Mainframe | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Hemel Hempstead, England |
| Genres | Synthpop |
| Years active | 1981-1986 |
| Labels | Mc² Records Polydor |
| Past members |
|
Mainframe were an English electropop band from Hemel Hempstead. Formed in 1982, it comprised two main members, Murray Munro and John Molloy. The band achieved minor success with their 1985 single "5 Minutes".
History
editThe band was formed by two Hemel Hempstead natives - Murray Munro and John Molloy in 1981. Their first single titled "Radio (Will Bring Me Home)" was released in early 1983 on Munro's label Mc² Records. The track was among the first to employ the Greengate DS:3 Sound Sampler, a piece of equipment they helped develop and promote. Their second release, "Talk To Me", was sold with "Load Runner" computer magazine. To showcase the capabilities of a Greengate sampler, Molloy and Munro produced a 12-inch EP under the moniker The Noise of Art titled "Into Trouble With The Noise Of Art" on Ying Yang Yumm label, all those names being tongue-in-cheek references to The Art of Noise and their releases.
The album became very popular with DJs, which caught the attention of the Polydor label that signed the act. In 1985 Mainframe released their first single under Polydor - "5 Minutes". While not very popular in the native charts, it became a minor hit in Belgium and the Netherlands, peaking at #18 and #37 respectively.
Duo's popularity proved to be short-lived, and after 1986 both members went separate ways. Murray Munro went on to write and produce music for other artists along with contributions to music libraries. John Molloy has devoted himself to creating games and composing music for them, including his work for Magnetic Scrolls.
John Molloy died in 2018 after a long battle with cancer. Murray Munro's daughter Sarah is also a musician.
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Tenants Of The Lattice-Work (1983)
Singles
edit- Radio (Will Bring Me Home) (1983)
- Talk to Me (1983)
- Into Trouble With The Noise Of Art (as The Noise of Art, 1984)
- 5 Minutes (1985)