Synth-pop band The Human League announced a 21-city tour in the U.S. with a stop in Nashville at the Opry House. THE GENERATIONS TOUR will bring The Human League, with special guests Soft Cell and Alison Moyet, on June 21st.
Formed in 1977, the band gained popularity in the 80s, with numerous musicians citing them as an inspiration. The band has released four top-10 albums, eight top-10 singles in the UK, and two number-one hits in the US. They have also sold 20 million records worldwide.
We spoke to Philip Oakley, lead singer for the band, who shared he didn’t recall the exact date when the band was last in Nashville, but he did recall two things from his last visit: it was the first time he had seen fireflies, and it was when the Bill Clinton scandal was occurring, making it roughly over two decades ago, when the band performed in Nashville.
Two things about the band haven’t changed – their look and the distinguished sound of synth pop. Known for their “Glam Rock,” popularized by David Bowie and Prince among others, Oakley says it has remained a constant for the band and attendees at their show can expect to see it. “I feel like we are one of the last ambassadors of the past, and we show this is how it used to be, this is what David Bowie used to look like,” said Oakley.
One of the band’s most popular songs, “Don’t You Want Me Baby,” will be on the playlist, but when discussing it, Oakley said the band had more arguments about it than about any other song. “I wasn’t very sure about it(the song) at first.” He said it felt too pop-sounding, but in the end, he lost the argument about the song, which he’s glad he did, as it went on to become one of the band’s most successful songs. “Don’t You Want Me Baby” was also one of the biggest-selling singles of 1981.
Though he jokingly describes himself as an “old, grumpy English guy,” Oakley admits the U.S. feels like home. A recent trip to Los Angeles only reinforced that feeling — and now he’s setting his sights on Nashville, a city he says he’s eager to perform in.
Find tickets to the show on June 21st here.
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
