Their debut 7", Girls Don't Count, was released in 1980 on Factory Records, produced by Rob Gretton and Ian Curtis of Joy Division. All Section 25 releases would be released through Factory Records. Their debut LP, Always Now, was released in 1981 and produced by Martin Hannett.
The three-piece group played many gigs in Britain and Northern Europe between 1979 and 1981, both as a headline act and with other Factory Records artists, such as Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Crispy Ambulance and New Order. The group also released a self-produced second album, The Key of Dreams. However the original line-up split in 1982 when Paul Wiggin declined to fly to the United States for their first North American tour.
Joined by percussionist Lee Shallcross, Section 25 gradually evolved a more electronic-dance direction, a process which culminated in the album From the Hip and single Looking From A Hilltop, both released in 1984 and produced by Bernard Sumner of New Order. This new version of the band also featured Angela Flowers (vocals, keyboards) and Jenny Ross (vocals, keyboards). This line-up completed a second tour of North America in 1985.
In 1986 the group again splintered, leaving husband-and-wife team Larry Cassidy and Jenny Ross to complete a fourth album, Love and Hate, finally released by Factory in 1988. Section 25 then fell silent for more than a decade, although their entire catalogue was reissued on CD on LTM as well as an archive DVD.
In 2001 Larry Cassidy rejoined with Vincent Cassidy and Ross to write new material. Jenny Ross unfortunately died in 2004. Now with Ian Butterworth (ex of fellow Factory act Tunnelvison) on guitar and Roger Wikeley on bass and keyboards the band performed their first live show in nearly two decades at their hometown Poulton-Le-Fylde in May 2006 followed by dates in Blackpool, Paris, Brussels and Leicester. Larry and Vin Cassidy also feature in the 2006 Factory documentary film Shadowplayers.
Interest in the band began to increase with the release of a new studio album entitled Part-Primitiv in 2007. Their back catalogue has since risen in stature with much of it being featured in their live appearances. They played at Plan K in 2007 as part of the Factory Night (Once Again) event, being joined onstage by Peter Hook of New Order for a cover of Temptation. Further dates were announced in 2008 across 4 venues across Europe including Brussels - Peter Hook joined them on each date for several songs before retiring to the DJ booth for a couple of hours for the after-shows.
The band released a new album in 2009 called Nature + Degree. The record featured the introduction of Larry and Jenny's daughter Bethany Cassidy[/bandmeber] as the band's new singer.
Larry Cassidy died on Feb 27, 2010. The band's new album "Retrofit", a collection of re-recordings of previous Section 25 songs that was completed before Larry's death, was released on September 14. The band has continued following Larry's death with Vin Cassidy as the band's only remaining original member. Section 25 currently consists of Bethany Cassidy (vocals, keyboards), Joanna Cassidy (vocals, keyboards), Vincent Cassidy (drums) and Stephen Stringer (guitar).
Up To You
Section 25 Lyrics
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Everything is up to you,
It's up to you to you alone
It's up to you, it's up to you,
To throw ignorance off his throne
All the boys
Want to be big men
Smashing up your toys
(chorus)
And girls
What are you up to?
You want to be so grown up
Go and suss yourself out
(chorus)
You're living in a dream
Each and every one
Some day you'll have to wake up
And see yourself for real
(chorus)
(1st verse)
(chorus)(2x)
Section 25's "Up to You" is a song about taking personal responsibility and showcasing maturity. The song confronts the societal pressure that encourages boys to grow up too quickly while reminding girls that being grown up entails looking inward for personal growth. The chorus urges listeners to take action and exert control over their lives. It emphasizes that individuals have the power to dethrone ignorance and ultimately, it is up to an individual to make the right choices.
The first verse of the song encourages listeners to stop living in a dream and start seeing themselves for who they are. It acknowledges that society places high expectations on young people, but the song also emphasizes that maturity is not to be equated with physical growth or conforming to societal pressures. The chorus comes in twice, emphasizing that it is up to individuals to make the necessary changes in their personal lives, and they alone have the power to effect that change.
Section 25's "Up to You" is a song that implores listeners to mature and think for themselves. It also warns against the dangers of conformity to societal pressures, of trying to grow up too soon, and the importance of introspection. It's as relevant today as it was when it was first written in the early '80s.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything is up to you,
You have the power to make decisions
It's up to you to you alone
You are the only one responsible for your choices
It's up to you, it's up to you,
The responsibility lies with you
To throw ignorance off his throne
You have the power to defeat ignorance and become informed
All the boys
Referring to young men
Want to be big men
Desire to be perceived as mature and successful
You're still just kids
Despite your aspirations, you are still learning and growing
Smashing up your toys
Making mistakes and causing harm while trying to figure things out
And girls
Referring to young women
What are you up to?
What are your goals and aspirations?
You want to be so grown up
Desire to mature and be perceived as an adult
Go and suss yourself out
Learn about yourself and figure out what you really want
You're living in a dream
You are not yet living in reality
Each and every one
Every person, including you
Some day you'll have to wake up
You will eventually need to face reality
And see yourself for real
Recognize who you truly are as a person
Contributed by Leo C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.