Philip Oakey
Encyclopedia
Philip Oakey is an English composer
, singer, songwriter and producer
.
He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English
synthpop
band
The Human League
. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers. He is also an occasional DJ.
Oakey was one of the most visually distinctive music artists of the early 1980s. His synthesiser composition and song writing helped make his band The Human League one of the highest profile pop bands of the early 1980s. At the height of their success The Human League released the triple platinum album Dare
and Oakey co-wrote and sang the multi million selling single “Don't You Want Me
”, which was a number one single in both the U.S and UK, where it remains the 25th highest selling single of all time. Oakey has been a key figure in the music business and has been lead singer of The Human League for over 30 years, with whom he has sold more than 20 million records worldwide. He continues recording and performing internationally to this day.
, Leicestershire
, but moved to Sheffield
at an early age when his father changed jobs to work in the city. He was educated at King Edward VII School
in Sheffield
. He left school at 18 without finishing his exams and worked in a number of casual jobs: in a university bookshop, and from 1975 as a porter at Thornbury Annex Hospital in Sheffield. He was married briefly to his girlfriend, whom he met at school, but the marriage did not last long and they were divorced in 1980.
In Sheffield in 1977 Martyn Ware
(a school friend of Oakey’s), Ian Craig Marsh
and Adi Newton had formed a band called ‘The Future’. Although they had recorded a number of demo tapes, they remained unsigned. They were part of an emerging genre of music that used analogue synthesisers instead of traditional instruments, which would later be defined as Synthpop
. Newton quickly left the band after they were turned down by record companies. To replace him Ware decided that The Future needed a dedicated lead singer. His first choice was Glenn Gregory
, but Gregory was unavailable. So Ware suggested his old school friend Philip Oakey to Marsh. Although Oakey had absolutely no musical experience he was well known on the Sheffield social scene, principally for his eclectic dress sense and classic motorcycle. The lack of experience didn’t bother Ware as he declared that Oakey “already looked like a pop star”. Ware went to visit Oakey to ask him to join The Future; finding him away from home, he famously left a note on Oakey’s front door asking him to join The Future as lead singer, an offer Oakey quickly accepted, joining the band in mid 1977.
in June 1978 (a blue plaque
now marks the spot) and signed to Fast Records
. The early Human League had a reputation for being arty and had only limited commercial success, releasing two singles, "Being Boiled
" and "Empire State Human
", with lyrics written by Oakey. They would eventually release two albums, Reproduction
(1979), and Travelogue (1980), both recorded at the band's Monumental Pictures studio, but dogged by the lack of commercial success Oakey and Ware’s working relationship became increasingly strained. In October 1980, on the eve of a European tour, it reached breaking point and Ware walked out taking Marsh with him. Oakey and director of visuals Adrian Wright
were permitted to retain the band name but would be responsible for all band debts and the tour commitment. Ware and Marsh soon recruited Glenn Gregory and became Heaven 17
.
With the tour promoters threatening to sue Oakey and facing financial ruin, he had less than a week to put a new band together. In an unplanned move that is now entrenched in popular folklore, Oakey went to a Sheffield city centre discothèque called The Crazy Daisy
(since demolished) and recruited two totally unknown teenage schoolgirls: Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall
into the band. As luck would have it, the women were already fans of The Human League and recognised Oakey. He now calls this the best decision of his career, as the girls would be critical in the band's further success, and Sulley and Catherall are now Oakey's business partners in the present day band.
In mid 1981 Oakey and Catherall would enter into a long term relationship that would last until the end of the decade. Later that year at the height of the band’s success they were touted as a celebrity couple; but were also pursued by the tabloid press after a sensationalist story. Oakey and Catherall would split amicably in 1990 remaining friends and colleagues, contrary to press stories they never married. Catherall has since married.
After the tour in April 1981 the band had their first top 20 hit "Sound of the Crowd" and with the addition of Jo Callis
they went on to release the number three single "Love Action (I Believe in Love)
".
Briefly during 1981 Oakey truncated his name to Phil, and even referred to himself as Phil in “Love Action”. He would not use it for long quickly returning to Philip. He would later say "I’ve never been a Phil; I’m a formal sort of person really". The band under Oakey’s direction then released another single "Open Your Heart
", then a full album Dare
much of it written by Oakey. Dare would soon become a number one album in the UK and go double platinum. It has since been called one of pop music's most influential albums, responsible for shaping an entire genre of music. At the end of 1981, the Oakey and Sulley conflicting duet "Don't You Want Me
" would sell two million copies in the UK staying at number one for four weeks. It would do the same in the US, selling another million. By the end of 1981/82 Oakey and the Human League would be famous worldwide.
The remainder of the 1980s saw the band's success peak and dip, with the follow-up release of the album Hysteria
in 1984 underachieving. In 1986 Oakey accepted an offer to work with US producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
which resulted in the release of the album Crash
and the single "Human" which became another international hit and went to number one in the US. By 1987 the band had lost most of its original members leaving only Oakey, Sulley and Catherall. In 1989 Oakey persuaded Sheffield City Council
to invest in business development loan for the building of Human League Studios in Sheffield, Oakey's dedicated studio for the band and a commercial venture.
