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1983
 On
April 17th another single that many assumed would be included on the follow-up
to Dare was released. (Keep Feeling) Fascination matched Mirror Man's
chart success reaching number 2 with another distinctive pop promo directed
by Steve Barron. The League seemed to be at the height of their creative
powers, but sadly it would become the final recording released in 1983.
As the single peaked at number 8 in the States, the band retreated to
Air Studios to begin work on the long awaited new album. The studio sessions
however became problematic and stressful with Martin Rushent finally quitting
after creative rows and indecision.
In the light of Rushent's departure, the band decided to dump the material
recorded opting to start again.
With an autumn release date now looking
unlikely, Virgin salvaged one of the tracks I Love You Too Much and added
it to the Fascination EP together with Mirror Man and Fascination remixes.
Released for the North American market only, the EP became a huge selling
import in the UK.
Chris Thomas was brought in to replace Rushent for the ongoing sessions
at Air Studios but within a few months the combination of intense recording
amidst a lack of direction and a family illness, forced Thomas to quit
throwing the sessions into further disarray.
During this period, the band had spent two months labouring over a Linn
drum sound for the track Life on Your Own. The pressure of trying to duplicate
the success of Dare was clearly causing problems with the band questioning
every aspect of every sound. The League were spending endless days and
nights within Air Studios that was one of the most expensive studios to
rent in the country, and Virgin accountants were having sleepless nights.
Former Haircut 100 singer Nick Heywood famously revealed that he had recorded
his debut solo album in the time it took the League to program one drum
machine.
Worried by events, Simon Draper brought onboard another producer in a
bid to bring some sense of discipline to the sessions. In demand producer
Hugh Pagham was free after completing work on The Police album Synchronicity
that had spawned the huge international hit Every Breath You Take and
had a reputation for producing quality work under strict deadlines.
Within months, Pagham was able to move the sessions forward though Virgin
abandoned the expected October release date with no new date specified.
1984
 Things
would remain quiet until May 5th with the release of the uncharacteristically
guitar-led single The Lebanon. The track was also notable for its politically
charged lyrics rather than the themes of love that had dominated Dare.
The Lebanon was something of a harsh shock to regular fans despite it's
finely crafted melody and the single failed to reach the Top 10. The Lebanon
was probably the wrong single to release as a taster to a highly anticipated
album, and Phil would later regard it as a mistake. Despite the relatively
poor chart showing, the band was confident that the next single would
perform better.
 Hysteria
was finally released two weeks later (named after it's torturous recording
sessions) to much media excitement. Complete with a confusing, multicolored
gatefold sleeve dubbed 'MANGUE' by critics, the album received decisively
mixed reviews. The band had clearly avoided a Dare 2 clone opting for
stark melodies that had been stripped down to their barest essentials.
It was a bold move away from other acts of that time who were releasing
lavishly produced records that had little to say.
Hysteria entered the charts at number 3 and the band believed that they
were popular enough not to do any promotion after the initial release.
Within a few weeks, Hysteria had dropped out of the top ten.
 The
second single to be lifted from Hysteria was a more welcome return to
the familiar Human League sound. Life
on Your Own had a downbeat, haunting quality to it but record buyers
opted for summer sounding records instead and the single only managed
to reach number 16 during the month of June. The 12 inch is notable not
only for the impressive remix of the title track that included samples
of Norman Wisdom and additional arrangements, but also for a track called
The World Tonight that was surprisingly dropped from the final Hysteria
track listing.
In July, the band were finally persuaded to do more promotion and they
performed a remixed version of I'm Coming Back (a track that was sadly
never released as a single) and Rock Me Again on the BBC's Oxford Road
Show pushing Hysteria back up the charts.
A possible third Hysteria single was put on hold when Virgin decided to
release a track Phil had recorded with a producer he had admired greatly;
Giorgio Moroder. Lifted from an obscure soundtrack to a relatively obscure
film, Together in Electric Dreams was a catchy and likeable slice of euro
pop and it became a huge international hit reaching number 3 in the UK.
The unexpected success of the single after a lukewarm reaction to Hysteria
convinced Virgin to release one final track from the album in November.
The ballad Louise was released complete with an expensive promo video
and performed slightly better than the previous Hysteria singles enjoying
a ten-week chart run peaking at 13. The B-side contained a remixed version
of choice track The Sign dashing hopes of a single release. By the end
of the year, Hysteria would eventually pass gold status in the UK but
the chosen singles hadn't really boosted sales needed to recoup the costly
recording debts from Air Studios and the League turned their attention
to recording a follow-up.
1985
In January, the band regrouped to record demos in Phil's 24 track home
studio together with Colin Thurston who had co-produced the debut album
Reproduction. Within weeks though, the band were dealt a huge blow when
Jo Callas, co-writer of some of the League's finest moments announced
he was leaving to work with former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey.
