Chemical Brothers Biography

By 1991 they had established themselves as DJs, performing a low-key night called 'Naked Under Leather' in the back of a pub, spinning mostly hip-hop, techno and house records. As things started to get more full time, the twosome pilfered the name 'The Dust Brothers' from the producers of the Beastie Boys sample-heavy second album 'Paul's Boutique' (even though this was changed to the Chemical Brothers in 1995, after those pesky lawyers waded in). In terms of their own sound, however, the brothers were onto something new, and in their converted bedroom studio they began to recapture the mixes of sounds they performed at their live gigs. Their first release, still as 'The Dust Brothers,' was in the shape of 'Song to the Siren' (1994), which received significant attention from club and radio DJs despite its limited pressing of 500 copies.

That same year, the two took up residency at the Heavenly Sunday Social Club at a pub in central London, which was visited by key figures of the British music scene such as Noel Gallagher, Tim Burgess of the Charlatans, and James Dean Bradfield of the Manics. (It should thus come as no surprise that Dust Brothers remixes of songs by the latter two artists came out, nor indeed that Noel Gallagher later collaborated with them on the single 'Setting Sun'). The duo began touring internationally, alongside similar acts such as Underworld and Orbital, and taking in European festival gigs. It was around this time that the American lawyers would no doubt have got wind of the success being enjoyed by another act called the Dust Brothers, and threats were duly issued. Having made the legally enforced name-change, the Chemical Brothers' first album, 'Exit Planet Dust', was released in 1995.

Critical acclaim and commercial success came in equal measure, and the album achieved what so few others of its dance/electronica ilk did, which was to impact the US market. A mixture of heady hip hop beats and sample heavy, save for the blessed out comedown sounds of 'One Too many Mornings', and featuring vocal contributions from Beth Orton and the afore-mentioned Tim Burgess, the album was a remarkable debut. Following its success (reaching number 9 in the UK), came their mix album 'Live at the Social' (1996), and this in turn was followed by an even more successful second album of their own work, 1997's 'Dig Your Own Hole.' Hitting the top of the UK album charts, and the more-than-respectable spot of 14 in the US charts, the album consolidated their position as the premium purveyors of post-techno party sounds. The Gallagher collaboration on 'Setting Sun' aside, and not to mention a further contribution from Beth Orton, the opening track 'Block Rockin' Beats' was a memorable opener, another pulsating slab of drum and bass riffs.

Following the album's release and success, extensive touring (including an opening-spot for Oasis at Knebworth) and a residency in Tokyo ensued. By 1998 they were back remixing, in particular for Mercury Rev, and they also released another mix album, this time in the shape of 'Brother's Gonna Work it Out', an amalgamation of their own work and that of artists who had had some influence upon them, such as Meat Beat Manifesto. Live UK dates followed, their first for several years, after which the single 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl' (1999) came out, heralding the next new album of their own originals. Released in the summer of that year, 'Surrender' featured some more collaborations, with Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream and Bernard Sumner, singer and guitarist of their beloved New Order, popping up on the single 'Out of Control'. Also, Noel Gallagher returned to working with the Chemical Brothers, providing the vocal for the frenetic, Beatles-esque 'Let Forever Be'. The song was matched with an equally frenetic and innovative promo helmed by Frenchman Michel Gondry, who was later to go on to direct major features such as 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'.

After being the main event in that year's Glastonbury dance tent, the Chemicals toured the UK, and enjoyed single chart success with 'Out Of Control'. BY the turn of the millennium the pair had truly established themselves as a festival/live dance act to be reckoned with, and clearly a fixture at Glastonbury, popping up there again in the summer of 2000 to show the lesser mortals how it was done. By the winter they were also supporting U2, and at these gigs some of their new tracks got an outing, in particular the single 'It Began in Afrika' (which did not receive an official release until much later the next year.)

'Come With Us' their fourth album, came out in early 2002, featuring more work witrh Beth Orton, as well as some vocal work with moody and magnificent Verve singer Richard Ashcroft. Michel Gondry provided another video for the boys, an innovative promo for the single 'Star Guitar', which was entirely CGI - basically taking the shape of the view from a train window as it journeys across the countryside, each sample and drum beat of the track was depicted as an aspect of the scenery. The effect was bewitching, and probably just the ticket if you were wearing off the pills from the night before. Despite favourable reception by the critics, and debuting at no 1 in the charts, 'Come With Us' failed to capture the public;s imagination in quite the same way as their previous efforts.

However, their star had not sunk too low - a collection of their singles came out the following year, coinciding with ten years at the centre of the music scene, and entitled 'Singles 93-03' (2003). Their studio work continued, notably in the shape of some Kylie remixes, and by the summer of 2004 they had returned to festival gigging. Later that year they began work on their next album, released in January 2005 and called 'Push The Button'. With Anwar Superstar and Kele Okereke (of Bloc Party) making themselves heard on the album, the most notable joint effort was probably 'Galvanize', an instant classic, on which rap legend Q-Tip provided the words. The track made number 3 in the UK charts, and also scooped a Grammy for Best Dance Recording (to go neatly with the 'Best Album' Grammy they had picked up for 'Push The Button').

Having taken time in 2006 to contribute to a music project at the Tate Modern ('Tate Tracks', in which musicians contributed audio accompaniments to selected pieces of art), the Brothers looked ahead to their next album effort, 'We Are the Night', work on which finished in spring 2007. Due for release on July 2nd, it has already been put on their MySpace site, and has been previewed in full on Pete Tong's Radio 1 show. In addition, the Brothers have committed to another full summer of touring, taking in Glastonbury in June, and looking ahead to Creamfields, the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium, and more live performing in Tokyo.

• Chemical Brothers Discography