Topics for their lyrical rage included starvation, war and exploitation, with second album 'For How Much Longer Must We Tolerate This Mass Murder' being a perfect example. However, their extremist approach to music has been described as both inspirational and intolerable in different quarters.
Formed in 1978, and influenced by people such as Burroughs, Rimbaud, Yoko Ono, the Last Poets, James Brown and John Cage, they quickly gained a reputation and were offered the support slot on Pere Ubu's tour the same year.
Radarscope records released their debut single in 1979, 'She Is Beyond Good and Evil', which was influenced by the writings of Nietzsche (and therefore never likely to trouble the mainstream). The debut album 'Y' soon followed, and with it's vague political/personal lyrics is considered by some to be the band's finest moment. However, subsequent releases were more direct in their rage, with the next single 'We Are All Prostitutes' beginning the trend claiming 'everyone has their price' in the realm of 'consumer fascism', screamed over a backdrop of feedback laced funk-disco-jazz with added violins.
The second full length release, 'For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate This Mass Murder?', appeared in 1980, and the band showed signs of becoming more proficient musicians, whilst aiming lyrical diatribes directly at the issues of the day. Amongst their live performances at this time they often played benefit gigs for CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament).
A split single with the Slits followed later the same year, but by 1981 the band had gone their separate ways, and a posthumous LP, 'We Are Time' collected various demo tapes and live songs.
Bassist Simon Underwood formed Pigbag, who combined the funk elements of the Pop Group with riotous ethnic rhythms, but left the politics out of the equation. Guitarist Gareth Sagar formed Rip, Rig and Panic (also featuring a young Neneh Cherry), leaving only singer Mark Stewart to further the bleak outlook of the band with his next project, Maffia, taking on elements of dub and experimental dance music, and he later also recorded with Tackhead. Drummer Bruce Smith later joined Public Image Limited.
Nonetheless, with Nick Cave naming the Pop Group as his favourite band of the millenium on a Channel 4 programme, their influence has reached far and wide, with songs such as 'We Are All Prostitutes' finding kindred lyrical ideas on the similarly bleak album 'The Holy Bible' by the Manic Street Preachers. The Minutemen and Jello Biafra from the Dead Kennedys have also name-dropped them in interviews, and artists ranging from Marilyn Manson through to Tricky have displayed the same uncompromising songwriting styles.
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU'LL LIKE THE POP GROUP: Big Flame, Gang of Four, Birthday Party, Manic Street Preachers, Fugazi, Rage Against the Machine, Public Image Ltd, New Fast Automatic Daffodils, Tricky, Massive Attack, Marilyn Manson, Dead Kennedys.