I Start Counting
Encyclopedia
I Start Counting were an electronic music duo from North London. The band consisted of David Baker and Simon Leonard.
They approached Daniel Miller with some demos of their recorded material. These demos led to Mute Records
signing the duo in 1984.
Initially they recorded two singles for Mute titled Letters to a Friend and Still Smiling; both singles were produced by Daniel Miller. Then in 1986 I Start Counting recorded their debut album titled My Translucent Hands. The album was produced by Paul Kendall
. In 1987 they supported Erasure
on their European tour.
The bands second album was released in June 1989, titled Fused. It included a new version of the track Lose Him, made up of sampled voices instead of a recorded singer.
In 1990 they recorded some new material, but realised that it sounded quite different to their previous electro pop recordings. This new style of dance/techno was released under the name Fortran 5
.; the band would later change their name again to cater for the Kraftwerk
influenced project known as Komputer
.
Background
Baker and Leonard had met at Middlesex University; both had affection for pop music. In 1982 they began to DJ together which led to them to form the I Start Counting project. Leonard specialised in the technology side and Baker was biased toward the musical side of the project.They approached Daniel Miller with some demos of their recorded material. These demos led to Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
signing the duo in 1984.
Initially they recorded two singles for Mute titled Letters to a Friend and Still Smiling; both singles were produced by Daniel Miller. Then in 1986 I Start Counting recorded their debut album titled My Translucent Hands. The album was produced by Paul Kendall
Paul Kendall
Paul Kendall also known as PK or Piquet is a sound engineer, producer, mixer, composer.-The Space Age :Born in 1954, falling between the two moments of hippy and punk found himself stuck firmly in glam....
. In 1987 they supported Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
on their European tour.
The bands second album was released in June 1989, titled Fused. It included a new version of the track Lose Him, made up of sampled voices instead of a recorded singer.
In 1990 they recorded some new material, but realised that it sounded quite different to their previous electro pop recordings. This new style of dance/techno was released under the name Fortran 5
Fortran 5
Fortran 5 was an electronic music band recording music during the nineties.-Background:The band were made up of members David Baker and Simon Leonard, who had previously worked together on the music project known as I Start Counting. Around 1990 they had begun recording new material, and realised...
.; the band would later change their name again to cater for the Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
influenced project known as Komputer
Komputer
-Background:Collaborating since 1982, Leonard and Baker were originally signed to Mute Records in 1984 under the name I Start Counting and continued with releases under the moniker Fortran 5 until the release of Komputer’s debut album, The World of Tomorrow in .Simon Leonard and David Baker...
.
Singles
- 1984 - Letters to a Friend (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
) - 1985 - Still Smiling (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
) - 1986 - Catch That Look (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
) - 1987 - My Translucent Hands (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
) - 1988 - Lose Him (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
) - 1988 - Ra Ra Rawhide (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
) - 1989 - Million Headed Monster (Mute RecordsMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
)