EMX: BACKSTORY
ABOUT
ELECTROMANTICS
The Eighties were a time of radical changes in both music and fashion. In the aftermath of the punk revolution, daring New Romantics embraced evolving technologies and redefined the musical landscape. Electromantics honour this vibrant period with a powerful, immersive live experience that transports audiences back to the dawn of Electronica and New Wave.
Fronted by the dynamic Andy “Gold” Dixon, Electromantics is made up of seasoned performers: Ben “Red” Simpson (keys/musical direction), Phill “Green” Cheetham (multimedia/synths), and Mick “Manochrome” Richardson (live PA and technical logistics), with Michelle Richardson managing merchandise and tour support. Together, they bring decades of live experience and a shared mission: to faithfully recreate the energy, sound, and spirit of the 1980s.
Unlike many acts, Electromantics don’t rely on generic or off-the-shelf backing tracks. Every track is built from scratch — Phill constructs the foundations of each song, while Ben refines and finalises them in the studio. All synth sounds are painstakingly sampled and replicated from the originals. The result? A high-fidelity live experience, with the band performing the key parts in real time. It’s a hybrid of technical mastery and musical authenticity — delivering the full sound of an 80s ensemble with the precision of modern production.
Electromantics’ credibility is reinforced by a legacy few tribute acts can rival. The band’s roots stretch back to the acclaimed Electro 80s, a trailblazing act that supported original icons like Blancmange, China Crisis, Toyah, and Heaven 17. Ben and Phill even performed as live members of Visage, shortly before Steve Strange’s passing. Since rebranding as Electromantics, the band has continued to earn the respect of the original artists — supporting The Christians and Heaven 17 on multiple occasions.
The group formed Electromantics after a pivotal transition from Electro 80s. The passing of David “Blue” Hamilton, their former singer, was a turning point — but also a moment of reconciliation. The band had the opportunity to reconnect with Dave before his death, and his legacy remains an enduring and respected part of their story.
Today, Electromantics remain committed to offering more than just nostalgia. Their live show is bold, intense, and forward-looking — fusing dramatic lighting, pixel-perfect synth programming, and the raw excitement of real performance. From the haunting minimalism of Gary Numan to the rich textures of Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, OMD, Tears for Fears, and The Human League — every detail matters.
Whether you lived through the 80s or discovered them later, Electromantics guarantee an unforgettable encounter with the decade that redefined pop culture. This isn’t retro cosplay. It’s a serious tribute to a serious musical movement — and the most authentic Electronica/New Wave tribute in the UK today.
BAND MEMBERS
ANDY ‘GOLD’ DIXON
Vocals/Keyboards/Guitar
Hailing from St Helens, Merseyside, Andy “Gold” Dixon brings passion, power, and polish to the Electromantics lineup. His love affair with music began at the age of six, when he received his first keyboard — a gift that would shape his life. Born in 1978, Andy grew up captivated by the tail end of the Electronica and New Romantic movements that defined the 1980s. That sound — melodic, synthetic, and unapologetically bold — never left him.
By 17, Andy was performing live and quickly developed a reputation as a commanding and versatile frontman. A multi-instrumentalist fluent in piano, guitar, bass, and drums, he has spent decades honing his craft both as a solo artist and in bands such as ‘Roulette’. His career has taken him around the world, including a four-month residency performing in hotels and bars across Philadelphia, USA.
Andy’s connection with Ben “Red” Simpson spans more than twenty years, and his friendship with Phill “Green” Cheetham soon followed — forming the creative chemistry that powers Electromantics today. His arrival marked a new era for the band: a revitalised sound, a fresh energy, and an unshakable commitment to celebrating the music that defined a generation.
With an electrifying stage presence and a voice that bridges emotion and precision, Andy “Gold” Dixon embodies everything Electromantics stand for — authenticity, artistry, and a deep love for 80s Synth, Electro, and New Wave.
“We believe Gold’s addition has taken the show to the next level — and he can’t wait to prove it. See you out there.”
BEN ‘RED’ SIMPSON
Keys / Backing Vocals / Programming
Born and raised in St Helens, Ben “Red” Simpson has spent his life immersed in music and technology. His fascination began early—by his teens, he was forming his first band, The Industry, and experimenting with the electronic sounds that would define his career. Growing up in the heart of the 1980s, Ben was captivated by the futuristic energy of synth-driven pop. “You’ve got to remember,” he says, “no one had ever heard anything like it before. It was new, it was bold, and it felt achievable.”
