronica artist Jon Hershfield. The remix is titled Werk It V.2. Both Robb and Anton have been guests on Hershfield's internet radio program Isgoodmusic.com.
Modulator
an EP of remixes from Synthesizer
was released in digital-only format in September 2009. It was also included in its entirety on the "25 Years of Information Society" DVD released later that year. Notable remixers on the Modulator EP included Dave Aude and Tommie Sunshine. Modulator also included a live version of "Wrongful Death" and a brand new song, "Don't Touch The Devil" with Kurt on vocals.
and Murat Konar's brother Mithat. They only recorded 2 songs ("Cruel Lovin'" sung by Mithat, and "All You Ever Told Were Lies" sung by Kurt), both produced by Kurt. They released a few 12" Singles in 1988 and one CD in 1991. With the success of Information Society, this project died.
and house music
, and he was integral to the early operations of Tommy Boy Records
. He went on to release solo material under the Think Tank name and was half of Brother Sun Sister Moon who later became known as Luminous. In addition to his ongoing work with Information Society, Robb is a composer for TV and film whose credits include Orgazmo
, South Park
, and Clio Award-winning commercials.
James Cassidy is an instructor and research assistant in crop science and soil science at Oregon State University
in Corvallis, Oregon
.
Kurt Harland Larson lives in San Francisco, CA
with his wife and son, and is the Audio Lead at Nihilistic Software, a game studio in Novato, CA. He remains the lead vocalist for Information Society and is also the lead singer of an unrelated project called 415 Sound Covenant.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson
Kurt Harland
Kurt Harland is a singer, composer, and video game developer/audio engineer. He is best known as the lead singer of Information Society and composer of the soundtracks for the Legacy of Kain video game series.-Biography:...
(aka Kurt Valaquen/Kurt Harland), Paul Robb
Paul Robb
Paul Jason Robb is a synthesizer player, producer, songwriter and one of the founding members of the synthpop-freestyle band Information Society.- Biography :...
, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton
Christopher Anton
Christopher Anton , is an American singer and songwriter. Anton is known for being the vocalist of the Synthpop band Information Society, as well as the synth rock band Pseudocipher. Recently, in 2010 Christopher Anton has gained popularity as a solo artist in the dance genre with the release of...
as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist by 2008.
The group's breakout hit was 1988's "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)," a dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
–freestyle–synthpop hit that included a vocal sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
) from Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, saying "pure energy," and opened with a sample of Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley
DeForest Kelley
Jackson DeForest Kelley was an American actor known for his iconic roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the USS Enterprise in the television and film series Star Trek.-Early life:...
), also from Star Trek, saying, "It's worked so far, but we're not out yet!" The sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
s are from Star Trek episodes "Errand of Mercy", and "I, Mudd" respectively. The group is known for its loyal fan base in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Information Society became part of the American response to the Second British Invasion
Second British Invasion
The term Second British Invasion refers to British music acts that became popular in the United States during the 1980s primarily due to the cable music channel MTV...
.
Founding and debut album
The bandMusical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
was formed in Kurt's dorm room in Dupre Hall at Macalester College
Macalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, in 1982, and they performed avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
with flourishes of hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, and electro. The name was chosen partly after Ingsoc, the newspeak
Newspeak
Newspeak is a fictional language in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the novel, it refers to the deliberately impoverished language promoted by the state. Orwell included an essay about it in the form of an appendix in which the basic principles of the language are explained...
term for British socialism in the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
. In 1983 they independently released two albums, The InSoc EP
The InSoc EP
The InSoc EP is an EP by synthpop band Information Society. It was their first record.-Track listing:# "Bacchanale" – 1:38# "Fall in Line" – 3:44# "Growing Up with Shiva" – 4:15...
and Creatures Of Influence
Creatures of Influence
Creatures Of Influence is an independent album by synthpop band Information Society.-Track listing:# "Hiroshima" – 4:45# "Running" – 8:03# "Creatures of Influence" – 3:42# "Don't Lose Your Mind" – 4:21# "Fall in Line" – 3:48# "Signals" – 4:12...
