The The Artistfacts

1979-
The The, formed in 1979 by Matt Johnson, began as a solo project but evolved into a band with a revolving lineup of talented musicians. Emerging from the post-punk scene in London, the group became known for its genre-blending sound, combining elements of rock, new wave, and electronic music with deeply introspective and politically charged lyrics.
The band's debut album, Burning Blue Soul (1981), was initially released under Johnson's name, but The The truly gained momentum with their 1983 album Soul Mining, which features the hit singles "This Is the Day" and "Uncertain Smile." Their follow-up, Infected (1986), was a critical and commercial success, spending 30 weeks on UK albums chart.
The band's sound matured with Mind Bomb (1989) and Dusk (1993), which introduced more live instrumentation and further explored Johnson's themes of love, politics, and spirituality. Despite numerous lineup changes, Johnson remained the driving force behind The The, with his distinctive voice and vision shaping each release.
Raised in East London in a bohemian household, Johnson was surrounded by artists, musicians, and free thinkers. His father ran a pub that doubled as a local music venue, exposing Johnson to a wide range of musical influences from an early age.

"Growing up above the Two Puddings, one of East London's most notorious music houses in the 1960s, was hugely influential to my brothers and me," Johnson remembered to Run Riot. "My uncle Kenny was one of London's top music promoters in those days and worked with pretty much everyone except Elvis and The Beatles. He helped run the pub along with my mum and dad. Plenty of famous bands and singers performed there."
The The's lineup has been fluid throughout its history, with Matt Johnson often taking on multiple roles. Musicians who have contributed to the band include:

Keith Laws: Keyboards and synthesizers (1979-1981). Laws later pursued a career in academia, becoming a professor of neuropsychology at the University of Hertfordshire.

Johnny Marr: Guitars (1988-1994, 2017). Marr is best known for his work with The Smiths.

Gail Ann Dorsey: Bass (1995). Dorsey spent a decade in David Bowie's band, adding her distinctive style to The The's sound.
Matt Johnson has battled depression and anxiety for much of his career. He also struggled to deal with the loss of his younger brother Eugene in 1989.

After the release of NakedSelf in 2000, Johnson found it increasingly difficult to write new songs because of his health issues. During this time, he turned his creative energy toward film and documentary soundtracks, including the score for the 2009 film Tony and the 2012 documentary Moonbug. This period allowed Johnson to explore a different side of his musical talent, emphasizing atmospheric and instrumental compositions. It wasn't until later that he returned to more traditional songwriting and recording with The The.
The The can be pronounced different ways, but Matt Johnson calls it "th-uh th-uh." Some call it "thee thee," or even "thee th-uh."

"th-uh th-uh" makes sense grammatically: The word "the" is properly pronounced "th-uh" before a consonant ("the restaurant", "the game") and "thee" before a vowel ("The Olympics", "The acorn").

Johnson said he chose the name because "it doesn't suggest any particular preconceptions."

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