Unkle

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UNKLE
Origin London, England
Genre(s) Alternative rock
Electronic
Trip hop
Electro rock
Downtempo
Years active 1994-present
Label(s) Mo' Wax
Global Underground
Surrender-All
Website www.Unkle.com
Members
James Lavelle
Pablo Clements
Former members
DJ Shadow
T. Nakanishi
Kudo
Tim Goldsworthy
Richard File

Unkle (also written as UNKLE) is a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and has employed a variety of guest artists and producers.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] First incarnation (1994-1996)

The first release was the EP The Time Has Come, created by Lavelle and Goldsworthy with Kudo and T. Nakanishi of the Japanese Hip Hop crew Major Force (later Major Force West). At this point, Unkle consisted of Lavelle, Goldsworthy and Kudo, who surrounded themselves with various guest artists, including Money Mark (keyboard player for the Beastie Boys), the Scratch Perverts and Japanese clothes designer Nigo and Takagi Kan (both also of Major Force). In 1995, whilst working on their debut album, Goldsworty and Lavelle disagreed over the direction the music was taking. Goldsworthy wanted to continue with the Mo Wax house style of earlier tracks, while Lavelle wanted to bring in singers and Hip Hop and rock artists. Goldsworthy left the group and went on to work with Belfast DJ and producer David Holmes.

Futura painting the cover of "Never, Never, Land" (2003).
Futura painting the cover of "Never, Never, Land" (2003).

[edit] Second incarnation (1997-1999)

Lavelle drafted in DJ Shadow and essentially discarded all previously recorded material. "Berry Meditation" and several tracks with Money Mark and Beastie Boys producer Mario Caldato Jr., recorded at the house of singer Meat Loaf, were released as singles, and several without Lavelle surfaced on the album Major Force West in 1997. In early 1998 three exclusive Japanese EPs were released, the last of the earlier Unkle sessions to surface. Lavelle and Shadow released the more commercial Psyence Fiction in 1998, on which they collaborated with an all-star lineup including Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Mike D (Beastie Boys), Kool G. Rap, Jason Newsted (Metallica), Badly Drawn Boy and Richard Ashcroft (The Verve).

Shadow left the group after touring Psyence Fiction and was replaced by turntablist group the Scratch Perverts who deconstructed the album and performed it live on turntables in 1999.

[edit] Third incarnation (2000-2007)

Forme producer Richard File remixed the track "Unreal", adding vocals by Ian Brown (becoming known as "Be There"). In 2001, Lavelle and File resurfaced as Unklesounds with a DJ mix created for Japanese radio entitled Do Androids Dream of Electric Beats?. This highlighted the new, more electronic direction the group had taken, and featured a number of tracks from Psyence Fiction, remixed in an ambient style.

Richard File co-produced, played and sang on 2003's Never, Never, Land. The album featured another stellar lineup which included Ian Brown, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Robert Del Naja (Massive Attack) and Mani (The Stone Roses, Primal Scream) among others. This album was less hyped than its predecessor. Unfortunately, due to label changes and Lavelle's trademark insistence on multiple formats, it was not a major success. It is currently available in several forms from Global Underground, for whom Lavelle has provided several DJ mixes. In the meantime, Lavelle and File continued releasing mixes as Unklesounds, and several earlier mixes appeared as bootlegs. The bootlegs are generally live recordings featuring DJ Shadow or The Psychonauts. The mix album Edit Music for a Film: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Reconstruction, featuring tracks and songs from movie soundtracks as well as movie samples, was created for the After Dark 2004 event at the ICA London. A single CD version was handed out at the event. It was released somewhat officially as an extended two disc set in 2005.

In September 2006, Global Underground released Self Defence: Never, Never, Land Reconstructed and Bonus Beats, a CD box set of remixes and bonus tracks related to Never, Never, Land, including tracks previously only available on the original DVD release of the album. It also contains remixes of a track mooted from the forthcoming album, featuring Ian Astbury of The Cult, titled "Burn My Shadow". The Football Federation of Australia agreed with Unkle to use "Reign" in their promotional campaign for the 2007-2008 Hyundai A-League season under the tagline of "90 Minutes 90 Emotions".

