Stereo MCs
| Stereo MCs | |
|---|---|
 Stereo MCs in concert, August 2006 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Hip hop, electronica, alternative hip hop, house, alternative dance, hip house |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | 4th & Broadway, Gee Street Records, Island Records, Graffiti Recording, Rhino |
| Website | Official website |
| Members |
The Head Rob B Owen If Cath Coffey Aina Roxx |
Stereo MCs are a British hip hop/electronic dance group which formed in Clapham, London, in 1985.[1] They had a transatlantic Top 20 with their single "Connected". After releasing eight albums for Island Records, K7, Graffiti Recordings, and Pias, they formed the label Connected[2] with Terranova to release their own material and that of other artists within the house/techno/electronic medium.
Career
Vocalist Rob Birch and disc jockey (DJ)/producer Nick Hallam founded their Gee Street recording studio and record label with money they were given to leave their London flat[1] and, dispensing with using a backing band, travelled to early gigs on public transport.[3]
When Gee Street attracted the attention of 4th & Broadway, they recorded the début Stereo MCs' album, 33-45-78 (1989), on a shoestring budget with DJ Cesare, drummer Owen If and backing vocalist Cath Coffey.[1] In 1990, "Elevate My Mind" by the Stereos was the first British hip hop single to reach the United States R&B record chart.[3] Having supported the Happy Mondays on a US tour, in the emerging UK alternative dance scene, it took an alliance with the Jungle Brothers to ensure chart success for Supernatural (1990).[1] Remix work for U2, PM Dawn, Queen Latifah, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Monie Love and Electronic followed.[3]
Their live band included singers Andrea Bedassie and Verona Davis,[1] and they were one of the few hip hop outfits to play at rock music festivals at the time.[3] 1992's mainstream breakthrough Connected, a UK Albums Chart #2, contained the hit singles "Connected", "Step It Up", "Creation", and "Ground Level", and won them BRIT Awards for Best Group and Best Album.[1] Hallam and Birch then created the music-publishing firm Spirit Songs, which signed Finley Quaye.[3]
However, the follow-up to Connected did not appear for almost a decade. Further remix duties for Madonna ("Frozen") and the Jungle Brothers ("Jungle Brother") in 1998 kept the Stereo MCs' name in the limelight.[3] Madonna went on to use the "Frozen" remix on her 2001 Drowned World Tour.
In 2000, they released a Disc Jockey mix for Studio !K7's DJ-Kicks series and remixed another song for Madonna ("Music"). The following year saw the release of Deep Down & Dirty, followed by a tour including slots opening for the recently re-united Jane's Addiction.
Their sixth studio album, Double Bubble, was released in July 2008, followed by their seventh, Emperor's Nightingale, in August 2011. In December 2008, they supported Madness at the O2 Arena in London.
