All about this artist
Biography:
Alongside Tuff Jam and the Dreem Teem, Artful Dodger are the leading exponents of "two-step" or UK underground garage. Mark Hill and Pete Devereux from Southampton, England rose to fame in 1999 when their single "Re-rewind When The Crowd Say Bo Selecta" reached number 2 in the UK chart.
It then spent nine weeks in the UK Top 10 after extensive club exposure and radio airplay. It was prevented from reaching the number 1 spot during the Christmas period by Cliff Richard's "Millennium Prayer". Hill and Devereux had been making dance music tracks together for three years before this success, including a bootleg remix of Gabrielle's track "Dreams".
After their success, the duo was asked to remix her UK number 1 hit "Rise". Characteristically of the UK garage sound, "Re-rewind" featured a ragga-influenced rap performed by Craig David interspersed with a soulful vocal refrain.
The single enormously increased the profile of garage, Artful Dodger and Craig David, and a number of theme compilations were subsequently released. The follow-up single "Movin' Too Fast" also entered the UK singles chart at number 2 in February 2000.
Artful Dodger also mixed a television-promoted compilation of UK garage for the Ministry Of Sound's record label. Their own debut was a glorious summation of their club and pop hits. The duo amicably parted company the following summer, shortly after being honoured with an Ivor Novello award.
