Dust Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Dust Brothers are the Los Angeles
, California
based, Grammy Award
winning producers
, E.Z. Mike (Michael Simpson
) and King Gizmo (John King
), famous for their sample
-based music
in the 1980s and 1990s, and specifically for their work on the album
s Paul's Boutique
by the Beastie Boys
, Odelay
by Beck
, and the soundtrack
to the film
Fight Club
.
radio station
, KSPC
, hosting a weekly hip-hop
show, started by Simpson in 1983, called 'The Big Beat Showcase'.
They eventually turned to DJing
at parties, and
1987 began writing
and producing
for the Delicious Vinyl
label
. There they produced and sequenced tracks on Tone Lōc
's album
, Lōc-ed After Dark
. They also produced two tracks on Young MC
's debut album Stone Cold Rhymin
.
Through a mutual friend, Matt Dike, the Dust Brothers were introduced to Adam Yauch
of the Beastie Boys
. Dike played some instrumental
music created by the Dust Brothers for Yauch, and he recruited the Dust Brothers to make the music for the Beastie Boys' highly acclaimed sophomore album, Paul's Boutique
, which was considered one of the best albums of all-time by Time Magazine in 2006.
had the Dust Brothers produce his album Odelay
, released in 1996. The album spawned the hit songs "Where It's At
" (#64 on the Hot 100), "Devils Haircut" (#94 on the Hot 100), "The New Pollution
" (#74) and "Jack-Ass
" (#73). In 1995 they co-produced Mötley Crüe
frontman Vince Neil
's second solo album Carved in Stone
.
In 1997, the Dust Brothers produced a track with Korn called "Kick the P.A." for the Spawn
soundtrack; produced the hit "MMMBop
" for Hanson
's first major label album Middle of Nowhere
; and created a song on the soundtrack to the Howard Stern
film Private Parts (1997 film)
named "Tortured Man", featuring ad-libbed vocals by Stern. They also took part in the production of The Rolling Stones
album, Bridges to Babylon
and Sugartooth
's album The Sounds of Solid.
In 1998, the duo were approached by director David Fincher
to assemble the score for the film Fight Club
, most notably "This Is Your Life", a song featuring lines from the film, including a monologue by the character Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt
). This remains their only original release to date.
In 1999, the Dust Brothers collaborated with Carlos Santana
and Eagle-Eye Cherry
on Santana's multi-platinum album Supernatural. They received their first Grammy for 'Album of the Year'; after having received numerous nominations for their past work with Beck
and as artists for their instrumental song on the X-Files soundtrack. They also recorded, produced and mixed an album by the rap group 10 Cents, named Buggin Out.
and The Information
; Tenacious D
on their self-titled debut; Linkin Park
with a track called "With You" on their album Hybrid Theory
; remixing the Styles Of Beyond
track "Winnetka Exit" on their promotional
CD Spies Like Us; and producing the They Might Be Giants
album The Else
.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
based, Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning producers
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, E.Z. Mike (Michael Simpson
Michael Simpson (producer)
Michael Simpson, also known as "E.Z. Mike", is one-half of the Los Angeles-based producing duo the Dust Brothers, who co-wrote and produced many critically acclaimed records including the Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" and Beck's "Odelay". He won a Grammy Award for his songwriting & production on...
) and King Gizmo (John King
John King (producer)
John King, also known as "King Gizmo", is a music producer and one-half of the Los Angeles-based duo the Dust Brothers. As the Dust Brothers, King and Michael "E.Z...
), famous for their sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
-based music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
in the 1980s and 1990s, and specifically for their work on the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s Paul's Boutique
Paul's Boutique
Paul's Boutique is the second studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on July 25, 1989, on Capitol Records. Featuring production by the Dust Brothers, the recording sessions for the album took place in Matt Dike's Apartment and the Record Plant in Los Angeles from 1988 to...
by the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
, Odelay
Odelay
Odelay is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock artist Beck, originally released on June 18, 1996, by DGC Records.After the mainstream success of "Loser", Odelay featured several hit singles, including "Where It's At", "Devils Haircut", and "The New Pollution"...
by Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, and the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Fight Club
Fight Club (film)
Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
.
1980s
The Dust Brothers started working together in 1985 at the Pomona CollegePomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, KSPC
KSPC
KSPC is a non-commercial college and community radio station based in Claremont, California, US broadcasting at 88.7 MHz on the FM band and streaming online...
, hosting a weekly hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
show, started by Simpson in 1983, called 'The Big Beat Showcase'.
They eventually turned to DJing
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at parties, and
1987 began writing
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for the Delicious Vinyl
Delicious Vinyl
Delicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles. Throughout its history, the label has had distribution deals with [Island Records/[PolyGram]], Warner Music Group, EMI, Red Ant, Rhino and Universal Music Group.-Early...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. There they produced and sequenced tracks on Tone Lōc
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.-Early life and career:...
