German post-techno duo Mouse on Mars is among a growing number of electronic music groups dabbling in complex, heavily hybridized forms that include everything from ambient, techno, and dub to rock, jazz, and jungle. The combined efforts of Andi Toma and Jan St. Werner (of K�ln and D�sseldorf, respectively), Mouse on Mars formed in 1993, reportedly when Werner and Toma met either at a death metal concert or a health food store. Working from Werner's studio, the pair fused an admiration for the early experiments of Krautrock outfits like Can, Neu!, Kluster, and Kraftwerk into an offbeat update including influences from the burgeoning German techno and ambient scenes. A demo of material found its way to London-based guitar-ambient group Seefeel, who passed it on to the offices of their label, Too Pure.
MOM's first single, "Frosch," was released by the label soon after and was also included on the debut album, Vulvaland. Immediately hailed for its beguiling, inventive edge that seemed to resist all efforts at easy "schublade" (an even less flattering approximation of the English "pigeonhole"), Vulvaland was reissued in 1995 by (oddly) Rick Rubin's American Recordings label, which also released their follow-up, Iaora Tahiti, soon after. More upbeat and varied than their debut, the album made some inroads into the American marketplace, but the group's somewhat challenging complexity and steadfast refusal to pander make widespread popularity unlikely. They returned in 1997 with three different releases -- the EP Cache Coeur Naif, the LP Autoditacker, and the vinyl-only Instrumentals. Another vinyl-only release (Glam) appeared in 1998, and was followed a year later by the "official" follow-up to Autoditacker, Niun Niggung.
Although remixes are rare, Mouse on Mars began appearing with increasing frequency on compilations of experimental electronic music, including Volume's popular Trance Europe Express series. They were also prominently featured on a pair of tribute albums -- Folds and Rhizomes and In Memoriam -- dedicated to French poststructuralist philosopher Gilles Deleuze. Idiology, which introduced percussionist/collaborator Dodo Nkishi into the fold, followed in 2000 on Thrill Jockey. In 2004, the duo celebrated a decade's worth of work with the release of Radical Connector and a global tour, which was captured by 2005's concert album Live04. The following year's hard-hitting Varcharz was released by Ipecac. St. Werner also has recorded as half of the duo Microstoria (with Oval's Markus Popp) and solo as Lithops. ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide (from mp3.com)
One of reggae's most enduring cult figures, Bim Sherman was also among the most highly-regarded singers of his generation, with his sweet, wistful and unmistakable voice acclaimed by scholars as one of the purest ever to emerge from the Jamaican music scene. Born in 1956, he first attracted notice with his 1974 debut single "One Hundred Years in Babylon; " the Kingston studio circuit soon beckoned, but Sherman instead went his own way, refusing to perform any material except the songs which he himself wrote. As a result, he remained under-recorded throughout his career, a predicament rare in the annals of reggae history; by 1976 he was even forced to form his own labels, Scorpio and Red Sea, selling his singles on the streets of Kingston. Self-released efforts like "Golden Locks" and "My Whole World" earned Sherman a small but devout following, and in 1978 the British label Tribesman Records compiled his early work on the LP Love Forever (later remastered and reissued as Love Forever: Jamaican Classics, Vol. 1). He relocated to England in the 1980s, there joining the On-U Sound stable headed by producer Adrian Sherwood; with Sherwood at the helm, in 1982 Sherman recorded the acclaimed Across the Red Sea before forming another self-owned label, Century, to release an LP of the same name. Albums including Crazy World and Haunting Ground followed, but he did not break through to international audiences until the release of his 1996 LP Miracle, an acoustic reunion with Sherwood which also included contributions from drum 'n' bass guru Talvin Singh. Among the most renowned reggae releases of the year, it inspired 1997's It Must Be a Dream, a collection of remixes. Rub-a-Dub followed in the spring of 2000. ~ Jason Ankeny
An early proteg� of Goldie while the two worked on production at 4 Hero's Reinforced Records during the early '90s, Peshay's style of jungle/drum'n'bass, influenced both by house and the more polished forms of jazz fusion, allies itself both with Goldie and 4 Hero. A breakbeat DJ from early in his career, Peshay debuted on wax with Reinforced in 1993, recording the Proteg� EP before joining Goldie's Metalheadz stable and releasing its second single, "Psychosis." He also recorded several twelves with LTJ Bukem's Good Looking Records, including "The Piano Tune" and "19.5." Though hampered by a serious illness which sidelined him during jungle's breakout year of 1995, Peshay returned in 1996, remixing singles from Goldie's Timeless ("Inner City Life" and "Angel") and contributing tracks to the Mo'Wax compilation Headz II. Signed up to Mo'Wax, Peshay released the "Miles from Home" single in mid-1998 and worked on material with Photek's Rupert Parkes. The label's practical dissolution by the following year led to delays for the expected full-length, though by July 1999 Peshay's debut album -- also called Miles from Home -- appeared on the Island Blue label. Following de rigeur for top-flight jungle producers, he also formed his own label, Elementz Records, which released twelves from Decoder and Technical Itch. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide (from mp3.com)
Born as Quentin Leo Cook : July 31, 1963 (UK). Married to radio DJ Zoë Ball.