Members
- 'The Head' – born Nick Hallam, 11 June 1960, Nottingham, England.[1]
- 'Rob B' – born Robert Charles Birch, 11 June 1961, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, England.[1]
- 'Owen If' – born Ian Frederick Rossiter, 20 March 1959, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales.[1]
- Aina Roxx. [4]
Discography
Albums
- The Stereo MCs [EP] (1989) †
- 33-45-78 (July 1989)
- Supernatural (September 1990)
- Connected (October 1992) #2 UK, #86 AUS[5]
- DJ-Kicks: Stereo MCs (mixed by the Stereo MCs) (2000)
- Deep Down & Dirty (2001) #17 UK, #58 AUS[5]
- Retroactive (2002) (best of compilation album)
- Paradise (2005)
- Live at the BBC (2008)
- Double Bubble (2008)[1][6]
- Emperor's Nightingale (August, 26th, 2011)
† This EP was written, produced and composed by the Stereo MCs and released on Island Records. The songs would later appear on their first album. The track listing is as follows:
- "What Is Soul?" (sampled Ben E. King's "What Is Soul?", David Byrne and Brian Eno's "Regiment" and Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime")
- "On 33" (sampled George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Deep Purple's "And The Address")
- "Bring It On"
- "Neighbourhood"
- "Gee Street" (sampled Rose Royce's "6 O'Clock DJ")
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [7][6] |
IRE [8] |
NED [9] |
BEL (FLA) [10] |
FRA [11] |
SWI [12] |
GER [13] |
AUT [14] |
SWE [15] |
AUS [5] |
NZ [16] |
US [17] |
US Alt Rock [18] |
US Dance [19] | ||||
| 1988 | "Move It" (with DJ Cesare) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Single only | |
| "What Is Soul?" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33-45-78 | ||
| 1989 | "On 33" | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Lyrical Machine" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Single only | ||
| 1990 | "Elevate My Mind" | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | — | — | Supernatural | |
| 1991 | "Lost in Music" | 46 | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | ||
| "I'm a Believer" (Continental Europe only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1992 | "Connected" | 18 | — | 54 | 19 | 27 | 6 | — | 5 | 8 | 47 | 24 | 20 | 5 | — | Connected | |
| "Step It Up" | 12 | — | — | 29 | 50 | — | — | 12 | 8 | 87 | 13 | 58 | 16 | 25 | |||
| 1993 | "Ground Level" | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Creation" | 19 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2001 | "Deep Down & Dirty" | 17 | — | 98 | — | — | 97 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Deep Down & Dirty | |
| "We Belong in This World Together" | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2002 | "Running" | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005 | "Warhead" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Paradise | |
| "Paradise" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Set It Off" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2008 | "Black Gold" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Double Bubble | |
| 2011 | "Boy" (featuring Jamie Cullum) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Emperor's Nightingale | |
| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released. | |||||||||||||||||
Song appearances in other media
- "Deep Down & Dirty" in videogame 2001 Project Gotham Racing
- "Elevate My Mind" was used on the soundtrack of Bad Company (1995) starring Laurence Fishburne, Ellen Barkin, and Frank Langella.
- "Sweetest Truth (Show No Fear)" was used on the Help: a Charity Project For the Children of Bosnia album in 1995.
- The song "Sofisticated," from Deep Down & Dirty, has been used in a series of commercials for Pizza Hut.
- "Connected" was used on the soundtrack for the American film, Hackers, the Carphone Warehouse adverts in the 1990s, and as the trailer theme for the film Blow.
- The song "Step It Up" was used in the comedy films Wayne's World 2, Alien Autopsy and on the Halifax adverts in 2010.
- "We Belong In This World Together" was used in a Target television advertisement in 2008.
- The song "Wake Up" Appeared in the Shopping soundtrack[20] and on the compilation album of film soundtrack songs, Trackspotting.[21]
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 935. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
- ↑ "KOMPAKT.FM // BLOG // Read: Terranova and Stereo MC's start new label, Connected + win merch". www.kompakt.fm. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 420. ISBN 0-85112-072-5.
- ↑ http://www.chaoscontrol.com/stereo-mcs-rob-b-interview-2015/
- 1 2 3 Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
- Top 50 peaks: "Stereo MC's - Australian Chart". australian-charts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- Top 100 peaks: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 528. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - Irish Chart Search". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - Dutch Chart". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - Flemish Chart". ultratop.be Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - French Chart". lescharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - Swiss Chart". hitparade.ch Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - German Chart". germancharts.de. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - Austrian Chart". austriancharts.at Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - Swedish Chart". swedishcharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - New Zealand Chart". charts.org.nz Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - US Hot 100". billboard.com. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - US Alternative Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Stereo MC's - US Dance Club Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Various - Shopping". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
- ↑ "Various - Trackspotting". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
External links
- Stereomcs.com – Official site (requires flash)
- Britishhiphop.co.uk – The original UK Hip Hop history
- Stereo Mc's Mixtape for The New Worck
- Stereo Mc's Interview Themselves
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