Cuban Boys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cuban Boys were a production team consisting of school friends Skreen B and BL Underwood (also known as Blu Thunder) with brother and sister Jenny McLaren and Ricardo Autobahn. They achieved success after being aired on John Peel's Radio 1 show with sample-heavy dance tracks and cut-ups and were responsible for the hit single Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia which was released through EMI. Commercially, little was heard of the band itself after this, although they have released several limited-run singles and EPs, and scored further top 40 successes under various pseudonyms — notably with Glen Campbell on "Rhinestone Cowboy"; and kids band the Barndance Boys. They also created the theme music to the BBC sitcom Still Game. McLaren and Autobahn have released music to greater success as the synthpop duo Spray.
The main sample used in Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia comes from Whistle Stop by Roger Miller which was featured in the Disney movie Robin Hood. It was first featured on the Internet as part of The Hampster Dance song on the website of the same name. The same sample was later used as the basis for the song "Irritating Hamster" by the artist DJ Mavica, then as part of the Cuban Boys' hit (a close but noticeably different imitation of the original sample was used in the final release, as the licensing fees could not be met), and a short time later in an opportunist copycat single by Hampton the Hamster (promoted as "The Official Hamster Dance Song" as Hampton's label was more prepared than EMI to pay the licensing fees for the original sample).
Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia became a huge hit in the UK in December 1999, following months of speculation and rumours - all of which turned out to be false - that the men behind the Cuban Boys project were in fact Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. Either way, the track received many requests for play at radio, and was heavily hyped as a contender for the Christmas number one spot. Upon release, the single peaked at #4 on the Christmas chart, outsold only by Westlife at the height of their popularity, UK chart legend Cliff Richard (with "The Millennium Prayer"), and a re-release of John Lennon's Imagine.
The Cubans later released their "long-awaited" album Eastwood through EMI, but despite the popularity of Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia and a strong near-70-minute tracklist featuring many of their most popular pieces, Eastwood suffered very poor sales. This could be attributed in part to a non-existent marketing strategy by EMI that failed to capitalise on their chart breakthrough, releasing the album long after it was finished and many months after the single, with zero advertising. Additionally, some of the older tunes featuring well-known samples had them replaced by obvious imitations (similar to C. vs I.) or removed altogether, reducing the entertainment value of hearing famous voices used in such a manner. The act were swiftly dropped by the label and left with some bitterness, later expressed through their releasing a 7" cover of the Sex Pistols' "EMI" (recorded in similar circumstances).
[edit] Discography
A good deal of promotional cassettes featuring various tracks (both as played on the John Peel and student radio shows, and new material) were left in telephone booths around London prior to their releasing any "real" singles, in the hope of attracting a record contract. Obviously, this was not forthcoming, though it did attract the attention of some more underground labels.
Oh My God! They Killed Kenny! - 7" single featuring the original sample taken directly from the South Park TV show. Limited pressing of 1000, sold out.
Blueprint for Modernisation - CD EP, six tracks, including a remix of "Kenny" and the first version of "Stardust", both still with original samples. Limited pressing of 1000 as part of the Org Records monthly singles series, presumed sold out.
Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia - CD, cassette and 12" singles, including either one or two new tracks, or remixes of the title piece, now missing the original sample of earlier online & radio play versions. Released by EMI, copies still available.
Inertia Kicks - CD EP, five tracks. The Cuban Boys' "unofficial Euro 2000 anthem" with a heady sense of realism to the chorus, packaged in a case resembling a flattened soccer ball. Released on their own "Stone the Kubist" label prior to the Eastwood album despite being recorded afterwards.
Eastwood - CD album, 19 tracks. Including a false ending at 45 minutes and several remixes, it should have been a sign the band had arrived, but the numerous replaced samples and non-existent marketing suggested EMI had other ideas.
Old Skool for Scoundrels - 7" EP, four tracks. Each of the two songs on each side was a Peel show favourite, including the copyright-ignoring "Flossie's Alarming Clock". Released on the small Prim & Proper label with "Don't Tell EMI!" scribed within the inner track.
EMI - 7" single. A fitting and somewhat inevitable end to their tussle with that rather most infamous of recording firms.
Additionally they have featured on alternative compilations such as Damaged Goods "Totally Damaged" sampler (unique track) and have done remix work featuring on other cult bands' singles and EPs, e.g. Helen Love.
The Cuban Boys and their many alter egos continue producing music today, having gone through such rapidly changing monikers as the Beatbox Saboteurs, Wave Runner, Space Kats, etc, and a recent revival into The Cuban Boys (consisting only of Skreen and Ricardo, with the Spray duo's blessing) following the death of DJ John Peel and their release of a tribute song. Although some physical records have been released (notably under the retro-cut-up Beatbox Saboteurs name), their output now appears mainly internet focussed. This is far from a new departure for the Cubans, however, as largely disorganised online releases have played a large part in their output since their formation, and indeed the playtime of their electronic output easily rivals the commercially pressed, and most likely completely decimates it. Recently, the group has taken to releasing large quantities both current and past material on the rapidly growing MySpace hosting service.
The members are also involved in other bands outside of the metamorphosing Cuban Boys project, which themselves have released several records. Most notably, Jenny and Ricardo's "side" project Spray (in actuality, an act predating the Cuban Boys and in simultaneous development throughout their fame) have several singles and EPs on the Ninthwave Records label to their name (including the minor dance club hits I Am Gothic, Child Of The 80s, and I Kill With My Car), one album that has sold well (Living In Neon, with an iTunes-only remixed version) and another awaiting imminent release as of December 2006 (Children Of A Laser God), and have participated in remixes for various dance bands.
Skreen and Blu seem to dedicate themselves more to the main Cuban Boys thread of late, but have had considerable involvement with bands such as Dynamo Beat and PigynClust, and some experience with solo releases. Ricardo also releases music as a solo artist and advertising/short film soundtrack producer. He also co-wrote and produced the UK's 2006 Eurovision entry Teenage Life with his long-term collaborator Daz Sampson, under his real name John Matthews. Although Jenny, as yet, has not released any solo material of her own, she does work as a versatile session vocalist in the dance music industry.
As yet, none of their real identities are fully known to anyone but their family, friends, agents, EMI staff, and possibly the dear departed Mr. Peel, and it may possibly remain ever thus.
