The Normal

The Normal is the recording artist name used by English music producer Daniel Miller, a film editor at the time, who is best known as the founder of the record label Mute Records.

In 1977, Miller had split up with his girlfriend. A friend suggested that he read a book he himself had just finished. The book was Crash (1973) by J.G. Ballard. He felt that Ballard’s writing took him five minutes into the future; the novel was to be a major influence in the music he would produce as The Normal. Miller was disillusioned by the fact you needed to learn three chords to be in a punk band, so he decided to purchase a synthesiser. His thinking was that you only needed to learn to press one key on a synthesiser. After buying a Korg 700s synthesiser from Macari’s music shop in London, Miller recorded and released a single under the name The Normal. This was «T.V.O.D.»/»Warm Leatherette». Both tracks were minimalist electronic songs influenced by the Crash novel. He wanted the sound of the recordings to be visual, like driving along a highway between large buildings then going through a tunnel. The single was recorded in Daniel Miller’s house using a TEAC four track tape recorder and the Korg synthesiser.

«Live at West Runton Pavilion», The Normal’s second release, done with another Mute Records act, Robert Rental, wasn’t well received. A strange release, it was a one-sided album (side two was left blank) of improvised electronic noises, in a plain purple dust jacket. Marat Records released the record in Germany as Daniel Miller Robert Rental Live, with a black and white picture sleeve, catalogue No. Marat Rough 017.

Discography
The Normal - «T.V.O.D.» / «Warm Leatherette» (Mute Records 1978)
Robert Rental & The Normal - Live At West Runton Pavilion, 6-3-79 (Rough Trade 1980)