TICKETS ON SALE 9AM 20TH DECEMBER >> bandonthewall.org/events/psychedelic-disco-tech-neil-barnes-darren-emerson-steve-cobby
Psychedelic DiscoTech are delighted to present the combined talents of Neil Barnes, Darren Emerson and Steve Cobby for one groovy night only at Band on the Wall.
You will need no introduction to the Leftfield main man Neil Barnes. The man behind what is considered one of the greatest dance music albums of all time; Leftism.
Darren Emerson joined Underworld in 1990 and transported them, through their first 3 masterful albums, to superstardom. Steve Cobby formerly of dearly loved Hull funksters Fila Brazillia completes the bill.
This is a standing show.
Some more about Steve ( have a brew to hand, it's a lengthy read)
After disbanding his first commercially released band Ashley & Jackson on Big Life records, he co-founded Fila Brazillia with David McSherry in 1990. Together they released 10 critically acclaimed lp's and produced over 70 remixes for artists as diverse as Radiohead, Busta Rhymes, Black Uhuru, Simple Minds, James, A Certain Ratio and Moloko.
He formed Pork Recordings with David Brennand in 1990 then 23 Records in '99 with Sim Lister and David McSherry and finally Steel Tiger Records in 2006 with Lister. More of an umbrella for his various projects than a label per se. His other writing and production collaborations include Heights of Abraham; J*S*T*A*R*S and The Cutler.
He's released two solo lp's as The Solid Doctor : How About Some Ether and Beats Means Highs. A third, entitled "Saudade" was released on his own imprint Déclassé in March 2014.
Numerous remixes, from Harold Budd and Theoretics to Jon Kennedy and Yesking have been undertaken in a solo capacity.
Fabric nightclub has played host to many Cobby DJ sets and this was rewarded with an appearance on Fabric 18 alongside fellow Hull alumni Bobby Beige and Bliss.
He co-produced Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli's debut solo l.p. 'The Twilight Singers' in 2000 and co-wrote and produced 'Three White Roses and a Budd ep with Bill Nelson and avant garde American composer Harold Budd. He's worked with Darren Emerson on his solo lp, in an engineering and writing capacity.
His collaboration with Cabaret Voltaire’s Stephen Mallinder is under the guise of Hey Rube. Adam Regan from Different Drummer Records and Leftfoot promotions in Birmingham is also a regular collaborator. Their project, 'Chieftain'.
Cobby has DJ'd in many places around the world including Croatia, Sydney, San Francisco, New York and Tokyo. Recently the Carlton Club and soon will be headling the Golden Lion in Todmorden He has performed live in Europe, Japan and the United States.[citation needed]
Work[edit]
Production[edit]
Production, co-production and remix projects include Radiohead; Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers.[citation needed]
Film and advertising[edit]
As Fila Brazillia (with David McSherry) his music has been used in films, including Riding Giants directed by Stacy Peralta - and adverts, including for Nokia. As J*S*T*A*R*S (with Sim Lister) his music has been used for adverts including for Fiat and The John Lewis Partnership.[citation needed]
In 2013 Steve Cobby provided the soundtrack for the Hull 'UK City of Culture 2017' bid film - 'This City Belongs to Everyone', produced by Nova Studios - on 20 November 2013 Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire was announced as the winning City, and so as UK City of Culture 2017.[5]
Solo[edit]
Cobby releases work under the pseudonyms, The Solid Doctor and J J Fuchs. In March 2014, Cobby released his first Solo album for 17 years entitled "Saudade" on his own imprint Déclassé - DCLS 001.
Collaborations[edit]
• with David Brennand a.k.a. Porky to form The Cutler; singles released during 2007 and 2008 include Stiletto, Pickaxe, and Cinquedea. Debut album Cutler was released July 2008 and the Black Flag EP in 2009. The second album release (September 2012) was The Best Things in Life Aren't Things with vocalists Andrew Taylor and Russell Morgan. The most recent release (10 June 2013) from The Cutler is their third album Everything Is Touching Everything Else with vocalists Isobel Helen, Andrew Taylor, Archie and Sheffield's alt-folk outfit Little Glitches - all on Steel Tiger Records.
Steve has just released, to universal acclaim, his new album Hemidemisemiquaver. A self produced and recorded work of art, that reveals his artistic depth and ambition.
�Those of you, who have had the joy of tripping the light fantastic at the Psychedelic Disco Tech, know how highly we regard and love Steve. Steve has been a guest at PDT for many years. It’s ‘Cobtober’ in our club.�2017 was an amazing year for Steve, he and pal Russ Litten writing and producing the ‘pro Corbyn’ anthem “For the Many.” Steve presented his own unique response to the Hull City of Culture, By presenting his “City of Vultures” gigs. Starring an amazing line up of talent.�Steve continues to produce music of ‘truth and beauty’ respected around the world. Enjoy.��Darren.
