The Martyr Mantras
Encyclopedia
The Martyr Mantras is a 1990 album
by Boy George
. It was credited to Jesus Loves You
worldwide, a move to help people concentrate on the music rather than on the popular artist's name, except in North America
, where it was credited to Boy George
upon its release there in 1991, as requested by Virgin Records America.
production for the early 1990s. It is partly a collection of some of the songs that were released as one-off singles
many months before ("No Clause 28" - 1988, "After the Love" - 1989, "Generations of Love" - 1990, "One On One" - 1990). The lead single was the Indian
and house
mash-up "Bow Down Mister" which reached the Top 30 in the UK Singles Chart
.
George's songwriting credits are also on another alias. He is credited as Angela Dust. In this period, George was very involved in dance productions, most of them on his dance label, called "More Protein".
Like many Boy George solo records, The Martyr Mantras was not a strong seller like early Culture Club
records, only reaching #60 on the UK Albums Chart
. Although it did fare better in European countries but worse on the American market. The album gained very different reviews, some saying it was his finest hour, especially for his soulful vocals. Opposite opinions thought his voice was buried in the production.
It remains a favorite in his fan community. Singer Madonna
has cited this album a few times in various interviews, saying that she loved it and used it for her gymnastic training.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
. It was credited to Jesus Loves You
Jesus Loves You (band)
Jesus Loves You were a British band, founded by the singer Boy George. The music of the band is a mixture of electronic dance music, Indian classical music and western pop music. Their lyrics are about love, spirituality and the equality of all human beings....
worldwide, a move to help people concentrate on the music rather than on the popular artist's name, except in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, where it was credited to Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
upon its release there in 1991, as requested by Virgin Records America.
Overview
The Martyr Mantras contains many dance-oriented tracks, most of them with an edgy electronicElectronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
production for the early 1990s. It is partly a collection of some of the songs that were released as one-off singles
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...
many months before ("No Clause 28" - 1988, "After the Love" - 1989, "Generations of Love" - 1990, "One On One" - 1990). The lead single was the Indian
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
and house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
mash-up "Bow Down Mister" which reached the Top 30 in the 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 ...
.
George's songwriting credits are also on another alias. He is credited as Angela Dust. In this period, George was very involved in dance productions, most of them on his dance label, called "More Protein".
Like many Boy George solo records, The Martyr Mantras was not a strong seller like early Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
records, only reaching #60 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. Although it did fare better in European countries but worse on the American market. The album gained very different reviews, some saying it was his finest hour, especially for his soulful vocals. Opposite opinions thought his voice was buried in the production.
It remains a favorite in his fan community. Singer Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
has cited this album a few times in various interviews, saying that she loved it and used it for her gymnastic training.
Track Listing
- "Generations Of Love" (Oakenfold Mix) (Angela Dust, Caron Geary & Simon Rogers)
- "One On One"(Brydon L.P. Mix) (Dust, Mark Brydon)
- "Love's Gonna Let U Down" (Popcorn Mix) (Dust, Brydon)
- "After The Love" (Ten Glorious Years Mix) (Dust, Jon Moss)
- "I Specialise In Loneliness" (Dust, John Themis)
- "No Clause 28" (Pascal Gabriel Mix) (Boy George O'Dowd, Glenn Nightingale, Ian Maidman, Richie Stevens, Steve Fletcher)
- "Love Hurts" (L.P. Mix) (Dust, Bruce Forest, Richard Cottle)
- "Siempre Te Amare" (Dust)
- "Too Much Love" (Dust, Brydon)
- "Bow Down Mister" (Dust)
- "Generations Of Love" (Seventies Mix)