Basement Jaxx

Basement Jaxx

Basement Jaxx in 2009.
From left: Felix Buxton, Simon Ratcliffe
Background information
Origin London, England
Genres
Years active 1994–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website www.basementjaxx.com
Members
  • Simon Ratcliffe
  • Felix Buxton

Basement Jaxx are an English electronic music duo consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe. The pair got their name from the regular night club they held in their hometown of Brixton, London, UK.[3] They first rose to popularity in the mid 1990s.[4] As the British Hit Singles & Albums book duly noted "they surfaced from the underground house scene, are regular transatlantic club chart-toppers and won the BRIT Award for Best Dance Act in 2002 and 2004".[5]

History

1992–98: Formation

Since 1992, Ratcliffe has released a few white label records which sold well and gained a lot of attention from the likes of LTJ Bukem and Goldie, enabled him to buy a few electronic musical instruments and set up a basic studio in a friend’s mother’s basement.[6]

In 1993, the pair first met in a pub in Clapham, London through a mutual friend. They bonded over an appreciation of New York house music.[6][7]

They released their first extended play called EP1 via the British independent record label Wall of Sound, with the help of its founder Mark Jones. The album went on to sell over a thousand copies, with plays from Tony Humphries in New York City, a thing that caught member Ratcliffe "mind-blow[ned]".[6] "Knowing that people you respect are supporting your music is so important in the early days as encouragement to keep going, it means you are doing something right," he said.[6]

They then began working with vocalist Corrina Joseph in their first attempts at making "proper songs".[6] One of the collaboration's outputs was "Fly Life".

At first, the name of the group they were thinking themselves was "Underground Oasis," however, the idea was scrapped due to a friend of them "who was involved in the music scene" noticing the existence of a similar named rock band that might "get big".[8]

Basement Jaxx started in Brixton, South London, in 1994, where they held a regular club night called Basement Jaxx, which was also held in a variety of venues including The George IV, The Crypt and The Junction. They were joined by DJs including DJ Sneak, Daft Punk, and singer Corrina Joseph. They mutated the night into an equally popular club called Rooty, the namesake of their second album.[9][10]

In 1995, "Samba Magic" was picked up for distribution by Virgin Records.[1] In the same year, they moved their studio out of the basement to a place in Camberwell and started their writing there.[6]

Their fourth extended play was named EP3 in an early example of their "trademark eccentricity."[11]

In 1997, Basement Jaxx was the opening act for Daft Punk's Daftendirektour when Daft Punk first came to the UK.[12] Thanks to the success of the single, they ended up signing a record deal with XL.[13]

1999–2001: Remedy

In 1999, the group released their first full-length album, Remedy. Remedy included the single "Red Alert", which was featured in the film Bend It Like Beckham as well as Nickelodeon and Coca-Cola commercials. Other singles on this album were "Jump N' Shout", "Bingo Bango", and "Rendez-Vu", which is Basement Jaxx's highest UK Singles Chart entry to date at number 4.[14] Basement Jaxx also released Jaxx Unreleased, a compilation album of B-sides, remixes, and other assorted material, in 1999. 2000 saw them release Camberwell, another release of new material.

2001–2004: Rooty

Their next album, 2001's Rooty included singles "Romeo", "Jus 1 Kiss", "Where's Your Head At?", "Do Your Thing", and "Get Me Off". The music video for album opener "Romeo" is an homage to the Bollywood film style. "Where's Your Head At?" became an international hit in 2002, also known for its inclusion on the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider soundtrack. "Do Your Thing" was included in the video game SSX 3. Xxtra Cutz was released shortly after Rooty, containing B-sides from the album's singles. Span Thang and Junction, two EPs, were released in 2001–2002.

Basement Jaxx decided to close the Rooty club in May 2001 after it became "too popular."[7]

2003–05: Kish Kash and The Singles

In 2003, Basement Jaxx released their third full-length album, Kish Kash, which included contributions from Lisa Kekaula (of the Bellrays), Me'shell Ndegeocello, Dizzee Rascal, Totlyn Jackson, JC Chasez, Siouxsie Sioux, and Phoebe. From this album, the tracks "Lucky Star", "Good Luck", and "Plug It In" were released as singles. The track "Good Luck" was re-released in 2004, after exposure from being the theme to BBC's Euro 2004 coverage, and was also featured in the soundtrack of Just Married and Appleseed, an anime film released in 2004. Kish Kash was recognised the following year at the 47th Grammy Awards, winning Buxton and Ratcliffe the inaugural Best Electronic/Dance Album award.

