SOFT CELL’S SYNTHPOP PIONEERS

“We were the archetypal synthesiser duo, really,” says Almond. “The theatrical, extravagant one out front, and the quiet, moody one behind the keyboard…” Here, then, you’ll find Almond and Ball on some other synthesiser pioneers… SUICIDE

BALL: “I got into Suicide at art college. It’s quite a revolutionary idea, having punk attitude but just using a drum machine stuck on the ‘bossa nova’ setting. I liked their sense of melancholy. But we never copied them at all. I used to know Alan Vega quite well and he was always slightly pissed off that we’ve had this success that they never saw.”

PET SHOP BOYS

(pictured) ALMOND: “Neil did interview us back when he was at Smash Hits, but I don’t think he was taking notes. They did it better than we did it in a way, they fine-tuned it, made it much more commercially successful. But everyone uses a blueprint, Neil and Chris developed their own style. I was so jealous of the song ‘Rent’…”

DEPECHE MODE

ALMOND: “I always thought we were very much a rock’n’roll electronic band, with a grungy feel. And when we split up it left a gap for people like Depeche Mode to become a dark electronic band and to get tattoos and wear leather. A very reminiscent look and a very reminiscent stance!”

TRENT REZNOR

BALL: “Enough time has passed that people can see the worth of our music. We’ve got some quotes on the boxset and Trent Reznor is one of them: we were a massive influence on him. When you hear Oscar-winner Trent Reznor is citing us a major influence on his life, that’s people taking us seriously.”