Editing Neneh Cherry (section)

==Early career==

===Moving to London (1980–1981)===

Cherry moved to the United Kingdom in her mid-teens, arriving in the midst of the [[punk rock|punk]] era, a scene with which she immediately felt a strong connection. Her stepfather Don Cherry was touring with [[The Slits]], and he brought the fifteen-year-old Neneh along; she soon befriended Slits members [[Tessa Pollitt]], [[Viv Albertine]], and [[Ari Up]], and she and Ari lived together in a squat in [[Battersea]].

In London, Cherry played with several bands in and around the post-punk underground, including the Cherries. She also DJ'd, playing early rap music on the reggae pirate station '''Dread Broadcasting Corporation''' in West London. She has said that she found her singing voice by singing along to [[Poly Styrene]] of [[X-Ray Spex]].

===Rip Rig + Panic (1981–1983)===

Cherry became a vocalist with the post-punk/jazz-funk ensemble '''[[Rip Rig + Panic]]''', named after an album by [[Roland Kirk]]. The group also featured [[Gareth Saunders]], [[Sean Oliver]], [[Mark Springer]], and drummer '''[[Bruce Smith (musician)|Bruce Smith]]''' of [[The Pop Group]], to whom Cherry was briefly married (1983–84). Rip Rig + Panic recorded three albums — ''God'' (1981), ''I Am Cold'' (1982), and ''Attitude'' (1983) — before dissolving in 1983.

Cherry also performed with the dub collective '''[[New Age Steppers]]''' and subsequently with '''[[Float Up CP]]''', another post-punk outfit.

===Early solo work and The The (1982–1988)===

Cherry launched her solo career in 1982 with the single ''Stop the War'', a protest song responding to the [[Falklands War]], released in collaboration with producer '''Jonny Dollar''' and '''Cameron McVey''' (also known as Beige).

In 1986, Cherry contributed lead vocals to ''[[Slow Train to Dawn]]'', a track on '''[[The The]]'''s critically acclaimed album ''[[Infected]]'', produced and written by [[Matt Johnson]]. The collaboration paired her voice with Johnson's brooding sonic landscape to striking effect.

In 1987, Cherry appeared on [[Bomb the Bass]]'s debut single ''[[Beat Dis]]'', and in 1988 collaborated with [[Massive Attack]] (then still performing as the Wild Bunch) on ''[[Manchild (Neneh Cherry song)|Manchild]]'', both early landmarks in what would become the [[Bristol sound]] and UK trip hop movement.