Soft Cell
Encyclopedia
Soft Cell are an English
synthpop
duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond
and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love
" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
. In the UK, they had ten Top 40 hits, including "Bedsitter" (#4), "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
" (#3), "Torch
" (#2), and "What!" (#3), and also had four Top 20 albums between 1981 and 1984. The duo split in 1984, but reformed in the early 2000s to tour and released a new album in 2002. Their songs have been covered by various artists including Nine Inch Nails
, David Gray
, Nouvelle Vague
, Marilyn Manson
and A-ha
. Soft Cell's track "Memorabilia" earned recognition for the band as pioneers of techno style. The duo have sold 10 million records worldwide.
, which was funded by a loan of £2000 from Dave Ball's mother, and made with a simple 2-track recorder. This was released independently with only 2000 vinyl copies pressed and has since become a highly valued collectors item. Their early shows and EP caught the interest of certain record labels, such as Mute Records
and Some Bizzare Records
, both of which pioneered the new wave of synthesizer bands like Depeche Mode
. Soft Cell's next recording, "The Girl with the Patent Leather Face", appeared as a contribution to the Some Bizzare Album
, which featured then-unknown bands such as Depeche Mode
, The The
, and Blancmange
. The duo ultimately signed to the Some Bizarre label, backed by Phonogram Records
. Their first singles, "A Man Can Get Lost" 7" and "Memorabilia" 12" were produced by Daniel Miller, the founder of Mute Records
. While "Memorabilia" was a success in nightclubs, Soft Cell remained essentially unknown.
track sung originally by Gloria Jones
(the girlfriend of Marc Bolan
) and written by Ed Cobb
of The Four Preps
.
Released in 1981, Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" was a No. 1 hit in 17 countries, including the United Kingdom
, as well as a No. 8 single in the United States
during 1982, and went on to set a Guinness World Record at the time for the longest consecutive stay (43 weeks) on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart. The song's popularity developed slowly, needing 19 weeks to enter the U.S. Top 40. The A-side of the 12 inch single of "Tainted Love" actually featured a two-song medley, with "Tainted Love" blending into the Motown classic "Where Did Our Love Go
" (originally recorded by The Supremes
).
According to Marc Almond's book Tainted Life, Soft Cell had exited the "Tainted Love" recording sessions with only modest expectations that the track might break into the UK Top 50. Furthermore, Almond wrote that his only significant contribution to the song's instrumentation (besides the vocals) was the suggestion that the song begin with a characteristic "bink bink" sound which would repeat periodically throughout. Almond also wrote that he dedicated this song to his sometime partner Christian Andrews.
Usually, an artist releasing a cover version as a single would opt to write the song that appears on the B-side as this would still entitle the artist to some songwriting royalties
stemming from sales of that single. However, as Soft Cell wrote neither "Tainted Love" nor "Where Did Our Love Go" (the 7" B-side track), they lost the opportunity to make a greater sum of money from songwriting royalties stemming from one of the most popular songs of the 1980s. Almond expressed regret for this in his book, and attributed the error to naïveté.
, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
, hit UK #5 and further explored the now-trademark Soft Cell themes of squalour and sleaze. "Seedy Films" talks of long nights in porno
cinemas, while "Frustration" and "Secret Life" deal with the boredom and hypocrisy associated with suburban life. A companion video titled Non-Stop Exotic Video Show
was released alongside the album and featured videos directed by Tim Pope
. The video generated some controversy in Britain, mainly due to the scandal involved with the "Sex Dwarf" clip. The original version of the music video featured Almond and Ball in a bloody butcher shop surrounded by chainsaws, nude actors, and dwarves. However, the film was confiscated by police and censored before it was even released.
As a tongue-in-cheek substitute, a re-filmed "Sex Dwarf" appeared in Non-Stop Exotic Video Show featuring Almond dressed in a tuxedo, directing a symphony orchestra of transvestites. A copy of the original "Sex Dwarf" can be found on Tim Pope
's website.
During 1982, the duo spent most of their time recording and relaxing in New York City
, where they met a woman named Cindy Ecstasy whom Almond would later confirm was his drug supplier (it was Cindy Ecstasy who introduced them to the new nightclub drug of the same name). The duo released a second album, a 6-track mini album entitled Non-stop Ecstatic Dancing
which contained remixes of older material along with their new hit single "What!". Almond would later admit that the album was recorded and mixed under the influence of ecstasy. "What!" placed at number 101 in US Charts.