The 1990 album Romantic?
failed to sell and in 1992 Virgin records cancelled the band's recording contract. This had a devastating effect on the band, causing Oakey to seek counselling for depression, and Sulley to have a breakdown. The emotional problems of the pair nearly caused the band to fold. Thanks mainly to the efforts of Catherall, by 1993 Oakey and Sulley had recovered and the band was back on its feet. They signed to Eastwest records which resulted in the release of the gold selling album Octopus
and the hit singles "Tell Me When
" and "One Man in My Heart
".
Another change of record label saw the release of critically acclaimed Secrets
album in 2001. Secrets failed to sell because the record label went into receivership curtailing promotion. After the failure of a project he had put so much work and time into, Oakey lost faith in the record industry and changed the band's focus in to more lucrative live work. Between 2002 and the present day they have toured almost constantly, either on their own or as guests at festivals. They have played at such prestigious events as V festival
, Festival Internacional de Benicàssim
and to 18,000 fans at the Hollywood Bowl
, Los Angeles in 2006.
In 2011, the band released a new album, Credo.
released single "Amor Secreto" by Nick Fury
in 1983 for which he also played synthesizer
, together with Jo Callis
.
His highest profile and most commercially successful collaboration was with producer Giorgio Moroder
. In 1984 for the film
Electric Dreams, he and Moroder provided the film theme song
, "Together in Electric Dreams
". When later released as a single it would go on to become an international hit, actually eclipsing the film it was intended to promote. The song went on to become a bigger hit than some of Oakey’s Human League singles of the same period.
In 1985 Oakey and Moroder released the joint album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
which generated two further single releases, "Be My Lover Now
" and "Good-Bye Bad Times
". Released in both the UK and US these singles were not as successful as "Together in Electric Dreams" and the Oakey/Moroder partnership was effectively ended.
In 1990 Oakey guest vocalled on "What Comes After Goodbye
", the one-off release by the short-lived Sheffield dance band 'Respect'.
In 1991 Oakey worked as Producer on comedian, Vic Reeves
only studio album, I Will Cure You
- most notably on the track "Black Night" which is a Deep Purple cover.
In 1999 he provided vocals for the single "1st Man in Space
" by the Sheffield band All Seeing I
. The song was written by Jarvis Cocker
.
In 2003 he provided vocals for Sheffield band Kings Have Long Arms
on the single "Rock and Roll is Dead"; also in 2003 he worked with producer/DJ
Alex Gold and they released the trance
single "LA Today
".
In 2008 Oakey worked with Hiem
, a band fronted by former All Seeing I
lead singer David "Bozz" Boswell, on the song "2 am".
Oakey (often with Neil Sutton
) has written music for third parties which has been released anonymously or published uncredited. He has infrequently guest DJed, and one of his sets entitled 'the history of the synthesizer' was streamed live over the internet
.
In early 2009 Oakey collaborated with Pet Shop Boys
on their tenth studio album Yes
, supplying vocals for the intended bonus disc
song "This Used to Be the Future". Also in 2009 Oakey collaborated with British female synthpop artist Little Boots
on her first album Hands
, recording the duet track "Symmetry".
Pre-1977, during the era of Punk rock
, Oakey adopted various styles; at one time having a crew cut but later he had collar length hair and had once turned up in one club wearing a household power lead with plug as a necklace. He also often wore bike leathers and rode a distinctive Old Norton motorcycle around Sheffield. His natural good looks combined with his flamboyant style was the main reason Martyn Ware invited him to join his pop band ‘The Future’ in 1977. Ware, who was chasing commercial success, reasoned that half the battle was won "as Oakey already looked like a pop star".
Soon after 'The Future' transformed into 'The Human League', Oakey as lead singer wanted a look that would make him stand out from other lead singers. After spotting a girl on a Sheffield bus with a Veronica Lake
hair style, Oakey was inspired to adopt a strange lopsided geometric hairstyle, shoulder length on one side and short on the other. As the Human League increased in prominence the hairstyle would became Oakey’s trademark. Between 1978-1979 with his unique hairstyle he maintained a masculine dress style and at one time wore a full beard.
Increasingly interested in attracting the limelight and standing out from the crowd, in 1979 inspired by the 1970s Glamrock style of Brian Eno
Oakey began wearing makeup; his style became increasingly more feminine including the use of bright red lipstick.
By 1981 after the formation of the Mk2 Human League, Oakey’s trademark style of the early 1980s was complete. As well as full make up, Oakey had begun wearing androgynous clothing, which he described as "neither male nor female". The addition of teenage school girls Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall
as co-vocalists to the band in 1980 complemented his look. At times all three would wear the same eyeliner and lipstick. Oakey and Catherall, who were to enter into a relationship with each other, often looked and dressed almost identically.
