Difference between revisions of "The Silicon Teens"

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[[Image:Jacki_Darryl_Paul_and_Diane_Silicon_Teens1.png|400px|thumb|left|Silicon Teens press kit photo, 1979 or 1980]]The fictional members of real novelty band '''The Silicon Teens''', which released a 1980 album of synthpop covers titled ''Music for Parties'' on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mute_Records Mute Records]. In reality, the band was the creation of the label's founder, Daniel Miller, who also presumably invented the fictional members and their backstory for the press release.
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[[Image:Jacki_Darryl_Paul_and_Diane_Silicon_Teens1.png|350px|thumb|left|Silicon Teens press kit photo, 1979 or 1980]]The fictional members of real novelty band '''The Silicon Teens''', which released a 1980 album of synthpop covers titled ''Music for Parties'' on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mute_Records Mute Records]. In reality, the band was the creation of the label's founder, Daniel Miller, who also presumably invented the fictional members and their backstory for the press release.
  
The band was portrayed by actors in interviews, press photos, and their music video for their cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee." Musician Frank Tovey, aka [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fad_Gadget Fad Gadget], portrayed Darryl.
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The band was portrayed by actors in interviews, press photos, and their music video for their cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee." Musician Frank Tovey, aka [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fad_Gadget Fad Gadget], portrayed Darryl. Miller himself portrayed Paul.  
  
 
The press release's invented bio made them all teenagers and childhood friends in Liverpool. Inspired by the punk movement and subsequent post-punk bands like The Normal and Throbbing Gristle, they used a synthesizer owned by Jacki's older brother [[Kevin]] to create their songs.  
 
The press release's invented bio made them all teenagers and childhood friends in Liverpool. Inspired by the punk movement and subsequent post-punk bands like The Normal and Throbbing Gristle, they used a synthesizer owned by Jacki's older brother [[Kevin]] to create their songs.  
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Wow, so much synergy there, Mr. Miller!
 
Wow, so much synergy there, Mr. Miller!
  
Miller even credited the Jacki character on other Mute Records releases! Jacki played synth on the 1980 Missing Scientists album ''Big City Bright Lights''.
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Miller even credited the Jacki character on another Mute Records release! Jacki played synth on the 1980 Missing Scientists album ''Big City Bright Lights''.
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Somehow the jig was up by 1983, as both ''[https://archive.org/details/trouserpressguid00robbi The Trouser Press Guide to New Wave Records]'' and the ''[https://archive.org/details/volumetwointerna00bgeo International Discography of the New Wave, 1982-1983, Vol. Two]'' revealed the album was a Daniel Miller solo project.
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
*http://peel.wikia.com/wiki/Silicon_Teens
 
*http://peel.wikia.com/wiki/Silicon_Teens
 
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Teens
 
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Teens
*http://www.systemsofromance.com/blog/2008/01/silicon-teens-music-for-parties-lp/
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*https://www.discogs.com/artist/79941-Silicon-Teens
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*https://429harrowroad.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/mute-4-0-silicon-teens-music-for-parties-mute-album-1980/
 
*https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x454fm
 
*https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x454fm
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*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv_VCeAdUIE
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<br /><br /><br /><br />
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{{#ev:youtube|jv_VCeAdUIE}}
  
 
[[Image:Jacki_Darryl_Paul_and_Diane_Silicon_Teens2.png|400px|thumb|right|Silicon Teens press release, page one, 1979 or 1980]]
 
[[Image:Jacki_Darryl_Paul_and_Diane_Silicon_Teens2.png|400px|thumb|right|Silicon Teens press release, page one, 1979 or 1980]]

Revision as of 10:35, 25 October 2018

Silicon Teens press kit photo, 1979 or 1980

The fictional members of real novelty band The Silicon Teens, which released a 1980 album of synthpop covers titled Music for Parties on Mute Records. In reality, the band was the creation of the label's founder, Daniel Miller, who also presumably invented the fictional members and their backstory for the press release.

The band was portrayed by actors in interviews, press photos, and their music video for their cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee." Musician Frank Tovey, aka Fad Gadget, portrayed Darryl. Miller himself portrayed Paul.

The press release's invented bio made them all teenagers and childhood friends in Liverpool. Inspired by the punk movement and subsequent post-punk bands like The Normal and Throbbing Gristle, they used a synthesizer owned by Jacki's older brother Kevin to create their songs.

The Normal was another Daniel Miller project, Throbbing Gristle was on Mute Records at the time, and Fad Gadget was Mute Records' first signed artist. Larry Least, the album's producer and writer of the original tune "Chip 'n' Roll," was another pseudonym of Miller's!

Wow, so much synergy there, Mr. Miller!

Miller even credited the Jacki character on another Mute Records release! Jacki played synth on the 1980 Missing Scientists album Big City Bright Lights.

Somehow the jig was up by 1983, as both The Trouser Press Guide to New Wave Records and the International Discography of the New Wave, 1982-1983, Vol. Two revealed the album was a Daniel Miller solo project.

External Links





Silicon Teens press release, page one, 1979 or 1980
Silicon Teens press release, page two, 1979 or 1980