A Certain Ratio

A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio performing at New Century Hall in Manchester, 2023
A Certain Ratio performing at New Century Hall in Manchester, 2023
Background information
Also known as
  • ACR
  • Sir Horatio
OriginFlixton, Greater Manchester, England[1]
Genres
Years active1977–present
Labels
Spinoffs
Members
  • Jez Kerr
  • Martin Moscrop
  • Donald Johnson
  • Tony Quigley
  • Matt Steele
  • Ellen Beth Abdi
  • Viv Griffin
Past members
  • Peter Terrell
  • Simon Topping
  • Martha Tilson
  • Liam Mullan
  • Andy Connell
  • Denise Johnson
Websiteacrmcr.com

A Certain Ratio (abbreviated as ACR) are an English post-punk band formed in Greater Manchester in 1977 by Peter Terrell (guitar), Simon Topping (vocals, trumpet), Jez Kerr (bass guitar, vocals), Martin Moscrop (trumpet, guitar) and Donald Johnson (drums), with Martha Tilson (vocals) joining soon after.[8][9]

One of the first indie groups to draw heavy influence from funk as well as disco and Latin percussion,[10][11] the band were among the first to debut on Tony Wilson's Factory Records in 1979 with "All Night Party," produced by Martin Hannett.[9] During ACR's early years with Factory, they scored seven Top Ten UK independent releases, highlighted by "Flight" and "Waterline," and released five studio albums beginning with The Graveyard and the Ballroom (1980).[12]

Following late 1980s and early 1990s phases with A&M Records and Rob Gretton's independent Robs Records, ACR were intermittently active. They returned to the studio for their ninth studio album Mind Made Up (2008) and since then have continued to perform, with their back catalogue recirculated through an arrangement with Mute Records.

They released their first new studio album in twelve years, ACR Loco in September 2020, followed by three EP's A, C and R in 2021, and eleventh studio album, 1982, in 2023. Their twelfth studio album, It All Comes Down to This was released in 2024.

  1. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "A Certain Ratio". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  2. ^ Wolk, Douglas (3 November 2014). "A Certain Ratio — Sextet". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "A Certain Ratio". Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-531373-9.
  4. ^ Flashner, Graham; Sheridan, David. "A Certain Ratio". Trouser Press. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  5. ^ Reynolds, Simon (2012). Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture. Soft Skull Press. pp. 20, 202. ISBN 9781593764777. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  6. ^ Simpson, Dave (16 August 2016). "Cult heroes: A Certain Ratio – genre-bending influencers put the funk in punk". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Pop/Rock » Dance » Dance-Rock". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  8. ^ Kellman, Andy. "A Certain Ratio | Biography & History". Pitchfork. AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b Peel, Ian; Buckley, Jonathan; Ellingham, Mark; Lewis, Justin; Furmanovsky, Jill (1996). "A Certain Ratio". Rock: The Rough Guide (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 1. ISBN 1-85828-201-2. OCLC 35981756.
  10. ^ "Review: Early - ACR". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  11. ^ Smirke, Richard (27 May 2019). "A Certain Ratio: Sum Of Their Parts". Big Issue North.
  12. ^ "A Certain Ratio | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 June 2019.