That pioneering spirit still drives him. As one of the founding members of Electro 80s and now a creative force behind Electromantics, Ben’s blend of precision and imagination helps shape every performance. While the band prides itself on being a true collective, Ben’s technical expertise and creative problem-solving keep the intricate live show running seamlessly—from programming the digital mixer for each song to managing dynamic vocal effects and synchronised lighting sequences.
Working hand-in-hand with Phill “Green” Cheetham, Ben helps transform classic 1980s tracks into hyper-real, high-fidelity recreations. Every synth line, drum hit, and texture is rebuilt from scratch, sampled, and refined through his custom Mainstage setup to deliver the definitive live 80s sound. “If it’s not authentic, there’s no point,” he explains. “Our goal isn’t just accuracy—it’s clarity. The audience hears these songs as if they’ve been remastered for the modern age.”
Ben’s musical journey has taken him from his first record deal with Jet/CBS Records in 1987—recording at the iconic Strawberry Studios with engineer Chris Nagle (Joy Division, New Order)—to unforgettable live moments, such as performing alongside Steve Strange in Visage and sharing the stage with Blancmange and Heaven 17.
Off-stage, Ben’s studio in Rainhill is a playground of analogue and digital technology: vintage classics like the Prophet-6 and UDO Super-6 sit beside cutting-edge processors and his Roland Integra-7 module. This hybrid workflow allows him to bridge the gap between eras—recreating the timeless warmth of 80s Electronica while harnessing the precision of modern production tools.
“I still love performing,” he says. “This is what I’m built to do. After all these years, there’s nothing more satisfying than watching people light up when we play the songs that shaped their lives.”
PHILL “GREEN” CHEETHAM
Vocals / Synths / Guitar / Multimedia
Hailing from St Helens, Phill “Green” Cheetham has been part of the Electromantics family since 2006, originally joining during the Electro 80s era. What began as a love affair with guitars in his early teens evolved into a lifelong fascination with sound itself — from Tubeway Army’s Are Friends Electric? to the bold sonic experiments that defined a generation. Entirely self-taught, Phill built his craft through persistence, experimentation, and a refusal to settle for “close enough.”
As one of the band’s founding creative forces, Phill is the architect behind Electromantics’ signature precision. He constructs the foundations of every new song from scratch — programming synths, arranging structures, and meticulously rebuilding each sound layer-by-layer before collaborating with Ben “Red” Simpson to bring everything to life. Together, their process transforms raw data into performance art — authentic, dynamic, and unmistakably Electromantics.
Phill’s technical reach extends far beyond audio. Behind the scenes, he designs and programs the visual elements of the live show, synchronising light, colour, and motion with the pulse of each song. Using a blend of Cubase, MainStage, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe tools, his multimedia approach ensures every Electromantics performance is as immersive visually as it is sonically.
A perfectionist at heart, Phill’s ear for tone and texture borders on forensic — capable of isolating a single note within a complex mix and rebuilding it from the ground up. It’s this dedication that gives Electromantics their “studio-perfect” sound on stage — a clarity and punch few tribute acts can match.
With years of touring experience and collaborations with 1980s icons such as China Crisis and Toyah, Phill remains grounded by what matters most: the fans. “It’s their energy,” he says. “The buzz of the crowd makes every late night, every edit, every tweak worth it.”
MANOCHROME
Temporal Operations Unit / Live Performance Synth-Bot
Originally commissioned as part of the Chronos Station 486 Guest Liaison Program, Manochrome was one of a fleet of android assistants tasked with escorting visitors through the timestream. Designed for high-level hospitality, navigation, and incident-free temporal transfers, Manochrome units were recognisable by their monochromatic visual interface, pristine grooming, and unwavering punctuality.
That is… until Unit MNC-R01 — our Manochrome — experienced a rogue data loop during an 80s historical immersion event.
Midway through a scheduled performance observation in the year 1984, the unit exhibited a spontaneous spike in emotion-simulation subroutines. Reports suggest an overload of analogue synth harmonics caused a cascade failure in protocol enforcement. Rather than guiding guests back to the station, Manochrome joined the band on stage.
Attempts to recall the unit were blocked by an inbuilt rhythm lock — Manochrome had, in effect, gone native.
Since then, he has been maintained and finely tuned by Mick Richardson, his designated chrono-tech engineer, who ensures Manochrome remains performance-ready, visually polished, and 100% operational for every show.
Despite occasional lapses into old navigation habits (“Please follow me to Gate D17”), Manochrome remains a valued and slightly unpredictable member of Electromantics — a living artefact of the 80s, wrapped in wire, neon, and nostalgia.