, featuring collaborations with The The
's Matt Johnson
and future Almond collaborator Annie Hogan, as an offshoot
in order to experiment out of the glare of the Soft Cell spotlight. Soft Cell's third album release, appropriately titled The Art of Falling Apart
, was a Top 5 hit in the UK but the singles were only modest successes. The duo once again generated some controversy when their second single from the album, "Numbers", was banned by the BBC
due to references in the song to the drug speed
. The album is very highly esteemed by the leader of Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor
.
By 1984, the duo had amicably decided to end Soft Cell. They played farewell concerts at Hammersmith Palais
in January, and released one final album called This Last Night in Sodom
(UK #12). Headed by the duo's final single "Down In The Subway" (UK #24), the album departed from its predecessors by featuring more live drums and guitars than previous albums. However, the controversial subject matter still remained true to the Soft Cell ethos, with songs such as "L'Esqualita" that glamourized transvestite
culture in Manhattan
.
album in 1991. David Ball formed The Grid
during 1990 with Richard Norris. The Grid ended in 1996, but reformed during 2005 and released an album during 2008 with the Some Bizzare company, named Doppelgänger.
, released during 2001. A new Soft Cell album, Cruelty Without Beauty
, was released during late 2002, followed by a European tour and a small U.S. tour during early 2003. The new album featured their first new songs together in almost twenty years, including their 2003 single "The Night" (UK #39). Interestingly, Soft Cell had considered recording "The Night" in place of "Tainted Love" during 1981 as their frantic attempt to score a chart success. In a 2003 interview with BBC's Top of the Pops
, keyboardist David Ball asserted, "I think history has kind of shown that we did make the right choice [in 1981]."
During August 2007, the band announced plans to release a remix album entitled Heat. The remix album was released in November 2008 and includes classic Soft Cell tracks remixed by such acts as Paul Dakeyne, The Grid
, Manhattan Clique
, Cicada
, Richard X
, Ladytron
, MHC
, Atomizer, Mark Moore
, Kinky Roland, Spektrum
, George Demure, Yer Man, The Dark Poets
and many more.
have been covered and sampled
a number of times, including:
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...
duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond
Marc Almond
Marc Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who originally found fame as half of the seminal synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell...
and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love
Tainted Love
"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965. It attained worldwide fame after being covered by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart, and has since been covered by numerous groups and...
" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Non-stop Erotic Cabaret
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the debut album by English synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in the United Kingdom on 23 November 1981 by Some Bizzare Records...
. In the UK, they had ten Top 40 hits, including "Bedsitter" (#4), "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" is a song from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by English synthpop duo Soft Cell that was released as a single in 1982 and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart...
" (#3), "Torch
Torch (song)
Torch is a song by English synthpop duo Soft Cell that was released as a single in 1982 and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, number 31 on the Hot Dance Club Play and number 12 in the Netherlands....
" (#2), and "What!" (#3), and also had four Top 20 albums between 1981 and 1984. The duo split in 1984, but reformed in the early 2000s to tour and released a new album in 2002. Their songs have been covered by various artists including Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
, David Gray
David Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
, Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague (band)
Nouvelle Vague is a French musical collective led by musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux. Their name is a play on words, meaning "new wave" in French, and "bossa nova" in Portuguese...
, Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
and A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
. Soft Cell's track "Memorabilia" earned recognition for the band as pioneers of techno style. The duo have sold 10 million records worldwide.
Mutant Moments and Memorabilia
Soft Cell was initiated during 1978 after Almond and Ball met at Leeds Polytechnic. Their initial efforts at recording resulted that year in an EP called Mutant MomentsMutant Moments
Mutant Moments is a short EP, independently financed and produced by Soft Cell, a synthpop/new wave duo who would later achieve fame with their groundbreaking hit cover of the Gloria Jones song "Tainted Love"...
