A Certain Ratio

A Certain Ratio are an English post-punk band formed in 1977 in Wythenshawe, Manchester. While originally part of the punk rock movement, they soon added funk and dance elements to their sound. Their name is taken from the lyrics of Brian Eno's song "The True Wheel" from the 1974 album Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy). The group's longest-serving original members are Martin Moscrop (born 24 September 1960) (guitar, trumpet) and Jez Kerr (bass, vocals). Another current member, Donald Johnson (drums, vocals, bass), joined after the first drummerless single.

A Certain Ratio's first recording contract was with Factory Records in 1979. They released The Graveyard and the Ballroom only on cassette in 1980. This led them to put out another experimental album; To Each..., released in 1981, was the band's official debut album. With growing popularity and success, the band signed with A&M Records in 1987, and Good Together was released in 1989. The album failed to produce a hit, leading to the band's departure from the label. In the early 1990s, they signed with Rob's Records, owned by New Order manager Rob Gretton.

A Certain Ratio were managed by Tony Wilson. They are featured in the film 24 Hour Party People where Tony Wilson (played by Steve Coogan) describes them as "having all the energy of Joy Division but better clothes." Martin Moscrop was Musical Supervisor of 24 Hour Party People.

(Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel
Peel gave regular airtime to A Certain Ratio during the 1980s, particularly early in the decade, after being given their debut single, 'All Night Party', on a trip to Manchester for a TV interview in May 1979. The release (FAC-5) was the first single put out by the city's Factory label, headed by TV presenter Tony Wilson and subsequently home to many other Peel sessions bands. A Certain Ratio recorded three sessions for Peel in the period 1979-82. The DJ also played the band's one-off 1981 dub release under the name Sir Horatio.

A Certain Ratio were influential with others on Peel's playlists as one the first to add elements from dance music to post-punk indie. In September 2014, Bella Union label head and former Cocteau Twins bassist Simon Raymonde included the band's 2x12” release 'The Double' (1981) in his Record Box selection of releases from the 1980s from Peel's Record Collection. In the accompanying film, he commented:

"“The sound is so big and crispy, the bass is so deep. It's a sound that we hadn't really heard before … it's kind of a mind-boggling sound for me. It's like dance music but not.”"

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions
Three sessions. All of #1 and 'Skipscada' from #2 released on B-Sides, Rarities And Sessions (2x10", Soul Jazz, 2002). Both #2 and #3 released in full on Sextet (2xCD expanded reisssue, Factory Benelux, 2014).

1. Recorded 1979-10-01. First broadcast. 17 October 1979
 * Do The Du (Casse) / All Night Party / Flight / The Choir

2. Recorded 1981-06-29. First broadcast 02 July 1981. Repeated 05 August 1981.
 * Knife Slits Water / Day One / Scipscada

3. Recorded: 1982-11-20. First broadcast 01 December 1982. Repeated 05 January 1983.
 * Who's To Say/ Plu Lento / Touch

Live

 * 19 April 1980: In Concert show also featuring Undertones, introduced by Peel. Recorded 1980-04-03.
 * 1) Intro by John Peel / And Then Again
 * 2) Crippled Child
 * 3) The Choir
 * 4) The Fox
 * 5) Flight
 * 6) John Peel thank you and farewell

Other Shows Played

 * 1979
 * 30 May 1979: All Night Party (7") Factory (Peel had been in Manchester during the day to be interviewed for a regional television programme and picked up a copy of the 7" by A Certain Ratio. Peel observes that the single "has no information at all on the label, just a picture of a chap who looks like Paul Gambaccini lying on the floor. Not that I've ever seen Paul Gambaccini lying on a floor, but you take my meaning.")
 * 05 June 1979: All Night Party (7") Factory
 * 09 June 1979 (BFBS): All Night Party (7") Factory
 * 18 July 1979: All Night Party (single) Factory
 * 12 September 1979: All Night Party (7”) Factory (JP played the wrong side of an earlier track, which messes up the show timings, and had been going to drop the A Certain Ratio song, but it was reprieved by “my inability to read a watch..")


 * 1980
 * 12 February 1980: I Feel (Cassette - The Graveyard and the Ballroom) Factory
 * 03 April 1980: (Peel reveals that the previous night's show had been pre-recorded, as he was present at a gig featuring the Undertones and A Certain Ratio that was being recorded for Radio One's In Concert series.)
 * 04 August 1980: (JP: 'And now, the first result of Factory Records' assault on Europe. It's a Factory Benelux product, in fact...it's on Crepuscule Records, which I think means something like 'twilight', or it means something more subtle than that. It may mean nothing like that at all, I have no idea, to be honest.') -Shack Up (7") Factory Benelux
 * 07 August 1980: And Then Again (b/w 'Shack Up' - 7") Les Disques Du Crepuscule
 * 14 August 1980: Shack Up (7") Factory Benelux
 * 26 August 1980: Shack Up (7") Factory Benelux / Les Disques Du Crépescule
 * 01 September 1980: Shack Up (7") Factory Benelux, Les Disques Du Crépuscule
 * 15 September 1980: Shack Up (7") Factory Benelux
 * 27 October 1980: Blown Away (12") Factory
 * 12 November 1980: Flight (12") Factory


 * 1981
 * 25 February 1981: Shack Up (12" - Do The Du (Casse)) Factory
 * 04 March 1981: Do The Du (Casse) (12") Factory
 * 21 April 1981: The Fox (album - To Each) Factory
 * 22 April 1981: Felch (album - To Each) Factory
 * 22 April 1981: My Spirit - (LP - To Each) Factory
 * 29 April 1981: The Fox (album - To Each...) Factory
 * 30 April 1981: Forced Laugh (album - To Each...) Factory
 * 13 May 1981: Forced Laugh (Album: To Each…) Factory
 * 28 May 1981: Loss (LP - To Each) Factory ‎


 * 1982
 * 06 January 1982: Gum (JP – Sextet) Factory
 * 18 January 1982: Crystal (LP - Sextet) Factory
 * 25 January 1982: Abracadubra (12" - Abracadubra / Sommadub) 666 (as Sir Horatio)
 * 31 January 1982 (BFBS): Lucinda (LP - Sextet) Factory
 * 03 February 1982: Day One ( Sextet ) Factory
 * 24 May 1982: All Night Party (7") Factory F
 * 23 August 1982: Guess Who (12") Factory Benelux
 * 11 October 1982: Knife Slits Water (7") Factory
 * 16 November 1982: Waterline (12") Factory
 * 30 November 1982: Hot Knights (LP - I'd Like To See You Again) Factory


 * 1984
 * 27 November 1984: Life's A Scream (7") Factory
 * 05 December 1984 (BBC World Service): Life's A Scream (12") Factory


 * 1985
 * 25 November 1985: Blown Away (LP - The Old & The New) Factory
 * 10 December 1985: Do The Du (album - The Old & The New) Factory


 * 1986
 * 17 November 1986: Mickey Way (album - Force) Factory
 * 10 December 1986: Anthem (LP - Force) Factory
 * 17 December 1986: Anthem (LP - Force) Factory


 * 1989
 * 13 June 1989: Good Together (12" promo) A&M
 * 20 June 1989: The Big E (single) A&M


 * 1990
 * 22 January 1990: Spirit Dance (12" promo - Four For The Floor) A&M
 * 07 August 1990: Shack Up' (7" Single) Factory Benelux


 * 1991
 * 09 November 1991: 27 Forever (12") Robs
 * 24 November 1991: All Night Party (v/a 4xLP - Palatine) Factory