Basement Jaxx's manager, Andrew Mansi, says Astralwerks chose not to renew its U.S. licensing contract with the duo.[15]

The duo produced "Shake It", a song from JC Chasez's Schizophrenic.[16]

In 2005, the duo released the number 1 compilation The Singles along with a video collection on DVD, comprising all the singles from their previous three albums, some earlier releases (featured on Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: A Compilation), and two new tracks, "Oh My Gosh" and "U Don't Know Me", which were both released as singles. The Singles (Special Edition) was also released, which contained the original compilation along with a bonus disc entitled Bonus Traxx, containing many previously unreleased tracks, as well as remixes of existing Basement Jaxx songs. The duo appeared as a headline act on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2005 when Kylie Minogue was forced to pull out after being diagnosed with cancer. Basement Jaxx played with a live band made up of artists who recorded the album. Drumtech-trained Nathan 'Tugg' Curran was on drums for Glastonbury and has remained a constant performer.[17]

2006–10: Crazy Itch Radio and Scars

Buxton performing at the LA Weekly Detour Music Festival in 2006.

Their fourth studio album, Crazy Itch Radio, was released on 4 September 2006 in the UK, simultaneously with its first single, "Hush Boy". The album featured guest vocals by Martina Sorbara (credited as "Martina Bang"), Lily Allen, and Robyn. In 2006, Basement Jaxx were also one of the support acts for Robbie Williams on his 'Close Encounters' tour. For Cyndi Lauper's Bring Ya to the Brink in 2008, they produced and wrote the track "Rocking Chair". They also released a series of releases over this period of new material, entitled Planet.

They went on tour with Robbie Williams in 2006.

In 2009, Buxton revealed in a BBC Radio 1 broadcast that Basement Jaxx's forthcoming album Scars was completed and being mastered. Buxton stated that the tracks include guest appearances by Yoko Ono, Santigold, Lightspeed Champion, and Yo! Majesty.[18] The band was also interested in getting Grace Jones to add vocals to the new album.[19] The album was released in September 2009.[20] The first single "Raindrops" preceded it in June 2009. The band recorded at the Bizspace centre in Coldharbour Lane, in Loughborough Junction.[21]

Also in 2009, Zephyr was released

In 2010, the duo released the non-album single "Dracula".

2011–present: Attack the Block and Junto

Ratcliffe performing at the 2013 Orange Warsaw Festival.

2011 saw the duo collaborating twice: with Metropole Orkest in for the live album Basement Jaxx vs. Metropole Orkest,[22] and also with Stephen Price for the soundtrack to the 2011 film Attack the Block.[23]

In November 2011, Simon revealed the pair were working on a new album – hinting that some tracks were already appearing in their DJ sets.[24] At their first live show for several years at Chiswick House Festival in July 2012, the band performed some new material from their forthcoming album including the song "Diamonds". The album is being recorded in their new studio in Kings Cross, London. Possible tracks that were predicted to appear on the album according to Pitchfork include "Make.Believe", "Let's Rock this Road Together", "Back 2 the Wild", "We R Not Alone", "Galactical", "Power 2 The People", "Mermaid of Salinas", "People of Planet Earth" and "What a Difference Your Love Makes".[25][26][27] The band ran a contest through graphic design firm JDO, where the band will use the graphic identity (including the album and single artwork designs) that the winner created for their upcoming album and consequent promotional items.[28]

"Back 2 the Wild" was released as a single on 12 April 2013, with an accompanying video co-directed by Matt Maitland and Natalia Stuyk being uploaded to their YouTube account on 16 April, though the single ultimately did not appear on the upcoming album.[29]

"What a Difference Your Love Makes" was released as a single on 30 September 2013.[26] The single's accompanying video was released on Vevo on 7 August 2013. It was directed by Damian Weilers and shot in South Africa.[30] On 1 May 2014, Basement Jaxx released a new song for the album called "Unicorn" on SoundCloud.[31]

On 19 May 2014, Basement Jaxx officially announced their seventh album, Junto, which was released on 25 August 2014 through Atlantic Jaxx and PIAS.[32] In July, the duo released the first lead single off the album, "Never Say Never". The music video, directed by Saman Kesh,[33] is about the development of a "twerking" robot that is intended to save humanity from a world without dancing and features the robotic prototype simulation of human buttocks "Shiri" developed by the Japanese scientist Nobuhiro Takahashi.[34]

Other projects

Basement Jaxx in 2016

In addition to their own work, Basement Jaxx have become in-demand remixers. Their more prominent work includes remixes of "4 My People" by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, "Everyman… Everywoman…" by Yoko Ono, "Like I Love You" by Justin Timberlake, and "She Wants to Move" by N.E.R.D, which was included as a B-side on the follow-up single "Maybe." They also collaborated with Janet Jackson on unreleased songs for her Damita Jo album.[35] Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as well as The Botz and Garold Marks, have stated they are fans and would like to collaborate with Basement Jaxx in the future.[36]

The duo were invited to write an exclusive piece of music to accompany a work of art they admired in London's Tate Modern museum, Karel Appel's "Hip, Hip, Hoorah!". The work was initially not available for sale, but later appeared on the album Zephr.[37] In 2007, their track "Close Your Eyes", sung by Linda Lewis, was featured in the Japanese CGI anime movie Vexille.