The media regularly commented and joked about his style (unwittingly achieving Oakey's aim). Fearlessly Oakey pushed his unique style further and began wearing high heeled shoes. He already had both his ears pierced and wore dangling women’s diamante earrings. Keen to shock, on one of the 'new' Human League's posters in 1981 Oakey posed shirtless displaying pierced nipples linked together by a gold chain. Oakey says of his early 1980s style: "I deliberately wore clothes that either men or women could wear. But I don't think I ever really looked like a woman. And I never wore very masculine clothes".
Another common media error was that Oakey and The Human League were part of the New Romantic
movement. Oakey and the band, whose look was unique and pre-dated the start of the Blitz Kids
never identified with the New Romantic scene, although they seldom challenged the media label while it helped sell records. It wasn’t just a stage look and Oakey openly went about in public in full make up, dressed in his eclectic style, he claims that "Sheffield was so accepting that no one ever blinked an eyelid".
Oakey jokes that when he sought parental permission for the girls to go on the 1980 tour, that the father of Susan Sulley (then aged 17) only let her go on tour with the Human League because “He wasn’t entirely sure I was a man”.
After the international success of Dare, Oakey tired of the androgynous look and then by 1983 had adopted a more macho look of denim, collar length permed hair and the ill shaven ‘designer stubble’.
For the Crash
album of 1986 Oakey adopted a smoother style of designer clothes of the period and a very manicured look which he says was inspired by Sean Young’s
character ‘Rachael’ from the film Blade Runner
.
By 1990 the Human League had seriously begun to decline. For their Romantic?
album, Oakey wore denim, leather and readopted his lop sided hairstyle from 1981 in a rebellion against "the male model look of Crash". The band went through dark times and the style was quickly abandoned.
When the band returned in a comeback in 1995, the mature (then 40 year old) Oakey reappeared with designer clothes and a sauvé short neat hair cut.
In 1998 Oakey began to suffer from male pattern baldness and after advice from his hair stylist, in 1999 he adopted an all over ‘number two’ crop hairstyle. This is the style he wears today, albeit that his hair has now completely greyed.
Today Oakey is still known for his dapper style, but now generally wears a simple Armani suit on stage. Although he has not lost his desire to shock, and recently boasted during a newspaper interview that he had recently acquired a Prince Albert piercing
, which he says “hurt less than having his ears pierced”.
Number-one singles
Singles
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, singer, songwriter and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English
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...
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...
The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers. He is also an occasional DJ.
Oakey was one of the most visually distinctive music artists of the early 1980s. His synthesiser composition and song writing helped make his band The Human League one of the highest profile pop bands of the early 1980s. At the height of their success The Human League released the triple platinum album Dare
Dare (album)
Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
and Oakey co-wrote and sang the multi million selling single “Don't You Want Me
Don't You Want Me
"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group Human League, released from their album: Dare on 27 November 1981.It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording to date, and was the Christmas number one in the UK, in 1981, where it sold over 1,400,000 copies,...
”, which was a number one single in both the U.S and UK, where it remains the 25th highest selling single of all time. Oakey has been a key figure in the music business and has been lead singer of The Human League for over 30 years, with whom he has sold more than 20 million records worldwide. He continues recording and performing internationally to this day.
Early life
Oakey was born on 2 October 1955 in HinckleyHinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, but moved to Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
at an early age when his father changed jobs to work in the city. He was educated at King Edward VII School
King Edward VII School (Sheffield)
King Edward VII School is a secondary school and language college located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. KES, named after the reigning monarch, was formed in 1905 when Wesley College was merged with Sheffield Royal Grammar School on the site of the former on Glossop Road...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. He left school at 18 without finishing his exams and worked in a number of casual jobs: in a university bookshop, and from 1975 as a porter at Thornbury Annex Hospital in Sheffield. He was married briefly to his girlfriend, whom he met at school, but the marriage did not last long and they were divorced in 1980.
Entry into music
Oakey’s entry into music in 1977 was entirely accidental. He had bought a saxophone but had given up trying to learn how to play it, and had no aspiration to be in a pop group.In Sheffield in 1977 Martyn Ware
Martyn Ware
Martyn "Teddy Bear" Ware is a British musician and music producer. He is the chairman of a local football team: PPA. As a founder member of both The Human League and Heaven 17, he was partly responsible for hit records such as "Being Boiled" and "Temptation"...
(a school friend of Oakey’s), Ian Craig Marsh
Ian Craig Marsh
Ian Craig Marsh is a former English musician. He was a founding member of the electronic band The Human League, writing and playing on their first two albums and several singles, until leaving in 1980 to form B.E.F...
and Adi Newton had formed a band called ‘The Future’. Although they had recorded a number of demo tapes, they remained unsigned. They were part of an emerging genre of music that used analogue synthesisers instead of traditional instruments, which would later be defined as 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...
. Newton quickly left the band after they were turned down by record companies. To replace him Ware decided that The Future needed a dedicated lead singer. His first choice was Glenn Gregory
Glenn Gregory
Glenn Gregory is an English musician. A founding member of Heaven 17, he was partly responsible for hit records such as "Temptation"....
