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Movement Systems Drum Computer II

Sir Ruff's Movement Drum Computer II at Knobcon, 2014. The garbled ASCII display was the result of intermittent OS booting issues. Of the few MSC-2s currently in existence, most have technical issues.
Developer	John Dickenson Dave Goodway
Release date	1981 (MKI); 1983 (MKII) (1981 (MKI); 1983 (MKII)) [1]

The Movement Drum System I/II (generally referred to as the Movement MCS Percussion Computer) was a very rare British-made drum machine produced approximately between 1981 (MKI) and 1983 (MKII).

History

Both retailed at £1999.00 ex vat at March 1983 from 'Movement Audio Visual', 61 Taunton Road, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 3LP, UK. Both models combined two technologies; analogue synthesized drum sounds similar to Simmons SDS-V and basic digital 8-bit drum samples. In total 14 independent voice modules could be played (5 of which can be digital). Also notable for its computer-like design and its ability to display drum notes and sequencing graphically on a green black cathode ray tube display unit perhaps similar to page R on the fairlight CMI. The Movement Drum Systems are known to have been expensive upon release, and it is estimated that approximately thirty were made.

The original designers were John Dickenson (owned the company Movement) and Dave Goodway. John Dickenson supplied sounds and the idea (the Design, Look, how it should work, layout etc.) and Dave Goodway did the electronic side of the drum machine.

Its most famous user was David A. Stewart of Eurythmics, who excelled in the use of this Drum Computer on their 1983 worldwide hit, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." The machine (MKI) makes an appearance in the video, in a scene in which singer Annie Lennox is seated on top of a table in a meadow, as Dave Stewart types on the Drum Computer's keyboard. Note in this video the version used is a two-piece type base unit and separate monitor (perhaps a prototype or the MKI model). This is the model that also appears briefly near the beginning of the video for "Love On Your Side" by Thompson Twins. Phil Collins used an orange smaller 'one piece' MKII. David Stewart also used this machine on the following two albums, Touch and soundtrack album 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother). The last commercial track release Eurythmics used this machine was on Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four). At this time the Eurythmics chose to use a lot of heavy ambient audio outboard processing to 'beef-up' and update perhaps the rather mild and dated sound of this classic machine.

In 1984, Dave Goodway and Jonathan (JJ) Jowitt added MIDI create an additional 8 track sequencer.
Other hardware modifications, like battery backed memory and disk drives were added, but the operation was small (only a two-man team). Eventually, the big companies reigned supreme.

Vince Clarke currently owns a black version of the MK2 which was originally owned by David A. Stewart of the Eurythmics, The trade was only £500 GBP.

Usage

In addition to the above, the drum machine was also used on the tracks and albums:

• 
  Kim Wilde (Cambodia) and most of her 1982 album Select
  


• 
  Hot Chocolate (Girl Crazy) and most of their 1982 studio album Mystery
  


• 
  Thompson Twins on their Quick Step and Side Kick and Into The Gap albums


• 
  John Foxx on his 1981 album The Garden
  


• 
  Mick Karn on his 1982 album Titles
  


• 
  Phil Collins on his 1982 album Hello, I Must Be Going! and with Genesis on the 1983 album Genesis
  

and has been used/owned by:

• Kissing the Pink


• Kajagoogoo

References