Song:Pump Up The Volume
Album:The Best Dance Album In The World...Ever!
Not only is Pump Up The Volume a one hit wonder but it was the only single recorded by M/A/R/R/S. The man behind it was 4AD Records owner Ivo Watts-Russell. In 1986 there was an alternative rock group in England called A.R. Kane. They were under contract to One Little Indian Records. Alex Ayuli of A.R. Kane was unhappy with the label's promotional support. So he asked Watts-Russell to release his next record. After a confrontation between the label owners, 4AD released an A.R. Kane EP. Watts-Russell suggested that A.R. Kane could record with his electronic music duo Colourbox. The name M/A/R/R/S were the initials of the guys who recorded the single; Martyn and Steve Young of Colourbox, Ayuli and Rudy Tambala of A.R. Kane and Terminal Cheesecake founder Russell Smith. Unfortunately the two groups didn't get along in the studio. 4AD house producer John Fryer was brought in to referee. He sent them to separate studios to create a song each. Colourbox came up with Pump Up The Volume featuring an Eric B. and Rakim sample. A.R. Kane created the B-side Anitina. A.R. Kane added some guitar to Pump Up The Volume. And DJs CJ McIntosh and Dave Dorrell added samples and scratch effects. Martyn Young wanted Pump Up the Volume released as a Colourbox record. Watts-Russell refused mostly because he didn't want Young to work on the song anymore. And he released it as M/A/R/R/S. As a result, Colourbox left 4AD. The record was released to British clubs July 1987. A remix of Pump Up The Volume was the hit version. There were many samples added. Island's 4th & Broadway label released Pump Up The Volume in the US. It reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. You can get it on this 2CD various artists comp from Virgin. The song turned out to be very influential because of the sampling. But M/A/R/R/S never recorded again. Colourbox wanted to use the name but A.R. Kane wanted 100,000 pounds for the use of the name. They didn't like that their guitar part was deleted on the remix. So though it was a hit, I don't think Pump Up The Volume was a very good experience for the record's creators. Here's the video for Pump Up The Volume by M/A/R/R/S.
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