Amp (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Amp was a music video
program on MTV
that aired from 1997 to 2001. It was aimed at the electronic music
and rave
crowd and was responsible for exposing many electronica
acts to the mainstream. When co-creator Todd Mueller (who'd worked on this with Jane King) left the show in 1998, it was redubbed Amp 2.0. The show aired some 46 episodes in total over its 6-year run. In its final two years, reruns were usually shown from earlier years. Amp' s time slot was moved around quite a bit, but the show usually aired in the early morning hours on the weekend, usually 2am to 4am. Because of this late night time slot, the show developed a small but cult like following. A few online groups formed after the show's demise to ask MTV to bring the show back and air it during normal hours, but MTV never responded to the requests.
. Nick Philip
, a San-Francisco based multi-media artist created the first video for Amp, "Meccano" by Sun Electric
. Occasionally, non-electronic but still classic music videos were aired for the sake of nostalgia
within the electronic genre, such as Ofra Haza
's music video for "Im Nin'Alu
," which was sampled by several electronic artists in the early 1990s.
was released in 1997 and MTV's Amp 2
came out a year later in 1998. Both albums were released by Caroline Records.
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
program on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
that aired from 1997 to 2001. It was aimed at the electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
crowd and was responsible for exposing many electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
acts to the mainstream. When co-creator Todd Mueller (who'd worked on this with Jane King) left the show in 1998, it was redubbed Amp 2.0. The show aired some 46 episodes in total over its 6-year run. In its final two years, reruns were usually shown from earlier years. Amp
Format
The format of the show strongly resembled the original MTV model of broadcasting primarily music videos, but without VJs to host. The show started with an intro and logo, some basic information about that week's show contents via onscreen text, then an hour of electronic music was played before the show's conclusion. The show's theme song was "Tempest" by DeepskyDeepsky
Deepsky is an electronic music act based in Los Angeles. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Deepsky formed in 1992 when its two founding members, J. Scott Giaquinta and Jason Blum, met at the University of New Mexico...
. Nick Philip
Nick Philip
Nick Philip is a graphic and multi-media artist and clothing designer operating out of the San Francisco Bay area.-Career:As a teenager in London, Philip first developed his skills as a cut-and-paste artist active in the city's freestyle bicycle/skateboard subculture...
, a San-Francisco based multi-media artist created the first video for Amp, "Meccano" by Sun Electric
Sun Electric
Sun Electric is the name of an electronic music group from Berlin. Their first release was the single "O'Locco" on the Wau! Mr. Modo label in 1990, and they have considerable body of work released via the R&S / Apollo labels throughout the following decade. Sun Electric have been active and...
. Occasionally, non-electronic but still classic music videos were aired for the sake of nostalgia
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
within the electronic genre, such as Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer of Yemeni origin, an actress and international recording artist....
's music video for "Im Nin'Alu
Im Nin'Alu
"Im Nin'alu" is a Hebrew poem by 17th-century Rabbi Shalom Shabazi that has been set to music and sung by Israeli singer Ofra Haza and others...
," which was sampled by several electronic artists in the early 1990s.
Compilations
The show was popular enough that MTV produced two compilations of songs by artists featured on Amp. MTV's AmpMTV's Amp (album)
Amp is a 1997 electronic album produced by the late-night show, MTV's Amp. It features many of the bigger hits in America, including tracks from the Chemical Brothers and Crystal Method.- Track listing :...
was released in 1997 and MTV's Amp 2
MTV's Amp 2 (album)
Amp 2 is an Electronica compilation album released by MTV and Astralwerks. It features prominently collaborations and remixes between electronic musicians and rappers.- Track listing :# "The Rockafeller Skank" by Fatboy Slim...
came out a year later in 1998. Both albums were released by Caroline Records.
Artists commonly featured on the show
- Aphex TwinAphex TwinRichard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
- Atari Teenage RiotAtari Teenage Riot'Atari Teenage Riot' is a German digital hardcore group formed in Berlin in 1992. The name was taken from a Portuguese Joe song 'Teenage Riot' from the 'Teen-age Riot' album, with the word 'Atari' added as an Atari ST computer was used to create compositions...
