The Human League The Human League are a UK synth based new wave band. Formed in Sheffield in 1977, they achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s. They have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s and '90s and up to the present day. Originally with an avant-garde approach and an all male line-up, the only constant band member since 1977 is vocalist and songwriter Philip Oakey. The band recorded and released their first full studio album Reproduction in August 1979. The album and the single "Empire State Human" failed to make any impact on the charts. After these flops, Virgin cancelled the band's December 1979 tour. Empire State Human In April 1980, the band were able to release an EP entitled Holiday '80, containing the principal track "Marianne" and a cover of "Nightclubbing" (written by Bowie and Iggy Pop). The 7-inch version of "Holiday '80" did well enough to get the band their first TV appearance on BBC's Top of the Pops on 8th May 1980. This was to be the only high profile TV appearance by the original line-up on UK television, with the sole exception of BBC2's 'Mainstream' programme in late 1979, where an performance in the studio, complete with slideshow, was broadcast of the tracks 'The Path Of Least Resistance' and the single "Empire State Human". Path Of Least Resistance In 1980, the band released their second studio album Travelogue. More commercial sounding that Reproduction, it peaked at no.16 in the UK giving the band their first real success. The original line-up didn't last too long after that, with the band splitting in half. Oakey kept the name and took on the debt, and the rest is history. Being Boiled