Top Of The Box

M|A|R|R|S – Pump Up The Volume, 1987

In 1987 musicians from two groups on the 4AD record label, A.R. Kane & Colourbox decided to collaborate in the studio for a one-off recording calling themselves MARRS (an acronym of their initials) which, to their surprise reached #1 in the UK singles charts.

Pump Up The Volume was also a massive club hit where it had been pressed as a white label 12″ and exported  from London to America and back again, so dj’s originally thought they were playing an underground New York House Music import.

Pump Up The Volume is often cited as the record that spawned British House Music and music sampling in the UK.  S’Express and Bomb The Bass quickly followed in its footsteps and very quickly underground House Music had become a commercial success.

There has been frequent remixes over the past 21 years but I think the original single still sounds good even if the video looks a bit dated.