Darren began mixing Hip-Hop records at the age of 14, and by 16 was DJing regularly at local venues. He began to explore House Music and quickly acquired a reputation as one of the top British DJs, and demand for his services saw him playing at top clubs such as The Milk Bar, Limelight, and Venus. Emerson has garnered several accolades such as "DJ of the Month" in The Face magazine, and also i-D magazine.
In 1990, Martin Prudence, brother-in-law of Rick Smith, introduced him and Karl Hyde invited him to become the third member of techno band Underworld. Bringing a cool understated musicality to their dated proginess. 1994’s dubnobasswithmyheadmanwas their commercial breakthrough onto the then burgeoning British electronica scene. While working on their second album, 1996's Second Toughest in the Infants, they released the single "Born Slippy .NUXX" in 1995, which was then re-released in 1996 and became a hit following its inclusion on the soundtrack to the movie, Trainspotting.
During his time with Underworld, Darren also founded his record label, "Underwater" in 1994. It was initially an output for himself and the artists he met along his travels, but it grew to become one of the most influential dance labels of the early nineties. Underwater began as a deep techno label, but when Emerson's taste shifted from techno to a more house/progressive house style, the label followed suit. Its sixth 12" release (Life's Little Pleasures/Mr.Sonic) came from an artist listed only as 'Ned Flanders', but is rumoured to have been Darren himself.
Darren also emerged as a much sought-after remix talent, with remixes for acts such as The Chemical Brothers and Björk.
Darren parted ways with Underworld in 2000 and then concentrated more on his solo career as a DJ and remixer, and also a label owner.
Fans of Underworld will tell you that subsequent Underworld albums following Darrens departure have nothing of the creative energy, hypnotic groove, textured feeling and sonic architecture he took with him.
"Global Underground: Uruguay" (2000) and "Global Underground: Singapore" (2001) soon followed on the Global Underground label, with "Episode 1" on his new Underwater label following in 2002. He continued to release tracks by himself and new artists on the Underwater records label and eventually gained its own night at super club Pacha, Ibiza alongside fellow DJ Erick Morillo, to hold a joint Underwater/Subliminal Records night. During its second summer at Pacha, his Underwater Records night won 'House Event' of the summer at the DJ Magazine awards. After its success, Emerson decided to host its own full night at Pacha, Ibiza which became an extremely popular night on the island.
Over the past few years, Darren has been busy touring the world whilst preparing for his own solo debut album. He rarely plays in the UK. We are ‘kin’ thrilled that Daz is playing.
In 2010 he launched a new label, DETONE, releasing many techno club classics. Meanwhile, he continues his relentless globe trotting DJ schedule and in the past year, Darren has also begun hosting DETONE club nights at East Village in London.
October 2016 started a Bi Monthly night at the Arches in Brighton alongside Enzo Siffredi were it became a success and due for November with the DJ James Zabelia .
We cannot thank Darren enough for his contribution to dance culture, the gig is a unique opportunity for us all to enjoy being in the company of one of the all time greats.
Which brings us to this fella;
May we introduce to you the one and only Mr Neil Barnes
Neil Barnes' music career started off as a DJ at The Wag Club while simultaneously playing percussion on a session basis. In 1986, he joined the London School of Samba and played in the bateria in the 1986 Notting Hill Carnival. [3] Around 1989, inspired by Afrika Bambaataa,[4] Barnes decided to try his hand at electronic music production, the results of which were the tracks "Not Forgotten" and "More Than I Know", released on the Rhythm King label.[2] For the remixes of these tracks, Barnes called upon Paul Daley,[5] percussion player with A Man Called Adam and formerly a session musician for the Brand New Heavies and Primal Scream,[1][4] Barnes and Daley had previously worked together as percussionists at The Sandals first club, Violets.
Neil also played on the Sandals brilliant ‘lost’ album Rite To Silence, which shows what a cool hip cat he was in the day.
Neil and Paul Daly worked together on the Dixie Narco EP. Described by Barnes as "[t]he sound of 15 years of frustration coming out in one record", the piece was termed "Progressive House" by Mixmag and held significant prominence in nightclubs from 1991 onwards.[1]
As their mutual interest in electronic music became clear the pair decided that they would work instead upon Leftfield, once Barnes had extricated himself from his then troublesome contract with Rhythm King subsidiary, Outer Rhythm.[1][2]
The name Leftfield was originally used by Barnes for his first single, with editing/arranging and additional production undertaken by Daley. However, after this, Daley was subsequently involved in remixing "Not Forgotten" and thereafter in the creation of all of Leftfield's work until he left the band in 2002.