. Two years later it released "Running," the group's first single, which became a hit popular in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
clubs and put them on the map. The song, a 7-minute excursion into electro-freestyle
Freestyle music
Freestyle or Latin freestyle, sometimes referred to as Latin hip hop, is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s...
, was written and sung by Murat Konar, who left the band soon afterward. It was released on the Minneapolis-based label Twin-Tone Records, which was known for rock music rather than dance music. Its growing success led the group to move from its native Minneapolis to NYC, and the ensuing revenues and contacts, as well as the addition of Amanda Kramer
Amanda Kramer
Amanda Kramer is an American musician, best known as a former keyboard player of the 1980s electronic band Information Society. She soon left the band due to "personal issues", later established as an addiction to heroin. She then joined the musical collective the Golden Palominos, beginning with...
to the lineup, led the group to record its proper debut album for Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
, which bought out the group's Twin-Tone contract because of its expertise in street-oriented music. Kramer left the band shortly after the second single "Walking Away
Walking Away (Information Society song)
"Walking Away" is a 1988 song by the Dance/Freestyle group Information Society. Released as a single in late 1988, the song peaked at #9 in the United States in February 1989 and #5 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart.-Track listings:LP...
" was released. InSoc was also the only Tommy Boy act to have all of its albums released through major-label distribution channels rather than independent distribution, since the label, a former subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, had that option available to it throughout its years as a Warner subsidiary. In this case, Warner sub-label Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
was the distributor. The group's 12-inch vinyl singles, however, were distributed through independent channels.
In addition to "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)," the group’s self-titled major release debut Information Society
Information Society (album)
Information Society is the self-titled album by synthpop, techno, and Latin freestyle band Information Society. It was their first release under a major label, after two independently released albums...
(1988) also produced another Top 10 Billboard hit in "Walking Away
Walking Away (Information Society song)
"Walking Away" is a 1988 song by the Dance/Freestyle group Information Society. Released as a single in late 1988, the song peaked at #9 in the United States in February 1989 and #5 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart.-Track listings:LP...
", as well as a third single, the ballad "Repetition
Repetition (single)
"Repetition" is a 1989 ballad by Information Society. The song peaked at #76 in the Billboard Hot 100.The music video, shot in black and white, shows the band between building ruins and old things, that complete the sad line of the lyrics.-Track listing:...
." The final single from the album was a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
's "Lay All Your Love on Me
Lay All Your Love on Me
"Lay All Your Love on Me", is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA in 1980 for their Super Trouper album. It was released only as a 12-inch single in 1981 in limited territories, rather than as a standard 7-inch record. At the time, it was the highest selling 12-inch record in UK chart...
."
The audio
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
from Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
were authorized for use on the album partially thanks to the efforts of Adam Nimoy
Adam Nimoy
Adam B. Nimoy is an American television director. Nimoy is the son of actor Leonard Nimoy and his first wife, actress Sandra Zober.-Career:...
, fan of the band and son of Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
. The album sold out its initial pressing
Record press
A record press is a machine for manufacturing vinyl records. It is essentially a hydraulic press with a closing force of 100 tons and is fitted with moulds. Labels and a vinyl pattie are placed in the mould cavity while the moulds are being steam-heated with an ideal steam pressure of 140-170psi...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in two weeks. Information Society reached gold status after 5 months of its release and would eventually turn platinum (1,000,000) in the U.S. The album also went platinum in Brazil. The disc was one of the few to use CD+G
CD+G
CD+G is an extension of the compact disc standard that can present low-resolution graphics alongside the audio data on the disc when played on a compatible device...
, which included digital graphics on the compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version in addition to the music. The graphics for the CD+G portion can be seen on the Information Society Web site along with computer based information which has been included on other releases. The songs "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" and "Walking Away" were used in a sampler disc bundled with the Sega CD to showcase the console's CD+G capability, using the same graphics as the album.