In the wake of the unexpected departure, former Associate drummer Jim
Russell was brought into the fold as a session artist.
Impressed by the continued international success of Together in Electric
Dreams, Virgin offered Phil the chance to record further tracks with Giorgio
Moroder and sessions for the new League album were put on hold in March
when Phil flew out to Munich.
Phil was very keen on the initial idea, but when he arrived at Giorgio's
studio, the legendary producer had already recorded several backing tracks.
Phil spent just three weeks writing and recording the lyrics and although
Giorgio was pleased with the results praising Phil's vocals, the singer
would have preferred contributing more to the music and there was a feeling
that the collaboration had fallen short of expectations.
Upon returning to Sheffield, Phil was
back to recording the new League album but once again the sessions were
proving problematic. Aided by a lack of direction, Joanne announces on
Radio 1 that the band would release a remix album of Hysteria similar
in style to Love & Dancing during the summer but for reasons unknown,
the project never materialized.
In July, the second Oakey & Moroder collaboration is released. Goodbye
Bad Times was an exciting taster from the forthcoming album recorded in
Munich with a melody equal to Electric Dreams. It received plenty of airplay
but record buyers seemed to prefer a return to 70's stadium rock and opted
for Dire Straits instead. Goodbye Bad Times remained stuck at number 44,
staying there for three weeks before slowly slipping out of view.
 The
album Philip Oakey & Giorgio
Moroder (often wrongly credited as 'CHROME') was released a few weeks
later peaking at a disappointing 52 despite being blessed with some instantly
likeable tracks, but the failure of Goodbye Bad Times had sealed its fate.
The year became even less memorable when the vastly underrated third single
Be My Lover Now barely managed to scrape the top 75. Recording for the
Hysteria follow-up also took a turn for the worst when Colin Thurston
walked out of one session never to return and the album that was to appear
on an assigned release date in September was delayed indefinitely.
The League's only publicity was reduced
to whispers in the gossip columns of the music press, and many began to
believe that this elusive band had gone their separate ways never to return.
1986
With
no one to oversee the recording sessions in Sheffield, Virgin became concerned
by the lack of new material. In January, Simon Draper met up with the
band and suggested that they should consider recording for the US production
team Jerry Jam & Terry Lewis who had worked with Prince and produced
memorable hits for the SOS band amongst others. Jam & Lewis had just
completed a new album for Janet Jackson on the Virgin label that was yet
to be released and it was felt that this style of electro production could
suite the League.
Being something of an admirer himself of this
up and coming production team, Phil agreed but Adrian was less than impressed.
The following month, the entire band was flown out to the arctic conditions
of Minneapolis armed with the sessions recorded with Colin Thurston in
1985. Jam & Lewis were pleased at the prospect of recording with the
League, citing Fascination as a track they had always admired greatly.
The Thurston session tape was played but the producers rejected most of
them feeling that many of the tracks weren't strong enough.
Four solid months of stressful recording followed that were full of vocal
retakes and some days would end in creative disagreements. In the end,
session musicians and backing singers were brought in as Jam & Lewis
sought a level of pitch perfection that was simply alien to the appeal
of The League. The production team's trademark was that of polished soul
with plenty of treble, whilst the League always favoured an understated
and sometimes harsher sound of pop that would stray from obvious musical
styles.
Adrian eventually gave up on trying to record soul styled keyboard rifts
that he was completely unfamiliar with and decided instead to spend the
rest of the sessions playing table tennis.
Meanwhile, the band was becoming increasingly
homesick with yearnings for a decent cup of English tea. Tired with green
tea, Virgin eventually shipped over a supply of tea bags, but the band
were ultimately missing friends and family in Sheffield.
 The
recording sessions reached breaking point when it became apparent that
only six of the League penned tracks would make it to the album with Jam
& Lewis adding a few tracks of their own. Song writing credits were
essential when it came to the bread and butter payments once an album
was released. Jam & Lewis were already receiving a huge production
fee from Virgin, and the League felt they would receive little in the
way of royalties that were so desperately needed.
As a result, the sessions ended in acrimony even though the personal relationship
between the band and the production team had been a good one.
The League left the sessions earlier than expected
and returned back to Sheffield, whilst Jam & Lewis were left in full
creative control during the final mixing sessions. Upon returning, Adrian
left the band unhappy with the direction the music had taken. He and Phil
were no longer talking to each other, and Adrian had decided it was time
to fulfill an ambition of his to work in films.
The first new League single since 1984's Louise was released in September.