War Stories, the third album from Unkle, was released in Japan on June 20, 2007 Europe and the UK on July 9, 2007, followed by a July 24 release date in North America. The album again features a number of guests including Josh Homme, Gavin Clarke, Robert Del Naja, Ian Astbury, The Duke Spirit, Autolux and Neil Davidge. Unkle is currently touring with a live band featuring members of Baltimore based trio Big In Japan and UK band SOUTH. Rich Fownes (ex-Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster) is often the touring guitarist

[edit] Fourth incarnation (2008 - Present)

Since the release of the song "Heaven" (from the single "Hold My Hand"), Pablo Clements (of The Psychonauts) is credited as an Unkle member. In January 2008, the official Unkle website announced that Richard File had, after ten years' collaboration, left Unkle due to his solo work with his new band named "We Fell to Earth".[1] On January 15th 2008, Unkle released a new album, More Stories, containing a mix of B-sides, remixes, unreleased War Stories session tracks, and music composed for the film Odyssey In Rome.

Unkle has begun a tour around the United Kingdom which will feature Zoot Woman in four opening acts, the concert features live performances of past Unkle contributors like Badly Drawn Boy from Psyence Fiction, Leila Moss from The Duke Spirit who provided the vocals for "May Day" which is a song from their latest album War Stories, Gavin Clark who sings in "Keys To The Kingdom" and "Broken", Joel Cadbury from South as well as SebastiAn and Mr. Flash from Ed Banger Records who will close the concerts.

Lazarides Gallery in London will exhibit War Paint, an exhibition of artworks inspired by the recent UNKLE album, War Stories, with works from Robert Del Naja, Warren du Preez, Nick Thornton Jones, William Bankhead and Ben Drury. War Paint will feature paintings by 3D inspired by War Stories as well as works from other artists who have long-term working relationships with James and Del Naja (3D). [2]

UNKLE's fourth album titled End Titles is completed and is slated for a June 2008 release.[3]. It will include collaborations from Chris Goss, Black Mountain, Dave Bateman, Joel Cadbury (South) and James Petralli (White Denim). The album is reportedly a mixed soundscape, drawing comparisons to the UNKLESounds mix album "Edit Music for a Film". The new album is, however, entirely original material and will consist of 22 tracks[4].

UNKLE have made a remix of Mozart's Symphony No. 41 that will be used as the BBC's theme for the Euro 2008 football tournament, beginning on June 7, 2008.[5]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Chart Positions
1998 Psyence Fiction 15 (AUS)
2003 Never, Never, Land 24 (UK), 57 (IRE), 82 (FRA)
2006 Self Defence: Never, Never, Land Reconstructed and Bonus Beats (4 Disc Box Set)
2007 War Stories 58 (UK), 66 (IRE), 84 (FRA), 50 (BEL), 58 (CH), 99 (GER)
2008 More Stories
2008 End Titles - forthcoming, July 7, 2008

[edit] Singles and EPs

  • "The Time Has Come EP" (1994)
  • "Ape Shall Never Kill Ape (ft. Nigo)" (1997)
  • "Berry Meditation" (1996)
  • "Rock On" (1996)
  • "Last Orgy 3" (1998)
  • "Guns Blazing" (ft. Kool G Rap) (1998) promo only
  • "Rabbit In Your Headlights" (ft. Thom Yorke) (1998)
  • "Be There" (ft. Ian Brown) (1999) UK #8
  • "Narco Tourist" (with Slam) UK #66
  • "Cocaine & Camcorders" (2001) promo only
  • "Eye For An Eye" (2003) UK #31
  • "In A State" (2003) UK #44
  • "Reign" (ft. Ian Brown) (2004) UK #40, US Hot Dance Singles Sales #14
  • "Nights Temper EP" (2007) limited release
  • "Burn My Shadow (ft. Ian Astbury)" (2007) UK #112
  • "Hold My Hand" (2007)
  • "Restless" (2008)

