Bentley Rhythm Ace

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Bentley Rhythm Ace (BRA) is a duo formed in Birmingham, England in the late 1990s consisting of Mike Stokes and Richard March.

The group were formed by former members of the band Pop Will Eat Itself, with guest appearances by D.J. Milf, a member of indie band EMF. Their live drummer was Fuzz Townshend, with whom March previously played in Pop Will Eat Itself.

Their self-titled debut ('Bentley Rhythm Ace') was released in 1997 and spawned the hugely popular single 'Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out'. A second album, 'For Your Ears Only', was released in 2000 but was less popular. A further single 'Madam, Your Carriage Awaits' was released. The group also compiled a 2CD 'FSUK' compilation.

The name likely refers to the Rhythm Ace line of analogue drum machines manufactured by Ace Tone, some of which were rebranded and distributed by Bentley Pianos in the UK^[1].

The group epitomises the Big Beat era. Signed to Skint Records, they have enjoyed much commercial success with their music being used on television advertisements and with an enormous underground following.

The group have all but split, playing the occasional low-key DJ set and have released no further material since 2000.