The incredible post-punk Sheffield scene of the late-70s and early 80s spawned some of the best and most influential electronic/new wave music ever released, and Clock DVA were a major part of it.
In June 1977, Adi Newton, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh formed a group called The Dead Daughters, to perform at a private party held in bar in the University of Sheffield for one performance only. Their next incarnation was the legendary and mythological Studs, consisting of Adi Newton, Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh (The Future), Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), Richard H Kirk, Stephen Mallinder, Chris Watson ( Cabaret Voltaire), and Hayden Boyes-Weston (2.3).
For a short period prior to forming Clock DVA Adi Newton was one of the three members of The Future - who later went on to become The Human League and later still Heaven 17, a name taken from the Music Chart listing in the film A Clockwork Orange. The Future's music explored the boundaries of experimental electronics which was fuelled by their mutual infatuation with futurisism in all its varied forms. The band produced a number of recordings including versions of Almost Medieval, Blank Clocks, Dancevision, Looking for the Black Haired Girls and Future Religion.
Shortly after their formation Adi Newton departed due to a conflict of ideas. The Future was based purely in electronic music with no acoustics, and Newton felt restrictions placed by this doctrine would limit possibilities he wanted to explore. He was replaced by Phil Oakey and The Future ended as quickly as it had begun. They changed their name to The Human League and released the single Being Boiled/Circus Of Death - the rest is history. Unfortunately the Human League's interesting beginnings did not continue after the departure of Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, but under Oakey's direction they became the most commercially successful band of the synthpop wave.
Shortly after his departure from The Future, Adi Newton teamed up with his friend Stephen "Judd" James Turner and formed Clock DVA. They devised the name partially from the Nadsat language of the novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. DVA means "2" in Russian; the further numerological and cabalistic references can be found within the sleeve notes on the Buried Dreams album. The Clock element was adopted as a symbol of Surrealism and the mechanics of Time.
(Info amended from an entry at http://www.aracnet.com/~jester/clockdva/discography.html)
Eternity In Paris, from the album Advantage, is captured here in a great live performance at Pandora's Music Box festival Holland, September 3 1983. Electro-dub, dripping in noir and filled with plaintive wailing saxes, lubricated by Newton's amazing voice - perhaps the closest the UK got to a Beefheart. Ahead of their time doesn't cover it.
Line-up: Adi Newton -- vocals, electronics / Paul Browse -- saxophone / Dean Dennis - bass / John Valentine Carruthers -- guitars / Nick Sanderson -- drums
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@93Zos, I was there too and uploaded an old but pretty good radio recording just a week ago... >>>archive.org/details/LivePandorasMusicBox
Unfortunately not the whole gig, but close.
stichtingmaldoror 3 weeks ago
Just realised, I think it was The Anti Group I was watching in '84. Same difference really, innit ?
93Zos 1 month ago
Actually, it was 1984 that I was there. Is this date wrong or did they play both years ?
93Zos 1 month ago
I sat and watched this gig in Rotterdam as I was there playing with PTV at the time. Great gig. Great sound quality here. Where can I get an audio of the whole gig though ?
93Zos 1 month ago