Not simply a DJ, Norman Cook has surpassed this role as a producer whilst using one of many aliases; the chief one being this one, Fatboy Slim.
Many UK DJ's have managed to crossover to a large extent in the US and beyond, however Norman Cook, under alias Fatboy Slim, has done much more than this.
Rather than being a faceless behind the decks head-down DJ, Norman's exuberant character whilst performing on the decks simply takes any audience with him.
His devotion to his chosen place of residence, Brighton, is also famous. Despite massive pressure to go wholly with a major label, he continues to stick with his original Brighton-based label Skint Records. He also has put-on two massive free beach parties on Brighton beach, as a thanks to the love & respect fellow residents of the city have given him.
On New Years Day 2007, he will hold another beach event. Whilst it has been forced to be scaled down and ticketed --due to Brighton City Council's heath & safety concerns-- this event shows his devotion to Brighton remains undiminished.
Norman "Jack-of-All-Genres" Cook, in addition to his former occupations as bassist for the Housemartins and one-third of acid house hitmakers Pizzaman, is also the man behind one of the most popular of the new flock of English "Brit-hop" producers, Fatboy Slim. Releasing his Fatboy material through club staple Skint, Cook's raucous blend of house, acid, funk, hip-hop, electro, and techno has added to his already formidable reputation as one of the foremost all-around producers on the U.K. club scene.
Born Quentin Cook in Bromley on July 31, 1963, Cook joined the Hull-based pop group the Housemartins in 1986, replacing founding member Ted Key. After the group split the following year, Cook became involved with the burgeoning acid house scene, pairing with producers Tim Jeffrey and J.C. Reid toward the end of the decade to form Pizzaman. The trio nailed three Top 40 hits together ("Trippin' on Sunshine," "Sex on the Streets," and "Happiness") before Cook splintered off to record with similarly styled outfits Freak Power and Beats International in the early '90s.
He shut most of his other production activities down in the following years to focus on his latest incarnation, Fatboy Slim, which began with a trio of singles and the full-length Better Living Through Chemistry. Cook was also called in to add his remixing skills to Jean-Jacques Perrey's proto-electronica classic "Eva," released as a 12" and CD single in 1997. In addition to his FBS work, Cook also recorded the Skip to My Loops sample CD, a popular studio tool sporting a m�lange of sample-ready drum loops, analog squelches, and assorted noises. In early 1998, his remix of Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha" spent several weeks at number one in the British charts.
Fatboy Slim's eagerly anticipated second LP, You've Come a Long Way, Baby, followed later that year. The album went platinum in the U.S. and spawned two international hits, "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You," which also boasted a Spike Jonze-directed video that earned three MTV Video Music Awards as well as two Grammy nominations. "The Rockafeller Skank," "Praise You," and other songs from You've Come a Long Way, Baby ended up on countless soundtracks and commercials, cementing Fatboy Slim's unique position as a critically acclaimed and immensely popular act.
