Cabaret Voltaire

Formed in Sheffield in 1973 by Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder, and Chris Watson, this industrial and electronic group took their name from the Zurich Dada cabaret. Their early work fused tape loops, found noise, and DIY electronics before absorbing post-punk, funk, and acid house into a body of seventeen studio albums. Key records include Red Mecca (1981) and The Crackdown (1983). Watson departed in 1981; Kirk continued as a duo with Mallinder until 1994, then revived the name solo until his death in 2021.