- AutechreAutechreAutechre are an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both natives of Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are one of the most prominent acts signed to Warp Records, a label known for its pioneering electronic music and through which all Autechre albums...
- Aux 88AUX 88AUX 88 is an electro group from Michigan, USA. AUX 88 is composed of Tom Tom and Keith Tucker The group was originally formed as "RX-7" in 1985. The group also formed another project known as Sight Beyond Sight, before forming AUX 88 in 1993. In 1995, Tucker went solo and Hamilton continued as...
- Banco de GaiaBanco de GaiaBanco de Gaia is an electronic music band from England, formed in 1989 by Toby Marks .The music of Banco de Gaia is best categorized as ambient dub, but Marks works to cross genres, often using Arabic and Middle Eastern samples against a bass heavy reggae, rock, or trance rhythm to produce deeply...
- Chemical Brothers
- ColdcutColdcutColdcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
- Crystal Method
- Digital Assassins
- Dr. OctagonDr. OctagonDr. Octagon was a persona created and used by American rapper Keith Matthew Thornton, better known as Kool Keith. First appearing on Thornton's 1996 debut solo album, Dr. Octagonecologyst, Dr. Octagon is an extraterrestrial time traveling gynecologist and surgeon from the planet Jupiter. Thornton...
- Eric B. and Rakim
- FaithlessFaithlessFaithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
- Future Sound of London
- MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
- Cibo MattoCibo MattoCibo Matto are a New York City-based band formed by two Japanese women, Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, in 1994...
- Emergency Broadcast NetworkEmergency Broadcast NetworkEmergency Broadcast Network is the name of a multimedia performance group formed in 1991 that took its name from the Emergency Broadcast System. The founders were Rhode Island School of Design graduates Joshua Pearson, Gardner Post and Brian Kane . Kane left EBN in 1992...
- Ken IshiiKen Ishiiis a Japanese techno DJ and producer from Sapporo. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University. He has released work under his own name as well as under the pseudonyms: FLR, Flare, UTU, Yoga, and Rising Sun....
- Josh WinkJosh WinkJosh Wink is an electronic music DJ, label owner, producer, remixer, and artist. He is a native of Philadelphia, United States. A pioneering DJ in the American rave scene during the early 1990s, Wink was the most prominent exponent of the tribal forms of techno and house in the U.S...
- GoldieGoldieClifford Joseph Price, better known as Goldie is an English electronic music artist, disc jockey, visual artist and actor. He is well known for his innovations in the jungle and drum and bass music genres, having previously gained exposure for his work as a graffiti artist...
- Gus Gus
- Juno ReactorJuno ReactorJuno Reactor is a musical and performing act known for the cinematic fusion of electronic, orchestral, and global music. Central to the project is Ben Watkins and his collaborations with a constantly changing ensemble of musicians from across the world, including percussionist Mabi Thobejane from...
- OrbitalOrbital (band)Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...
- The OrbThe OrbThroughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
- The ProdigyThe ProdigyThe Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
- Roni SizeRoni SizeRoni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
- Speedy JSpeedy JSpeedy J , is a Dutch electronic music producer based in the city of Rotterdam. His breakthrough came with the release in 1992 of the minimal techno track Pullover...
- TipsyTipsy (band)Tipsy is an electronic music band, formed by Tim Digulla and David Gardner in San Francisco, CA in 1996. Their music is a quirky blend of lounge and experimental sound collage.-Albums:* 1996 – Trip Tease* 2001 – Uh-Oh!...
- TrickyTrickyTricky is an English musician and actor. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style. Culturally, Tricky encourages an intertwining of societies, particularly in his musical fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop...
- UnderworldUnderworld (band)Underworld are a British electronic group, and principal name under which duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have recorded together since 1980.- Early years: 1979–1986 :...