Cook also recorded several mix albums, including the first disc of the Radio 1 compilation Essential Selection, Vol. 1 and his own On the Floor at the Boutique. The latter was released domestically in the U.S. in early 2000 to help fans withstand the wait for his third album, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, which arrived that fall. Two mix albums -- Live on Brighton Beach and Big Beach Boutique II -- appeared in 2002. During 2003, Cook and his wife -- popular British TV presenter Z�e Ball -- separated for a brief period. They soon patched things up but the split was a heavy influence on 2004's Palookaville, the most laid-back and moody Fatboy Slim album yet. Collecting his singles along with a couple important remixes, The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder appeared in 2006. ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide (from mp3.com)
Reggae DJ Ranking Joe was born Joseph Jackson in Kingston on June 1, 1959. Launching his recording career right around the time that the reggae/dub movement began sweeping the world during the mid-'70s, renowned producer Coxsone Dodd took Joe under his wing as he landed a DJ spot with a soundsystem called El Paso Hi-Fi. With Dodd overseeing Joe's early sessions, a debut single was issued in 1975 (under the name of Little Joe), "Gun Court." From there, Joe branched out and worked with a variety of other reggae producers (including Bunny Lee, Watty Burnett, and Derrick Howard), which resulted in forming a new soundsystem which included U-Roy, and a name change to Ranking Joe. It was also during this time that Joe developed his trademark: a vocal style that showcased his talent for reeling off speedy tongue twisters. Beginning in the late '70s, Joe recorded hits for other artists (including Sonia Pottinger's "Shine Eye Gal"), in addition to issuing his own albums (Weakheart Fade Away, Dub It in a Dance, Saturday Night Jamdown Syle, Round the World).
The dawn of the '80s saw Joe join in with one of the era's most acclaimed soundsystems, Ray Symbolic Hi-Fi (with Jah Screw), whose popularity spread far outside of Jamaica, resulting in a sold-out tour of the U.K. in 1980. Despite showing great promise, the soundsystem broke up a year later, which resulted in both Joe and DJ Screw teaming up and working as a production team for other artists (including being one of the last producers to work at King Tubby's infamous old studio, Dangerous Dub). After relocating to New York City (the Bronx, to be exact), Joe continued to produce recordings for other reggae artists, including Frankie Paul, Black Uhuru, Dennis Brown, Glen Washington, Glen Brown, The Meditations, King Tubby, Shinehead, and Papa San. The late '90s/early 2000s saw Ranking Joe resume his own recording career once more, issuing such further solo releases as Fast Forward to Africa, Ghetto People, and 3 the Roots Way. Ranking Joe's influence can be detected in such modern-day reggae artists as Beenie Man, Pan Head, and the aforementioned Papa San, among others. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide (from mp3.com)
One of UK's biggest grime/UK garage crews, founded by Wiley after leaving Pay As U Go Cartel. The list of members is rarely 100% confirmed and constantly changing, and many of the members often take on various roles, but current members and their respective roles are:
MCs: Wiley, Riko, Breeze, Scratchy, Flow Dan, Brazen, Jet Le, Roachee, JME, Skepta, Manga
DJs: Karnage, Maximum
Producers: DJ Target, Wiley, Danny Weed
Former members include: Trim (left in 2007 due to personal differences), Dizzee Rascal (went solo in 2003), Jamaka B, Dom P, Pitbull, Bionics and Syer Barz.
