Information Society (also known as InSoc and InfoSo) is a U.S. band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson (aka Kurt Valaquen/Kurt Harland), Paul Robb, and  . .   Expand    Wikipedia

Information Society (also known as InSoc and InfoSo) is a U.S. band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson (aka Kurt Valaquen/Kurt Harland), Paul Robb, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist in 2007. Their breakout hit was 1988's "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)", a dance/ synthpop hit which included a sample of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from Star Trek, saying "pure energy," and opened with a sample of Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), also from Star Trek, saying, "It's worked so far, but we're not out yet!" They are known for their loyal fan base in Brazil, Japan, Spain and Mexico. Information Society became part of the American response to the Second British Invasion. The band was formed in Kurt's dorm room in Dupre Hall at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1982 , and they performed avant-garde electronic music with flourishes of hip-hop, dub, and electro. The name was chosen partly after Ingsoc, the newspeak term for British socialism in the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. In 1983 they independently released two albums, The InSoc EP and Creatures Of Influence. Two years later it released "Running," the group's first single, which became a hit popular in New York City Latin dance clubs and put them on the map. The song, a 7-minute excursion into electro-freestyle, was written and sung by Murat Konar, who left the band soon afterward. It was released on the Minneapolis-based label Twin-Tone Records, which was known for rock music rather than dance music. Its growing success led the group to move from its native Minneapolis to NYC, and the ensuing revenues and contacts, as well as the addition of Amanda Kramer to the lineup. led the group to record its proper debut album for Tommy Boy Records, which bought out the group's Twin-Tone contract because of its expertise in street-oriented music. Kramer left the band shortly after the second single "Walking Away" was released. InSoc was also the only Tommy Boy act to have all of its albums released through major-label distribution channels rather than independent distribution, since the label, a former subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records, had that option available to it throughout its years as a Warner subsidiary. In this case, Warner sub-label Reprise Records was the distributor. The groups 12-inch vinyl singles, however, were distributed through independent channels.

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