, which was funded by a loan of £2000 from Dave Ball's mother, and made with a simple 2-track recorder. This was released independently with only 2000 vinyl copies pressed and has since become a highly valued collectors item. Their early shows and EP caught the interest of certain record labels, such as Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
and Some Bizzare Records
Some Bizzare Records
Some Bizzare Records is a British independent record label owned by Stevo Pearce. The label was founded in 1981, with the release of Some Bizzare Album, a compilation of unsigned bands including Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, The The, Neu Electrikk and Blancmange.-1981-1989:One of the first bands that...
, both of which pioneered the new wave of synthesizer bands like Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
. Soft Cell's next recording, "The Girl with the Patent Leather Face", appeared as a contribution to the Some Bizzare Album
Some Bizzare Album
Some Bizzare Album was the first album by Some Bizzare Records. It was released in 1981 as a sampler of the label's musical ethos. The acts were not actually signed exclusively to the label at the time.-Information:...
, which featured then-unknown bands such as Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, The The
The The
The The are an English musical and multimedia group that have been active in various forms since 1979, with singer/songwriter Matt Johnson being the only constant band member.-Early years :...
, and Blancmange
Blancmange (band)
Blancmange are a British synthpop band who came to prominence with a string of hits in the early to mid 1980s.-Biography:Blancmange was formed in Harrow, Middlesex in 1979 by singer Neil Arthur and instrumentalists Stephen Luscombe and Laurence Stevens...
. The duo ultimately signed to the Some Bizarre label, backed by Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
. Their first singles, "A Man Can Get Lost" 7" and "Memorabilia" 12" were produced by Daniel Miller, the founder of Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
. While "Memorabilia" was a success in nightclubs, Soft Cell remained essentially unknown.
Tainted Love
After the chart failure of "Memorabilia", Phonogram Records allowed Soft Cell to record a second and final single in an attempt to score a chart success. The band opted to record a radically reworked cover version of "Tainted Love", an obscure 1964 northern soulNorthern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
track sung originally by Gloria Jones
Gloria Jones
Gloria Richetta Jones is an American singer and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. She recorded the 1964 northern soul song, "Tainted Love", later a hit for the British synth-pop duo, Soft Cell. She was the girlfriend of glam rock artist Marc Bolan of the band T...
(the girlfriend of Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
) and written by Ed Cobb
Ed Cobb
Ed Cobb was a musician, songwriter and record producer, most notably during the 1950s and 1960s.-Career:...
of The Four Preps
The Four Preps
The Four Preps are an American popular music male quartet. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the group amassed eight gold singles and three gold albums...
.
Released in 1981, Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" was a No. 1 hit in 17 countries, including the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as well as a No. 8 single in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during 1982, and went on to set a Guinness World Record at the time for the longest consecutive stay (43 weeks) on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. The song's popularity developed slowly, needing 19 weeks to enter the U.S. Top 40. The A-side of the 12 inch single of "Tainted Love" actually featured a two-song medley, with "Tainted Love" blending into the Motown classic "Where Did Our Love Go
Where Did Our Love Go
"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Where Did Our Love Go" was the first single by the Supremes to go to the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart...
" (originally recorded by The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
).
According to Marc Almond's book Tainted Life, Soft Cell had exited the "Tainted Love" recording sessions with only modest expectations that the track might break into the UK Top 50. Furthermore, Almond wrote that his only significant contribution to the song's instrumentation (besides the vocals) was the suggestion that the song begin with a characteristic "bink bink" sound which would repeat periodically throughout. Almond also wrote that he dedicated this song to his sometime partner Christian Andrews.
Usually, an artist releasing a cover version as a single would opt to write the song that appears on the B-side as this would still entitle the artist to some songwriting royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
stemming from sales of that single. However, as Soft Cell wrote neither "Tainted Love" nor "Where Did Our Love Go" (the 7" B-side track), they lost the opportunity to make a greater sum of money from songwriting royalties stemming from one of the most popular songs of the 1980s. Almond expressed regret for this in his book, and attributed the error to naïveté.
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
The duo's first albumAlbum
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...
, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Non-stop Erotic Cabaret
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the debut album by English synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in the United Kingdom on 23 November 1981 by Some Bizzare Records...