South Florida guitarist Randy Bernsen started his recording career in an unorthodox way, calling a collection of jazz/fusion luminaries who, even to his surprise, agreed to be a part of his 1986 debut album Music for People, Planets & Washing Machines. After recruiting fretless bass giant and fellow South Florida resident Jaco Pastorius and getting a return call of interest from keyboard virtuoso Herbie Hancock, it was easier to interest keyboardist Bob James and drummer Peter Erskine. Released on MCA's Zebra label, the album earned Bernsen write-ups in Down Beat and Guitar Player magazines and appeared to start a flourishing career. Bernsen's follow-up, 1987's Mo' Wasabi, was even better, as his initial all-stars were joined by saxophonists Wayne Shorter and Michael Brecker, bassist Marcus Miller, drummer Steve Gadd, and harmonica legend Toots Thielemans. More positive press from JAZZIZ and USA Today followed, but when the 1988 album Paradise Citizens didn't attract the same attention despite the same dazzling roster, Bernsen's tenure with Zebra was finished. No one knew at the time that the guitarist -- who excelled whether playing clean-toned lines or mimicking keyboards, saxophone, or steel drums on his guitar synthesizer -- would never release a major-label solo album again. Part of it seemed purposeful, as Bernsen played in South Florida and toured through Japan and Malaysia while earning his commercial pilot's license and writing music for TV and (eventually) the Internet. A stint with former Weather Report leader Joe Zawinul (replacing fellow South Florida guitarist Scott Henderson) resulted in some fine work on Zawinul's 1992 Lost Tribes CD, and Bernsen's independently released CD Calling Me Back Home featured another all-star roster the next year. His house gig at a Fort Lauderdale club resulted in Bernsen's next CD, 1997's Live at Tavern 213, and featured excellent improvisation by the guitarist, bassist Pete Sebastian, and drummer John Yarling. A Mexico tour in 1998 with violinist/vocalist Nicole Yarling, saxophonist Richard Brookens, bassist Javier Carrion, and drummer Archie Pena yielded Bernsen's 2001 CD Live in San Miguel de Allande, available through Bernsen's website at www.inallthings.com/rb. Whether as a pilot or guitarist/bandleader, Bernsen's career continues to fly as high as he sees fit. ~ Bill Meredith, All Music Guide (from mp3.com)
One of Jamaica's most beloved vocalists who is as pertinent in dancehalls as he is in bedrooms, Gregory Isaacs' career has stretched over 30 years. From the heady days of reggae through lovers rock, a genre he virtually invented, his talent reached into the modern age. Born in the Fletcher's Land area of Kingston, Jamaica, on July 15, 1951, Isaacs arrived in the music business via the talent show circuit, a tried and true formula for many of the island's budding singing stars. Byron Lee was the first in the industry to spot his talent and brought him and Winston Sinclair into the studio to record the duet "Another Heartbreak" in 1968. Sadly, it went nowhere, and Isaacs decided to try his fortunes with a new vocal trio, the Concords. They set up home at Rupie Edwards' Success label and over the next couple of years, released a number of singles, including one with Prince Buster, but none caught the attention of the Jamaican public.
In 1970, the Concords folded and Isaacs struggled on alone. His initial self-productions were similarly unsuccessful, while further cuts with Edwards did no better. Regardless of this poor track record, in 1973 Isaacs set up his own record store and label, African Museum, in partnership with Errol Dunkley, a young singer with a string of hits to his own name. Apparently some of Dunkley's own magic wore off and one of the label's first releases, Isaacs' own self-produced "My Only Lover," was an immediate hit and the floodgates opened wide. Besides African Museums' offerings, Isaacs helped keep the label solvent by recording with virtually every producer on the island for a stream of hits that showed no sign of abating.
Between 1973 and 1976 alone, the singer released more material than most artists do in a lifetime, virtually all of it timeless classics. Isaacs' early albums inevitably gathered up strings of these hits, while usually also including a few new songs. 1975's In Person, for example, features a heavy hitting collection of successes for producer Alvin Ranglin and was followed up in 1977 by Best of, Vol. 1 and Best of, Vol. 2 in 1981. (The Heartbeat label would bundle up this material across three CDs for the U.S. market: My Number One, Love Is Overdue, and The Best of, Vol. 1 and 2). Similarly, 1976's All I Have Is Love includes a hit-filled package of Sidney Crooks productions. Extra Classic, co-produced by Isaacs, Pete Weston, and Lee Perry, is also stuffed with chartbusters and showcases the singer's deepest roots material. The latter album appeared on African Museum cut with a diverse range of producers, across three volumes titled Over the Years.
