The Pop Group Archives - TURN UP THE VOLUME

MARK STEWART – Posthumously Released Album ‘THE FATEFUL SYMMETRY’ By THE POP GROUP’s Legend Is A Final Treasure

New significant longplayers

25 July 2025

MARK STEWART, one of the most adventurous/inventive/original
post-punk & dub artists/performers ever, passed away 2 years,
aged 62.

He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group THE POP GROUP
who shocked lots of right-wing ears and minds with their first two LPs, Y (1979)
and For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? (1980).

Afterward, everybody went their own way, but they reunited in the 21st Century
for 2 more longplayers, Citizen Zombie (2015) and Honeymoon On Mars (2016).

As a prolific solo artist, he scored 7 LPs, collaborated with countless
other artists, and caused poignant waves with his Mafia outfit.

Here’s his new solo one, named THE FATEFUL SYMMETRY
released posthumously by Mute Records.

Album artwork

English indie label Mute Records issued this statement.

“Mute is extremely honoured to announce Mark Stewart’s new solo album ‘The Fateful Symmetry’, a vital masterwork completed early 2023. Testifying to his prolific, unrelenting ingenuity, and signifying one of his most intimate, empowering statements, The Fateful Symmetry is a fierce and beautiful manifesto for a better world. “

TUTV: Posthumous releases of favorite artists have two sides. One, you get reminded about the passing of a beloved musician, and two, you get excited as new material is offered. In this case, very good new material. No archives dump, or out-takes, weird rarities and other low-quality stuff. The Faithfull Symmetry is a splendid, final opus by a unique musical mind.

Stewart‘s expresses again his mixed emotions about humanity and its messy planet. Both pessimistic and optimistic reflections, but always with sparks of hope. Musically, it’s a very accessible pop record with several crooning musings, This Is The Rain, Twilight Child, Crypto Religion, and the wonderful, goosebumps closer A Long Road (made me instantly think of his good friend and fan Nick Cave).

His characteristic, captivating voice, both heartrending and heartwarming at the same time, feels so real, so close, and as always, engaged and genuine. Mark Stewart was one of a kind and will always be in my book. Thank you, Mute Records, for this posthumous treasure, one to cherish

SINGLES

STREAM/BUY ALBUM

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Facebook – Mute Records

MARK STEWART – Hear The Haunting First Single ‘MEMORY OF YOU’ From Upcoming Posthumous Solo LP Out In July

Posted on April 8, 2025 by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

8 April 2025

In two weeks it’ll be 2 years since MARK STEWART, one of the most adventurous/inventive/original post-punk & dub artists/performers
ever, passed away, aged 62.

He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group THE POP GROUP
who shocked lots of right-wing ears and minds with their two first LPs, Y (1979)
and For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? (1980).

Afterward everybody went his own way, but they reunited in the 21st Century for
2 more longplayers, Citizen Zombie (2015) and Honeymoon On Mars (2016).

As a prolific solo artist he scored 9 albums, collaborated with countless
other artists, and caused poigant waves with his Mafia outfit.

With The Pop Group – Belgium 2017 – Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Great news for fans like myself, just came in.

English indie label Mute Records issued this statement.

“Mute is extremely honoured to announce Mark Stewart’s new solo album THE FATEFUL SYMMETRY, a vital masterwork completed early 2023. Testifying to his prolific, unrelenting ingenuity, and signifying one of his most intimate, empowering statements, The Fateful Symmetry is a fierce and beautiful manifesto for a better world. ”

Album artwork

Mark Stewart about the record: “When you look outside the prescribed consumer world, you’re suddenly floating in something you don’t understand. Everything you were taught is wrong. You realise the whole political system is an illusion, it’s a scam. It’s this whole sort of Matrix thing. And suddenly you feel like one of those space walkers, floating in this black universe. But then, you find some rainbow dust.”

Pre-order info here.

Discover first single MEMORY OF YOU.
Haunting, synth-symphonic and boom-tastic.

Mark Stewart Facebook – Mute Records

British Anarchistic Funk Punks THE POP GROUP Released Their Startling 1979 Debut Album ‘Y’ 45 Years Ago – R.I.P. MARK STEWART

Posted on April 21, 2024 by JL

Back in time

21 April 2024

Today 45 years ago, on 21 April 1979, British funk-punk mavericks THE POP GROUP released their startling debut LP Y that still sounds spooky, anarchistic, and gloriously
out of the ordinary today.

Single ‘She’s Beyond Good And Evil

ALBUM

Exactly 1 year ago today the band’s charismatic frontman and
renowned dub artist Mark Stewart passed away, aged only 62.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Mark twice and interviewing
him once. He was not only an influencing artist but also a warm-hearted
and down-to-earth person.

