Art of Noise

It's impossible to mention The Art of Noise without making reference to the Fairlight - the sophisticated sampler and computer which formed the basis for The Art of Noise's heavily synthesised layers of sound. The Fairlight was developed in Australia and in the early 1980s took the music industry by storm. The Fairlight's ability to record sounds digitally and allow samples to be played back whilst manipulating their pitch and tempo opened doors which artists such as Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and many others were quick to take advantage of. Record producer and Art of Noise founding member Trevor Horn acquired a Fairlight and the group's sound was built around it.

The band was constructed around the considerable talents of arranger and composer Anne Dudley, Horn, engineer Gary Langan and programmer J.J. Jeczalik. Their debut album 'Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise' was released in 1983 but rifts were already appearing within the band. Morley and Horn left in 1985 leaving Dudley, Jeczalik and Langan to continue as a trio just as the group entered its most successful phase. The band's cover of the Duane Eddy theme from 'Peter Gunn' won a Grammy Award and their subsequent treatment of Tom Jones' cover of the Prince track 'Kiss' brought them their biggest commercial hit. The band eventually dissolved in 1990 but reformed again briefly in 1998 with a line-up which included 10cc's Lol Creme before disbanding again in 2000.