| (A.K.A. Lemon Interupt, Steppin' Razor) |
 UNDERWORLD MK1
Based in Romford, Essex, England, Underworld were formed from the ashes of Freur in the late 80s, featuring former members of that band Karl Hyde (vocals), Alfie Thomas and Rick Smith, alongside Baz Allen (bass) and video-maker John Warwicker. Smith had also performed on sessions for Bob Geldof, while Hyde worked with Debbie Harry. After their debut album as Underworld, a funk-rock affair produced by Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins, Burrows was replaced by Pascal Consolli (ex- Boys Wonder). By 1990 Thomas had also departed. Hyde (who had by now taken part in sessions for Prince at his Paisley Park studio complex) and Smith continued with the addition of DJ Darren Emerson (born in 1971, England) - a journeyman of clubs such as the Limelight and Milky Bar. Allen and Consolli went on to become the rhythm section of D-Influence, Burrows eventually joining Worldwide Electric.
1987 The first incarnation of Underworld release their debut single, "Underneath The Radar", which was followed by the album of the same name. Carl and Rick looked like A Flock Of Seagulls after an explosion in a Max Factor factory.
1988 Underworld release the 'Change The Weather' album. It sounds like a sub-Prince quasi-Eurythmics avant-Yelloo take on white boy funk. You wouldn't like it. Trust me.
1989 Underworld tour America supporting The Eurythmics, but split shortly afterwards. Rick returns to the UK on his own. Karl stays in America to work with Terry Nunn (ex-singer of Berlin. Remember "Take My Breath Away"?) at Paisley Park. He eventually returns to the UK and works as a file organiser for Cooper's & Lybrand, a firm of accountants, even thinking about quitting music full time. "I just thought 'this is wicked, I'm getting paid properly.' I didn't have to worry about tax and got paid for overtime and everything."
UNDERWORLD MK2
Mark II of the band debuted as Lemon Interrupt with the harmonica-drenched 'Big Mouth'. Underworld's breakthrough single, however, was the wonderful 'MMM...Skyscraper I Love You', released on Junior Boy's Own, perfectly encapsulating the chilled-out house movement. It was hailed as influential by the likes of Fluke, One Dove and Orbital, but many others have taken it as a signpost in the emergence of dance music in the 90's. Underworld mix live instruments with their studio wizardry, expanded by an eclectic, often plain odd collection of samples. They confounded expectations by playing live on the MIDI Circus roadshow and are one of the few techno outfits actually to relish such activity, mixing live on the decks for a unique experience at each date.
They were accordingly applauded for a stunning, improvised set at Glastonbury in 1992.They are also part of the Tomato collective, a multimedia enclave that produces art, film and graphics for the band's record sleeves, as well as advertising campaigns for prestigious accounts such as Red Mountain, Nike and Adidas - all of which feature Underworld soundtracks. The follow-up single to 'Skyscraper' was 'Rez', but it was the attendant album, 'Dubnobasswithmyheadman', that engendered further excitement. Among the more modest critical responses, the album was described as a "fantastic synthesis of dance, techno, ambient, dub, rave, trance and rock . . . the most important album since the Stone Roses and the best since Screamadelica". More than any other artefact, it was the one single record that saw audiences and critics switch allegiances from guitar bands to more 'progressive' outfits. Some even suggested it was the soundtrack to the death of rock 'n' roll, which was, perhaps, overstating the case. A remixed 'Born Slippy' from the Trainspotting soundtrack then climbed to number 2 in the UK charts in July 1996, boosting sales of the excellent 'Second Toughest In The Infants'.
1990 Darren Emerson, 17, is working as a runner in the Stock Exchange by day and a techno DJ by night. A friend says his musician brother-in-law needs a DJ to work with. The brother-in-law is Rick Smith. Karl is persuaded to rejoin. The new Underworld are born.
1993 The first proper single , 'Dirty / Minneapolis' is released under the Lemon Interrupt alias on Junior Boys Own, after Darren introduces the band to label owner, Steve Hall. 'Eclipse / Big Mouth' (the latter featuring a crazy harmonica riff) under the same name follows soon after. 'Big Mouth' becomes a progressive house anthem. Later this year, the first single of Underworld Mk2, 'Mmm...Skyscraper I love you', is released: a towering slab of techno-meets-spiraling-outta-control-space-rawk with it's "30,000 feet above the earth/And it's a beautiful thing" refrain. It's like nothing the world has ever heard before. The lines come from a plane journey over New York. Underworld have arrived.
1994 Their first 'serious' album 'Dubnobasswithmyheadman' is released to tumultuous acclaim and goes on to sell a quarter of a million copies worldwide.
1994 'Dark & Long' gets released as a single. It becomes an anthem in Oakenfold's room at Cream when he takes over there in 1996, when he plays it every week at the same point in his set.
1995 First release of 'Born Slippy' with the infamous 'Nuxx' mix tucked away on the B-Side.
1996 'Second Toughest In The Infants' is released.
1999 Underworld release their third studio album 'Beaucoup Fish'.
2000 Darren quits Underworld to concentrate on a solo career. Karl Hyde & Rick Smith continue to make records as Underworld. The split is entirely amicable. Later that year, Underworld release the pioneering live DVD 'Everything Everything', that translates the full power, energy, and excitement of their live concerts to the living room, and also offers unique, interactive musical and visual experiences.
2002 Underworld release their new album 'A Hundred Days Off'.
More info: http://www.dirty.org/underworld | | |