During this time the band released an anonymous single (composed of two tracks from their forthcoming second album) under the name Think Tank. Years later, Robb would release tracks under the name Think Tank through the formerly-fictional record label Hakatak
Hakatak
Hakatak International is an American independent record label founded by Paul Robb. It is specialized in electronic music acts.-Artists:* Brother Sun Sister Moon* Dissonance* Information Society* Metrognome:Falcotronik* Think Tank-External links:* *...
.
They also had a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
– the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
track "Hit Me" – placed on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the movie Earth Girls Are Easy
Earth Girls Are Easy
Earth Girls Are Easy is a 1988 American musical comedy film directed by Julien Temple. It stars Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Michael McKean, Julie Brown, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans. The film is marketed with the tagline "An out-of-this-world, down-to-earth comedy adventure"...
. By 1989 Information Society
Information society
The aim of the information society is to gain competitive advantage internationally through using IT in a creative and productive way. An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution, diffusion, use, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic,...
joined the "Club MTV
Club MTV
Club MTV was a half hour television show molded after American Bandstand that aired on MTV between the years 1985 and 1992. Club MTV was part of MTV's second generation of programming when they were phasing out the original 5 VJs and introducing new ones.-Background and format:Hosted by Downtown...
Tour" which also included Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
, Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...
, Tone Loc
Tone Loc
Anthony Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.-Early life and career:...
, Was Not Was and Lisa Lisa.
Hack
The second release, HackHack (album)
Hack is an album by freestyle synth-pop band Information Society. The album sold quite well but did not outsell its smash debut album. It is the only major-label-distributed title that has the modern Tommy Boy Records logo on it.-Track listing:...
(1990), wasn't as successful, but had 2 top 40 hits with "Think"
Think (single)
"Think" is the first single from Hack, the second album by Information Society. It was released in 1990. The song was accompanied by a music video...
and "How Long." The album managed to sell quite well in late 1990. Music videos were produced for those two tracks, but only "Think" got video airplay; the Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Adam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
-directed spot for "How Long" was put aside as nobody involved was happy with it. A third single, "Now That I Have You", was remixed and sent out to DJs but was never released. In 2006 the video for "How Long" resurfaced on MTV.com, where it is still viewable as of 2010.
Peace and Love Inc.
The group’s third release, Peace and Love, Inc.Peace and Love, Inc.
Peace and Love, Inc. is an album by synth-pop band Information Society. The album got great critical reviews but the label did little to promote it. Peace and Love, Inc was the least successful of the 3 albums released under Tommy Boy/Reprise and was the last Tommy Boy title to be distributed by...
(1992), proved to be more powerful and critically acclaimed, although its label failed to do much to promote it despite featuring production by Karl Bartos
Karl Bartos
Karl Bartos was, between 1975 and 1990, along with Wolfgang Flür, an electronic percussionist in the electronic-music group Kraftwerk. He was originally recruited to play on its US "Autobahn" tour...
of the legendary electronic band Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
. The first single, "Peace & Love Inc.," reached number one on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Dance Chart. A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was produced for the track, but MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
declined to play it. The album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
is also notable for being perhaps the first album ever produced to contain a track of modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
tones, which, when played into a telephone connected to a computer, resulted in a bonus message from the band.
Don't Be Afraid and Cleopatra Records
Five years later a fourth album, Don't Be AfraidDon't Be Afraid (album)
Don't Be Afraid is a 1997 Industrial / electronic album by Information Society. It saw a dramatic change in creative direction from the pop stylings of Information Society's earlier work to a darker sound with prominent themes of paranoia and disaffection with modern life...
