A Very British Synthesizer Group

**A Very British Synthesizer Group** is the title of a compilation or anthology released by The Human League on 18 November 2016.

The standard 2 CD or 3 LP edition feature a chronological thirty track compilation of singles and selected B-sides (such as Hard Times or You Remind Me of Gold). A deluxe edition features a third CD with demos and early versions from the group's recording career, plus a DVD featuring all the groups promo videos plus recordings of BBC TV appearances from shows such as Top of the Pops, Wogan and Later With Jools Holland.

The album is the group's most comprehensive compilation to date and early tracks such as The Dignity of Labour Pt. 3 and Only After Dark are featured for the first time.

## History

On 27 January 2016 the group announced a new tour entitled "A Very British Synthesizer Group Tour 2016", and the day after another photo was posted adding the wording "The Anthology" without giving any details.

In August an Italian music website gave details of the anthology which was reportedly scheduled for release in November. Details of the release began to appear on UK sites in September and pre-order links on the Universal music site and other on-line dealers such as Amazon and HMV were also made available. Comments about the high pricing of the deluxe and vinyl editions also began to circulate.

A short promo video for the release was posted on the group's official Youtube account on 14 September 2016.

## Tracklisting

Track titles and timings taken from THL official site (November 2016).

\*indicates previously unreleased

### Disc one:

01: Being Boiled A-Side Single (3:49)

02: The Dignity of Labour [Part 3] (3:51)

03: Empire State Human A-Side Single (3:10)

04: Only After Dark (Single Edit) (3:45)

05: Nightclubbing (3:00)

06: Boys and Girls (3:12)

07: The Sound of the Crowd (Instrumental Version) (4:10)

08: Hard Times (5:01)

09: Love Action (I Believe in Love) (3:50)

10: Open Your Heart (3:55)

11: Don't You Want Me (3:57)

12: Mirror Man (3:50)

13: You Remind Me of Gold (3:36)

14: (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Extended Version) (5:00)

15: The Lebanon (Single Version) (3:43)

16: Louise (DJ Edit) (4:10)\*

### Disc Two:

01: Life On Your Own (DJ Edit) (4:08)\*

02: Human – Extended Version (5:00)

03: I Need Your Loving (DJ Edit) (2:51)\*

04: Love Is All That Matters (DJ Edit) (2:59)\*

05: Heart Like A Wheel (William Orbit Remix) (4:51)

06: Soundtrack To A Generation (Edit) (4:01)\*

07: Tell Me When (Radio Edit) (4:09)\*

08: One Man In My Heart (4:03)

09: Filling Up With Heaven (4:21)

10: Stay With Me Tonight (Single Version) (4:00)

11: All I Ever Wanted (Radio Edit) (3:31)\*

12: Night People (Radio Edit) (3:03)

13: Never Let Me Go (Album Version) (4:55)

14: Sky (Radio Edit) (3:10)

### Disc Three

01: The Path Of Least Resistance – Early version (3:20)\*

02: No Time ( The Word Before Last - Early version ) ( 3:51 )\*

03: Being Boiled – State Of The Art Mix 1 (4:11)\*

04: Stylopops You Broke My Heart – (Marianne – Early version) (3:43)\*

05: I Am The Law – Early version (4:14)\*

06: Darkness - Early version (4:17)\*

07: Louise – Early version (4:56)\*

08: The Real Thing – Early version (3:59)\*

09: Love On The Run – Early version (3:51)\*

10: A Doorway – Early version (4:25)\*

11: F.M. (Soundtrack To A Generation - Early version) (4:22)\*

12: Happening Woman (Filling Up With Heaven – Early version (3:22)\*

13: Give It Back (Houseful of Nothing – Early version ) 1/6/92 ( 4:37 )\*

14: New Start (All I Ever Wanted – Early version) (4:04)\*

15: SH5 (Liar – Early version) (5:42)\*

16: Biller 10 (Single Minded – Early version) (3:49)\*

17: Jupiter 4c (Sky – Early Version ) 15/7/2008 (5:56)\*

### DVD

#### THE VIDEOS

01: Circus of Death

02: Empire State Human

03: Love Action (I Believe In Love)

04: Open Your Heart

05: Don’t You Want Me

06: Mirror Man

07: (Keep Feeling) Fascination

08: The Lebanon

09: Life On Your Own

10: Louise

11: Human

12: I Need Your Loving

13: Love Is All That Matters

14: Heart Like A Wheel

15: Soundtrack To A Generation

16: Tell Me When

17: One Man In My Heart

18: Filling Up With Heaven\*

19: All I Ever Wanted

20: Night People\*

21: Never Let Me Go\*

#### HUMAN LEAGUE AT THE BBC

01: The Path of Least Resistance – Mainstream 6/11/79\*

02: Rock ‘n’ Roll – TOTP 8/5/80\*

03: The Sound Of The Crowd – TOTP 30/4/81

04: The Sound Of The Crowd – TOTP 21/5/81\*

05: Love Action (I Believe In Love) – TOTP 6/8/81

06: Open Your Heart – TOTP 8/10/81

07: Don’t You Want Me – TOTP 24/12/81

08: Love Action (I Believe In Love) – Christmas TOTP 25/12/81\*

09: Love Action (I Believe In Love) – Multi Coloured Music Show 30/5/82\*

10: Mirror Man – TOTP 18/11/82\*

11: (Keep Feeling) Fascination - TOTP 5/5/83\*

12: The Lebanon – TOTP 3/5/84\*

13: Life On Your Own – TOTP 28//6/84\*

14: I’m Coming Back – On The Road 25/8/84\*

15: Rock Me Again and Again and Again and Again – On The Road 25/8/84\*

16: Human – Wogan 13/8/86\*

17: Human – TOTP 28/8/86\*

18: Heart Like A Wheel – Wogan 13/8/90\*

19: Heart Like A Wheel – TOTP 23/8/90\*

20: Tell Me When – TOTP 22/12/94\*

21: Tell Me When – TOTP 5/1/95\*

22: One Man In My Heart – TOTP 16/3/95\*

23: The Stars Are Going Out - Later with Jools Holland 25/11/95

24: The Sound Of The Crowd - Later with Jools Holland 25/11/95

## Notes

Initial releases of the deluxe edition stated that the DVD had 25 tracks instead of the 24 which actually issued. Tracklistings on the rear of the slipcase and inner book stated that Track 2 was Empire State Human broadcast on Mainstream 6/11/79. Universal offered to supply a replacement backsheet for those who had already purchased.

## References

1. ↑ The Human League Facebook page - photo published 27 January 2016
2. ↑ The Human League Facebook page - photo published 28 January 2016
3. ↑ A. Liccardo - "*Il meglio degli Human League nell'antologia "A Very British Synthesizer Group*" - ondarock.it 05.08.2016
4. ↑ The Human League / A Very British Synthesizer Group: four-disc anthology - superdeluxeedition.com, September 14 2016