Felix Buxton appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks on 23 September 2013 – the opening episode of Series 27, on Noel Fielding's team.[38]

Musical style

In the past, Buxton's father didn't let him watch Top of the Pops and played his children Austrian music and Japanese music instead. "He was always very proud of that we didn't watch Top of the Pops. [...] He thought that made me hungry and want it more," he said.[39] He was a big fan of American house music, which was difficult to get hold of in his hometown at the time. "I used to listen to Choice FM where the legends of the scene could be heard and went to Blackmarket Records in London’s Soho to try and find the sounds I was looking for."[40]

Growing up in the Netherlands due to his father's job as a chemical engineer, Ratcliffe went to an American international school, where he was influenced by American rock music by the likes of Neil Young, Ted Nugent, Deep Purple, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and followed by the Bee Gees, David Bowie and Gary Numan.[6]

Basement Jaxx's music has been described variously as house[1] and big beat[41] over the course of their career. Prince's influence has also been found on their music.[42] "I remember when we first came to America, they had to work out which radio stations we could go to," Buxton says. "They said that in a way we were a bit for urban stations, we were a bit for pop stations. They didn’t know where to place us and things were very segregated back then."[40]

Discography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bush, John. "Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. ↑ Evan Sawdey (21 September 2009). "Basement Jaxx: Scars". PopMatters. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "Basement Jaxx Bio, Music, News & Shows". DJZ.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 55. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  5. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 44. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Sun staff(s). ""Soon we'll be making music just by thinking it"". The Sun. News Group Newspapers Limited. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  7. 1 2 McLean, Craig (June 25, 2001). "All right Jaxx". Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  8. ↑ Conway, Orla (April 15, 2015). "An Interview with Basement Jaxx". The University Times. Trinity College, Dublin. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  9. ↑ John Bush. "Rooty". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  10. ↑ Foundations: Basement Jaxx's Felix Buxton | Features | Clash Magazine
  11. ↑ "Basement Jaxx - EP3". Atlantic Jaxx's website. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  12. ↑ Perpetua, Matthew (June 26, 2015). "Basement Jaxx Look Back On The Mainstreaming Of EDM". BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed Inc. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  13. ↑ Lestrade, Didier (May 24, 1999). "TECHNO. Interview des fameux DJ's anglais Felix Button et Simon Ratcliffe pour leur premier album. Basement Jaxx, fondamentalement déchaînés. CD, «Remedy», (XL Recordings/Delabel)". Libération. Libération Media. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  14. ↑ "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". everyHit.com. 16 March 2000. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  15. ↑ Basement Jaxx Seeking U.S. Label | Billboard
  16. ↑ JC Chasez Schizophrenic | Album Review | Slant Magazine
  17. ↑ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Jaxx replace Kylie at Glastonbury
  18. ↑ "Basement Jaxx unveil guests on the new album". Inthemix.com.au. 7 April 2009. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  19. ↑ "Basement Jaxx Interview, The End". Endclub.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  20. ↑ "Basement Jaxx back for overdue homecoming". Metro.co.uk. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  21. ↑ Gilani, Nadia (19 April 2011). "Bridge art backed by Basement Jaxx Tuesday, 19 April 2011". Southlondonpress.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  22. ↑ Gill, Andy (15 July 2011). "Basement Jaxx vs. Metropole Orkest". The Independent. London.
  23. ↑ Jon O'Brien. "Attack the Block – Basement Jaxx". Allmusic. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  24. ↑ Contactmusic. "Basement Jaxx Are Ready For New Album". contactmusic. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  25. ↑ Pitchfork. "New Basement Jaxx Single "Back 2 the Wild"". pitchfork. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  26. 1 2 "Video: Basement Jaxx: "What a Difference Your Love Makes" | News". Pitchfork. 8 August 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  27. ↑ "Basement Jaxx – 'What A Difference Your Love Makes (Miguel Campbell Remix)" (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  28. ↑ JDO. "CREATE COVER ARTWORK FOR A NEW BASEMENT JAXX SINGLE". JDO. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  29. ↑ "Basement Jaxx – Back 2 The Wild – ( Official Video )". YouTube. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  30. ↑ "Basement Jaxx – What A Difference Your Love Makes". YouTube. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  31. ↑ "Basement Jaxx Tease First Album in Five Years With House Jam 'Unicorn'". Spin. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Basement Jaxx announce Junto, their first new album in five years". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  33. ↑ "Features scientist building a twerking robot". Pitchfork. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  34. ↑ http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/japanese-twerking-robots-feature-new-basement-jaxx-video-never-say-never-1458332
  35. ↑ "Rock & Pop: Burning down the house that Basement Jaxx built". The Independent. 24 October 2003. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  36. ↑ Archived 12 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  37. ↑ "Tate Tracks". Tate. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  38. ↑ "BBC Two – Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Series 27, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  39. ↑ Iqbal, Nosheen (August 15, 2014). "Basement Jaxx's Felix Buxton: 'I wanted to concentrate on being human'". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  40. 1 2 Panisch, Alex (August 26, 2014). "Catching Up With Basement Jaxx". Out. Here Media Inc. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  41. ↑ Evan Sawdey (21 September 2009). "Basement Jaxx: Scars". Pop Matters. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  42. ↑ Hoskyns, Barney (February 19, 2006). "Genius in short". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
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