[edit] DJ Mixes

[edit] Remixes

  • "Vibe P.M." (Stranger Things Have Happened - Brazil on a Jimmy Hill mix) for Mondo Grosso, on Marble (99 Records 1993)
  • "Bellbottoms" (Old Rascal mix) for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, on Experimental Remixes (Matador 1995)
  • "Planet Telex" (Karma Sunra mix) for Radiohead, on "Just" (Parlophone 1995)
  • "Karmacoma" (Unkle Situation) for Massive Attack, on "Karmacoma" (Wild Bunch 1995)
  • "Shounen" (Unkle's remix) for Geisha Girls, on The Geisha "Remix" Girls Show (For Life 1995)
  • "DJed" (Bruise Blood mix) for Tortoise, on "DJed" (City Slang 1996)
  • "Natural One" (Unkle mix), (Instrumental mix) and (Unkle No Skratch mix) for Folk Implosion, on "Natural One" (London 1996)
  • "Pepper" (Short Shot mix) for the Butthole Surfers, on "Pepper" (promo) (Capitol 1996)
  • "Where It's At" (Unkle remix) for Beck, on "Where It's At" (Geffen 1996)
  • "Agent Dan" (Unkle remix) for Agent Provocateur, on "Agent Dan" (Epic 1997)
  • "New Walk" (Unkle remix) for Liquid Liquid, on "Cavern" (Mo' Wax 1997)
  • "Vitamin C" (Unkle mix) for Can, on Sacrilege (Mute 1997)
  • "Li303ve" (Suzuki Dekard San) for Buffalo Daughter, on Socks, Drugs and Rock and Roll (Grand Royal 1997)
  • "Free Fall" (remix by Unkle) for Cornelius, on FM - Fantasma Remixes (Trittoria 1998)
  • "Nishiehigashie" (West Remix) for Mr. Children, on "Nishiehigashie" (Toy's Factory 1998)
  • "People are Strange" (Unkle mix) for Stina Nordenstam, on "People are Strange" (EastWest 1998)
  • "Bullitproof" (Unkle remix) for Breakbeat Era, on "Bullitproof" (XL 1999)
  • "Dolphins Were Monkeys" (Unkle vs. South remix) for Ian Brown, on Golden Greats (Interscope 1999)
  • "Battle" (Unkle remix) for Blur, on "No Distance Left to Run" (Food 1999)
  • "Overused" (Unkle remix) for South, on Overused (Toy's Factory 1999)
  • "Leaders and Believers" (Unkle remix) for Emperor's New Clothes, on the compilation The New Testament of Funk (Unique 1999)
  • "The World is Not Enough" (Unkle remix) for Garbage, on "The World is Not Enough" (MCA 1999)
  • "Over My Head" (Unkle mix) and (Unkle Instrumental) for Furslide, on "Over My Head" (UK 12" Promo) (Virgin 1999)
  • "Without You I'm Nothing" (Unkle remix) for Placebo (feat. David Bowie), on "Without You I'm Nothing" (single) (Virgin 1999)
  • "Paint the Silence" (Unkle Variation) for South, on "Paint the Silence" (Mo' Wax 2000)
  • "Hey Jack" (Unkle Metamorphosis mix) for Howie B., on Folk. (Polydor 2001)
  • "I'm Not Trading" (Unkle - In Utero) and (In Utero Instrumental) for Sunna, on "I'm Not Trading" (Melankolic 2001)
  • "Narco Tourists" (Unkle remix) for Slam, on Alien Radio Remixed (Soma 2002)
  • "F.E.A.R." (Unkle mix) and (Unkle Instrumental) for Ian Brown, on Remixes of the Spheres (Polydor 2002)
  • "GDMFSOB" (Unkle Uncensored feat Roots Manuva) for DJ Shadow, on The Private Press (Tour Edition) and The Private Repress (Universal 2002)
  • "Frantic" (Unkle remix) for Metallica, on "Frantic" (Vertigo 2003)
  • "No One Knows" (Unkle Reconstruction) for Queens of the Stone Age, on "Go with the Flow" and "No One Knows" (Unkle Reconstructions) (Interscope 2003)
  • "Colours In Waves" (Unkle Reconstruction) for South, on "Colours In Waves" (Sanctuary Records 2003)
  • "The Incredibles Theme" (Unkle Reconstruction) for Michael Giacchino, on The Incredibles - The Remix EP (Walt Disney 2004)
  • "Time is My Everything" (Unkle Reconstruction) for Ian Brown, on "Time Is My Everything" (Polydor UK 2005)
  • "Cast No Shadow" (Unkle Beachhead mix) for Oasis, on Goal!: Music from the Motion Picture (Big Brother 2005)
  • "Burn the Witch" (Unkle Variation) for Queens of the Stone Age, on Saw II: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Image 2005)
  • "The Enchanter" (Unkle Reconstruction) and (Unkle Reconstruction Dub) for Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, on "The Enchanter" (Unkle Reconstruction) (Sanctuary 2005)
  • "False Flags" (Unkle Surrender Sounds Session #2) for Massive Attack, on "False Flags" (promo) (Virgin 2006)
  • "John the Revelator" (Unkle Reconstruction) for Depeche Mode, on "John the Revelator / Lilian" (Mute 2006)
  • "Today" (Unkle vs. Mode Showdown remix) for Junkie XL, on "Today" (Ultra 2006)
  • "Life2Live" (Unkle Surrender Sounds Session #1) for Layo & Bushwacka, on "Lfe2Live / Feels Closer (Remixes) 12"" (Olmeto 2006)
  • "No Hits" (Unkle Surrender Sounds Session #3) for Black Mountain, on "Introducing... (Selected Works) 2CD Promo" (Surrender All 2006)
  • "Turnstile Blues" (Unkle Surrender Sounds Session #4) for Autolux, on "More Stories (Selected Works) CD" (Traffic Inc Japan 2008)
  • "Beethoven's 9th Symphony" (Unkle Remix) for BMW, UK Commercial (2007)
  • "I Feel Speed" (Unkle Remix) for Dubfire, on "I Feel Speed" (SCI TEC Digital Audio Download 2007)
  • "I'm Designer" (Unkle Remix) for Queens of the Stone Age, on German Tour Edition of the album "Era Vulgaris (album)" (2008)
  • "The Step & The Walk" (Rich File Remix) for The Duke Spirit, on CD Single release of "The Step & The Walk"

