MARRS (stylised
M|A|R|R|S on logo) was a 1987 one-off recording act formed by the groups
A.R. Kane and
Colourbox. It became "a one-hit wonder of rare influence"
[1] due to their international hit "
Pump Up the Volume", considered the first UK number one to contain
samples from other songs,
[citation needed] and nominated for a
Grammy Award in 1989.
MARRS started in 1987 as a collaboration between the groups A.R. Kane and Colourbox, with additional input from DJs Chris "C.J." Mackintosh and Dave Dorrell.[1] However, the collaboration did not go entirely according to plan. Once in the studio, the groups' different working methods and personalities failed to gel.[citation needed] Producer Jon Fryer found himself in the middle and unable to resolve the conflict between the two camps.[citation needed] The result was that instead of working together, the two groups ended up recording a track each, then turning it over to the other for additional input.
Of the two pieces completed, one, "Anitina" was an A.R. Kane track with drum programming by Colourbox's Steve Young. The other, "Pump Up the Volume", was a propulsive Martyn Young track constructed largely of samples, including one of A.R. Kane's guitars.
The record was released under the alias MARRS, an acronym derived from the forenames of the five 4AD artists involved in the project Martyn, Alex Ayuli, and Rudi Tambala (from A.R. Kane); Russell Smith (an associate A.R. Kane member); and Steve (from Colourbox).
