documents - Timeline

SCRITTI POLITTI

1977 - The group is formed by Gartside (b.Green Strohmeyer-Gartside, June 22 1956, Cardiff, Wales, UK), Jinks and Morley, all friends at Leeds art school. Green, an ex-schoolmate of Soft Cell's Marc Almond, is inspired by the Sex Pistols concert in Leeds.

1978 - The group, with temporary members including Matthew Kay, relocates to London and begins low-key gigging at mainly punk venues.

1979 - The band supports Joy Division and Gang of Four on tour, but suffers a setback when Green collapses with a heart complaint. Oct. EP 'Four A-Sides' is released on SP's own St Pancras label and features a photocopied sleeve, but goes unnoticed. Nov. Further EP 'John Peel Session' is released.

1980 - Green spends the year convalescing at home with his parents and begins writing new songs, now heavily influenced by R&B music. Meanwhile, Jinks leaves the band.

1981 - The group's first new track, 'The Sweetest Girl', appears on 'New Musical Express' music newspaper cassette. Nov. Rough Trade releases it and it reaches UK #64. Jinks rejoins shortly afterwards.

1982 - May. Single 'Faithless' makes UK #56 and tops UK independent chart. Aug. Double A-side 'Asylums in Jerusalem/Jacques Derrida', with guest robert Wyatt on keyboards, is the group's first UK top 50 entry at #43 Sept. Debut LP 'Songs To Remember', produced by Adam Kidron, reaches UK #12 and again tops UK independent chart. Nov. Morley quits.

1983 - Green signs to Virgin Records and moves to New York to work on an LP with new members David Gamson (keyboards) and Fred Maher (drums), with producer Arif Mardin.

1984 - Apr. First single from this collaboration is 'Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)'. It is the group's breakthrough hit in the UK, hitting #10. (AUS #16 in July) July. 'Absolute' reaches UK #17. Nov. 'Hypnotize' only reaches UK #68.

1985 - May. Single 'The Word Girl (Flesh and Blood)' is SP's biggest hit to date, climbing to UK #6. June. Mardin-produced LP 'Cupid and Psyche 85', containing the first 5 Virgin singles, is a big seller at UK #5. Sept. 'Perfect Way' is the group's first US hit at #11. (Miles Davis will later cover it)

1986 - Feb. Madness' version of 'The Sweetest Girl' reaches UK #35. Aug. Chaka Khan makes US #53 and UK #52 with Green-penned 'Love Of A Lifetime' Sept. Green and Gamson write the title cut for Al Jarreau's LP 'L Is For Lover'

1987 - Aug. SP contribute a song for Madonna's 'Who's That Girl' soundtrack.

1988 - Mar. The group takes part in the annual Montreux pop festival in Switzerland. May. New single 'Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)', with Miles Davis guesting on trumpet, hits UK #13. June. 3rd LP 'Provision', recorded in New York, reaches UK #8 and US #113. It has taken 3 years to complete, delayed by Green's need always to use the latest state-of-the-art studio technology. July. 'First Boy In This Town (Lovesick)' makes UK #63. Aug. 'Boom! There She Was' peaks at US #53. Oct. Maher produces Information Society's US #3 'What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)', having also produced Marlon Jackson's debut LP. Nov. 'Boom! There She Was' climbs to UK #55 as 'Oh Patti' is released in US.

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