Martha Ladly
Encyclopedia
Martha Ladly, AOCA RGD MCSD is a Canadian academic, designer and musician. She is currently Associate Professor of interaction design, at OCAD University. Ladly has also had a long career as a musician and achieved international fame as part of Canadian
New Wave
band Martha & the Muffins. She then had a solo career in the mid 1980s and then worked in design and education.
New Wave
band Martha & the Muffins in 1978. Upon accepting the offer, she became one of two vocalists and keyboard players named Martha in the band. The other Martha was Martha Johnson, who sang lead on the majority of the group's songs, including their biggest hit, 1980's "Echo Beach
".
Ladly played with the band from 1978–80, and sang lead vocals on the group's seventh single, "Was Ezo", which she also co-composed. Ladly left the band in August 1980 to take up an art scholarship. She subsequently relocated to the United Kingdom
. During her time in England, while pursuing her twin interests in music and visual art, Ladly became friends with a number of popular British musical acts. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
credits Ladly for suggesting the titles of their 1981 hit album Architecture & Morality
, and their 1984 hit single "Tesla Girls
". In 1982, Ladly provided backing vocals for Roxy Music
and joined cult Scottish post-punk
act The Associates appearing with them on Top of the Pops
. She left The Associates in 1986 and subsequently worked with Robert Palmer's band.
Ladly established a short solo career in the early 1980s, releasing two singles: ("Finlandia
" and "Light Years From Love
"). She concurrently worked in visual arts and design with designer Peter Saville. Her painting Factus 8 was used by Saville for the sleeve of New Order
's EP 1981 - Factus 8 - 1982
.
Between 1992 and 2001 she worked with Peter Gabriel
as the manager of Real World Design, and editor of Real World Notes.
's Interactive Project Lab (IPL) and a faculty member with the Habitat Interactive Art and Entertainment Program. Prior to her appointment at OCAD, she was the creative director of HorizonZero; a bilingual internet publication dedicated to creating and showcasing the best in digital art and culture in Canada, in collaboration with the Banff New Media Institute and Culture Canada.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Martha & the Muffins. She then had a solo career in the mid 1980s and then worked in design and education.
Musical career
A student at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, Canada, Ladly was invited to join CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Martha & the Muffins in 1978. Upon accepting the offer, she became one of two vocalists and keyboard players named Martha in the band. The other Martha was Martha Johnson, who sang lead on the majority of the group's songs, including their biggest hit, 1980's "Echo Beach
Echo Beach
"Echo Beach" is a song recorded by the Canadian group Martha and the Muffins in 1979. It was released as a single from their album Metro Music in 1980 and won the Juno Award for Single of the Year. It was certified gold in Canada on October 1, 1980, a month after Metro Music achieved gold status...
".
Ladly played with the band from 1978–80, and sang lead vocals on the group's seventh single, "Was Ezo", which she also co-composed. Ladly left the band in August 1980 to take up an art scholarship. She subsequently relocated to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. During her time in England, while pursuing her twin interests in music and visual art, Ladly became friends with a number of popular British musical acts. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
credits Ladly for suggesting the titles of their 1981 hit album Architecture & Morality
Architecture & Morality
Architecture & Morality is the third album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released in 1981. It is the group's most commercially and critically successful album, selling over 3 million copies. Released just eighteen months after their debut album, it demonstrated both OMD's continuing musical...
, and their 1984 hit single "Tesla Girls
Tesla Girls
"Tesla Girls" is a song by British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released as the third single taken from their 1984 album, Junk Culture .The single performed poorer than expected mainly due to a lack of media coverage...
". In 1982, Ladly provided backing vocals for Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
and joined cult Scottish post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
act The Associates appearing with them on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. She left The Associates in 1986 and subsequently worked with Robert Palmer's band.
Ladly established a short solo career in the early 1980s, releasing two singles: ("Finlandia
Finlandia (song)
"Finlandia" is a song by Canadian Singer/Keyboard player Martha Ladly released as a single in 1981.Ladly left Canadian New Wave band Martha & the Muffins in December 1980 to form the Scenery Club, this was her first independent single released in Canada and the UK in June 1981....