At Sonic City Fest in Belgium, 2015

A quote from Mark about the early days.

THE POP GROUP With Post Punk Classic ‘SHE’S BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL’ (1979)

Posted on April 24, 2023 by JL

Last Saturday the sad news of the passing of 62-year old MARK STEWART
best known as the astounding frontman of experimental post-punk band
THE POP GROUP from Bristol who hit the scene back 1977. He also recorded
multiple albums solo and collaborated with lots of other artists.

Their innovative, mercurial, and left politics-infused
debut LP Y is still regarded as a classic album of the era.

The album’s wilful single SHE IS BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
(more than 1 million streams on Spotify) is one of their
unforgettable exploits.

In memoriam of Mark Stewart. R.I.P

THE POP GROUP: Bio – Discography

R.I.P. MARK STEWART

Posted on April 22, 2023 by JL

23 April 2023

Young Mark Stewart on the cover of NME in 1978

Very sad news. MARK STEWART passed away at only 62. No cause of
death is communicated. He was the mastermind of new wave/post-punk
crusaders THE POP GROUP (Bristol, UK) and also a much-lauded solo artist
exploring dub, reggae, electronic music, rock and punk. Rest in peace.

Discography The Pop Group here.
Discography as a solo artist here.

MARK STEWART – 10/8/60 – 21/4/23

Mark Stewart passed away in early hours of Friday 21 April 2023

Mark’s family and friends respectfully ask to be given space at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/L3FvG2W6kX

— mark stewart (@_markstewart) April 21, 2023

On Belgian TV in 1980.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Mark twice and interviewing
him once. He was not only an influential artist but also a warmhearted
and down-to-earth person. I’ll miss him sadly.

A quote from Mark about the early days.

THE POP GROUP And DENNIS BOVELL Bring ‘Y’ Back In Dub Next Month

Posted on September 5, 2021 by JL

4 September 2021

Band: THE POP GROUP
Who: Legendary, sound-exploring
and outspoken Bristol post-punks

Album: Y IN DUB

Info: ‘Y in Dub’ is a 9-track collection of heavyweight dub versions that match the
prodigious intensity of their source material. The release reflects the enterprising
originality of the dub and reggae music that inspired The Pop Group, as well as the
legendary ingenuity of their longstanding collaborator Dennis Bovell, recently awarded
an MBE for his services to music, might we add… The original material is submerged and prolonged, shattered, splintered, and sculpted into turbulent, contrasting forms which
deviate from the original tracks in compelling, unexpected ways.

Release: Via Mute on CD and digitally on October 29th, 2021, with the vinyl release
set to follow at a later date due to ongoing worldwide production issues with vinyl.

Order info: here

L to r: Dub expert Dennis Bovell, frontman Mark Stewart, multi-instrumentalist Gareth Sager

Mark Stewart (frontman): “Dub to me is the music of chance.
A teenage dream come true – at last – this one’s for the explorers.”

Here’s the video clip for first taster WORDS DISOBEY ME…

Original artwork

Original album

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THE POP GROUP: Website – Spotify

(Group photo via Mute)

THE POP GROUP – 1979 Debut Album ‘Y’ Returns In Dub With DENNIS BOVELL

Posted on July 31, 2021 by JL

31 July 2021

Band: THE POP GROUP
Who: Legendary, sound-exploring
and outspoken Bristol post-punks

Album: Y IN DUB

Release: Via Mute on CD and digitally on October 29th, 2021, with the vinyl release
set to follow at a later date due to ongoing worldwide production issues with vinyl.

Order info: here

L to r: Dub expert Dennis Bovell, frontman Mark Stewart, multi-instrumentalist Gareth Sager

Mark Stewart (frontman): “Dub to me is the music of chance.
A teenage dream come true – at last – this one’s for the explorers.”

AllMusic said about the original LP: “Y sounds like a call for revolution, a fearless salvo on behalf of a creative vision without compromise of any form. Decades after its release, Y remains a challenging work that feels contemporary, and much of the experimental rock community is still trying to catch up with it.”

First taster: Words Disobey Me…

Full tracklist:

1. Thief of Fire (Dub Version)
2. Snowgirl (Dub Version)
3. Blood Money (Dub Version)
4. Savage Sea (Dub Version)
5. We Are Time (Dub Version)
6. Words Disobey Me (Dub Version)
7. Don’t Call Me Pain (Dub Version)
8. Boys From Brazil (Dub Version)
9. Don’t Sell Your Dreams (Dub Version)