Scritti Politti

Scritti Politti, a British post-punk group originating from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was formed in 1977 by Green Gartside (Paul Julian Strohmeyer), Nial Jinks, and Tom Morley. The band's name is derived from the political writings of Italian communist Antonio Gramsci and the song "Tutti Frutti." Initially a collective with left-wing leanings, Scritti Politti gained prominence in the DIY music scene, releasing their first single, "Skank Bloc Bologna," on their own label, St. Pancras Records, in 1978. The group's early releases featured philosophical allusions and melodic music, earning them airplay on John Peel's radio show and distribution through Rough Trade Records. In the early 1980s, Green Gartside shifted the band's focus towards sophisticated pop, influenced by funk, disco, and soul. Their debut album, Songs to Remember, was released in August 1982 and peaked at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart. The single "The Sweetest Girl" from this period, featuring Robert Wyatt on keyboards, received critical acclaim but only modest chart success. In 1984, after signing with Virgin Records, Scritti Politti released their breakthrough hit "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)," which reached number 10 in the UK. Their second album, Cupid & Psyche '85, was a commercial success and featured collaborations with notable musicians like Miles Davis. The band continued to release albums through the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Provision (1988) and their cover of "She's a Woman" by The Beatles in 1991. Anomie and Bonhomie, Scritti Politti's fourth album, was released in 1999, followed by the compilation Early (2004) and their fifth studio album, White Bread, Black Beer (2006), which received a Mercury Prize nomination. The compilation Absolute was released in 2011.