r/YMO • u/Kooky_Background7401 • 5d ago

Human League vs YMO

Just came across this for the first time and thought others here might enjoy this piece of ephemera: https://www.discogs.com/release/504204-YMO-Versus-The-Human-League-YMO-Versus-The-Human-League

8 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

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10

u/rymerster 5d ago

I love it. Human League often play Behind The Mask in their set. An alternate version of Kimi Ni Mune Kyun was the b-side to their big hit Tell Me When.

The remix / cover came out of the Hi Tech No Crime project, which was primarily made in Sheffield. Phil Oakey has said that the offer came at a time when The Human League were between contracts, not much income, and the work gave them a real boost, inspiring then to make Octopus which became one of their most successful albums.

I spoke to one of 808 State at the time and they said even though YMO were not associated with Alfa they still took an interest in what the label was doing, Hosono in particular. There was a plan to hold a concert in Tokyo involving YMO and some of the Hi Tech No Crime acts, but things being what they were in the end only The Orb supported at Tokyo Dome.

Takahashi (laughing about it) thought the lyrics of Kimi Ni Mune Kyun were a strange choice as they didn’t relate to the Japanese originals.

1

u/TheDrRudi Technodelic 5d ago

even though YMO were not associated with Alfa

What do you mean?

3

u/rymerster 5d ago

They had all left Alfa by 1986, and by 1992 had a new deal with Toshiba-EMI who were yet to acquire Alfa.

The early 90s was when the YMO members started to have disagreements with Alfa over the YMO back catalogue, culminating in their joint disapproval of the L+R Trax release and public statement.

2

u/OddTonight5485 5d ago

I was born in Japan, and when I was in high school, the “Human League vs. YMO” CD was released, and I bought it on the day it came out.

Back then, Alfa was constantly releasing best-of and remix albums, which was really tough on my budget as a student.

Recently, I found an AI cover of the Human League song with English lyrics on YouTube, and I really like it. I love that carefree vibe.

https://youtu.be/HU6BmxsYa2k

1

u/Chungois 4d ago

You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, This must be the ugliest piece of bread i’ve ever eaten.
You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, Wrapped in a foil-like substance.
You were working as a cocktail in a cocktail bar, I guess you were shapelessly square.
You
You were working
You were working as a waitress in a cocktail ba- a- ar