Dramatis

British synth pop outfit Dramatis originated as Gary Numan's backing band before striking out on their own. Following a handful of singles and their 1981 debut album, For Future Reference, the group disbanded. Dramatis were revived in 2019 and released the single "The Torment of Angels." Following Gary Numan's retirement from live performances in 1981, his backing band -- which consisted of vocalist/keyboardist Chris Payne, guitarist Russell Bell, drummer Cedric Sharpley, keyboardist Dennis Haines, and bassist Paul Gardiner -- found themselves at a loss. Gardiner opted to go solo, with the remaining members forming Dramatis. The group forged a darker take on the synth pop sound of Numan, issuing their debut single, "Ex Luna Scientia," in May 1981. Two more singles followed -- "Oh! 2025" and "No One Lives Forever" -- before the band released their debut album, For Future Reference. Dramatis' next single, "Love Needs No Disguise," which featured Numan on vocals, hit the U.K. Top 40 singles chart -- their only release to do so. The band continued into 1982 with three non-album singles, while Haines left the group to join the Hollies. The now-three-piece called time on Dramatis that year after being recruited once again as Numan's band for live dates and studio work. Over the years, rumors of Dramatis' return came and went, but in 2012 when it seemed most likely, Sharpley passed away. With Bell and Payne working on their own material, they unexpectedly announced that Dramatis had been revived, and issued the single "The Torment of Angels," with a sophomore album in the works. In 2022, Cherry Red released a deluxe edition of their debut album For Future Reference, combining a wealth of material that included B-sides, extended versions, and a 1982 live set recorded by the BBC at the Paris Theatre in London.
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