Final Program was a pioneering Scottish minimal synth band formed in Stirling in 1978. They are noteworthy as a pioneering influence in the emergence of minimalist electronica synth music in Scotland.

Formation and Early Years

Formed in Stirling in 1978, the original lineup consisted of Richie Program and Anne Droid who ditched their guitars and went fully electronic when EDP launched the "Wasp" synth. In 1980 the band released the instrumental 7" EP "Protect and Survive",which reached 19 in the Futurist chart the first pressing selling out after plays by legendary DJ John Peel.

---

The single is officially listed as a rare record by "Record Collector"

Final Program: Protect and Survive as featured in the futurist charts along with David Bowie, Gary Numan, The Human League. Joy Division, Ultravox Cabaret Voltaire and Naked Lunch. A truly formative era in the development of British contemporary music.

The band continued to evolve as Anne left, with Kennie J Young joining as a vocalist, as well as Al Robertson who featured briefly before going on to form "100% Man made Fibre".

Richie and Kennie toured Scotland in the early 80's and produced a 12 track vocal demo album which was circulated as part of the vibrant "Cassette Culture" of the era. Richie Program then joined Sean Kelly and John Sharp of "Those French Girls" , disbanding Final program in 1984 to form "Sean Novak" releasing one 12" single.

---

Re-emergence 2010-2016
Richie Program relocated to London in the mid 80's to become part of the wider techno music scene. However the minimalist sound continued to be sought after and valued amongst musical cogniscenti and in November 2010 Final Program featured alongside Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and New Order as part of a noteworthy DJ mix and playlist “SSG Special: High-Rise Living 78-86 [Part 1] - compiled by The Black Dog & Regis “ released on Wednesday, November 24, 2010 "

The Black Dog" stated: 'Historically, music only really gets interesting when the British get involved and this was a very British musical revolution.'

Another accolade was the inclusion of Final Program Phase One in the Crispy Nuggets mix released on June 8, 2011.

Official Guide to Scottish Minimal/Synth 1979-1983
Also in 2014 Vinyl on Demand included an extensive selection of Final Program material in a massively definitive 8 record set : "Official Guide to Scottish Minimal/Synth 1979-1983" featuring Final Program alongside Alistair Robertson and “100% Man Made Fibre”
Final Program contributed the material for the fourth 12” disc in the set.

Close to the Noise Floor
In 2016 Final Program (Protect and Survive) featured alongside Human League and OMD on "Close to the Noise Floor"  by Cherry Red Records,  an immensely powerful compilation album which may come to be seen as the ultimate definitive collection of nascent UK Electronica.

Minimal Wave

Minimal wave is a broad classification of music that comprises obscure, atypical examples of genres such as new wave, electronic synthesizer music.

Veronica Vasicka claimes to have coined the actual term 'Minimal Wave'

Vasicka wrote that the music overlaps with several other genres, "The Minimal Wave genre actually formed only several years ago, as a result of a resurgence of interest in the roots of pre-MIDI electronic new wave (1978–1985), mainly from North America, Europe and Japan. This music is sometimes referred to as minimal electronic, minimal synth, coldwave, new wave, technopop, or synthpop, depending on the particular style, year, and location of the band

Thestyle is distinguished by relatively simple [minimal] musical structures, relatively unpolished production, and the use of analog synthesizers and drum machines manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s. The instrumental arrangements featured "mechanical beats" and "short repetitive patterns", plus "noticeably synthesized drum programming and trebly, thin melodies" which emphasized the artificiality of synthesized sound. Vocal arrangements "acted as a counterpoint to that artificiality." Musicians in the genre were often influenced by futurist influences and themes from science fiction

"Minimal Wave as a synecdoche of a broader scene has been a term of contention for many. The phrase stems from Veronica Vasicka’s restoration project and record label of the same name, but has become something of a stand-in for the entire spectrum of music Vasicka championed."
—Timothy Gabriele [Pop Matters] 2010