Richard Norris (musician)

Richard Norris (born 23 June 1965) is a London-based record producer, sound engineer and musician, best known as a member of The Grid.^[1]

Richard Norris began making music as a teenage member of St. Albans punk band Innocent Vicars, recording two singles in 1980. He started working in the music industry as the label manager for the British psychedelic record label, Bam Caruso, before becoming a writer for NME in 1987. In the same year he co-produced the Jack The Tab album with Genesis P. Orridge, before signing the Grid to Warner Bros. Records/East West Records in 1988. The Grid had ten UK Singles Chart hits between 1990 and 1995, including "Floatation", "Crystal Clear", "Texas Cowboys", "Rollercoaster" and the million-selling "Swamp Thing". Norris also compiled the techno compilation album, Flux Trax. He is also half of the remix/DJ duo with Erol Alkan under the Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve moniker, under which they released an EP, Birth in 2005, followed by a second Spring in the summer of 2006. A third mini album, called George was released on St. George's Day 2007 and a fourth EP, West, was released in Autumn 2007. Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve (BTWS) have remixed The Chemical Brothers, Tracey Thorn, Badly Drawn Boy, Midlake and Goldfrapp. A compilation of BTWS mixes, Reanimations Volume One, was released in 2009. Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve released a new single, 'Black Noise'/'Door To Tomorrow' in 2012. In July 2016 Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve released their debut artist album, The Soft Bounce.

Norris' current project, the electronic band Circle Sky, signed to BMG in 2016 and will release their debut major label tracks in autumn 2017. Circle Sky have remixed a number of artists including Yello, Jagwar Ma and Imarhan.

Norris was also a friend of Joe Strummer. The pair worked together briefly on the soundtrack for Grosse Pointe Blank, and Norris would later appear on The Mescaleros debut album, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, co-writing and producing the tracks "Sandpaper Blues" and "Yalla Yalla". Norris has also written Paul Oakenfold's official biography. The Grid's album Doppelgänger was released on 25 March 2008.

Norris' new project, The Time and Space Machine, signed to Tirk Records in 2009 and released a 7" single, "Children Of The Sun" b/w "Zeitghost", in July 2009. A further EP, You Are The One appeared in November 2009, followed by a Time and Space Machine album, 'Set Phazer To Stun' in 2010. The title track from the album was heard in a recent episode of CSI:New York. A second Time and Space Machine album, 'Taste The Lazer' was released in spring 2012, preceded by the single 'Pill Party In India'. A single 'Good Morning' was released in August 2012. The Time and Space Machine collaborated with designer Luke Insect and the streetwear label Stussy to create a series of Time and Space Machine x Stussy T-shirts in 2010. The Time and Space Machine release a new EP 'Magic Hour' on Tirk in Spring 2013, including a Cornershop remix of the title track. A third album follows in Autumn 2013. Norris has recently completed remixes for Bryan Ferry, Tame Impala, Tim Burgess, The Sufis, DJ Harvey, Cherry Ghost and many more. A compilation of his remixes, 'New Masters Volume Two' was released by Nang Records in November 2010. A further remix collection, 'The Time and Space Machine Presents The Way Out Sound From In' was released on Ample Play in 2015, featuring remixes of Warpaint, Jagwar Ma, Temples, Psychemagik and more.

Norris curated the Lewes Psychedelic Festival, and has curated stages at the Green Man Festival. He annually DJs at UK festivals including Glastonbury.

Recent Norris remixes and production includes work with Flamingods, Richard Ashcroft and Mary Epworth.

References