This powerful UK duo was formed by Johnny Marr (b. John Martin Maher, 31 October 1963, Ardwick, Manchester, Lancashire, England) and Bernard Sumner (b. Bernard Dicken, 4 January 1956, Salford, Lancashire, England), both formerly key members of very successful Manchester-based bands, the Smiths and New Order, respectively. Although they first worked together in 1983, Electronic was not formed until 1989. After a brief period as guitarist for Matt Johnson's The The and work with various well-known artists, such as David Byrne and the Pretenders, Electronic marked Marr's move into more commercial territory. His instinct for infectious, melodic pop guitar and Sumner's songwriting and programming ability proved to be an effective combination. Their first single, "Getting Away With It", was released in 1989 on Manchester's highly respected Factory Records and featured the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant as guest vocalist. This inspired move helped the record to number 12 in the UK chart. The individual track records of the three musicians immediately gave the band a high profile, arousing the interest of both the press and the public.
This attention was intensified by the excitement surrounding the "baggy" dance scene emerging from Manchester and the city's explosion of new musical talent, sparked by bands such as Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses. Electronic capitalized on the new credibility that dance music had acquired and were influenced by the fusions that were taking place, using "electronic" dance rhythms and indie guitar pop. In July 1991, a self-titled debut album followed two more UK Top 20 singles, "Get The Message" and "Feel Every Beat". The singles were witty and distinctive and were praised by the critics. Not surprisingly, the album was also very well received, reaching number 2 in the UK chart. After a short gap, "Disappointed" consolidated their early promise by reaching number 6 in the UK in June 1992. Intelligent, original and fashionably marrying the sounds of the guitar and the computer, much was expected but did not arrive. Raise The Pressure blended Pet Shop Boys harmony and structure with the occasional hint of wah-wah pedal from Marr. Six of the tracks were co-written with Kraftwerk's Karl Bartos. Sumner and Marr returned in 1999 with the more guitar-orientated Twisted Tenderness.
