Cabaret Voltaire is a British music group hailing from Sheffield, England. Originally formed in 1973, the band consisted of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk, and Chris Watson. The group's name was inspired by a Zurich nightclub that was pivotal to the early Dada movement.
Initially, Cabaret Voltaire's performances were heavily influenced by Dadaist performance art. However, they evolved into a significant force in merging pop with various genres, including dance music, techno, dub house, and experimental electronic music.
The band's early work, which involved extensive experimentation with sound creation and processing, is captured in their triple album CD set "Methodology" released by Mute Records in 2002. Their first live performance took place on 13th May 1975; however, it was marred by adversity when Mallinder suffered a chipped backbone due to objects being thrown at them. The emergence of punk rock later brought a more receptive audience to their industrial, electronic sound, earning them support from Sheffield punk fanzine Gunrubber, edited by Paul Bower of the local band 2.3, and Adi Newton of The Future/Clock DVA.
In 1978, Cabaret Voltaire signed with Rough Trade Records, subsequently releasing a series of innovative singles and EPs, including "Extended Play," "Nag Nag Nag," and "Three Mantras," along with notable albums such as "The Voice of America" in 1980 and "Red Mecca" in 1981.
Chris Watson departed from the group in late 1981 to pursue a career in television. He later formed The Hafler Trio with Andrew M. McKenzie and became a BBC sound engineer, producing numerous works in field recording.
During this period, Cabaret Voltaire toured Europe, Japan, and America without major label backing, releasing a live album entitled "Hai!" recorded in Japan in 1982.
In 1983, they shifted towards a more commercial sound with the album "The Crackdown," released on Some Bizarre/Virgin Records. This decision proved successful as the album reached number 31 on the UK Albums Chart, significantly higher than their previous chart placements. The following year, the singles "Sensoria" and "James Brown" from the album "Micro Phonies" also charted on the UK Indie Chart and gained traction in the underground dance scene.
The band continued to release new music, with "Code" arriving in 1987 and the house-influenced album "Groovy, Laidback & Nasty" following in 1990. Between 1992 and 1994, they released a series of instrumental works under the Cabaret Voltaire name through Plastex/Instinct/Apollo. The last album featuring Mallinder's vocals was "Body And Soul," released in 1991.
From the mid to late 1980s, Kirk embarked on a solo career, adopting various names such as Electronic Eye and Sandoz. Mallinder relocated to Perth, Australia, where he collaborated under the name Sassi & Loco and later with Kuling-Bros. He also managed his label, Offworld Sounds, and contributed to Shaun Ryder's solo album "Amateur Night at the Big Top." Mallinder has since returned to the UK and is involved with projects like Wrangler and Creep Show, along with various collaborations.
In 1996, Mallinder reflected on the band's early approach to sound manipulation in an interview with Inpress magazine, drawing parallels between their experiences and the Dadaists' critique of bourgeois culture.
Hints of a potential reunion surfaced in the late 1990s when Kirk alluded to reviving the Cabaret Voltaire name, expressing interest in involving younger artists. Since 2009, he has utilized the Cabaret Voltaire moniker in collaborations with Kora, The Tivoli, and in the reissue of "Johnny YesNo Redux."
In 2014, Richard H. Kirk performed live under the Cabaret Voltaire name at the Atonal Festival in Berlin, showcasing new material. The success of this performance led to a series of live shows across Europe starting in 2015, culminating in the release of the album "Shadow Of Fear" in November 2020.
Richard H. Kirk passed away on 21 September 2021.
On 25 October 2025, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson revived the Cabaret Voltaire name for an exclusive live performance at the Forge Warehouse in Sheffield, followed by a four-date UK tour in November 2025. During this tour, they announced the 'Final Tour' for Cabaret Voltaire, set to take place across the UK and Europe in 2026, concluding with a performance at The Octagon Centre in Sheffield on 25 October 2026.