(1997), was released. Written and performed by Kurt Harland
Kurt Harland
Kurt Harland is a singer, composer, and video game developer/audio engineer. He is best known as the lead singer of Information Society and composer of the soundtracks for the Legacy of Kain video game series.-Biography:...
alone and produced by Steven Seibold, DBA was more industrial-driven than previous albums and reflected more of what Kurt had been wanting to do during most of his tenure with InSoc. Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music...
released the album, but—like Tommy Boy Records—did little to promote it. Harland's love of computer-related materials continued to be evident, as the album included a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
filled with bonus material, not yet a common occurrence in 1997. The disc included a selection of digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
samples used in the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
's production, miscellaneous works of art by InSoc fans, a program to generate the distinctive border graphics
Graphics
Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
used on the album's cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
, and the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of "Peace & Love, Inc."
There was also a carefully orchestrated digital scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, using which the participants — individuals or teams — seek to gather all items on the list — usually without purchasing them — or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified...
culminating in the discovery of a bonus track called "White Roses." The scavenger hunt began with decoding a modem's signal recorded at the end of the audio CD, resulting in a text message from Kurt which pointed the way to a Web site where the search began. There is also a cover included of Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
's "Are 'Friends' Electric?
Are 'Friends' Electric?
"Are 'Friends' Electric?" is a 1979 song written by Gary Numan, released under the name of his then-band Tubeway Army as a single and on the album Replicas...
". Also included is "Ozar Midrashim", later used as the main theme for the videogame Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1999 and for the Dreamcast in 2000. As the second game in the Legacy of Kain series, Soul Reaver is the sequel to...
. The album eventually went out of print, but it had a second release in a remastered version in 2008, this time with "White Roses" included as an audio track. So far, this release has only been available as digital media and not on CD or vinyl.
A 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 ....
album, InSoc Recombinant
InSoc Recombinant
InSoc Recombinant is a compilation album of the greatest hits by synthpop band Information Society, in various remixed versions. It includes, as a bonus, a CD-ROM with five music videos.-Track listing:# "What's on Your Mind "...
(1999), was produced, featuring vocals to the band's earlier hits remixed by various artists. The vocals to songs pre-Don't Be Afraid were not the originals, they were new versions re-recorded by Kurt alone specifically for the remixers' use. Included on a bonus, unadvertised CD-ROM were digital copies most of the band's officially-produced promotional videos, including a copy of the "Peace and Love Inc." video of higher quality than that distributed with Don't Be Afraid. This CD-ROM, however, did not feature the "How Long" video.
Compilations and Bands Reunited
In 2001, strange haircuts // cardboard guitars // and computer samplesStrange haircuts // cardboard guitars // and computer samples
strange haircuts // cardboard guitars // and computer samples is a compilation album of the greatest hits by the synth-pop and Latin freestyle band Information Society.-Track listing:# "Running"# "Walking Away"# "Repetition"...
was released including all the hits from 1988 to 1992.
In 2004, Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music...
released a compilation titled Pure Energy
Pure Energy
Pure Energy: the very best of Information Society is a compilation album of synth-pop band Information Society. It is generally poorly regarded by band members.-Track listing:# "What's on Your Mind "# "Peace & Love, Inc...
. The release consisted of tracks from Don't Be Afraid and InSoc Recombinant, supplemented with a slightly altered mix of "Are Friends Electric?" and two new remixes of "What's On Your Mind," one by Effcee, and one unattributed mix labeled "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" which attempted to emulate the original Tommy Boy version of the track. Robb called the album "an insult to both the band and the fans." Harland, despite being credited as producer in the liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
, had nothing to do with the release; and while declining to either "endorse or un-endorse" the album, he did take particular issue with the cover art, both for its low quality and for its portrayal of him holding a gun. http://community.livejournal.com/insoc/16324.html?thread=49604#t49604
The group was featured in an episode of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Bands Reunited
Bands Reunited
Bands Reunited is a television program produced by VH1 in 2004. Hosted by Aamer Haleem, the show documented the attempted reuniting of a formerly popular musical ensemble for a special concert in either London or Los Angeles....
in November 2004. As broadcast, it appeared that Aamer Haleem
Aamer Haleem
Aamer Haleem is a Canadian radio and television personality, who hosted the weekday afternoon current affairs program The Point on CBC Radio One. until it was canceled on June 26, 2009....