, but Gregory was unavailable. So Ware suggested his old school friend Philip Oakey to Marsh. Although Oakey had absolutely no musical experience he was well known on the Sheffield social scene, principally for his eclectic dress sense and classic motorcycle. The lack of experience didn’t bother Ware as he declared that Oakey “already looked like a pop star”. Ware went to visit Oakey to ask him to join The Future; finding him away from home, he famously left a note on Oakey’s front door asking him to join The Future as lead singer, an offer Oakey quickly accepted, joining the band in mid 1977.
Human League career
In late 1977 The Future changed its name to ‘The Human League’ - after an element of a science fiction board game. The new band played their first live gig at Psalter Lane Arts CollegePsalter Lane
Psalter Lane was one of three campuses that made up Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. The campus officially closed on 31 August 2008 and work to demolish all but the old Bluecoat School building began in March 2010. Demolition work is scheduled to be completed by September 2010...
in June 1978 (a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
now marks the spot) and signed to Fast Records
Fast Product
Fast Product was an independent record label, established in Edinburgh by Bob Last in December 1977. Its first release was also the first single by the Mekons, released on 20 January 1978....
. The early Human League had a reputation for being arty and had only limited commercial success, releasing two singles, "Being Boiled
Being Boiled
"Being Boiled" is a song composed by Sheffield musicians Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, with lyrics by Philip Oakey, and recorded by them as The Human League...
" and "Empire State Human
Empire State Human
"Empire State Human" is a song by the British Synthesizer group The Human League. The song was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh...
", with lyrics written by Oakey. They would eventually release two albums, Reproduction
Reproduction (album)
Reproduction is the debut album released by British synthpop band The Human League. The album was released in October 1979 through Virgin Records Ltd....
(1979), and Travelogue (1980), both recorded at the band's Monumental Pictures studio, but dogged by the lack of commercial success Oakey and Ware’s working relationship became increasingly strained. In October 1980, on the eve of a European tour, it reached breaking point and Ware walked out taking Marsh with him. Oakey and director of visuals Adrian Wright
Philip Adrian Wright
Philip Adrian Wright is an English musician, also known as Adrian Wright.Wright had studied film making at Sheffield Art College and was a friend of Philip Oakey. In 1978 he was invited to join the new avant-garde electronic band The Human League which composed of Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig...
were permitted to retain the band name but would be responsible for all band debts and the tour commitment. Ware and Marsh soon recruited Glenn Gregory and became 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...
.
Crazy Daisy Nightclub
The Crazy Daisy Nightclub was a discotheque/dance club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England in the late 1970s to late 1980s. Located originally on the Corner of , Sheffield S1 1PU. It was known as The Beer Keller in the early to mid 1970s. In 1978 it was taken over by the Tetley company...
(since demolished) and recruited two totally unknown teenage schoolgirls: Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall is an English singer; best known as one of the two female vocalists of the veteran English synthpop band The Human League.Born and raised in Sheffield, England...
into the band. As luck would have it, the women were already fans of The Human League and recognised Oakey. He now calls this the best decision of his career, as the girls would be critical in the band's further success, and Sulley and Catherall are now Oakey's business partners in the present day band.
In mid 1981 Oakey and Catherall would enter into a long term relationship that would last until the end of the decade. Later that year at the height of the band’s success they were touted as a celebrity couple; but were also pursued by the tabloid press after a sensationalist story. Oakey and Catherall would split amicably in 1990 remaining friends and colleagues, contrary to press stories they never married. Catherall has since married.
After the tour in April 1981 the band had their first top 20 hit "Sound of the Crowd" and with the addition of Jo Callis
Jo Callis
Jo Callis is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band, The Rezillos , and post-punk band Boots For Dancing before joining The Human League.-Biography:Callis was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art...
they went on to release the number three single "Love Action (I Believe in Love)
Love Action (I Believe in Love)
"Love Action " is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League, released as a single in the UK in July 1981. It peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart, the band's first Top 10 success....
".
Briefly during 1981 Oakey truncated his name to Phil, and even referred to himself as Phil in “Love Action”. He would not use it for long quickly returning to Philip. He would later say "I’ve never been a Phil; I’m a formal sort of person really". The band under Oakey’s direction then released another single "Open Your Heart
Open Your Heart (Human League song)
"Open Your Heart" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. It was released as a single in the UK in October 1981 and peaked at number six in the UK Singles Chart. It was written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and keyboard player Jo Callis...
", then a full album Dare
Dare (album)
Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
much of it written by Oakey. Dare would soon become a number one album in the UK and go double platinum. It has since been called one of pop music's most influential albums, responsible for shaping an entire genre of music. At the end of 1981, the Oakey and Sulley conflicting duet "Don't You Want Me
Don't You Want Me
"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group Human League, released from their album: Dare on 27 November 1981.It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording to date, and was the Christmas number one in the UK, in 1981, where it sold over 1,400,000 copies,...
" would sell two million copies in the UK staying at number one for four weeks. It would do the same in the US, selling another million. By the end of 1981/82 Oakey and the Human League would be famous worldwide.
