"Infected" is the second studio album by the English post-punk band The The, released on November 17, 1986, by Some Bizarre and Epic. The album produced four UK singles, including the band's most successful single, "Heartland," which reached No. 29 in the UK and remained on the charts for 10 weeks. The other singles from the album include "Infected," "Slow Train to Dawn," and "Sweet Bird of Truth." Although Infected peaked at No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart, it stayed on the chart for 30 weeks.
"Heartland," the first single from the album, held particular significance for frontman Matt Johnson, who described it as "probably the best song I've ever written." He explained that the song was a critique of the working-class Tories and middle class who still believed Britain was economically on par with countries like France and Germany. Johnson wanted to write a song that would stand as a timeless representation of the era. He noted that it took 18 months to write and perfect.
"Sweet Bird of Truth" deals with the U.S.'s military involvement in Middle Eastern politics. Johnson explained that the song aimed to capture the cultural clash between the Western world, represented by the U.S., and Eastern fundamentalism in the Arab world.
"Slow Train to Dawn" explores the psychological dynamics between two people, focusing on themes of male weakness, infidelity, and insecurity. Johnson admitted that the song was partly autobiographical, noting that he often lived out the themes he wrote about in his music.
"Twilight of a Champion" takes place in Chicago, although the music video was filmed in New York City. Johnson explained that the song reflects a narrative of achieving everything one desires but losing their soul in the process.
"Mercy Beat" explores spiritual salvation, and Johnson chose to shoot the video in South America, influenced by the region's strong Catholic and Americana elements.
To promote Infected, Johnson produced a music video for each of the album’s tracks, a groundbreaking decision at the time. He and his manager, Stevo, persuaded CBS Records to advance £350,000 for the project, a sum unprecedented for a relatively unknown artist. The first video was for "Heartland," filmed at Greenwich Power Station and directed by Peter Christopherson. Other notable videos included "Sweet Bird of Truth," directed by Mark Romanek.
Filming for the videos took the band to remote and sometimes dangerous locations, including the Amazon jungle in Peru, where the video for "Mercy Beat" was shot. Johnson recalled being introduced to hallucinogenic drugs by the local Indian guides during the shoot. The filming for "Mercy Beat" became chaotic when the crew was attacked by communist rebels, which was captured in the video. Johnson later admitted that at the time, he was heavily intoxicated, contributing to the madness of the experience.
The video for "Infected" featured an opening scene in which Johnson was strapped to a chair on a boat sailing down a jungle river. Johnson was inspired by the film Fitzcarraldo for this sequence. Other videos, such as "Out of the Blue," were filmed in New York's Spanish Harlem, in a dangerous and tense environment.
Johnson’s insistence on pushing the boundaries during the making of these videos, coupled with his heavy drinking and drug use, had a significant impact on his health and personal life. He later reflected that the pressure of success and the excesses of the music industry had a negative effect on his personality, leading him to take time off from music to recover.
The album’s artwork was created by Johnson’s brother Andy, while Fiona Skinner, who designed The The's logo, contributed to the final design. Skinner’s work involved modifying an existing font and creating transfers for Johnson to use.
In addition to the album and video releases, Infected 1979-87, a paperback book, was published. It includes sheet music, handwritten lyrics by Matt Johnson, newspaper clippings, gig reviews, photographs, and previously unseen artwork by Andy Johnson. This book offers a deeper look into the creation of Burning Blue Soul (1981), Soul Mining (1983), and Infected, giving fans insight into the band's creative process during this period.
