Martin Degville

Martin Degville (born 1957)^[1] was the lead singer and co-songwriter of the UK pop-cyberpunk band, Sigue Sigue Sputnik - which had a worldwide hit single in 1986 with "Love Missile F-1-11" - and six other EMI single releases. Sputnik was formed with ex-Generation X bassist Tony James.

Biography

Degville hails from Walsall and was a familiar face on the Birmingham club scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s - at clubs such as The Rum Runner and The Hostaria (Wine Bar).^[2] Before Sigue Sigue Sputnik he had worked selling clothes, and he was spotted by Tony James and Neal X while dancing in his Yaya boutique.^[3] Degville's former flat-mate is Boy George, and George worked in Degville's shop (Degville's Dispensary) during the time that he lived in Walsall.^[4] Degville was also a fashion designer who styled Sigue Sigue Sputnik's original image, and musical style.^[3]

Further Sigue Sigue Sputnik hits include "21st Century Boy", "Sex Bomb Boogie", "Success", "Dancerama", "Albinoni vs Star Wars" and "Rio Rocks". Tony James reformed the band in 2001 with Degville and Neal X and released the album Piratespace. In 2000. A tribute to Elvis Presley, "Blak Elvis" was released shortly afterwards and then "Ultra Real". Degville then left the band to pursue a solo career with Sputnik2. He released an EP, Smart1 which featured UK House vocalist Simon Green on backing vocals, and has since worked with UK record producers DiscoKingz on tracks including "Planit Bi", "Don't Dabble With The Devil", "The Man Who Fell 2 Earth", "Fascination" and "Experimental 2 + 3" remix albums. His debut solo album, World War Four, was released in 1991.^[1]

In 2007 Degville recorded his first album since World War Four, entitled Prophet of Freak.

In 2008, while working on Prophet Of Freak, Degville released an album G.O.D., Guns, Oil, Drugs.

Mid way through 2009 Martin started to play live as Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic (SSSE). This new incarnation of Sputnik aimed to take the original songs and present them in a new electro style. Martin is now in the process of re-recording the first two Sigue Sigue Sputnik albums with producer Lloyd Price. Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic have been approached by numeorus bands for remixes. To date SSSE have remixed one track, "CONsume" by South African Goth/Metal band Terminatryx.

Solo discography

As Martin Degville

• World War Four (1991), Receiver

As Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic

• Sputnik vs Bowie - An EP of classic David Bowie tracks in an Electro style.

Tracklisting:

• "Drive in Saturday"
• "Gene Genie"
• "Life on Mars"
• "Rebel Rebel"
• "SSSpace Oddity"
• "Suffragette City"

• Futuatronik - an EP of re-recorded, extended SSS tracks.

Tracklisting:

• "Is This the Future?"
• "Dancerama"
• "Bye Bye USA"
• "Atari Baby"

• "Flaunt It" - this is a complete rerecording of the first Sputnik album, done completely in the SSS Electronic style. No guitars.

Tracklisting:

• "Intro"
• "Rockit Miss USA"
• "Sex Bomb Boogie"
• "Massive Retaliation"
• "21st Century Boy"
• "Atari Baby"
• "Teenage Thunder"
• "She's My Man"
• "Love Missile F1-11"

The album features additional tracks that were not on the original release...

• "SciFi Lover"
• "Ultraviolence"

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Strong, Martin C. (1999) The Great Alternative & Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 0-86241-913-1, p. 564-5
2. ^ Larner, Tony (2000) "Back in Style", Sunday Mercury, 15 October 2000
3. ^ ^{a b} Schabe, Patrick (2003) "TONY JAMES AND THE ARGONAUTSSS", PopMatters, 29 May 2003, retrieved 2010-08-28
4. ^ "Black Country helped heal star’s heart", Express & Star, 28 September 2008, retrieved 2010-08-28

External links

• Martin Degville Official site
• Sputnik2 collaborators & cyberpunk Sputnik style band DiscoKingZ
• Sigue Sigue Sputnik Official site, Martin's previous work
• Fan site with live reviews of Martin Degville & Sigue Sigue Sputnik
• Martin Degville / Blitz Kids Site
• [1]
• [2]
• [3]

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Name	Degville, Martin
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Date of birth	1961
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