" and "Light Years From Love
Light Years From Love
"Light Years From Love" is a solo single by Canadian singer/keyboard player Martha Ladly, Released under the name of "Martha" in 1983.Ladly left Canadian New Wave band Martha & the Muffins in December 1980 to form the Scenery Club, this was her second and final solo single...
"). She concurrently worked in visual arts and design with designer Peter Saville. Her painting Factus 8 was used by Saville for the sleeve of New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
's EP 1981 - Factus 8 - 1982
1981 - Factus 8 - 1982
-Personnel:* Bernard Sumner: Vocals, guitars, melodica, synthesizers & programming* Peter Hook: 4- and 6-stringed bass* Gillian Gilbert: Synthesizers and programming, guitars* Stephen Morris: Drums, synthesizers and programming...
.
Between 1992 and 2001 she worked with Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
as the manager of Real World Design, and editor of Real World Notes.
Solo discography
- 1981 - "FinlandiaFinlandia (song)"Finlandia" is a song by Canadian Singer/Keyboard player Martha Ladly released as a single in 1981.Ladly left Canadian New Wave band Martha & the Muffins in December 1980 to form the Scenery Club, this was her first independent single released in Canada and the UK in June 1981....
" - 1983 - "Light Years From LoveLight Years From Love"Light Years From Love" is a solo single by Canadian singer/keyboard player Martha Ladly, Released under the name of "Martha" in 1983.Ladly left Canadian New Wave band Martha & the Muffins in December 1980 to form the Scenery Club, this was her second and final solo single...
"
Academic career
She is currently an associate professor of design at the Ontario College of Art and Design, where her specialty is interactive communication. She is a mentor with the Canadian Film CentreCanadian Film Centre
The Canadian Film Centre is an advanced training institution for film, television and new media. Based in Toronto, Canada, CFC offers residents education, industry partnerships and production experience...
's Interactive Project Lab (IPL) and a faculty member with the Habitat Interactive Art and Entertainment Program. Prior to her appointment at OCAD, she was the creative director of HorizonZero; a bilingual internet publication dedicated to creating and showcasing the best in digital art and culture in Canada, in collaboration with the Banff New Media Institute and Culture Canada.
Awards
- 2007: SSHRC: Principal Investigator. ITST Mobile Nation Conference Grant
- 2007: Canadian Design Research Network: Co-Principal Investigator. Mobile Nation Publications, Workshops and Dissemination Grant
- 2006: Portage: Co-applicant, Canadian Heritage New Media Research Network
- 2005-06: The Mobile Digital Commons Network 2: Co-applicant, Canadian Heritage New Media Research Network
- 1996, 1982: British Designers and Art Directors Association (D&AD): Silver Citation for Best Multimedia Packaging Design for 'EVE. Silver Citation for Best Record Sleeve Design, for New Order single "Everything's Gone GreenEverything's Gone Green"Everything's Gone Green" is the third single by the English alternative rock/electronic band New Order. It was released in December 1981 and reached number three on the UK Independent Singles chart, number twenty-nine on the New Zealand RIANZ Singles chart and number thirty-four on the U.S...
" - 1994: American Recording Academy: Grammy Award Nomination for Best Record Sleeve Packaging Design, for marth Peter Gabriel "Secret World LiveSecret World LiveSecret World Live is the second live and tenth album overall released by Peter Gabriel, in 1994. The album was not remastered with the rest of Gabriel's catalogue in 2002. A concert film was released at the same time as the album...
" - 1981: Canadian Juno AwardJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
: for Single of the Year with Martha and the MuffinsMartha and the MuffinsMartha and the Muffins are a Canadian new wave band, active from 1977 to the present. Although they only had one major international hit single under their original band name, they had a number of hits in their native Canada, and the core members of the band also charted in Canada and...
, for the single "Echo BeachEcho Beach"Echo Beach" is a song recorded by the Canadian group Martha and the Muffins in 1979. It was released as a single from their album Metro Music in 1980 and won the Juno Award for Single of the Year. It was certified gold in Canada on October 1, 1980, a month after Metro Music achieved gold status...
".