(host of the show) got every member to agree to reuniting. However, Kurt had declined to appear in the planned concert, for reasons he later detailed in a post on the band's official website. The post also details his experiences behind the scenes of the production, and how they differ from the portrayals in the episode as broadcast.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on August 20–21, 2005.
Oscillator , Synthesizer and Modulator
In 2006, it was announced that Paul RobbPaul Robb
Paul Jason Robb is a synthesizer player, producer, songwriter and one of the founding members of the synthpop-freestyle band Information Society.- Biography :...
and James Cassidy had decided to reconvene Information Society, initially without Kurt Harland
Kurt Harland
Kurt Harland is a singer, composer, and video game developer/audio engineer. He is best known as the lead singer of Information Society and composer of the soundtracks for the Legacy of Kain video game series.-Biography:...
's full participation in the recording process. http://community.livejournal.com/insoc/53340.html Harland's absence in the studio line-up was cited as being due to family and work obligations. Harland ultimately contributed lead vocals to one track, "Seeds of Pain."
The new lineup included Christopher Anton
Christopher Anton
Christopher Anton , is an American singer and songwriter. Anton is known for being the vocalist of the Synthpop band Information Society, as well as the synth rock band Pseudocipher. Recently, in 2010 Christopher Anton has gained popularity as a solo artist in the dance genre with the release of...
as lead vocalist and co-writer for several tracks from Oscillator and Synthesizer including the title track of the latter. They were also joined by Sonja Myers who played additional keyboards and provided a return to female background vocals.
Christopher Anton
Christopher Anton
Christopher Anton , is an American singer and songwriter. Anton is known for being the vocalist of the Synthpop band Information Society, as well as the synth rock band Pseudocipher. Recently, in 2010 Christopher Anton has gained popularity as a solo artist in the dance genre with the release of...
performed live as the lead singer for Information Society throughout 2006–2008, including shows in California, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and São Paulo, Brazil. By mid-2007, the band began to return to its original lineup of Kurt, Paul and James, who performed on July 21, 2007 at the Freestyle Reunion 2 Concert at Madison Square Garden. After the release of Synthesizer
Synthesizer (album)
Synthesizer is an album by synthpop band Information Society. It was released on September 1, 2007 from the Official Website, and was released on October 9, 2007 in record stores.-Track listing:# Baby Just Wants# Back In The Day...
, the trio performed a series of concerts in Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco and Austin, TX. The concert in Philadelphia was filmed for a forthcoming DVD.
On 19 March 2007, Information Society self-released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled Oscillator
Oscillator (EP)
Oscillator is an EP by Information Society. It was their first new commercial release after a six year hiatus.This six-song record features the vocal stylings of newcomer Christopher Anton, as well as a range of intriguing guests and remixers...
, as an Internet-only release – their first commercial release in over six years. This was followed by a new album, Synthesizer
Synthesizer (album)
Synthesizer is an album by synthpop band Information Society. It was released on September 1, 2007 from the Official Website, and was released on October 9, 2007 in record stores.-Track listing:# Baby Just Wants# Back In The Day...
which was released on October 9 in North America and October 5 in Europe on Dancing Ferret Discs. The album was released digitally in North America and Europe on September 4, 2007. Several live shows in the US followed the album's release.
Information Society commissioned chiptune/micromusic artist 8 Bit Weapon
8 Bit Weapon
8 Bit Weapon is a chiptune music band created by Seth Sternberger. The instrument set of 8 Bit Weapon consists primarily of old 8-bit and 16-bit computers such as the Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Commodore Amiga 500, and the Apple II, as well as game consoles such as the Nintendo...
to remix "I Like the Way You Werk It." 8 Bit Weapon remixed the song using both a Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
computer and a Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
Classic handheld console. The remix was titled "I Like the Way You Werk It – 8 Bit Weapon Remix." I Like the Way You Werk It was also remixed by LA-based indie promoter and electronica artist Jon Hershfield. The remix is titled Werk It V.2. Both Robb and Anton have been guests on Hershfield's internet radio program Isgoodmusic.com.
