Kassner Music

Philip Oakey has been the subject of worldwide fame for the past 30 years as the frontman of the seminal British synthpop band The Human League|, contributing to the band’s success as both vocalist and songwriter. Philip signed an exclusive songwriting agreement with the Kassner group in 2001, forming a relationship that provided KAP with rights to the songs on The Human League|’s 2001 release Secrets.

Genre-defining Music

The songwriting career of Philip Oakey began in 1977 when he joined with Ian Craig Marsh and old school friend Martyn Ware to form The Future. The Future was soon renamed The Human League, the band with which Oakey would become synonymous in a career which now spans over 30 years. When Marsh and Ware departed in 1980, Oakey took on a greater burden of the group’s composing duties, which famously led to 1981’s triple platinum selling album Dare. Taking the use of synthesisers to a new level of commercial appeal, the album is recognised as one of the most influential of all time and the single Don’t You Want Me is amongst the biggest selling ever, achieving the remarkable feat of reaching #1 in both the UK and the US.

Secrets

Since the success of Dare, Philip’s talents as a composer have continued to be showcased through both the release of subsequent Human League albums and various collaborative projects, the most famous of which was with the legendary producer Giorgio Moroder. Philip chose to sign with the Kassner group in 2001, citing his reasons as follows:

“I am delighted to have signed with a publisher with such a rich history and fabulous catalogue, specifically willing to focus on a few handpicked songwriters.”

The album Secrets was released soon after. Secrets was universally acclaimed as a creative triumph, lead tracks All I Ever Wanted ALL I EVER WANTED by PHIL OAKEY,NEIL SUTTON| and Love Me Madly? LOVE ME MADLY by PHIL OAKEY,NEIL SUTTON| in particular garnering praise for their hook-laden sound.

ASCAP honoree

Philip’s songwriting ability still commands huge respect from the music industry and as recently as 2008 he was honoured by ASCAP for his contribution to Don’t You Want Me. Oakey is currently working on new material and the recent upsurge of interest in synth-driven music shows that he continues to be a muse for artists who emulate the sound that to a large extent he created.