[4] The group was signed to the Blue Chip record label, owned by former Wigan Casino DJ Kev Roberts, under which they released (Still) Life Keeps Moving: a vocal techno tune, and The Rhythm Of Life, an LP album strongly influenced by Detroit techno with acid house, electro and breakbeats elements.
Altern 8 was formed in Stafford in 1990, as a side project to Nexus 21, (a name chosen because of its "futuristic house sound"), when both members were aged 21.
[citation needed] Although in the inlay of their first album they credit Manchester-based British acid house group 808 State, by thanking them for starting the UK rave scene.
[citation needed] Altern 8 tunes influenced many artists, with their mixture of the sounds of the Roland TB-303, 808 and 909 with break-beats and familiar samples.
The duo, dressed in chemical warfare suits and dancing "like electrofied monkeys", took part in a large number of live performances.
[6] The same year, the band did a live performance in the car park outside Shelley's night club in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, which can be seen in the video for their second single, "Activ 8 (Come With Me)".
Mark Archer carried on as Altern 8 with the original MCs and dancers from 1999 and performed at Old School Hardcore reunion events throughout the 2000s.
Since 2014, Altern 8[9] have enjoyed a new resurgence in popularity through a series of live appearances at festivals and clubs across the UK, introducing them to a new generation of fans.
[10] In 2020, Altern 8 headlined the Bang Face festival at Pontins in Southport, which was the last large-scale music event held in the UK before the government advised against gatherings of this kind during the coronavirus pandemic.
Called "Hard Crew", the hardcore tune had been heard in Altern 8 sets over the past few years, but 2020 marked the first time it had been widely available (with the release coming in a number of remixes in support of the #WeAreViable campaign).