[edit] Appearances

  • The Unkle song "Lonely Soul" was featured in a trailer for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game Assassin's Creed in 2007.
  • "Lonely Soul" was also featured on the soundtrack to the 2000 film adaptation of Alex Garland's The Beach.
  • "Chemistry" from the album War Stories has featured in BBC One trailers for Spooks Series 6. "Keys to the Kingdom", from the same album, featured on BBC Two trailers for Heroes Season 1.
  • "Reign" is currently being used as part of the Australian Hyundai A-League's "90 Minutes 90 Emotions" advertising campaign for the 2007/2008 Season
  • The UNKLE Album War Stories was featured on the BBC's car show Top Gear in Season 10.
  • The songs "Keys to the Kingdom" and "Restless" both appeared on Five adverts to promote the new seasons of CSI: NY and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
  • The Unkle song "An Eye For An Eye" was featured in Made Man, computer game for PC & Sony PS2.
  • The Unkle song "Eye For An Eye" was featured on the Channel Five advert for Prison Break.
  • The Unkle song "Burn My Shadow" was in the CSI: NY episode 414 "Playing with Matches"
  • The Unkle song "Safe in Mind (Please take this gun from out my face)" was in the Teddy Bears Picnic Lucozade ad.
  • The Unkle song "Restless" featuring Josh Homme was used as an EA Track in Need For Speed ProStreet in 2007.
  • The Unkle song "May Day" featuring The Duke Spirit was used in the new GTA IV in 2008
  • The Unkle song "Hold My Hand" was used as soundtrack in Robert Luketics 2008 movie 21
  • Chemistry, and several other Unkle songs, were featured in Alistair Lee's Climbing film Psyche
  • Nike Skateboarding (Nike SB) collaborated with Unkle to create the Unkle High Top SB

[edit] Tours

  • 2008 Unkle Live - UK Tour Stoires [6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ [2]
  3. ^ http://www.tracier.com
  4. ^ http://www.tracier.com
  5. ^ UNKLE to perform Euro 2008 theme BBC Press Office, May 30, 2008
  6. ^ [3]


[edit] External Links