, hit UK #5 and further explored the now-trademark Soft Cell themes of squalour and sleaze. "Seedy Films" talks of long nights in porno
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
cinemas, while "Frustration" and "Secret Life" deal with the boredom and hypocrisy associated with suburban life. A companion video titled Non-Stop Exotic Video Show
Soft Cell's: Non-Stop Exotic Video Show
Soft Cell's: Non-Stop Exotic Video Show is a collection of promotional films covering the career of British synth-pop duo, Soft Cell. It is a companion release to their debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. The collection was originally issued on VHS in 1982 and re-issued on DVD in 2004...
was released alongside the album and featured videos directed by Tim Pope
Tim Pope
Timothy Michael Pope is a film director most famous for his music videos, having directed feature films, and for a brief pop career.-Early life and career:...
. The video generated some controversy in Britain, mainly due to the scandal involved with the "Sex Dwarf" clip. The original version of the music video featured Almond and Ball in a bloody butcher shop surrounded by chainsaws, nude actors, and dwarves. However, the film was confiscated by police and censored before it was even released.
As a tongue-in-cheek substitute, a re-filmed "Sex Dwarf" appeared in Non-Stop Exotic Video Show featuring Almond dressed in a tuxedo, directing a symphony orchestra of transvestites. A copy of the original "Sex Dwarf" can be found on Tim Pope
Tim Pope
Timothy Michael Pope is a film director most famous for his music videos, having directed feature films, and for a brief pop career.-Early life and career:...
's website.
During 1982, the duo spent most of their time recording and relaxing 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...
, where they met a woman named Cindy Ecstasy whom Almond would later confirm was his drug supplier (it was Cindy Ecstasy who introduced them to the new nightclub drug of the same name). The duo released a second album, a 6-track mini album entitled Non-stop Ecstatic Dancing
Non-stop Ecstatic Dancing
Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing is an EP by English synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in the United Kingdom on 21 June 1982 by Some Bizzare Records...
which contained remixes of older material along with their new hit single "What!". Almond would later admit that the album was recorded and mixed under the influence of ecstasy. "What!" placed at number 101 in US Charts.
Decline and dissolution
By 1983, fame and nearly constant drug use were having a bad effect on the duo. Marc Almond also formed the group Marc and the MambasMarc and the Mambas
Marc and the Mambas was a new wave group, formed by Marc Almond, in 1982 as an off-shoot project from Soft Cell. The band's line-up changed frequently, and included Matt Johnson from The The and Annie Hogan, with whom Almond worked later in his solo career....
, featuring collaborations with The The
The The
The The are an English musical and multimedia group that have been active in various forms since 1979, with singer/songwriter Matt Johnson being the only constant band member.-Early years :...
's Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson (singer)
Matt Johnson is a musician best known as the founder and only constant member of the group The The. Johnson is known for his often deeply introspective lyrics. Musically he ranges from slow acoustic hooks to techno-pop....
and future Almond collaborator Annie Hogan, as an offshoot
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
in order to experiment out of the glare of the Soft Cell spotlight. Soft Cell's third album release, appropriately titled The Art of Falling Apart
The Art of Falling Apart
The Art of Falling Apart is the second full-length album released in 1983 by Soft Cell, a pioneering synthpop/new wave duo which featured Marc Almond singing and David Ball playing synthesizers....
, was a Top 5 hit in the UK but the singles were only modest successes. The duo once again generated some controversy when their second single from the album, "Numbers", was banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
due to references in the song to the drug speed
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
. The album is very highly esteemed by the leader of Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
.
By 1984, the duo had amicably decided to end Soft Cell. They played farewell concerts at Hammersmith Palais
Hammersmith Palais
The Hammersmith Palais de Danse, later simply the Hammersmith Palais, was a ballroom and entertainment venue in London that operated from 1919 until 2007...
in January, and released one final album called This Last Night in Sodom
This Last Night In Sodom
This Last Night in Sodom is the name of a 1984 album released by seminal electro-synth pop duo Soft Cell for Phonogram records. It was released about a month after its two members Marc Almond and David Ball announced their breakup in a letter to various music magazines, including Melody Maker and...
(UK #12). Headed by the duo's final single "Down In The Subway" (UK #24), the album departed from its predecessors by featuring more live drums and guitars than previous albums. However, the controversial subject matter still remained true to the Soft Cell ethos, with songs such as "L'Esqualita" that glamourized transvestite
Transvestism
Transvestism is the practice of cross-dressing, which is wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex. Transvestite refers to a person who cross-dresses; however, the word often has additional connotations. -History:Although the word transvestism was coined as late as the 1910s,...
culture in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Solo years
During Almond's solo years, he and Ball continued to communicate with each other. Dave Ball's ex-wife played cello in Marc Almond's solo band, though Almond and Ball did not work again together until 1990 when Ball remixed one of Almond's singles ("Waifs And Strays") and co-wrote and arranged some music for Almond's Tenement SymphonyTenement Symphony
Tenement Symphony is an album by Marc Almond, released in 1991. It reached #39 in the UK Albums Chart and includes the UK top 40 single "My Hand Over My Heart", top 20 "Jacky",and the top 5 hit "The Days of Pearly Spencer".-Track listing:...
album in 1991. David Ball formed The Grid
The Grid
The Grid are an English electronic dance group, consisting of Richard Norris and David Ball , with guest contributions from other musicians...
during 1990 with Richard Norris. The Grid ended in 1996, but reformed during 2005 and released an album during 2008 with the Some Bizzare company, named Doppelgänger.
Reunion
Almond and Ball reunited as Soft Cell in 2001, with a series of live dates. They performed at the opening of the Ocean nightclub in London during March 2001, and a mini tour followed later in the year. The track "God Shaped Hole" featured on the Some Bizzare compilation titled I'd Rather Shout at a Returning Echo than Kid Someone's ListeningI'd Rather Shout at a Returning Echo than Kid Someone's Listening
I'd Rather Shout at a Returning Echo than Kid That Someone's Listening is the fourth compilation album released by Some Bizzare and featured the first new track from the recently re-formed Soft Cell. It also included two tracks "Nye " and "Uniform Spaces" by Cabaret Voltaire member Richard H. Kirk...
, released during 2001. A new Soft Cell album, Cruelty Without Beauty
Cruelty Without Beauty
Cruelty Without Beauty is the fourth studio album by Soft Cell. The album was released on October 8, 2002.-Track listing:#"Darker Times"#"Monoculture"#"Le Grand Guignol"#"The Night"#"Last Chance"#"Together Alone"#"Desperate"#"Whatever It Takes"...
, was released during late 2002, followed by a European tour and a small U.S. tour during early 2003. The new album featured their first new songs together in almost twenty years, including their 2003 single "The Night" (UK #39). Interestingly, Soft Cell had considered recording "The Night" in place of "Tainted Love" during 1981 as their frantic attempt to score a chart success. In a 2003 interview with BBC's Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, keyboardist David Ball asserted, "I think history has kind of shown that we did make the right choice [in 1981]."
During August 2007, the band announced plans to release a remix album entitled Heat. The remix album was released in November 2008 and includes classic Soft Cell tracks remixed by such acts as Paul Dakeyne, The Grid
The Grid
The Grid are an English electronic dance group, consisting of Richard Norris and David Ball , with guest contributions from other musicians...
, Manhattan Clique
Manhattan Clique
The Manhattan Clique are producers, remixers and writers Philip Larsen and Chris Smith. Regular visitors to the higher reaches of the Music Week Club and Pop charts in the UK, plus the Billboard dance chart in the US, Manhattan Clique are equally at home with their more underground MHC guise as...
, Cicada
Cicada
A cicada is an insect of the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha , in the superfamily Cicadoidea, with large eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. There are about 2,500 species of cicada around the world, and many of them remain unclassified...
, Richard X
Richard X
Richard Philips, best known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for artists including Annie, Kelis, Liberty X, Rachel Stevens...
, Ladytron
Ladytron
Ladytron are an English electronic band formed in 1999 in Liverpool, Merseyside. The group consists of Helen Marnie , Mira Aroyo , Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu .Their sound blends electropop with New Wave and shoegazing elements. Ladytron described their sound as "electronic pop"...
, MHC
MHC
-Biology:*Myosin heavy chain - part of the motor protein myosin's quaternary protein structure*Major histocompatibility complex - a highly polymorphic region on chromosome 6 with genes particularly involved in immune functions-Colleges:...
, Atomizer, Mark Moore
Mark Moore
Mark Moore is a British dance music record producer and DJ. He was founder of the pop/sampling pioneers S'Express, and runs the London nightclubs, 'Electrogogo' and 'Can Can'.-Biography:...
, Kinky Roland, Spektrum
Spektrum
Spektrum may refer to:* Oslo Spektrum, a sports, event and concert venue in Oslo, Norway* Trondheim Spektrum, a sports and event venue in Trondheim, Norway* Spektrum Flyers, a former ice hockey team based in Oslo...
, George Demure, Yer Man, The Dark Poets
The Dark Poets
Dubbed "Drum and Bass for Goths" The Dark Poets are an electronic [Rock]/breakbeat outfit from the UK.-Background:The Dark Poets originally rose to prominence with their soundtrack for Alex Chandon's cult Cradle of Filth horror movie 'Cradle of Fear'. - Which gained the attention of Some Bizzare...
and many more.
Covers and sampling
Due to its enduring popularity, Soft Cell's version of "Tainted Love" along with other songs from Non-stop Erotic CabaretNon-stop Erotic Cabaret
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the debut album by English synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in the United Kingdom on 23 November 1981 by Some Bizzare Records...
have been covered and sampled
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...
a number of times, including:
- A version from ArgentineArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
DJ and show host Clotta Lanzetta (who was later murdered ), now translated as, "Falso Amor." - 1984 CoilCoil (band)Coil were an English cross-genre, experimental music group formed in 1982 by John Balance—later credited as "Jhonn Balance"—and his partner Peter Christopherson, aka "Sleazy". The duo worked together on a series of releases before Balance chose the name Coil, which he claimed to be...
covered "Tainted Love" as one half of the double A-Side Panic/Tainted LovePanic/Tainted LovePanic/Tainted Love is a 12" released in 1985 - and later on in 1990, a CD - single by Coil.The Tainted Love section of the album includes a cover of the song "Tainted Love", originally performed by Gloria Jones and then to become popular again around 1981 after a synthpop cover-version was...
. This record was the first ever AIDSAIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
benefit record and Marc Almond appeared in the video as "Death." Marc would also provide vocals on the group's next release Horse RotorvatorHorse RotorvatorHorse Rotorvator is the second LP released by the British industrial group Coil. It was named one of the Top 100 Albums of the 1980s by Pitchfork Media who ranked it 73rd.-Editions:...
. - 1991 Carter USMCarter USMCarter the Unstoppable Sex Machine is a British indie rock band formed in 1988 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples, sequenced basses and drum machines with rock 'n' roll guitars and...
covered "Bedsitter" on the CD single of Bloodsport For All. - 1992 Inspiral CarpetsInspiral CarpetsInspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate...
covered "Tainted Love" for the NME's Ruby Trax 3CD Box. - 1994 PsychePsyche (band)Psyche are a Canadian dark synthpop band, now based in Germany. They are centered on singer Darrin Huss, who has been the only constant member, with various line-ups including his brother Stephen Huss, later followed by David Kristian, Per-Anders Kurenbach, and Remi Szyszka, all recording albums...
covered "Sex Dwarf" on the Private Desires EP - 1995 The Alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group Shades ApartShades ApartShades Apart were an American alternative rock musical group from Bridgewater, New Jersey. They are best known for their US radio hit "Valentine" and their cover of the hit song "Tainted Love."-History:...
from New Jersey covered "Tainted Love" in the CD single of 1995 (Revelation 40 PR1) - 1997 The German Heavy Metal Rock Group Atrocity covered "Tainted Love" on their full length cover album titled "Werk 80" and also featured it on the limited deluxe edition of "Werk 80 II" released in 2008.
- 1998 Leæther StripLeæther StripLeæther Strip is a Danish musical project founded on January 13, 1988 by Claus Larsen. Its influence has been most felt in the electronic body music and electro-industrial genres. Perhaps to a certain extent, it may have influenced various film score productions. Leæther Strip was one of the...
covered several songs on the Anal Cabaret: A Tribute to Soft CellAnal Cabaret: A Tribute to Soft CellAnal Cabaret: A Tribute to Soft Cell is a cover EP recorded by Leæther Strip in tribute to synthpop band Soft Cell....
EP. - 1999 Australian punk/rockabilly band The Living EndThe Living EndThe Living End are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 1994. The current lineup consists of Chris Cheney , Scott Owen and Andy Strachan...
covered the song as a B-side for their single "All Torn DownAll Torn Down"All Torn Down" is the third single off The Living End's debut self-titled album. It reached number 12 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The song title and lyrics refer to the rapid development of Melbourne in the late 1990s, with major projects such as CityLink and Melbourne Docklands in progress and...
". - 1999 David GrayDavid Gray (musician)David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
covered "Say Hello, Wave GoodbyeSay Hello, Wave Goodbye"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" is a song from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by English synthpop duo Soft Cell that was released as a single in 1982 and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart...
" on his album White LadderWhite LadderWhite Ladder is the multi-platinum selling fourth studio album by British singer-songwriter David Gray, first released in November 1998. Worldwide sales of the album stand at 7 million.-Background:...
. - 2000 German techno band ScooterScooter (band)Scooter are a German hard dance band founded in Hamburg, who have sold over 25 million records and earned over 80 gold and platinum awards. Scooter are considered the most successful single-record German act with 23 top ten hits. The band is currently composed of members H.P. Baxxter, Rick J....
covered "Sex Dwarf" on their SheffieldSheffield (album)Sheffield is the seventh studio album by German techno band Scooter, released in 2000. It plays host to two singles: "I'm Your Pusher" and "She's The Sun" .-Track listing:# "MC's Missing" - 1:16# "Don't Gimme the Funk" - 4:13# "I'm Your Pusher" - 3:59...
. album.Christian DeathChristian DeathChristian Death is an American deathrock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1979. The band was founded and fronted by Rozz Williams. Christian Death is most notable for their first album Only Theatre of Pain....
also covered the track on their 10th studio album with Valor KandValor KandValor Kand is the current vocalist/guitarist/songwriter of Christian Death, an American deathrock/goth rock band once fronted by Rozz Williams. He is an ex-lover of Gitane Demone, with whom he has two children, Sevan Kand and Zara.-External links:...
as frontman, "Pornographic Messiah." - 2000 Industrial metal musician Betty XBetty XBetty X, is an American musician, artist, and writer known for her controversial stage persona and image as the lead singer of the eponymous band Betty X. Her stage name was formed the combination of 1950's American icons, domestic goddess Betty Crocker, pin-up model Bettie Page with the human...
covered "Sex Dwarf" with producer Vincent Saletto and guitarist Bizz aka Bryce Bernuis (both formerly of the GenitorturersGenitorturersThe Genitorturers are an industrial metal/industrial rock band from the United States, with influences extending into the 1990s hardcore punk and electronic music. They proclaim themselves to be "The World's Sexiest Rock Band".-History:...
) on her EP Bad Side of Love. - 2001 Glam/hard rock band Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson (band)Marilyn Manson is an American metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by Brian Warner and Scott Putesky, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their uniquely theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early '90s. This attention...
covered the song on the album Not Another Teen MovieNot Another Teen MovieNot Another Teen Movie is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Joel Gallen, released on December 14, 2001 by Columbia Pictures. It is a parody of teen movies which have accumulated in Hollywood over the last few decades...
O.S.T.SoundtrackA 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...
and Lest We Forget: The Best Of Marilyn Manson. It is also as a bonus track on The Golden Age of GrotesqueThe Golden Age of GrotesqueInitial critical response to The Golden Age of Grotesque was mixed. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 60, indicating mixed or average reviews, based on 12 publications...
. - 2004 German techno producer Thomas Schumacher samples "Tainted Love" on his single Tainted Schall.
- Industrial band Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
covered the song "Memorabilia" in 1994 which appeared on the "Closer" single and on their 10th anniversary re-release of The Downward SpiralThe Downward SpiralThe Downward Spiral is the second studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released March 8, 1994, on Interscope Records. It is a concept album detailing the destruction of a man, from the beginning of his "downward spiral" to his climactic attempt at suicide...
during 2004. They also covered "Sex Dwarf" live during the 1989 Pretty Hate MachinePretty Hate MachinePretty Hate Machine is the debut album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released October 20, 1989, on TVT Records. Pretty Hate Machine is compiled of reworked tracks from the Purest Feeling demo, as well as tracks recorded after its recording...
tour. - 2005 Pussycat DollsPussycat DollsThe Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
covered the Soft Cell version with "Tainted Love" and "Where Did Our Love Go?" combined as one song for their debut album, PCDPCD (album)PCD is the debut album by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, released on September 13, 2005 in the United States, by A&M Records. After recruiting Melody Thornton and Nicole Scherzinger and releasing two singles, they released this album...