The remainder of the 1980s saw the band's success peak and dip, with the follow-up release of the album Hysteria
Hysteria (Human League album)
Hysteria is the fourth album by the British synthpop band The Human League, released in May 1984. Following the worldwide success of their 1981 album Dare, the band struggled to make a successful follow-up and the sessions for Hysteria were fraught with problems...
in 1984 underachieving. In 1986 Oakey accepted an offer to work with US producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
which resulted in the release of the album Crash
Crash (Human League album)
Crash is the fifth full-length studio album released by the British synthpop band The Human League in 1986. Unlike the band’s previous and subsequent albums it is R&B influenced...
and the single "Human" which became another international hit and went to number one in the US. By 1987 the band had lost most of its original members leaving only Oakey, Sulley and Catherall. In 1989 Oakey persuaded Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
to invest in business development loan for the building of Human League Studios in Sheffield, Oakey's dedicated studio for the band and a commercial venture.
The 1990 album Romantic?
Romantic?
Romantic? is the sixth studio album by the English synthpop band The Human League. It was issued by Virgin Records in 1990 and was the band's first album of new material in four years...
failed to sell and in 1992 Virgin records cancelled the band's recording contract. This had a devastating effect on the band, causing Oakey to seek counselling for depression, and Sulley to have a breakdown. The emotional problems of the pair nearly caused the band to fold. Thanks mainly to the efforts of Catherall, by 1993 Oakey and Sulley had recovered and the band was back on its feet. They signed to Eastwest records which resulted in the release of the gold selling album Octopus
Octopus (Human League album)
Octopus is the seventh full-length studio album recorded by British synthpop band The Human League. It was produced by former Tears for Fears keyboardist Ian Stanley and released by EastWest Records in 1995. It was the first new album from the Human League in five years after the termination of...
and the hit singles "Tell Me When
Tell Me When
"Tell Me When" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and Paul C. Beckett, it was recorded at 'Human League Studios', Sheffield in 1994...
" and "One Man in My Heart
One Man in My Heart
"One Man in My Heart" is a song recorded by British synthpop band The Human League. It was released as the second single from the band's album Octopus...
".
Another change of record label saw the release of critically acclaimed Secrets
Secrets (Human League album)
Secrets is an album recorded by British synthpop band The Human League. It was issued in 2001 by Papillon Records and was the Human League's first studio album in six years...
album in 2001. Secrets failed to sell because the record label went into receivership curtailing promotion. After the failure of a project he had put so much work and time into, Oakey lost faith in the record industry and changed the band's focus in to more lucrative live work. Between 2002 and the present day they have toured almost constantly, either on their own or as guests at festivals. They have played at such prestigious events as V festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
, Festival Internacional de Benicàssim
Festival Internacional de Benicàssim
The Festival Internacional de Benicàssim is an annual music festival which takes place in the village of Benicàssim, province of Castelló, Valencian Community in Spain. It focuses mainly on pop, rock and electronica artists, as well as having other elements besides music like short films,...
and to 18,000 fans at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
, Los Angeles in 2006.
In 2011, the band released a new album, Credo.
Solo and collaborative career
Oakey's career in music has rarely been confined to just the Human League. He has worked on his own, but also with numerous other artists and producers. His first collaboration was producing the SpanishSpain
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...
released single "Amor Secreto" by Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
in 1983 for which he also played synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, together with Jo Callis
Jo Callis
Jo Callis is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band, The Rezillos , and post-punk band Boots For Dancing before joining The Human League.-Biography:Callis was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art...
.
His highest profile and most commercially successful collaboration was with producer Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
. In 1984 for the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Electric Dreams, he and Moroder provided the film theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
, "Together in Electric Dreams
Together in Electric Dreams
"Together in Electric Dreams" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the original soundtrack of the 1984 film Electric Dreams....
". When later released as a single it would go on to become an international hit, actually eclipsing the film it was intended to promote. The song went on to become a bigger hit than some of Oakey’s Human League singles of the same period.
In 1985 Oakey and Moroder released the joint album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder was a collaborative album released in 1985 by Philip Oakey, lead singer of the electronic band The Human League and seminal electro producer Giorgio Moroder, whose early records had been a major influence on Oakey....
which generated two further single releases, "Be My Lover Now
Be My Lover Now
"Be My Lover Now" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder. It was released as a single in the UK in August 1985 where it reached number 74 in the singles...
" and "Good-Bye Bad Times
Good-Bye Bad Times
"Good-Bye Bad Times" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder...
". Released in both the UK and US these singles were not as successful as "Together in Electric Dreams" and the Oakey/Moroder partnership was effectively ended.
In 1990 Oakey guest vocalled on "What Comes After Goodbye
What Comes After Goodbye
"What Comes After Goodbye" is a song by the short lived 3 piece Sheffield Synthpop group Respect, written by Walmsey/Robson/Hartley and singer/composer Philip Oakey. It was created for and released by Chrysalis Records...
", the one-off release by the short-lived Sheffield dance band 'Respect'.
In 1991 Oakey worked as Producer on comedian, Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
only studio album, I Will Cure You
I Will Cure You
I Will Cure You is the only album by the comedian Vic Reeves. It was released in 1991, produced by Steve Beresford, Andy Metcalfe and Philip Oakey...
- most notably on the track "Black Night" which is a Deep Purple cover.
