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Biography:
Although often marketed as a group, the dance rap amalgam the Dub Pistols is truly a vehicle for leader Barry Ashworth (born 12 November 1965, London, England). Ashworth's rise to the top was a long and winding one, as he got his start running local dance clubs in 1987 when he took over a night spot, "Ziggy's", in Streatham previously featuring a then-unknown DJ Paul Oakenfold.
When his residency was up, Ashworth found himself running the Monkey Drum, a locale best known at the time as a hangout for Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays, as well as his own record shop located in Covent Garden.
When the shop went under, Ashworth decided it was time to launch himself as a band leader. The dance rock act Déjà Vu was formed, but despite a single that caused a bit of a stir (a cover version of the Woodentops' "Why? Why? Why?"), Déjà Vu folded shortly thereafter, as Ashworth returned once more to residencies at clubs (including "Naked Lunch" at the SW1 club and one in Kensington, where he worked alongside Charlie Chester).
Ashworth also began producing and remixing tracks for a variety of other artists, including renowned names such as Bush and Moby, but it was his work on Monkey Mafia's 1998 release, Shoot The Boss, that made dance enthusiasts the world over take note of his talents.
Ashworth decided to have another go at leading his own group, and as a result, the Dub Pistols were formed. In addition to Ashworth, other members in the Dub Pistols include songwriting collaborator and bass player Jason O'Bryan, guitarist John King, and DJ Stix.
Jimmy Iovine at Interscope Records took note of the band after hearing an early demo, and their debut Point Blank was released through A&M Records in 1998. Catching the tail end of the big beat craze, the Dub Pistols fashioned one of the year's finest releases to emerge from the club scene.
With big beat rapidly fading from fashion, it took three years for the Dub Pistols to issue a proper follow-up, during which time they concentrated on touring their electrifying live show around the world. Ashworth also embarked on a solo US club tour and remixed tracks for a variety of artists, including Limp Bizkit, Korn, DJ Spooky, and Banco De Gaia.
The second Dub Pistols' album, Six Million Ways To Live, was scheduled for release in 2001, but the band's US record company expressed concern at some of the lyrical concert in the wake of the terrorist atrocities of 11 September 2001.
The album was shelved and the band parted company with their label. Distinctive Records stepped in and eventually released Six Million Ways To Live in 2003.