Modulator
Modulator (EP)
Modulator is an EP of electronic music by Information Society. It was released September 22, 2009.-Track listing:#"Seeds of Pain" #"Baby Just Wants" #"Run Away"...
an EP of remixes from Synthesizer
Synthesizer (album)
Synthesizer is an album by synthpop band Information Society. It was released on September 1, 2007 from the Official Website, and was released on October 9, 2007 in record stores.-Track listing:# Baby Just Wants# Back In The Day...
was released in digital-only format in September 2009. It was also included in its entirety on the "25 Years of Information Society" DVD released later that year. Notable remixers on the Modulator EP included Dave Aude and Tommie Sunshine. Modulator also included a live version of "Wrongful Death" and a brand new song, "Don't Touch The Devil" with Kurt on vocals.
Side Projects
A.K.A. was a side project by Information Society's members Kurt Harland LarsonKurt Harland
Kurt Harland is a singer, composer, and video game developer/audio engineer. He is best known as the lead singer of Information Society and composer of the soundtracks for the Legacy of Kain video game series.-Biography:...
and Murat Konar's brother Mithat. They only recorded 2 songs ("Cruel Lovin'" sung by Mithat, and "All You Ever Told Were Lies" sung by Kurt), both produced by Kurt. They released a few 12" Singles in 1988 and one CD in 1991. With the success of Information Society, this project died.
Personnel
Information Society is a musical collective which has been recording and performing for over 25 years.Complete band roster
This is a list of everyone who has ever at least rehearsed to play with InSoc's live show, in order of appearance. Not everyone on this list ever actually made it on stage.- Paul RobbPaul RobbPaul Jason Robb is a synthesizer player, producer, songwriter and one of the founding members of the synthpop-freestyle band Information Society.- Biography :...
- Kurt HarlandKurt HarlandKurt Harland is a singer, composer, and video game developer/audio engineer. He is best known as the lead singer of Information Society and composer of the soundtracks for the Legacy of Kain video game series.-Biography:...
- Pamela Tzara/Brustman
- Heather LeFay
- Kristin/Kaerlin Leader
- James Cassidy
- Chris Little
- Murat Konar
- Lisa Tonra
- Shawntelle Martin
- Belinda Beasley
- Mithat Konar
- Amanda KramerAmanda KramerAmanda Kramer is an American musician, best known as a former keyboard player of the 1980s electronic band Information Society. She soon left the band due to "personal issues", later established as an addiction to heroin. She then joined the musical collective the Golden Palominos, beginning with...
- Sally Venue-Berg
- Ed Potokar
- Mariuccia Nocera
- Ed Wozniak
- Mik Nnamplots
- Sherry Hart
- Will Loconto
- Kristoffer Larson
- Liam Hart
- Sonja Myers
- Christopher AntonChristopher AntonChristopher Anton , is an American singer and songwriter. Anton is known for being the vocalist of the Synthpop band Information Society, as well as the synth rock band Pseudocipher. Recently, in 2010 Christopher Anton has gained popularity as a solo artist in the dance genre with the release of...
- Falcotronik
Principal members
Paul Robb cites his influences in earlier albums as hip-hopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, and he was integral to the early operations of Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
. He went on to release solo material under the Think Tank name and was half of Brother Sun Sister Moon who later became known as Luminous. In addition to his ongoing work with Information Society, Robb is a composer for TV and film whose credits include Orgazmo
Orgazmo
Orgazmo is a 1997 comedy film written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the animated series South Park, and directed by Parker.-Plot:...
, South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, and Clio Award-winning commercials.
James Cassidy is an instructor and research assistant in crop science and soil science at Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
.