In 1999 he provided vocals for the single "1st Man in Space
1st Man in Space
"1st Man in Space" is a song by the short lived Sheffield dance collective All Seeing I. It was the third single to be released from the album "Pickled Eggs and Sherbet" ....
" by the Sheffield band All Seeing I
All Seeing I
The All Seeing I is an English electronic music group from Sheffield, comprising Dean Honer, Jason Buckle and DJ Parrot...
. The song was written by Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
.
In 2003 he provided vocals for Sheffield band Kings Have Long Arms
Kings Have Long Arms
Kings Have Long Arms are an English "rocktronica" act, formed in Sheffield and masterminded by Salford-born Adrian Flanagan . Kings Have Long Arms have collaborated with Philip Oakey from The Human League on the track "Rock and Roll is Dead", Marion from The Lovers and Mira from Ladytron...
on the single "Rock and Roll is Dead"; also in 2003 he worked with producer/DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Alex Gold and they released the trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
single "LA Today
LA Today
"LA Today" is a song by the producer/DJ Alex Gold of Xtravaganza Records and singer/composer Philip Oakey. It was created and released by Xtravaganza principally for the UK Dance/DJ market, but managed to place at number 68 in the mainstream UK singles chart in April 2003.The song features Oakey's...
".
In 2008 Oakey worked with Hiem
Hiem
Hiem is an electronic dance duo from Sheffield, England. Consists of Nick "Nico" Eastwood and David "Bozz" Boswell.-Background:Nick Eastwood was a former member of Venini, the band that featured former Pulp guitarist Russell Senior, and ran the near-legendary Le Citrus night at Sheffield's Casbah...
, a band fronted by former All Seeing I
All Seeing I
The All Seeing I is an English electronic music group from Sheffield, comprising Dean Honer, Jason Buckle and DJ Parrot...
lead singer David "Bozz" Boswell, on the song "2 am".
Oakey (often with Neil Sutton
Neil Sutton
Neil Sutton is a long term associate member of the veteran British synthpop group The Human League. He is best known as the on stage and studio keyboard player, but also has written various lyrics and composed instrumental tracks for the band and has numerous Human League album credits.His...
) has written music for third parties which has been released anonymously or published uncredited. He has infrequently guest DJed, and one of his sets entitled 'the history of the synthesizer' was streamed live over the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
In early 2009 Oakey collaborated with Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
on their tenth studio album Yes
Yes (Pet Shop Boys album)
Yes is the tenth studio album by English electronic duo Pet Shop Boys. The album was recorded throughout 2008 and is produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania. Xenomania also co-wrote three of the tracks. Guitarist Johnny Marr and string arranger Owen Pallett appear as well...
, supplying vocals for the intended bonus disc
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...
song "This Used to Be the Future". Also in 2009 Oakey collaborated with British female synthpop artist Little Boots
Little Boots
Victoria Christina Hesketh, also known by her stage name/pseudonym Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter. Her stage name comes from a nickname given to her by a friend, a reference to her unusually small feet...
on her first album Hands
Hands (Little Boots album)
Hands is the debut studio album by English recording artist Little Boots. It was released in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2009 by 679 Recordings to generally positive reviews. Many critics complimented its "well-crafted" pop songs and "diverse" production...
, recording the duet track "Symmetry".
Personal style
Throughout his career and in his personal life Oakey has been a very flamboyant dresser and fashion trend setter. His entry into music was precipitated by his reputation for style. His outrageous dress sense and original hairstyle would make him an iconic figure of the early 1980s music scene.Pre-1977, during the era of Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, Oakey adopted various styles; at one time having a crew cut but later he had collar length hair and had once turned up in one club wearing a household power lead with plug as a necklace. He also often wore bike leathers and rode a distinctive Old Norton motorcycle around Sheffield. His natural good looks combined with his flamboyant style was the main reason Martyn Ware invited him to join his pop band ‘The Future’ in 1977. Ware, who was chasing commercial success, reasoned that half the battle was won "as Oakey already looked like a pop star".
Soon after 'The Future' transformed into 'The Human League', Oakey as lead singer wanted a look that would make him stand out from other lead singers. After spotting a girl on a Sheffield bus with a Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake
Veronica Lake was an American film actress and pin-up model. She received both popular and critical acclaim, most notably for her role in Sullivan's Travels and her femme fatale roles in film noir with Alan Ladd during the 1940s, and was well-known for her peek-a-boo hairstyle...
hair style, Oakey was inspired to adopt a strange lopsided geometric hairstyle, shoulder length on one side and short on the other. As the Human League increased in prominence the hairstyle would became Oakey’s trademark. Between 1978-1979 with his unique hairstyle he maintained a masculine dress style and at one time wore a full beard.
Increasingly interested in attracting the limelight and standing out from the crowd, in 1979 inspired by the 1970s Glamrock style of Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
Oakey began wearing makeup; his style became increasingly more feminine including the use of bright red lipstick.
