Shark Vegas
Encyclopedia
Shark Vegas was a Berlin
based New wave
band, consisting of ex-Factory Records
German representative, Mark Reeder
(guitar/tapes/keyboards), Alistair Gray (vocals), Leo Walter (drums/percussion) and Helmut Wittler (bass/keyboards). Previously Reeder and Grey were known as "Die Unbekannten" together with their drummer Tommy Wiedler (now with Nick Cave
's Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
) they later used drum machines and sequencers. Die Unbekannten are credited with making the first record with a Roland TR-606
.
Today Reeder runs a string of record label
s, including MFS
and Flesh, launching the careers of Paul van Dyk
and Corvin Dalek.
Shark Vegas reinvented themselves with two new members, Walter and Wittler, for a New Order
European tour in 1984.
"You Hurt Me" was one of their concert favorites, and Bernard Sumner
of New Order wanted to release the track as a single
. He also played guitar at the closing moments of the track. Sumner co-produced the track with A Certain Ratio
's Donald Johnson, who also added vocals to the track. A different version to this single was also released on Die Toten Hosen
's label "Totenkopf".
A later Shark Vegas track, "Pretenders of Love", can also be found on the Factory US
compilation album
, Young, Popular & Sexy (Fac US 17).
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
based New wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band, consisting of ex-Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
German representative, Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder
Mark Reeder grew up in Manchester, England. He is a musician and record producer. At a young age, Reeder became interested in progressive rock and especially early electronic music. In his teens, he worked in a small Virgin Records store in Manchester city centre.Reeder has been living and working...
(guitar/tapes/keyboards), Alistair Gray (vocals), Leo Walter (drums/percussion) and Helmut Wittler (bass/keyboards). Previously Reeder and Grey were known as "Die Unbekannten" together with their drummer Tommy Wiedler (now with Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
's Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
) they later used drum machines and sequencers. Die Unbekannten are credited with making the first record with a Roland TR-606
Roland TR-606
The Roland TR-606 Drumatix is a programmable analog synthesis drum machine built by the Roland Corporation from 1981 to 1984. It was originally designed to be used with the Roland TB-303, a monophonic analog bass synthesizer, to provide a simple drum and bass accompaniment to guitarists without...
.
Today Reeder runs a string of record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s, including MFS
MFS (label)
MFS was an independent electronic dance music label from Berlin, Germany lasting from 1990-2008 . It was founded by Berlin based Englishman, Mark Reeder in 1990...
and Flesh, launching the careers of Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
and Corvin Dalek.
Shark Vegas reinvented themselves with two new members, Walter and Wittler, for a New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
European tour in 1984.
"You Hurt Me" was one of their concert favorites, and Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
of New Order wanted to release the track as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. He also played guitar at the closing moments of the track. Sumner co-produced the track with A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. While originally part of the punk rock movement, they soon added funk and dance elements to their sound. They are sometimes referred to as "post punk funk"...
's Donald Johnson, who also added vocals to the track. A different version to this single was also released on Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
's label "Totenkopf".
A later Shark Vegas track, "Pretenders of Love", can also be found on the Factory US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Young, Popular & Sexy (Fac US 17).
Discography
- 1984: "You Hurt Me" ("You Hurt Me"), ("You Hurt Me For The First Time") and ("You Hurt Me For The Last Time") (Totenkopf Schallplatten, Düsseldorf)
- 1985: "You Hurt Me" ("But Now Your Flesh Lies Rotting In Hell"), ("You Hurt Me" - Demo Version) produced by Bernard Sumner and Shark Vegas (Factory Records Manchester. FACT 111)
- 1986: "11th March" (from Cynthia Beatts' film, The Party - Original film soundtrack)
- 1986: "Love Habit" ("Don't Walk Away")
- 1987: "Pretenders of Love" (US Factory compilation album - Young, Popular & Sexy) (Fact-US 17)
- 2009: "Pretenders of Love" (Re-released track featured on the compilation album Factory Records 1984) (Itm 2534)