From the ashes of 1978 gloomy post - punk Manchester, A Certain Ratio were formed; four thin boys uniquely blending the musically diverse sounds and rhythms of punk, funk, disco and Latin to great effect. One of the first bands to sign to Factory Records the now cult punk-funk pioneers were the bridge between Manchester’s punk and house scenes, and helped shape Factory’s dance ethos in the days before New Order and Happy Mondays.
Named after a Brian Eno lyric, A Certain Ratio blended George Clinton beats and jagged Wire - guitars to create the now common place sounds of punk-funk.
Jumping forward to the year 2010 - 15 albums, a plethora of singles and re-issues later - the band still sound strong and even more relevant with a whole new generation of acts and DJ’s citing the band as a major influence.
The band, comprising of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Donald Johnson, Tony Quigley Liam Mullan and Denise Johnson, started working on “Mind Made Up” in 2005 after a return to playing live. The songs all have that timeless ACR style and are true to the DIY ethos of the band, while Jez Kerr's haunting lyrics add an extra dimension. The train of thought for the album was set in motion when Jez was reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the bands rich heritage and back catalogue also had great effect - “Lyrics to Bird to the ground were inspired by what i think our greatest tune, Flight.” Jez Kerr.
As Donald Johnson and Martin Moscrop go on to describe: ‘The songs are timeless and true to ACR’s roots. ‘The emphasis was placed on keeping it simple in the studio. Trickery was kept to a minimum and we never took more than three takes on any track.’ ‘We didn’t rehearse them too much so that they were rough round the edges. You’ll also hear old ACR influences throughout the album. Teri was taken from one of the first song’s written by the original members of ACR called ‘Intro Talk In’, It was played live a few times in the late 70’s but it has never been recorded or released until now.’
“Mind Made Up” is perfect, lyrical ‘Head Music’ but still has that tight rhythmic force which has always driven ACR - set to be a summer highlight for a new generation and firm fans alike.
a certain ratio – A Certain Ratio on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads A Certain Ratio | Facebook
Named after a Brian Eno lyric, A Certain Ratio blended George Clinton beats and jagged Wire - guitars to create the now common place sounds of punk-funk.
Jumping forward to the year 2010 - 15 albums, a plethora of singles and re-issues later - the band still sound strong and even more relevant with a whole new generation of acts and DJ’s citing the band as a major influence.
The band, comprising of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Donald Johnson, Tony Quigley Liam Mullan and Denise Johnson, started working on “Mind Made Up” in 2005 after a return to playing live. The songs all have that timeless ACR style and are true to the DIY ethos of the band, while Jez Kerr's haunting lyrics add an extra dimension. The train of thought for the album was set in motion when Jez was reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the bands rich heritage and back catalogue also had great effect - “Lyrics to Bird to the ground were inspired by what i think our greatest tune, Flight.” Jez Kerr.
As Donald Johnson and Martin Moscrop go on to describe: ‘The songs are timeless and true to ACR’s roots. ‘The emphasis was placed on keeping it simple in the studio. Trickery was kept to a minimum and we never took more than three takes on any track.’ ‘We didn’t rehearse them too much so that they were rough round the edges. You’ll also hear old ACR influences throughout the album. Teri was taken from one of the first song’s written by the original members of ACR called ‘Intro Talk In’, It was played live a few times in the late 70’s but it has never been recorded or released until now.’
“Mind Made Up” is perfect, lyrical ‘Head Music’ but still has that tight rhythmic force which has always driven ACR - set to be a summer highlight for a new generation and firm fans alike.
a certain ratio – A Certain Ratio on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads A Certain Ratio | Facebook