Kurt Harland Larson lives in San Francisco, CA
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with his wife and son, and is the Audio Lead at Nihilistic Software, a game studio in Novato, CA. He remains the lead vocalist for Information Society and is also the lead singer of an unrelated project called 415 Sound Covenant.
Performance line-ups
Principal performers by time period.- 1982: Kurt Harland, Paul Robb, Pamela Brustman
- 1983: Kurt Harland, Paul Robb, James Cassidy, Kristie Leader, Pamela Brustman
- 1984–1985: Paul Robb, James Cassidy, Murat Konar, Lisa Tonra, Chris Little
- 1986–1988: Kurt Harland, Paul Robb, James Cassidy, Amanda Kramer
- 1988–1993: Kurt Harland, Paul Robb, James Cassidy
- 1993–1998: Kurt Harland
- 1999–2006: No band activity in this period
- 2006: Paul Robb, James Cassidy, Christopher Anton, Sonja Myers
- 2007: Paul Robb, James Cassidy, Christopher Anton, Kurt Harland Larson
- 2008–2010: Paul Robb, James Cassidy, Kurt Harland Larson
Albums
- The InSoc EPThe InSoc EPThe InSoc EP is an EP by synthpop band Information Society. It was their first record.-Track listing:# "Bacchanale" – 1:38# "Fall in Line" – 3:44# "Growing Up with Shiva" – 4:15...
(1983, EP) - Creatures Of InfluenceCreatures of InfluenceCreatures Of Influence is an independent album by synthpop band Information Society.-Track listing:# "Hiroshima" – 4:45# "Running" – 8:03# "Creatures of Influence" – 3:42# "Don't Lose Your Mind" – 4:21# "Fall in Line" – 3:48# "Signals" – 4:12...
(1984) - Information SocietyInformation Society (album)Information Society is the self-titled album by synthpop, techno, and Latin freestyle band Information Society. It was their first release under a major label, after two independently released albums...
(1988) Platinum US #25 - HackHack (album)Hack is an album by freestyle synth-pop band Information Society. The album sold quite well but did not outsell its smash debut album. It is the only major-label-distributed title that has the modern Tommy Boy Records logo on it.-Track listing:...
(1990) #77 US - Peace and Love, Inc.Peace and Love, Inc.Peace and Love, Inc. is an album by synth-pop band Information Society. The album got great critical reviews but the label did little to promote it. Peace and Love, Inc was the least successful of the 3 albums released under Tommy Boy/Reprise and was the last Tommy Boy title to be distributed by...
(1992) - Don't Be AfraidDon't Be Afraid (album)Don't Be Afraid is a 1997 Industrial / electronic album by Information Society. It saw a dramatic change in creative direction from the pop stylings of Information Society's earlier work to a darker sound with prominent themes of paranoia and disaffection with modern life...
(1997) - InSoc RecombinantInSoc RecombinantInSoc Recombinant is a compilation album of the greatest hits by synthpop band Information Society, in various remixed versions. It includes, as a bonus, a CD-ROM with five music videos.-Track listing:# "What's on Your Mind "...
(1999, remix compilation) - strange haircuts // cardboard guitars // and computer samplesStrange haircuts // cardboard guitars // and computer samplesstrange haircuts // cardboard guitars // and computer samples is a compilation album of the greatest hits by the synth-pop and Latin freestyle band Information Society.-Track listing:# "Running"# "Walking Away"# "Repetition"...
(2001, compilation) - Pure EnergyPure EnergyPure Energy: the very best of Information Society is a compilation album of synth-pop band Information Society. It is generally poorly regarded by band members.-Track listing:# "What's on Your Mind "# "Peace & Love, Inc...
(2004, compilation) - OscillatorOscillator (EP)Oscillator is an EP by Information Society. It was their first new commercial release after a six year hiatus.This six-song record features the vocal stylings of newcomer Christopher Anton, as well as a range of intriguing guests and remixers...