In 1977, the U.K. was treated to an equally dread experience via Mr. Isaacs, released on Dennis Brown's DEB label. (Turn about is fair play and Brown had released several classic albums of his own on African Museum). By this time, the two polar sides of Isaacs were apparent: the roots singer, whose emotive sufferer's songs and cultural numbers were filled with fire, and the crooning lover, whose passionate declarations of devotion quivered with emotion. Eventually, the vocalist's ties to the lovers rock scene saw his reputation as the Cool Ruler overshadow the equally impassioned roots performer, but his work in the latter half of the '70s shows his heart was true to both. Isaacs was quick to take advantage of the rise of the DJs; producer Ranglin paired him with a string of cutting-edge toasters for another flood of hits, beginning in 1978. It was at this time that he first hooked up with DJ Trinity, a partnership maintained into the next decade across a stream of seminal singles.
By now, Isaacs was too big a talent to ignore and in 1978, he signed with Virgin's Front Line label. That same year, the singer had a featured role in the classic Rockers movie. Inexplicably, however, as Isaacs was poised on the brink of international success, he failed to set the rest of the world alight. His debut Frontline album, the excellent Cool Ruler, barely ruffled a feather outside Jamaica. It did, however, provide most of the material for Slum: Gregory Isaacs in Dub, which boasted fat rhythms by the Revolutionaries, keyboardist Ansel Collins with Prince Jammy, and Isaacs himself behind the mixing board. Cool Ruler's follow-up, 1979's Soon Forward, was filled with hits soon-to-become classics, but also did not make the slightest dent on the world beyond Jamaica. The latter's title-track was produced by Sly & Robbie and gave the pair's new Taxi label its first hit. Isaacs cut several more great singles with the team, which were brought together for 1980's Showcase album. Even with Frontline out of the picture, Isaacs continued going from strength to strength. Inking a U.K. deal with the Pre label and with his fortunes secure in Jamaica, the artist continued turning out hit after hit. His Pre debut, The Lonely Lover, and its follow-up, 1981's More Gregory, both boast the Roots Radics and a host of Jamaican hits that range from lovers rock to deep roots and on to the emerging dancehall sound. No wonder the singer was a hands-down success at the first Reggae Sunsplash. It was at this point that Island stepped up to the plate and signed the singer to their Mango imprint.
Virgin label head Richard Branson must have cursed his own stupidity, as Isaacs immediately repaid his new label's faith with his biggest hit of all, "Night Nurse." The song titled his Mango debut, another masterpiece, and again featured the steaming Roots Radics. Amazingly, as the song spread around the world, the singer sat whiling his time away in a Jamaican jail as the result of a drug arrest. He was released later in 1982 and immediately entered the studio to record Out Deh with producers Errol Brown and Flabba Holt. Once again able to take the stage, Isaacs played a series of awe-inspiring shows over the next year, captured on both 1983's Live at Reggae Sunsplash and the following year's Live at the Academy Brixton albums. Behind the scenes, Isaacs joined the shadowy conspiracy of vocalists determined to return vocalists to their rightful place in the market by flooding the shops with music. An all-star cast of veteran singers joined the plot, including Dennis Brown, John Holt, Delroy Wilson, and many more, but none would reach the prolificacy of the determined Isaacs.
It's been estimated that the singer has released up to 500 albums (including compilations) in Jamaica, the U.K., and the U.S. combined. The singer recorded with anyone and everyone and was just as quick to revise his old songs as create fresh ones. Although none of these are entirely disposable, inevitably the quality of Isaacs full-length work began to decline in the mid-'80s. The Ted Dawson-produced Easy and All I Have Is Love Love Love, for example, certainly have their charms, but are hardly crucial. But that didn't mean the hits had dried up. Those 500 records are albums only, not singles, and the shops (and charts) continued to overflow with Isaacs' 45s. And the rise of ragga just added hot new producers to the singer's packed recording diary.
In 1984, producer Prince Jammy, equally intrigued with the changing sounds of dancehall, brought Isaacs into the studio for the superb Let's Go Dancing, while also pairing the singer with Dennis Brown for Two Bad Superstars Meet. The latter proved so popular that a second set, Judge Not, appeared the next year. The two singers dueted again on a track on Isaacs' 1995 solo album, Private Beach Party, which also boasted an exquisite "Feeling Irie," which paired him with Carlene Davis. The album was produced by Gussie Clarke, a man with the determined goal of creating an international crossover sound, via his own one-stop operation � la Motown. He hadn't quite succeeded yet, but Private Beach Party helped lay the groundwork.
