Andrew Lagowski (synths, guitar, and drum machines) and Stephen Jarvis (synths, bass and programming) met while attending secondary school in Ipswich, England. They bonded over a mutual love for Human League, Tubeway Army, Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark, The Cure, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and Clock DVA. Andrew had already been playing drums in a local band, Silent Command. Their first recorded output was the Magog Universal “Erradication Time” cassette in 1981. Andrew Fleck joined for the “Shatter Days” album in 1983. Their name comes from a character in JG Ballard‘s “Atrocity Exhibition”.