By 1981 after the formation of the Mk2 Human League, Oakey’s trademark style of the early 1980s was complete. As well as full make up, Oakey had begun wearing androgynous clothing, which he described as "neither male nor female". The addition of teenage school girls Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall is an English singer; best known as one of the two female vocalists of the veteran English synthpop band The Human League.Born and raised in Sheffield, England...
as co-vocalists to the band in 1980 complemented his look. At times all three would wear the same eyeliner and lipstick. Oakey and Catherall, who were to enter into a relationship with each other, often looked and dressed almost identically.
The media regularly commented and joked about his style (unwittingly achieving Oakey's aim). Fearlessly Oakey pushed his unique style further and began wearing high heeled shoes. He already had both his ears pierced and wore dangling women’s diamante earrings. Keen to shock, on one of the 'new' Human League's posters in 1981 Oakey posed shirtless displaying pierced nipples linked together by a gold chain. Oakey says of his early 1980s style: "I deliberately wore clothes that either men or women could wear. But I don't think I ever really looked like a woman. And I never wore very masculine clothes".
Another common media error was that Oakey and The Human League were part of the New Romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
movement. Oakey and the band, whose look was unique and pre-dated the start of the Blitz Kids
Blitz Kids
The Blitz Kids were a group of young people who frequented the Blitz nightclub in Covent Garden, London in the very early 1980s, and are credited with launching the New Romantic cultural movement...
never identified with the New Romantic scene, although they seldom challenged the media label while it helped sell records. It wasn’t just a stage look and Oakey openly went about in public in full make up, dressed in his eclectic style, he claims that "Sheffield was so accepting that no one ever blinked an eyelid".
Oakey jokes that when he sought parental permission for the girls to go on the 1980 tour, that the father of Susan Sulley (then aged 17) only let her go on tour with the Human League because “He wasn’t entirely sure I was a man”.
After the international success of Dare, Oakey tired of the androgynous look and then by 1983 had adopted a more macho look of denim, collar length permed hair and the ill shaven ‘designer stubble’.
For the Crash
Crash (Human League album)
Crash is the fifth full-length studio album released by the British synthpop band The Human League in 1986. Unlike the band’s previous and subsequent albums it is R&B influenced...
album of 1986 Oakey adopted a smoother style of designer clothes of the period and a very manicured look which he says was inspired by Sean Young’s
Sean Young
Sean Young is an American actress, best known for her performance in films from the 1980s such as Blade Runner, Dune, and No Way Out.-Early life:...
character ‘Rachael’ from the film Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
.
By 1990 the Human League had seriously begun to decline. For their Romantic?
Romantic?
Romantic? is the sixth studio album by the English synthpop band The Human League. It was issued by Virgin Records in 1990 and was the band's first album of new material in four years...
album, Oakey wore denim, leather and readopted his lop sided hairstyle from 1981 in a rebellion against "the male model look of Crash". The band went through dark times and the style was quickly abandoned.
When the band returned in a comeback in 1995, the mature (then 40 year old) Oakey reappeared with designer clothes and a sauvé short neat hair cut.
In 1998 Oakey began to suffer from male pattern baldness and after advice from his hair stylist, in 1999 he adopted an all over ‘number two’ crop hairstyle. This is the style he wears today, albeit that his hair has now completely greyed.
Today Oakey is still known for his dapper style, but now generally wears a simple Armani suit on stage. Although he has not lost his desire to shock, and recently boasted during a newspaper interview that he had recently acquired a Prince Albert piercing
Prince Albert piercing
For other uses of "Prince Albert", see Prince Albert The Prince Albert is one of the more common male genital piercings...
, which he says “hurt less than having his ears pierced”.
Today
Today Oakey still lives in central Sheffield with his long term girlfriend, close to his studio; and long term colleagues Sulley and Catherall. He continues to work full time in the music industry, principally touring with The Human League. When not touring he works in the studio or with other artists. He has stated that he is currently working on a solo studio album, although he refuses to be drawn on a timescale for its release.with The Human League
Studio albums- ReproductionReproduction (album)Reproduction is the debut album released by British synthpop band The Human League. The album was released in October 1979 through Virgin Records Ltd....
(1979) - Travelogue (1980)
- DareDare (album)Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
(1981) - Love and DancingLove and DancingLove and Dancing is a remix album released by the British synthpop band The Human League in 1982. It was released under the name "The League Unlimited Orchestra" as a nod to Barry White's disco-era Love Unlimited Orchestra...
(1982) - HysteriaHysteria (Human League album)Hysteria is the fourth album by the British synthpop band The Human League, released in May 1984. Following the worldwide success of their 1981 album Dare, the band struggled to make a successful follow-up and the sessions for Hysteria were fraught with problems...
(1984) - CrashCrash (Human League album)Crash is the fifth full-length studio album released by the British synthpop band The Human League in 1986. Unlike the band’s previous and subsequent albums it is R&B influenced...
(1986) - Romantic?Romantic?Romantic? is the sixth studio album by the English synthpop band The Human League. It was issued by Virgin Records in 1990 and was the band's first album of new material in four years...
(1990) - OctopusOctopus (Human League album)Octopus is the seventh full-length studio album recorded by British synthpop band The Human League. It was produced by former Tears for Fears keyboardist Ian Stanley and released by EastWest Records in 1995. It was the first new album from the Human League in five years after the termination of...
