Mars by 1980: The Story of Digital Music

Digital music is now ubiquitous, from mainstream pop hits to the furthest reaches of the avant garde. However how did we get right here? In Mars by 1980, David Stubbs charts the evolution of synthesised tones, from the earliest mechanical experiments within the late nineteenth century, by way of the musique concrete of the Futurists and radical composers corresponding to Pierre Schaeffer and Karl Stockhausen, to the gradual absorption of digital instrumentation into the mainstream, be it by way of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, grandiose prog rock or the DIY method of electronica, home and techno.

Stubbs tells a story of mavericks and future dreamers, malfunctioning gadgets and sonic mayhem. However above all, he describes an important story of authenticity: is that this music? Mars by 1980 is the definitive account that solutions this query.