Electronic were an alternative rock group formed by New Order singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. They co-wrote the majority of their output between 1989 and 1998, collaborating with Neil Tennant on three tracks in their early years, and former Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos on nine songs in 1995.
The two first met in 1984 when the Smiths guitarist contributed to a Quando Quango track that Sumner was producing, but Electronic did not materialise until 1988, when the New Order frontman suggested Marr add guitar to a solo album he was planning this was quickly abandoned when the idea of joining forces for a full-time group emerged. Inspired by contemporary dance music like Italo house and acts such as Technotronic (Sumner even did a remix of Rockin' Over the Beat in 1990), their initial concept was to release white label records on Factory and remain an anonymous entity, in contrast to their considerable reputations with The Smiths and New Order. The track "Lucky Bag" and the name Electronic itself are two of the vestiges of this initial approach; when Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant heard of their budding partnership in 1989 through sleeve designer Mark Farrow he suggested a collaboration.
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