Over their career, the group has been very influential on American electropop and freestyle artists from both their music and their strident, colorful visuals, being best known for their 1988 self-titled album. The band was formed in Minneapolis in the early 80s, and they performed avant-garde electronic music with flourishes of hip-hop. In 1983, they independently released two albums, 'The InSoc EP' and 'Creatures Of Influence'. Two years later, they released "Running", their first single, which became a hit popular in New York City's Latino nightclubs and "put them on the map". That song, a 7-minute effort that touched on contemporary techno, was written and sung by Murat Konar, who left the band soon after. Their growing success led them from their native Minneapolis to NYC, and the ensuing revenues and contacts, as well as the addition of Amanda Kramer to the lineup, led them to record their proper debut album.
Their first major release album. 1988's 'Information Society', received critical acclaim, giving the group breakout commercial success as the album hiked up to #25 on the Billboard 200. In addition to "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (which hit #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart), the album also had other hits in "Walking Away" (#9 on that chart) and a cover of ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me" (#12 on the Hot Dance Music chart). The disc was one of the few to use CD+G, which included digital graphics on the compact disc version in addition to the music. The audio samples from Star Trek were authorized for use on the album partially thanks to the efforts of Adam Nimoy, a fan of the band and son of Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy.
The second release, Hack (1990), wasn't as successful, but had small hits with Think and How Long but still managed to sell quite well in the fall of 1990.
Kurt was also the owner of the heavily-modified The Road Warrior-inspired art car named "Vector" featured on the cover of Hack. The car sported a functioning ranging laser, among other unusual features. Vector was eventually given to a friend at Burning Man in the mid-1990s.
The third release, Peace & Love, Inc. (1992), proved to be more powerful and critically acclaimed, although their label failed to do much to promote them. Their first single Peace & Love, Inc. reached #1 on the 'Billboard Dance Chart'. A music video was produced for the track, but MTV declined to play it. The album is also notable for being perhaps the first album ever produced to contain a track of modem tones, which when played into a telephone connected to a computer resulted in a bonus text message from the band.
The fourth album, Don't Be Afraid (1997), written and performed by Kurt Harland alone and produced by Steven Seibold, was more industrial-driven. Cleopatra Records released the album, but - like Tommy Boy Records - did little to promote it. Harland's love of computer-related materials continued to be evident, as the album included a CD-ROM filled with bonus material, not yet a common occurrence in 1997.
There was also a carefully-orchestrated digital scavenger hunt culminating in the discovery of a bonus track called White Roses. The scavenger hunt began with decoding a modem's signal recorded at the end of the audio CD, resulting in a text message from Kurt which pointed the way to a website where the search began. There is also a cover included of Gary Numan's Are 'Friends' Electric?. Also included is Ozar Midrashim, a track which was later used as the main theme for the videogame Legacy of Kain - Soul Reaver.
During the course of those four albums and about a dozen remix singles from them, Information Society's sound went from more electronic pop music to a darker industrial type, though they will always be remembered for their first hit song and the cardboard guitars they wielded in its music video.
However, in 2006 Paul Robb and James Cassidy announced their intention to re-form Information Society, and began working on a new album. They also performed live at several venues across the US with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist. The Ep "Oscillator" was released in early 2007 followed by the album Synthesizer in late 2007. Christopher Anton provided the vocals on Oscillator, and Synthesizer and was the co-writer on several of the tracks as well.
http://informationsociety.us/
Creatures Of Light And Darkness
Information Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only happy when we love, when we dare
We know nothing of moderation
Only suffer when we love, when we can
A man can only fly for so long
It may seem strange, but I need you to
Help me understand
Who I am
We are beings of hope and heartache
Only happy when we fall, when we fall
And in the end you'll need your anger
Keep the black hole and the sun all inside you
A man can only fly for so long
I'm coming in to land
It may seem strange, but I need you to
Help me understand
Who I am
The song "Creatures Of Light And Darkness" by Information Society is a complex portrayal of the human nature that oscillates between two extremes – light and darkness. The lyrics explore the duality of human emotions and experiences, presenting them as completely intertwined and inseparable. The title of the song itself suggests that we are not purely good or evil, but a mix of both, always in motion, always changing.
The first two lines of the song suggest that human beings are not happy unless they experience love and dare to take risks. The lines "We know nothing of moderation / Only suffer when we love, when we can" emphasize that we humans are prone to extremes, unable to find balance in our emotions. The third stanza adds another layer to this idea, highlighting how we often struggle with our identity and need someone to help us understand who we are.
The second half of the song presents a different perspective. The lines "We are beings of hope and heartache / Only happy when we fall, when we fall" convey that we often find pleasure in our struggles and failures, as they remind us that we are alive and capable of experiencing different emotions. The use of the imagery of "black hole" and "sun" suggests that we have the capacity for both darkness and light within us, and need to find a way to balance them in order to find peace.
Overall, "Creatures Of Light And Darkness" presents a thought-provoking exploration of human nature, showcasing the complexity, depth, and constant change that defines us.
Line by Line Meaning
We are creatures of light and darkness
We have both positive and negative qualities within us.
Only happy when we love, when we dare
We experience true joy and satisfaction only when we take risks for love.
We know nothing of moderation
We often indulge in excess and have difficulty finding balance in our lives.
Only suffer when we love, when we can
We are vulnerable to pain and heartbreak when we open ourselves up to love and connection.
A man can only fly for so long
No one can sustain success or happiness forever.
I'm coming in to land
I need to come down or face reality after experiencing a high or success.
It may seem strange, but I need you to
I'm reaching out for help, despite it being difficult or uncomfortable.
Help me understand
I need guidance or support to gain clarity or insight about something important.
We are beings of hope and heartache
We are capable of both optimism and deep emotional pain and sorrow.
Only happy when we fall, when we fall
We often find happiness and fulfillment in taking risks and embracing the unknown, even if we fall and fail.
And in the end you'll need your anger
Sometimes anger can be a powerful motivator or tool for change.
Keep the black hole and the sun all inside you
Embrace and balance both your darkness and your light, rather than trying to suppress or deny either.
Contributed by Vivian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Man in Black
I've been listening to InSoc since the very beginning. You guys are the soundtrack for many moments in my life... and this song may be my favorite of them all... and that's saying A LOT! The melody and the lyrics = EPIC
Fred G
I can't believe how good this whole album or record or cd or whatever you wanna call it is.Or maybe I should, they've always been good. But not all groups can come back after so many years and produce such good quality music...
Julio Biason
Using the base for dubstep songs for a ballad is a freaking accomplishment guys.
Seriously, this is the best song of the whole album.
Clifford Hutchinson
Oh MY Gosh !! Makes me want to go clubbing again , but no clubs will play this , the young people music today is mostly rubbish !!
skeggjold gunnr
+Clifford Hutchinson That has always been the case...the generation gap...but this time - it IS truly and sadly just rubbish.
James McCarthy
Truly a return to form, that original unique sound that only Information Society can pump out.
All very fine having the original members back doing what they do best, but to give us this offering is nothing short of mindblowing.
Just goes to show, Insonc still have that midas touch when it comes to writing and producing.
A great song from a great album and a welcome return to form.
Could'nt fault it, well done !!!
Patricio Hirzel
Best song from Hello World.... Definitely in my Top 10 from InSoc
vincevaldez12
My favorite song from the album, and one of my overall favorite insoc songs of all time! Great job!
Duke E-Baby
This is a great cd! Give it a try!
Fred Hollins
I keep coming back to this song. This was by far my favorite new album of 2014.