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Main event: do you want them?
Conrad Astley16/12/2005
Originally formed by two computer programmers from Sheffield, and taking their name from a science fiction role-playing game, The Human League weren't obvious contenders for chart success. That all changed when the geeks left and were replaced by dancing girls. Conrad Astley spoke to Susan Anne Sulley.
DID you know that The Human League - which produced hits like
Christmas number one Don't You Want Me Baby - was in fact the
second incarnation of a band which had already been written
off?
Founder members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig-Marsh, computer
programmers turned synth players who recruited hospital porter
Oakey by sticking a note on his door, jumped ship to form Heaven
17.
This left remaining members Oakey and Adrian Wtight - originally
brought in to project slide shows during gigs - with a slight
problem; they could keep the band name but were under contract to
perform a European tour within weeks.
What happened next was the stuff of music legend.
Oakey spotted schoolgirls Susan Anne Sulley and Joanne Catherall
dancing in a Sheffield nightclub, thought they looked good
together, and asked them to join the band.
Despite their parents' concerns - Oakey paid them a visited to
convince them his intentions were honourable - the girls agreed,
playing at the gig they had already bought tickets to watch.
"We didn't have time to be excited or anything like that," Susan
recalls.
"There was eight days between him asking us to join the band and us
playing our first gig.
"And 25 years on, we're still doing it. We've had the best job in
the world, we've been incredibly lucky, and the public have
supported us. I'm 42 now, touring the world, I couldn't wish for a
better life."
Although the band fell out of favour in the late 80s the last few
years have been good to them.
Susan says they have become a hard-working live act, touring
Britain in the winter and playing locations including Brazil, Dubai
and Australia during the rest of the year.
Susan said the world has begun to realise the band's
importance.
"It took the industry a long time to appreciate what synths could
do, now everyone from every walk of life uses them - even people in
rock bands.
"There's been more acceptance of the type of music we created, and
there's been a realisation we did something that's influenced a lot
of people.
"Plus, we did write some good songs as well."
The Human League play Manchester Apollo on Saturday.
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