The story of 808 State defines an era of electronic dance music, and sets a blueprint of possibilities for future generations.
 
Formed in Manchester in 1988 by Graham Massey, Martin Price and Gerald Simpson 808 State’s first album – Newbuild - is now regarded as a milestone in UK electronica.
 
Quadrastate followed, including Pacific State, becoming an end-of-night anthem at the Haçienda and breaking out of the dance underground when it was picked up by daytime Radio 1. The band pushed against dance-celebrity culture and became more of a corporate electronic product with intentionally minimalist record sleeves and a reluctance to self promote. During this time Gerald recorded his own hit Voodoo Ray and decided to pursue his own career as A Guy Called Gerald. He was replaced by the 808 State DJs, Andrew Barker and Darren Partington.
 
In 1989 Paul Morley signed the band to the ZTT label, and the first fruit of this partnership, the album Ninety, was awarded 10 out of 10 by the NME. Between Ninety and it's follow-up, ex:el, 808 State delivered two of the most brutal and absorbing instrumentals ever to enter the UK top ten: Cübik, with its squalling abstract guitar and über-riffs, followed quickly by In Yer Face. In 1991 they released their biggest selling album ex:el, drafting in guests such as Björk and Bernard Sumner from New Order, as well as producing MC Tunes’ album The North At Its Heights.
 
With the 1993 album Gorgeous, they delivered their most successful album in the States, acquiring a large popularity on the college radio station scene. Around this time, Martin Price had decided to leave the band.  808 State took their global touring experience into the studio recording the 1996 album Don Solaris - exploring a more organic post rave sound. After the release of their first greatest hits package 808:88:98, they delivered further explorations on the Outpost Transmission album in 2002.
 
In the following years the band’s entire back catalogue was re-issued in expanded form, by ZTT, the Aphex Twin’s Rephlex label and UMAA in Japan. Rephlex also released Prebuild, a collection of very early Acid House recordings, pre Newbuild era. 2011 saw the release of career overview Blueprint and an expanded reissue of the 1990 album The North At Its Heights with MC Tunes.
 
808 State enter 2012 with a live gig in London in January and plans for a full live tour.