During this period, in which the band could not release their own music owing to the legal dispute with Rhythm King, the pair undertook remix work for React 2 Rhythm, ICP, Supereal, Inner City, Sunscreem, Ultra Nate and provided two remixes to David Bowie's single "Jump They Say". Finally, once the problems with their former label had been sorted out, Leftfield were able to unveil their single "Release the Pressure".[2]
Leftism[edit]
Leftfield's first major career break came with the single "Open Up", a collaboration with John Lydon (of Sex Pistols fame) that was soon followed by their debut album, Leftism in 1995, blending dub, breakbeat, and house. It was shortlisted for the 1995 Mercury Music Prize but lost out to Portishead's Dummy.[6] In a 1998 Q magazine poll, readers voted it the eightieth greatest album of all time, while in 2000 Q placed it at number 34 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. The album was re-released in 2000 with a bonus disc of remixes, and again in 2017 as a remastered version with eleven completely new remixes.
Rhythm and Stealth[edit]
Their second album, Rhythm and Stealth (1999) maintained a similar style, and featured Roots Manuva, Afrika Bambaataa, and MC Cheshire Cat from Birmingham. The album was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize in 2000 but lost out to Badly Drawn Boy's The Hour of Bewilderbeast. It reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart.[7] The album featured the song "Phat Planet" which featured on Guinness' 1999 advert, Surfer,[6] and "6/8 War" featured on the Volkswagen Lupo Advert 'Demon Baby'. The track "Double Flash" featured in the PlayStation software game Music 2000.
Alternative Light Source[edit]
On March 25, 2015, the new single, "Universal Everything", was premiered on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show. Shortly afterwards the new album was announced via the Leftfield website and social networks, along with UK tour dates for June 2015.[8]
Alternative Light Source, Leftfield's first album in 16 years, was released on June 8, 2015 on Infectious Records.[9] On June 1, 2015, the album premiere was streamed live on Twitter, coupled with conversation via hashtag #leftfieldstream.[10] 'Head and Shoulders' features Sleaford Mods on vocals, and its stop-motion and animation hybrid video debuted on Pitchfork on 6 August 2015.[11]
C
Djum Djum playing theremin during Afro-Left in December 2010
In Leftfield's Amsterdam show, the Dutch police were close to arresting the venue sound engineers due to the sound system reaching illegal volumes.[citation needed] At the next concert, in Belgium, 30 people were given refunds after complaining that the sound level was too high, leading to a newspaper headline reading "LEFTFIELD TOO LOUD".[citation needed] In June 1996, while the group was playing at Brixton Academy, the sound system caused dust and plaster to fall from the ceiling;[12] subsequently, the group was banned from ever returning to the venue.[12] The ban however was taken by the band as a ban on the sound system and not themselves,[12] which was confirmed when Leftfield returned to Brixton again on Saturday 20 May 2000.
In November and December 2010, Leftfield did a series of dates around the UK and Ireland. Friday 3 December's gig saw more plaster fall from Brixton Academy's ceiling.[13]��We are hoping to collapse the roof at Band on the Wall, only joking. Neil tells us that their sound engineer was deaf, which is why he couldn't hear them and had to turn the sound up to 11.
Reformation[edit]
Leftfield headlined Creamfields in Cheshire, England in August 2010, RockNess in Highland, Scotland in June 2010, and played the final set on the main stage at Ireland's three-day festival, Electric Picnic in September. Further headline festival shows were announced in the coming weeks.[14] However, Leftfield is now represented by Neil Barnes with a group of vocalists (may vary on some songs), MC Cheshire Cat, hurray. Adam Wren on engineering & programming (Adam is the coolest nicest guy) & Sebastian 'Bid' Beresford on drums (Seb’s ace) , as Paul Daley is concentrating on his DJ work, as well as releasing a solo album.[15]
Paul Darnborough joins the band on claves on an ad hoc basis.
We had the total pleasure of Neil, and Lianne’s, company last year when he played an amazing gig at the White Hotel in Salford.
We are so thrilled to present these legends of dance music we cannot begin to tell you, well you’ve have probably guessed.�For the younger readers, without these guys there would not be the electronic dance culture that you groove your tits off to today.�Every aspiring DJ, producer, musician, rapper, hipster, wannabe, owes these guys the hypnotic grooves you are going to make your fortune from.�New music stands on the shoulders of giants. These are they. ��But hey��Like you, they are all just beautiful people living in a crazy world. So come and join your pals, old and new and tear up the dance floor at Manchester’s legendary BOTW 18 May 2018. See you at the front.