(1995) - SecretsSecrets (Human League album)Secrets is an album recorded by British synthpop band The Human League. It was issued in 2001 by Papillon Records and was the Human League's first studio album in six years...
(2001) - CredoCredo (The Human League album)Credo is the ninth studio album by The Human League. It is their first studio album since Secrets in 2001. It has been produced by fellow Sheffield act I Monster and is released on Wall of Sound....
(2011)
Number-one singles
- "Don't You Want MeDon't You Want Me"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group Human League, released from their album: Dare on 27 November 1981.It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording to date, and was the Christmas number one in the UK, in 1981, where it sold over 1,400,000 copies,...
" - 1981 (UK)(25th highest selling single of all time), 1982 (U.S, AUS, NZ) - "Human" - 1986 (U.S)
Solo
Albums- "Philip Oakey & Giorgio MoroderPhilip Oakey & Giorgio MoroderPhilip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder was a collaborative album released in 1985 by Philip Oakey, lead singer of the electronic band The Human League and seminal electro producer Giorgio Moroder, whose early records had been a major influence on Oakey....
'" Virgin, 1985
Singles
- "Together In Electric DreamsTogether in Electric Dreams"Together in Electric Dreams" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the original soundtrack of the 1984 film Electric Dreams....
" - (with Giorgio Moroder), Virgin RecordsVirgin RecordsVirgin 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...
, 1984 - "Good-Bye Bad TimesGood-Bye Bad Times"Good-Bye Bad Times" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder...
" - (with Giorgio Moroder), Virgin, 1985 - "Be My Lover NowBe My Lover Now"Be My Lover Now" is a song by the British singer and composer Philip Oakey and producer Giorgio Moroder. It was written by Oakey and Moroder and recorded for the album Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder. It was released as a single in the UK in August 1985 where it reached number 74 in the singles...
" - (with Giorgio Moroder), Virgin, 1985 - "What Comes After GoodbyeWhat Comes After Goodbye"What Comes After Goodbye" is a song by the short lived 3 piece Sheffield Synthpop group Respect, written by Walmsey/Robson/Hartley and singer/composer Philip Oakey. It was created for and released by Chrysalis Records...
" - (Respect featuring Philip Oakey), Chrysalis RecordsChrysalis RecordsChrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
, 1990 - "1st Man in Space1st Man in Space"1st Man in Space" is a song by the short lived Sheffield dance collective All Seeing I. It was the third single to be released from the album "Pickled Eggs and Sherbet" ....
" - (All Seeing IAll Seeing IThe All Seeing I is an English electronic music group from Sheffield, comprising Dean Honer, Jason Buckle and DJ Parrot...
, vocals by Philip Oakey), FFRR RecordsFFRR RecordsFFRR Records is a subsidiary of London Records, founded and run by English DJ Pete Tong. FFRR has also two subsidiaries: Double F Double R Records and Ffrreedom Records...
, 1999 - "Rock and Roll is Dead" - (Kings Have Long ArmsKings Have Long ArmsKings Have Long Arms are an English "rocktronica" act, formed in Sheffield and masterminded by Salford-born Adrian Flanagan . Kings Have Long Arms have collaborated with Philip Oakey from The Human League on the track "Rock and Roll is Dead", Marion from The Lovers and Mira from Ladytron...
featuring Philip Oakey), Heart and Soul Records, 2003 - "LA TodayLA Today"LA Today" is a song by the producer/DJ Alex Gold of Xtravaganza Records and singer/composer Philip Oakey. It was created and released by Xtravaganza principally for the UK Dance/DJ market, but managed to place at number 68 in the mainstream UK singles chart in April 2003.The song features Oakey's...
" - Alex Gold (featuring Philip Oakey), Xtravaganza Records, 2003
Film and television
- 1990 "The Weekenders" (TV) (D. Vic ReevesVic ReevesJames Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
) - Played Himself - 1999 "Hunting Venus" (Buffalo Films, D. Martin ClunesMartin ClunesAlexander Martin Clunes is an English actor and comedian. Clunes is perhaps best known for his roles as Gary Strang in Men Behaving Badly, Doctor Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin and the title character in Reggie Perrin....
) - Played Himself - 2010 "Top Gear 15x01" - Guest Appearance (Jeremy ClarksonJeremy ClarksonJeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
's Three-Wheeler Report)
Awards
- 1982 BRIT AwardsBrit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
- (as 'The Human League') - 'Best British Breakthrough Act' - 2004 Q Awards - (as 'The Human League') - 'The Q Innovation in Sound Award'
- Nominated for Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 1982 for Best International Act (as 'The Human League')
Further reading
- Story of a Band Called "The Human League" by Alaska Ross (Proteus July 1982) ISBN 978-0862761035
External links
Oakey deliberately does not have an official website, not wanting to do what others do, and apparently believing it is expensive to have one.- "Philip Oakey of The Human League: Here Comes The Mirror Man" - Interview with Philip Oakey of The Human League - Rocker Magazine, 2011