Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx Was he the first?

Of course I am a huge fan of John but sometimes I wonder about his claim to be the first British person to make pure electronic music.

Listen to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHrcNK--1uw&NR=1

Am I wrong? I alost feel a traitor even to suggest this.

I mean Being boiled was released in 1978??

Good point although I think the claim is generally that he was the first male British solo artist or something like that, although when he mentioned it on the Metal Beat interview CD I immediately thought "what about Gary Numan?!?!" Perhaps because Foxx tended to use electronic instruments only , whereas Numan was still using bass, drums, guitar etc..but the again Foxx used bass too so..

Interesting you brought up The Human League as I think they were just about the only British group making pure electronic music, but again let's tread carefully with sweeping statements!

Well there was Oxygene and The Man Machine, too.

But in Britain - Gary Numan preleased The Pleasure Principle, which is perhaps better described as the first rock/pop album not to feature any lead guitars. While it's an electronic album, it still uses real drums, bass and violin.

Metamatic came a year after, but only featured bass, albeit heavily treated.

So it's funny, neither artist released the first all-elecronic album... I do indeed think The Human League pipped everyone to the post with Reproduction.

"Were' the Human League and there are no guitars (or drums...)"

I think JF has the honour of being the first artist ever to appear on TOTP (in the studio) with an all-synth lineup. Gary Numan always had bass, guitar and drums.

But I could be wrong. Certainly if Kraftwerk ever appeared in the studio (and I have no recollection of them ever doing that) then they would obviously have an all-synth lineup.

I thought the Human League were on TOTP first with Being Boiled?

No it would have been Foxx (Jan 1980) - THL's first appearance was with Rock n Roll a few months later.
Don't know if there'd been any before...Telex?

According to the Blind Youth website, the League performed "The Path of Least Resistance" and "Empire State Human" on BBC2's Mainstream in 1979...

I'm getting deja vu... didn't we have this debate a few years ago?

True! (I was thinking TOTP)

True too!

Actually, it was me...ME! I WAS FIRST!

I had a hit in 1953 with 'Future Dancing' you can watch a very rare clip of it here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPl0u1nCEhw

And I saw the Pistols at the 100 Club