Intuitive Music

Cabaret Voltaire

Cabaret Voltaire is one of the most influencial bands during the last decades of electronic music, specially in the genres of industrial, synth pop, techno, and experimental genres.

Cabaret Voltaire was founded in Sheffield in 1973 by Richard H. Kirk (guitar, winds), Stephen Mallinder (bass, vocals), and Chris Watson (electronics and tapes). The trio was originally an avant-garde band highly influenced by the krautrock scene and bands like Can and Neu!!, as well as Brian Eno’s experiments, Throbbing Gristle’s industrial sounds, and the concepts of the Dadaist movement. In fact the name of the band was taken from the legendary café in Zurich where the poet Tristan Tzara supposedly pioneered the movement in 1916.

After many years inmmersed in the underground circuit, Cabaret Voltaire contributed with two tracks to the Factory Records label’s double EP “A Factory Sample” in 1978. The pre-industrial and post-punk sound of the band called the attention of Rough Records and they recorded a series of EPs in 1979, where the trio continued using tape loops, sampled “noise”, recorded speeches from preachers and politicians, ethnic chantings, and cut-up techniques inspired by the poet William Burroughs.

In 1979, they released their innovative debut album “Mix-Up” and they started a series of video and collaborative works. In 1981, Cabaret Voltaire set up their own Western Works studio in Sheffield and Chris Watson quit the band to work in television (he later formed The Hafler Trio). Two years later, the band signed with Some Bizarre/Virgin records and the band gave a new step in their sound closer to funk and dance, with the collaboration of keyboardist Dave Ball.

The album “Code” (1987) was another step closer to the techno and dance scenes, which was confirmed with the release of the “Hypnotised” single in 1989 -highly influenced by Chicago house DJ’s such as Marshall Jefferson. A year later R.H. Kirk’s solo single “Testone” was very influencial in the British techno scene, and the band started a series of works with some of the leading US house and techno artists.

Cabaret Voltaire split in 1993. Stephen Mallinder emigrated to Australia and Kirk continued his solo career. Richard H. Kirk started an influential solo career in 1980 with the acclaimed album “Disposal Half-Truths” and has produced works in different electronic styles such as experimental, ambient, techno and house.

Cabaret Voltaire is an essential name to understand the electronic music from the last 3 decades and their legacy can be also seen in the influence thay had over an uncountable number of artists, including Coil, Front 242, Clock DVA, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Einstuerzende Neubauten, Heaven 17, and Orbital.