The Human League: Joanne Catherall's in a league of her own

Jul 27 2009 By Polly Weeks

This Sheffield band have been performing for more than 30 years and are set to headline Ben & Jerry's Sundae On The Common Festival which takes place July 26 - 27. Joanne Catherall talks about why the band are just as passionate about music now and why they've remained in South Yorkshire.

One morning in 1980, the 17-year-old woke up as one third of The Human League, a band which would become one of the biggest acts of the decade.

Earlier the day before, the Sheffield school-girl had been studying for her A-levels, before she decided to hit the Crazy Daisy Nightclub with her best friend Susan Ann Sulley.

On the dance floor they were spotted by local musician Philip Oakey. Already an established member of The Human League, he was on the lookout for new talent, as the original line-up had decided to split up.

Walking straight up to the two teenage girls in the club, he asked them to join him and go on tour in Germany.

At that time electro-pop was on the rise, and the genre - while progressive - didn't necessarily require a huge amount of musical ability.

All the girls really needed was to do was breathe throaty lyrics into the microphone, dance around and pull off convincing geometric haircuts while looking sexy in leggings.

"Originally it was just going to be for the short term," Catherall, now 46, explains. "The band had got a contract to do a tour through the British Army bases in Germany. Even though the band had split up, if they didn't go on tour they'd be sued. So Philip had to quickly find other people to go on tour with him."

As you might expect, while the two girls were thrilled, their parents needed some convincing.

"At first it was a case of, 'No you definitely can't go', then Philip came around to meet them and then we had meetings with the school. The teachers thought it would be good for us to experience European culture, so in the end they all agreed it would be OK."

A short term project became a long term commitment. Philip was so impressed by Catherall and Sulley's attitude in Germany, he asked them to join the band full-time. Their university plans were put on hold as they focused on breaking the charts.

Just a year later, the three released the single Boys and Girls, which reached, number 48 in the charts. More singles came, each climbing higher up the charts and, before they knew it, their single Don't You Want Me was number one. For Catherall, it was a bizarre time in her life.

"When you get a number one it's very strange. Obviously it's what you strive for and you want your records to do well. When it happens though it's a moment of euphoria, followed by a huge crash. You just know someone is going to say, 'Oh I bet you can't do that again'. I think we enjoyed getting to number two more."

She adds that her music skills developed over time.

"When we started out we were all really quite rubbish. Now we've learnt, we're very confident. We can go out, put on a live show and know we're going to be good at it."

Without having had any childhood dreams of fame, it's quite remarkable that Catherall has spent 30 years in a leading band. Yet she remains unfazed by her career.

"It's just my life," she says nonchalantly. "It doesn't feel like it's been strange because I've still got the same friends. One of my friends is a solicitor and another works in IT, they just accept this is what I've always done."

Still talking with her broad south Yorkshire accent, the singer seems entirely unaffected by her career. Perhaps that's due to the fact that Catherall, Sulley and Oakey have all remained living in Sheffield, snubbing the celebrity lifestyle.

"We never got into the big music scene. We've never even had friends in the music business," Catherall adds.

That's why it comes as a particular shock to Catherall when other famous musicians talk about their love of The Human League.

"It's a bit weird when someone says, 'Oh I was reading an interview with Madonna and she said something about your band' because we always think no one knows anything about us and so we wonder how they've found out about us!"

She adds that when her band saw Madonna in the reception of a hotel during the Eighties, "all three of us were really excited - like little children".

When Catherall talks, you can sense her closeness to the other members of the band. Her friendship between her and Sulley is just as strong as when they were at school together aged 13.

"You meet people when you're out on the road and you can just tell they're not happy in a group - they don't even like each other. We always try to have the same crew and they say, 'It's great working with you three because you all get on'. "There's no politics and nobody walks around stepping on eggshells. We're all just one happy family really."

Outside of the band, Catherall has her own family. She has been married to her partner Pete for 14 years, who she met at a friend's party.

"He was one of my friend's boyfriend's best friends."

Together they have a 12-year-old son Elliott, who now keeps her up-to-date on the music scene.

"He keeps on playing Tinchy Stryder. My initial reaction was 'I don't like that' but because he keeps on playing it, it's grown on me."

However there's no fear that Elliott's taste in music will be rubbing off on the next Human League release, which will "probably be out next year and very pop based".

With her home and band life working happily side by side Catherall sees no reason to quit anytime soon.

"We don't ever think about retiring. I suppose at some time we will have to stop but we're all quite fit and healthy and really happy doing what we're doing."

Extra time - The Human League

Before they were discovered Catherall was planning on studying psychology and sociology at University and Sulley was going to do a degree in business studies.

Philip Oakey used to work as a hospital porter.

When the band were dropped by record label Virgin, both Oakey and Sulley considered giving up but Catherall convinced them to carry on.

Since 2000, The Human League have only played UK festivals.

Catherall likes current artists such as Lily Allen, Katy Perry and La Roux.

See The Human League at this year's Ben & Jerry's Sundae On The Common, 25-26 July 2009. Visit www.benjerry.co.uk for more information.