Propellerheads

Proponents of the much-maligned big-beat style of dance music (i.e. <a href="spotify:artist:1GhPHrq36VKCY3ucVaZCfo">the Chemical Brothers</a>), the Propellerheads -- keyboardist/bassist/DJ Alex Gifford and drummer/DJ <a href="spotify:artist:1a9wfrJ09JOr9OEZYtT8d6">Will White</a> -- sprang out of Bath, England in 1996 to achieve almost overnight success in the U.K. with their brand of unabashed party techno, which combines strains of hip-hop, acid house, jazz-funk, and spy-film soundtracks. Gifford began his career as a studio musician, playing keyboards for <a href="spotify:artist:44NX2ffIYHr6D4n7RaZF7A">Van Morrison</a> and saxophone for <a href="spotify:artist:0RUEHcBiENFEqxgicqS2ig">the Stranglers</a>, among others, before joining dance collective <a href="spotify:artist:1fN3lF5RILxJeG9H8EhEDo">the Grid</a>. After a stint on the staff of <a href="spotify:artist:7C4sUpWGlTy7IANjruj02I">Peter Gabriel's</a> Real World Studios, where he helped write and produce the well-received Arcane compilation, Gifford decided to start recording his own music, and sought out local drummer <a href="spotify:artist:1a9wfrJ09JOr9OEZYtT8d6">White</a>. In 1996, the duo released its first EP, Dive, on Wall of Sound; almost immediately, the title track was licensed by Adidas for use in a television commercial. The follow-up, Take California, appeared later that year, and the title track became a significant underground big-beat success. The 1997 Spybreak! EP was another hit, demonstrating the duo's love for spy-film soundtracks; later in the year, the group hit the British Top Five with a remake of the Bond theme "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," recorded for the compilation Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold 007 Project. Remixes for acts like <a href="spotify:artist:1EcRE2Nnqg2spdn2otakhg">Luscious Jackson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5TOosZsVbwb5O1BOFdcLmw">Soul Coughing</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7hFdUW64G4iU1tz46ITRfN">808 State</a> followed, and Propellerheads signed to DreamWorks. The band made its U.S. debut in 1997 with a self-titled CD5, which contained the new single "Bang On!," as well as several old and new tracks. In early 1998, the Propellerheads released their full-length debut, Decksandrumsandrockandroll, to generally positive reviews. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi