Stakker Humanoid
Encyclopedia
Stakker Humanoid is an acid house
track by Humanoid
released in 1988 by the London based label Westside Records
.
.
They sent a demo video tape containing graphics and some music to Morgan Khan
who (although he didn't appreciate the video) invited Brian Dougans to record 2 demos at his Dance Studios in Ealing London. He probably made use of the Roland TB-303
synthesizer
and the Roland TR-808
Rhythm Composer. The Evil Otto sample “Humanoid” from the videogame Berzerk
provided the name of the track.
The track was originally called “Humanoid” to be put out by Stakker through Morgan Khan's label Westside Records, though Morgan released it as “Stakker Humanoid” by “Humanoid” to avoid copyright issues. A dispute had arisen between Brian Dougans and Colin Scott / Mark McClean and before the record was in the shops, Stakker and Brian Dougans split, ending their working relationship which had lasted just over a year. However Mark McClean and Brian Dougans were to continue working together on The Future Sound of London
project.
(originally written by Brian Dougans) was remixed and overdubbed with new sections added by Colin Scott and Simon Monday in the digital studio that Colin Scott and Mark McClean had set up in the Goldcrest building in Great Pultney Street in Soho. This soundtrack is on the Eurotechno video and on the CD recently released by Rephlex Records
.
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
track by Humanoid
Brian Dougans
Brian Dougans is one half of the British electronica group, The Future Sound of London.He is a "man of many thoughts and few words" almost always letting Cobain take the lead in interviews with them both...
released in 1988 by the London based label Westside Records
Westside Records
Westside Records was a record label subsidiary of Kingfisher. When Kingfisher acquired Demon Records, they merged the two record labels....
.
History of the track
The project behind the track started out with Stakker, a collaborative project by the video artists Mark McClean and Colin Scott. They needed music to support their video and contacted Brian DougansBrian Dougans
Brian Dougans is one half of the British electronica group, The Future Sound of London.He is a "man of many thoughts and few words" almost always letting Cobain take the lead in interviews with them both...
.
They sent a demo video tape containing graphics and some music to Morgan Khan
Morgan Khan
Morgan Khan is a music mogul and entrepreneur well known in the UK during the 1980s. He played a large part in making various genres of urban music more accessible to UK consumers of Black and urban music after his founding of the iconic StreetSounds record label.- Early career :Khan has been...
who (although he didn't appreciate the video) invited Brian Dougans to record 2 demos at his Dance Studios in Ealing London. He probably made use of the Roland TB-303
Roland TB-303
The Roland TB-303 Bass Line is a bass synthesizer with built-in sequencer manufactured by the Roland corporation from late 1981 to 1984 that had a defining role in the development of contemporary electronic music.-History:...
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...
and the Roland TR-808
Roland TR-808
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was one of the first programmable drum machines . Introduced by the Roland Corporation in early 1980, it was originally manufactured for use as a tool for studio musicians to create demos. Like earlier Roland drum machines, it does not sound very much like a real...
Rhythm Composer. The Evil Otto sample “Humanoid” from the videogame Berzerk
Berzerk
Berzerk is a multi-directional shooter video arcade game, released in 1980 by Stern Electronics of Chicago.-Gameplay:The player controls a green stick-figure, representing a "humanoid." Using a joystick , the player navigates a simple maze filled with many robots, who fire lasers back at the...
provided the name of the track.
The track was originally called “Humanoid” to be put out by Stakker through Morgan Khan's label Westside Records, though Morgan released it as “Stakker Humanoid” by “Humanoid” to avoid copyright issues. A dispute had arisen between Brian Dougans and Colin Scott / Mark McClean and before the record was in the shops, Stakker and Brian Dougans split, ending their working relationship which had lasted just over a year. However Mark McClean and Brian Dougans were to continue working together on The Future Sound of London
The Future Sound of London
The Future Sound of London is a prolific British electronic music band composed of Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans. The duo are often credited with pushing the boundaries of electronic music experimentation and of pioneering a new era of dance music...
project.