. - 2006 The main riff of Lil ScrappyLil ScrappyDarryl Kevin Richardson II , better known by his stage name Lil Scrappy, is an American rapper.Richards was discovered by producer and performer Lil Jon while performing at a bar, when a fight broke out during his set in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia...
's song "Money In The Bank" took samples from part of the beat of "Tainted Love." - 2006 RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
extensively samples "Tainted Love" on the single "SOSSOS (Rihanna song)"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
" from her album A Girl Like Me. It became a #1 successful single all over the world. - 2006 Psytrance producer BulletproofBulletproofBulletproofing is the process of making something capable of stopping a bullet or similar high velocity projectiles e.g. shrapnel. The term bullet resistance is often preferred because few, if any, practical materials provide complete protection against all types of bullets, or multiple hits in the...
samples "Tainted Love" on the vinyl EP Tainted Love. - 2007 DJ Richard Grey samples "Tainted Love" on "Warped Bass." A speed garage single, the vocal version still features Marc Almond's vocals.
- 2007 Chicago electronic duo Microfilm do not cover Soft Cell, but name-check their album NonStop Erotic Cabaret (as well as NonStop Ecstatic Dancing) in the lyrics of their track "Non-Stop Dreaming;" Soft Cell were an influence on the original sound of Microfilm's early tracks.
- 2009 Mexican Singer FeyFey (singer)Fey is a Latin Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop artist that became a pop teen idol for her country in the mid 1990s. Her height is 5 ft 2in .-Biography:...
used a sample of the song "Tainted Love" on her track "La Viuda Negra" included on her album Dulce TentaciónDulce TentaciónDulce Tentación is the seventh studio album by Mexican pop/dance singer Fey. It was officially released on May 5, 2009... - 2009 The song "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" was covered by the French band Nouvelle VagueNouvelle Vague (band)Nouvelle Vague is a French musical collective led by musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux. Their name is a play on words, meaning "new wave" in French, and "bossa nova" in Portuguese...
on their 2009 covers album 3. - 2010 English pop band The HoosiersThe HoosiersThe Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
covered "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" as a bonus track on the iTunes version of their album The Illusion of SafetyThe Illusion of Safety (The Hoosiers album)The Illusion of Safety is the second album released by London indie pop band The Hoosiers. It was released in the UK on 16 August 2010 and is preceded by the lead single, "Choices" which was released on 1 August 2010...
. - 2011 The HoosiersThe HoosiersThe Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
included a cover of "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" as a regular track on their album Bumpy RideBumpy Ride (The Hoosiers album)Bumpy Ride is an album released by London indie pop band The Hoosiers. It is a rereleased version of their 2010 album The Illusion of Safety. It was released in the UK on 11 April 2011. The album features 3 new tracks not present on The Illusion of Safety, as well as a cover of Soft Cell's "Say...
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Discography
Studio albums- Non-Stop Erotic CabaretNon-stop Erotic CabaretNon-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the debut album by English synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in the United Kingdom on 23 November 1981 by Some Bizzare Records...
(1981) - Non-Stop Ecstatic DancingNon-stop Ecstatic DancingNon Stop Ecstatic Dancing is an EP by English synthpop duo Soft Cell, released in the United Kingdom on 21 June 1982 by Some Bizzare Records...
(1982) - The Art of Falling ApartThe Art of Falling ApartThe Art of Falling Apart is the second full-length album released in 1983 by Soft Cell, a pioneering synthpop/new wave duo which featured Marc Almond singing and David Ball playing synthesizers....
(1983) - This Last Night in SodomThis Last Night In SodomThis Last Night in Sodom is the name of a 1984 album released by seminal electro-synth pop duo Soft Cell for Phonogram records. It was released about a month after its two members Marc Almond and David Ball announced their breakup in a letter to various music magazines, including Melody Maker and...
(1984) - Cruelty Without BeautyCruelty Without BeautyCruelty Without Beauty is the fourth studio album by Soft Cell. The album was released on October 8, 2002.-Track listing:#"Darker Times"#"Monoculture"#"Le Grand Guignol"#"The Night"#"Last Chance"#"Together Alone"#"Desperate"#"Whatever It Takes"...
(2002)