(2007, EP) - SynthesizerSynthesizer (album)Synthesizer is an album by synthpop band Information Society. It was released on September 1, 2007 from the Official Website, and was released on October 9, 2007 in record stores.-Track listing:# Baby Just Wants# Back In The Day...
(2007) - Don't Be Afraid v1.3 (2008 – bonus tracks, remastered)
- Apocryphon: Electro Roots 1982-1985Apocryphon: Electro Roots 1982-1985Apocryphon: Electro Roots 1982–1985 is a 2-CD compilation album by synthpop band Information Society. It includes their early 1980s independent releases, The InSoc EP and Creatures of Influence, in remastered form, as well as rare and live tracks, and a 30 page color booklet with photographs of the...
(2008, compilation) - Modulator (EP)Modulator (EP)Modulator is an EP of electronic music by Information Society. It was released September 22, 2009.-Track listing:#"Seeds of Pain" #"Baby Just Wants" #"Run Away"...
(2009)
Singles
- "RunningRunning (Information Society song)Running is a single by the band InSoc originally released on the Creatures Of Influence album in 1985. The single for Running was distributed to club DJs, and became a favorite all over clubs, particularly in the Latin clubs of New York City...
" #2 Dance - "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (1988) #3 Pop, #1 Dance
- "Walking AwayWalking Away (Information Society song)"Walking Away" is a 1988 song by the Dance/Freestyle group Information Society. Released as a single in late 1988, the song peaked at #9 in the United States in February 1989 and #5 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart.-Track listings:LP...
" (1988) #9 Pop, #5 Dance - "Repetition" (1989) #76 Pop
- "Lay All Your Love on Me" (1989) #83 Pop, #23 Dance
- "Think" (1990) #28 Pop, #5 Dance
- "How Long" (1991) #20 Dance
- "Peace & Love, Inc." (1992) #1 Dance
- "Going, Going, Gone" (1993)
- "Are Friends Electric?" (1997)
- "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" Remixed (1998) – Recombinant mixes released as a 12" single.
- "Running" Remixed Re-release (2001) #2 Dance
- "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" Remixed (2001) #2 Dance
- "Baby Just Wants" (2007)
- "Back in the Day" (2007)
- "I Like the Way You Werk It" (2007)
2000s
- 2009: Soundtracks by Information Society – interview with Paul Robb, plus 2-tracks for listening to.
- 2007: Plaza of the Mind – an interview with Paul Robb
- 2006: New Information Society Revealed; synthpop.net
- 2002: Beyond Society Synthpop.net interviews Paul Robb
1990s
- 1999: Multiple Personality – Sound on Sound interview with Paul Robb
- 1997: Sideline Interview – Sideline Magazine interview with Kurt Harland
- 1997: Chronicle Interview – The San Francisco Chronicle interviews Kurt HarlandKurt HarlandKurt Harland is a singer, composer, and video game developer/audio engineer. He is best known as the lead singer of Information Society and composer of the soundtracks for the Legacy of Kain video game series.-Biography:...
- 1997: OING Interview – OING Magazine's interview with Kurt Harland
- 1997: An Interview – an interview with Kurt Harland, source unknown
- 1997: An Interview – Keyboard Magazine interviews Kurt Harland
- 1995: Redundantly – Kurt Harland interview in Redundantly Magazine
- 1993: Interview (source unknown) with Kurt Harland
- 1990: Knightline – Phrack Magazine interview with Kurt Harland
- 1990: August Village Beat – Village Beat Newspaper interview with Kurt Harland
External links
- Information Society Official Website – The official Information Society website
- Information Society on Facebook – the official Information Society Facebook page
- Information Society Official MySpace – the official Information Society MySpace page
- InSoc.org – The original official Information Society website, written by Kurt Harland
- [ AllMusic Guide]
- White Roses – More information regarding the track "White Roses"
- InSoc Discography – Afreet Gallery's very detailed InSoc Discography page