Mixes
The soundtrack for the 1989 release EurotechnoEurotechno
Eurotechno is an early project, released on Aphex Twin's label Rephlex, by Brian Dougans in 1989 under the name Stakker. It was originally a soundtrack to a visual work released on Virgin Vision by Colin Scott, Mark McLean and Marek Pytel...
(originally written by Brian Dougans) was remixed and overdubbed with new sections added by Colin Scott and Simon Monday in the digital studio that Colin Scott and Mark McClean had set up in the Goldcrest building in Great Pultney Street in Soho. This soundtrack is on the Eurotechno video and on the CD recently released by Rephlex Records
Rephlex Records
Rephlex Records is a record label started in 1991 by electronic musician Richard D. James and Grant Wilson-Claridge. Rephlex coined the term braindance to describe the otherwise uncategorisable output of Aphex Twin and Rephlex Records...
.
Original 12" and CD release
- A1 - Stakker Humanoid (4:59)
- A2 - Stakker Humanoid (Radio Edit) (3:40)
- B - Stakker Humanoid (The Omen Mix) (7:50)
Stakker Humanoid '92
- Stakker Humanoid (7" Original) (3:40)
- Stakker Humanoid (Smart Systems Remix) (4:52)
- Remix - Smart Systems
- Stakker Humanoid (Gary Cobain '94 Mix) (5:41)
- Remix - Garry Cobain
- Stakker Humanoid (Omen Mix) (7:36)
- Stakker Humanoid (303 Tribe) (5:31)
- Remix - Future Sound Of London, The
- Stakker Humanoid (Outer Limits) (4:51)
- Remix - Future Sound Of London, The
- Stakker Humanoid (12" Original) (4:55)
- Stakker Humanoid (Dub Drums) (2:43)
- Remix - Future Sound Of London, The
Stakker Humanoid 2001
- Stakker Humanoid (Krafty's Radio Cut) (3:55)
- Engineer - Ed Solo
- Remix, Producer [Additional Production] - Krafty Kuts
- Stakker Humanoid (Plump DJ's 2001 Re-Touch) (6:49)
- Remix, Producer [Additional Production] - Plump DJs
- Stakker Humanoid (7" Original) (3:40)
- Stakker Humanoid (Snowman Mix) (3:54)
Stakker Humanoid 2007
- Stakker Humanoid (Feadz 2007 Mix) (4:02)
- Remix - Feadz
- Stakker Humanoid (Punx Soundcheck Mix) (6:36)
- Remix - Punx Soundcheck
- Stakker Humanoid (James Talk Mix) (8:04)
- Remix - James Talk
- Stakker Humanoid (King Roc's 3am And Feeling OK Mix) (9:10)
- Remix - King Roc
- Stakker Humanoid (Scan X Mix) (4:56)
Chart positions
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Stakker Humanoid" | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
#17 |
| 1988 | "Stakker Humanoid" | UK Dance Chart | #1 |
| 1992 | "Stakker Humanoid '92" | UK Singles Chart | #40 |
| 2001 | "Stakker Humanoid 2001" | UK Singles Chart | #65 |
Personnel
- Composed by Brian DougansBrian DougansBrian Dougans is one half of the British electronica group, The Future Sound of London.He is a "man of many thoughts and few words" almost always letting Cobain take the lead in interviews with them both...
- Engineered by John Laker
- Produced and mixed by Brian Dougans , John Laker
- Uses vocal samples from the videogame 'BerzerkBerzerkBerzerk is a multi-directional shooter video arcade game, released in 1980 by Stern Electronics of Chicago.-Gameplay:The player controls a green stick-figure, representing a "humanoid." Using a joystick , the player navigates a simple maze filled with many robots, who fire lasers back at the...
'.
External links
- Humanoid Discogs entries
- [ Stakker Humanoid 2001 at AllMusicGuide]