Information Society

Information Society has no plans to work on new material. The 1990s saw a string of barely noticed releases, and Kansas has continued to tour year after year, but the band has never been able to regain any mass popularity or critical notice. In 2001, Greatest Hits: Strange Haircuts / Cardboard Guitars / and Computer Samples was released including all the hits from 1988 to 1992. In spite of a successful 1982 album called Vinyl Confessions, the group split in 1983, only to reform in 1986 with the album Power. During the course of the four albums and about a dozen remix singles from them, Information Society's sound went from more electronic pop music to a darker industrial type, though they will always be remembered for their first hit song and the cardboard guitars they wielded in its music video. Hope and Livgren became born-again Christians and Walsh formed a new band, replaced by John Elefante. Amanda left the group before the second album Hack (1990), Paul and James followed after Peace & Love, Inc. (1992), and Kurt was the only remaining member left to record Don't Be Afraid in 1997, which was produced in part out of his car. After a few more albums, Kansas began to fall apart in the early 1980s.

Amanda Kramer has also been a member of the Golden Palominos and 10,000 Maniacs. By the time the band's fourth album, Leftoverture (1976) was released, Kansas was popular enough for the album to be a smash hit and a constant presence on the burgeoning AOR radio format, as was the followup Point of Know Return (1977). Paul Robb's influences in earlier albums ranged more to the prototypal hip-hop and house music, and he was integral to the early operations of Tommy Boy Records. Relentless promotion by Kirshner and touring behind the debut album and its two followups slowly brought Kansas' name to households across America. There is also a cover included of Gary Numan's "Are 'Friends' Electric". A somewhat successful debut album, Kansas, was released in 1974, and showcased Kansas' signature mix of guitars, keyboards, vocals, and Steinhardt's ever-present violin submerging American-style boogie-rock in complex arrangements and changing time signatures. The scavenger hunt began with decoding a modem's audio signal recorded at the end of the first CD of the Don't Be Afraid album, which pointed the way to a website. Upon the arrival of Kerry Livgren (keyboards, guitar) the band's name was changed to Kansas and the group soon won a record deal with Don Kirshner's eponymous label.

One notable instance of such play with computer-related materials included both the complete music video collection to date contained on a second CD provided with Don't Be Afraid and a carefully-orchestrated digital scavenger hunt culminating in the discovery of a bonus track called "White Roses". Dave Hope (bass), Phil Ehart (drums), Robby Steinhardt (violin), Steve Walsh (keyboards, vocals) and Rich Williams (guitar) had formed a group called White Clover in their hometown of Topeka, Kansas. The fourth album, Don't Be Afraid, done by Kurt Harland alone, is more industrial-driven. In spite of a harsh critical reception then and now, Kansas has remained a classic rock radio staple. Their first single "Peace & Love Inc." reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Chart. Kansas is a 1970s American rock and roll band, specializing in progressive rock with a distinctly American flavor. The third release, Peace & Love, Inc., proved to be more powerful, although their spotlight had vanished. 2003 From The Front Row...Live!.

The car sported a functioning ranging laser, among other unusual features. 2002 Device, Voice, Drum. Kurt was also the owner of the heavily-modified art car featured on the cover of Hack, eventually sold to a friend at Burning Man in the mid 1990s. 2000 Somewhere to Elsewhere. The second release, Hack, wasn't as powerful, but had a small hit with "Think". 1998 King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents. The disc was one of the few to use CD+G, which included digital graphics on the compact disc version in addition to the music. 1998 Always Never the Same.

The self-titled debut album Information Society (1988) also had another hit, "Walking Away", and a cover from ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me". 1995 Freaks of Nature. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), also from Star Trek, saying, "It's worked so far, but we're not out yet!". 1992 Live at the Whisky. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from Star Trek, saying "pure energy," and opened with a sample of Dr. 1988 In the Spirit of Things. Their breakout hit was 1988's "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)", a dance hit which included a sample of Mr. 1986 Power.

band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, consisting of Kurt Harland (aka Kurt Valaquen), Paul Robb, James Cassidy, and Amanda Kramer. 1983 Drastic Measures. Information Society (aka InSoc) was a U.S. 1982 Vinyl Confessions. Are Friends Electric?. 1980 Audio-Visions. Lay All Your Love On Me (199x). 1979 Monolith.

How Long (199x). 1978 Two for the Show. Going, Going, Gone (199x). 1977 Point of Know Return. Peace & Love, Inc. (1992). 1976 Leftoverture. Running (19xx original, 2001 remixes). 1975 Masque.

Think (19xx). 1974 Song for America. Walking Away (198x). 1974 Kansas. What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) (1988 original, 2001 remixes). Greatest Hits: Strange Haircuts / Cardboard Guitars / and Computer Samples (2001).

The Best of Information Society. Boot Disk 2.0. InSoc Recombinant (1999 remixes). Don't Be Afraid (1997).

Peace & Love, Inc. (1992). Hack (1990). Information Society (1988).