The infidelity ballad Human was a huge departure from the typical League
sound and critics were skeptical of the soul influence and the fact that
it had not been written by the Human League. The single itself however
was particularly impressive and superbly produced. Other US artists had
wanted the track for themselves and The League were always honoured that
Jam & Lewis had allowed them to even touch it. Human was perfectly
suited for radio play and the single debuted at number 8 in the UK.
After what seemed like an eternity for League fans, the follow-up to Hysteria
was finally released. Crash debuted
at number 7 but ultimately it proved to be something of a mixed bag creatively
receiving equally mixed reviews. Moments of League brilliance were evident
in tracks such as Love on The Run and The Real thing but the inclusion
of questionable tracks such as Swang and I Need Your Loving distanced
the more traditional League fan.
Later it would become apparent that the photo shoot for the album was
just as problematic as the actual recording. Opting for a glamour shot
similar to those seen on the Paris Vogue covers, Phil decided he wanted
the photographer responsible Guy Bourdin to provide the album cover. Virgin
agreed though the photographer's fee wasn't cheap and the band flew out
to Paris.
During the shot, Bourdin spent most
of the time photographing Susan & Joanne and eventually asked Susan
to perform headstands against a wall wearing a mini-skirt, but Susan understandably
refused and the photographer lost his temper.
The band immediately quit the sessions losing thousands of pounds resulting
in a bizarre and blurred re-shoot from another photographer that was equally
regrettable.
In November however, the League achieved
a unique feat when Human reached number 1 in the States becoming one of
the few UK bands that have had two number 1 hits in the US Despite doubts
over the musical direction of Crash (many felt it lacked the depth of
Hysteria), the album did succeed in re-establishing the League in the
international market.
 The
success of the Jam & Lewis produced Control album for Janet Jackson
however, pushed Virgin into making a mistake that could have brought the
League's career to a premature closure. Hoping to match the popularity
of Jackson's singles, I Need You Loving was chosen as the second single
much to the horror of both the band and the fans. It was widely considered
as one of weakest tracks on Crash and the band were hoping that one of
their own songs would be released.
Unsurprisingly,
the track stalled at number 72 (though it performed better in the States),
aided by what was possibly the worst Human League video ever in which
the band appeared to be going through the motions.
Things were made slightly more bearable when Crash began selling well
in other territories and the League began planning their first UK tour
since 1982.
 To promote
the tour, the League decided to play live on the infamous but innovative
Channel 4 music show The Tube. Problems prior to going on stage reached
comical proportions though with Phil threatening to quit the show that
was being broadcast live, when the promise of being the closing act was
denied at the last minute. The producer was reportedly close to tears
as his pleas for the League to play fell on deaf ears, but Phil reluctantly
conceded not wanting to see a 'grown man cry' even though the band were
quite right to make a stance. After the back stage bust-up, the appearance
was a nightmare for the band and it would be another 9 years before they
would play live on TV again.
Thankfully, the problems encountered during the Tube appearance were not
repeated on the Crash tour with the band producing faultless performances
to a perfect set of hit singles.
The League toured into the early months of 1987 to packed venues and received
glowing reviews from the music press but Virgin failed to capitalize on
the success and no further singles from Crash were released at all during
this period.
After the tour was completed, the band
once again retreated to Sheffield signaling another long period of inactivity
in the minds of the fans. It was during this time that Ian Burden announced
he was leaving and the band never saw him again. It was rumoured that
Ian had fled to Romania to join a circus where he would play jazz synthesizer
in a clown's outfit.
1988
 Almost
two years on from the last single release, Virgin unexpectedly announced
the belated release of Love is All That Matters which was one of the better
Jam & Lewis compositions from the Crash album remixed down to a 3
minute version. Reaching number 41, it was the first Human League single
to be released on the new CD format (CD singles were very rare during
this period), and would pave the way for a Greatest
Hits album two months later.
The TV advertised compilation contained most of the hit singles but ignored
the equally innovative pre -Dare tracks (though the VHS video did include
Circus of Death).
The Hits album entered the charts at number 3 and would eventually sell
more than 300,000 copies. Critics wrote enthusiastic reviews acknowledging
the League as pop innovators, but many saw the token hits compilation
as a sign that the band had reached the end of their career.
1989
Fearful
of the frightening recording costs incurred during the making of Hysteria
and Crash, Phil approached Sheffield City Council about the possibility
of securing a European loan in order to build a recording studio. The
Labour run council was extremely enthusiastic about the idea and the loan
application was successful. Construction began almost immediately with
Phil investing his own money to ensure the project was completed. With
their very own studio, the band believed that they would now be able to
release albums on a yearly basis.
In
the absence of new material, Virgin finally get round to releasing Reproduction
& Travelogue on CD with
an impressive selection of bonus tracks including various non-album singles,
EP's and a engaging flexi disc interview. The two albums continue to be
steady sellers to this day though promises of digitally remastered versions
are yet to materialize.
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