Short Biographie

 

of

 
Philip Oakey

 
 
Phil Oakey

Philip has done a variety of different jobs in his career - working in a bookstore, as a civil servant and as a hospital porter.
He joined The Human League in 1977 through his friendship with Martyn Ware.
Having no musical training, Philip would go to rehearsals with a Saxophone which he'd bought for 165 English Pounds but had never learnt to play.
Phil Oakey
Born : 2/10/55
   
Band History:
1977
Two computer operators from Sheffield, Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, decide to experiment with electronically synthesized music. They form a duo, calling themselves The Dead Daughters.
In June, a third group member, Adi Newton, is recruited and the trio adopt the name The Future. Adi leaves shortly afterwards (to join Clock DVA) and is replaced by an old school friend of Martyn's, Philip Oakey, currently working as a hospital porter.
The new line-up is now called The Human League, a name which is taken from an intergalactic board game called "Star Force".
Meanwhile, Philip goes off to America and does "Together In Electric Dreams" with Giorgio Moroder for the film "Electric Dreams", let's find out how this happened from Philip Oakey.
"Steve Barron who made our videos was making Electric Dreams and he had the closing song, but the guy who sang it had a bit of an Italian accent. Steve said they ought to get me in to make it a bit more up to date, which seems strange to me because I've always thought I was a pretty old fashioned singer.
So they sent me a tape, I wrote some new words for it and just sang it in a couple of hours. Next thing I knew it was No. 3 in the charts, so they asked us to do an album."
The album was "Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder", Philip has more to say about the album.
"It was really a rest, I took it totally as a robot, I just had to write lyrics and sing. For the L.P. I took a week to write the lyrics and sang them in two or three days."
Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder tape-cover
The cover of the tape signed by Giorgio Moroder

Electric Dreams





These dates are taken from the Guiness book "Rock Day By Day"
2nd Oct 1955: Phil Oakey, lead singer of UK band The Human League was born. When they emerged into the public eye in the early 80s, Oakey's unusual hairstyle provoked almost as much comment as their music.

8th Nov 1980: The music press reported that The Human League were splitting into two factions. Phil Oakey led The Human League into worldwide success, whilst Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh formed the B.E.F. which spawned the successful Heaven 17.
( read more about Heaven 17 on a interview by Future Music: Giorgio Moroder did some remixes! )
    
Electric Dreams: detailed info - buy it
Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder: detailed info
Lyrics for these releases: lyrics
Be my lover now


   
Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakey

Billboard review for week ending 7/27/85
Electronic pop has yielded significant ground to other rock and pop styles during the past year, but this collaboration between the Human League vocalist and the pioneering techno-pop producer could easily rise above that downward trend, thanks to Moroder's typically vivid orchestrations and sweeping production.
Oakey's vocals prove more disciplined, meshing comfortably with his partner's intricate settings. Emphasis on uptempo romantic songs should also buttress CHR options with club prospects.