"Warm Leatherette" is a song by Daniel Miller's project The Normal, released in 1978.
The Normal original
Overview
The lyrics of "Warm Leatherette" reference J.G. Ballard's controversial 1973 novel Crash, which had heavily influenced Daniel Miller. Together with his college friend, he had worked on a film script based on the book, but after the project was abandoned, Miller decided to "write a song encapsulating in 2 and a half minutes". The song was recorded in Miller's apartment using two Revox B-77 tape machines. A series of sawtooth waves were recorded on a Korg 700S synthesizer. Miller took the record to a few independent music shops, including Rough Trade in London, where it would be played to customers. "Warm Leatherette" was released as the B-side to "T.V.O.D.", the only single by Miller's musical project The Normal, and the very first release on his Mute Records label. However, since it was "Warm Leatherette" that gained more public attention, it was featured as the lead song on subsequent single re-releases. Although Miller did not expect the single to be successful, it sold thirty thousand copies. The single was an early example of industrial music, emerging on a wave of numerous electronic pop experiments of the late 1970s in the UK. It has since been described as having "revolutionised electronic music with its punk aesthetic, stark sound and dark subject matter" and has been covered by numerous artists.
Die Tödliche Doris recorded a cover of this song in December 1980, and released it on their 2000 compilation Kinderringellreihen für Wahren Toren des Grals.
Peter Rauhofer has recorded multiple covers of this song as Club 69, first on two 1995 releases, then on a 1999 album, Re-Styled, on a 2007 electronic compilation album, Naughty Holiday Collection and a 2007 Star 69 Trax promo disc.
Chicks on Speed and DJ Hell covered this song on a split 7" in 1998 with different versions of the song. Chicks on Speed later re-released their cover on a 2000 CD, The Re-Releases of the Un-Releases, with an additional intro.
Belgian band Dive recorded a cover of this song, released in June 2000 on the electronic compilation CD Heaven & Hell.
Richard X, as Girls on Top, mashed up this song with Missy Elliott's "She's a Bitch" to produce "Warm Bitch" in 2000.
Takkyu Ishino covered this song on his March 2004 single "The Rising Suns".
Vitalic performed a live version of "Warm Leatherette" on BBC Radio 1. A recording of the performance was included on his 2005 single "My Friend Dario" and a 2006 collector's edition of his album OK Cowboy.
Duran Duran performed the song at their run of ten concerts in New York City in November 2007, and as part of an electronic medley portion of their set list on the subsequent 2008 Red Carpet Massacre tour.
Laibach performed a cover with German lyrics of the song titled "Warme Lederhaut" at the end of their set at the Mute Records Short Circuit Festival at the Roundhouse, London, on 14 May 2011. They have also performed it as part of their 30th anniversary tour.
NON aka Boyd Rice covered the song again for the Short Circuit edition of the Mute compilation Vorwärts.
Artist and musician Florian-Ayala Fauna covered the song for her 2012 sing, Warm Leatherette.
Decoded Feedback covered this song on their 2016 album, Dark Passenger.
Vitalic released a heavily re-worked version as "Sweet Cigarette" in their 2017 album "Voyager".
Suzi Quatro released a version within her 2014 four cd box setThe Girl from Detroit City.