1987 then brought a collaboration with the equally sweet-singing DJ Sugar Minott for the Double Dose album. Isaacs swiftly found himself a dancehall hero. It was during this period that Isaacs also recorded an album for King Tubby. Warning boasts the magnificent rhythms of the Firehouse Crew, and a dark atmosphere of foreboding slinks through the entire set. It was not released at the time and only came to light after the great man's murder in 1989. By then, Isaacs had already stormed the world, digital or otherwise, with the 1988 Gussie Clarke-produced "Rumours" (whose rhythm would launch scores of further version hits, including J.C. Lodge's "Telephone Love," an even bigger smash). The masterful Red Rose for Gregory boasts a clutch of hits beside equally sublime non-45 tracks, all cut for Clarke. The pair's follow-up, 1989's IOU, is arguably an even stronger album. That same year, Clarke reunited Isaacs and Brown for the No Contest album. Isaacs continued to cut seminal singles with Clarke, while also recording with a host of other producers. In 1990, the singer joined forces with Niney Holness for the excellent On the Dance Floor album. The next year saw Fatis at the controls for Call Me Collect, which boasts Sly & Robbie and Clevie, while Bobby Digital adds his unique production sound to 1991's Set Me Free. And having inked a deal with RAS in the U.S., that label's head, Dr. Dread, oversaw 1992's memorable Pardon Me. Philip Burrell was in the producer's chair for 1994's Midnight Confidential album.
But there was a slew of lesser titles as well; while Isaacs seemed able to always hit the mark with singles, albums required more effort than he was often willing, or able, to give. No Intention and Boom Shot, both from 1991, are workaday records, with the singer on autopilot. Past and Future sounds promising and features such illustrious guests as Sly & Robbie, J.C. Lodge, Winston Riley, and Boris Gardiner on material both new and old, but it's obvious that no one's heart is really in it, Isaacs' least of all. The patchy Rudie Boo (released by Heartbeat in the U.S. as My Poor Heart) suffers from a similar lack of interest on the singer's part. At least 1993's Unlocked featured a stronger set of songs, but much of Isaacs' releases throughout the '90s were hit-and-miss affairs. Midnight Confidential, for example, is totally disposable, except for the magnificent "Not Because I Smile." Most of the albums frequently revisit older hits, which even at their worst tend to stand out from the newer fare. Younger or less-experienced producers were in particular danger and as the years progressed, it was only the toughest and most innovative producers who could coax the best from the singer. Alvin Ranglin, for example, wrung an exquisite set of emotionally riven songs from Isaacs for 1995's Dreaming. Mafia & Fluxy's fat, dubby rhythms inspired one of the singer's best performances in ages for Hold Tight two years later. The wisest course in negotiating one's way through the minefield of latter-day Isaacs is to look at the production credits. If you like the slick production that's the trademark of Bunny Gemini, chances are you'll appreciate 1996's Mr. Cool. Junior Reid likes diversity, and thus, Not a One Man Thing has that in spades, from the slacker-themed "Big Up Chest" to a remodeled "Don't Dis the Dance Hall." Steely & Clevie laid down the rhythms for 1998's Hardcore Hits; if you're not a fan of their digitized dancehall mayhem, choose another album. King Jammy is let loose on 1999's Turn Down the Lights, and while not up to the standards of Let's Go Dancing, it's still an enjoyable ride. Joe Gibbs, Errol Thompson, and Sidney Crooks lent their expertise to So Much Love, another one of Isaacs better later offerings. The singer showed in the new millennium with aplomb on Father and Son, which true to the title features Isaacs and his son Kevin. The duets are gorgeous, while the younger Isaacs is given plenty of room to prove that his talent is equal to his dad's. The next year, I Found Love marked the second time the two worked together. In between times, the singer continues to impress audiences live, and his prodigious output shows no sign of slowing; the legend of Gregory Isaacs continues to be written. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide (from mp3.com)