's album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Lōc-ed After Dark
Loc-ed After Dark
Lōc-ed After Dark is the debut album by rapper, Tone Lōc. The album was released in 1989 for Delicious Vinyl Records and was a huge success, making it to #1 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop album charts...
. They also produced two tracks on Young MC
Young MC
Marvin Young , better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move"...
's debut album Stone Cold Rhymin
Stone Cold Rhymin'
Stone Cold Rhymin' is the debut album by rapper Young MC. It was originally released in 1989 on Delicious Vinyl and was later re-issued by Rhino Records. The third track, "Bust a Move", was Young MC's biggest hit and was the song he is mostly remembered for today, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard...
.
Through a mutual friend, Matt Dike, the Dust Brothers were introduced to Adam Yauch
Adam Yauch
Adam Nathaniel Yauch , , is a founding member of hip hop trio the Beastie Boys. He is frequently known by his stage name, MCA, and other pseudonyms such as Nathanial Hörnblowér.-Early life:...
of the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
. Dike played some instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
music created by the Dust Brothers for Yauch, and he recruited the Dust Brothers to make the music for the Beastie Boys' highly acclaimed sophomore album, Paul's Boutique
Paul's Boutique
Paul's Boutique is the second studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on July 25, 1989, on Capitol Records. Featuring production by the Dust Brothers, the recording sessions for the album took place in Matt Dike's Apartment and the Record Plant in Los Angeles from 1988 to...
, which was considered one of the best albums of all-time by Time Magazine in 2006.
1990s
BeckBeck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
had the Dust Brothers produce his album Odelay
Odelay
Odelay is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock artist Beck, originally released on June 18, 1996, by DGC Records.After the mainstream success of "Loser", Odelay featured several hit singles, including "Where It's At", "Devils Haircut", and "The New Pollution"...
, released in 1996. The album spawned the hit songs "Where It's At
Where It's At
"Where It's At" is the first single from Beck's 1996 album, Odelay. Beck wrote the song in 1995. He premiered it at Lollapalooza 1995, in a version very similar to its incarnation on Odelay...
" (#64 on the Hot 100), "Devils Haircut" (#94 on the Hot 100), "The New Pollution
The New Pollution
"The New Pollution" is a single by Beck, taken from his album Odelay.-Music video:The music video, directed by Beck himself, features 1960's-style dancing and background...
" (#74) and "Jack-Ass
Jack-Ass (song)
"Jack-Ass" is a single by Beck, taken from the album Odelay. The song is based on a sample of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", performed by Them, from their 1966 album Them Again....
" (#73). In 1995 they co-produced Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
frontman Vince Neil
Vince Neil
Vincent Neil Wharton is an American vocalist and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.-Early life:Neil was born in Hollywood, California to Odie and Shirley Wharton...
's second solo album Carved in Stone
Carved in Stone (Vince Neil album)
Carved in Stone is the second album by Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil and was released in 1995.It featured guitarist Brent Woods, who had previously played with Wildside and was later a touring guitarist for Warrant....
.
In 1997, the Dust Brothers produced a track with Korn called "Kick the P.A." for the Spawn
Spawn (film)
Spawn is a 1997 American superhero film loosely based on the comic book of the same name, by Todd McFarlane and published by Image Comics. Directed and co-written by Mark A.Z. Dippé , the film stars Michael Jai White in the leading role...
soundtrack; produced the hit "MMMBop
MMMBop
"MMMBop" is a song written and performed by the American pop rock band Hanson from their 1997 album Middle of Nowhere. The song was nominated for two Grammys at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards in February 1998, and is the band's most successful single to date.By any measure, "MMMBop" was phenomenally...
" for Hanson
Hanson (band)
Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
's first major label album Middle of Nowhere
Middle of Nowhere (Hanson album)
Middle of Nowhere is the third album by American pop rock group Hanson, and the first to be released on a major label, which was Polygram Records and Mercury Records. Released in 1997, it features slicker studio production compared to their previous indie efforts Boomerang and MMMBop...
; and created a song on the soundtrack to the Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
film Private Parts (1997 film)
Private Parts (1997 film)
Private Parts is a 1997 American biographical comedy film produced by Ivan Reitman and released by Paramount Pictures. Written by Len Blum and Michael Kalesniko, the film is an adaptation of the 1993 best-selling book of the same name by radio personality Howard Stern, who stars as himself. It...
named "Tortured Man", featuring ad-libbed vocals by Stern. They also took part in the production of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
album, Bridges to Babylon
Bridges to Babylon
Bridges to Babylon is a studio album by British rock band The Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. It would prove to be the band's final studio album of the 1990s and their last full-length release of new songs until 2005's A Bigger Bang...
and Sugartooth
Sugartooth
Sugartooth was an alternative rock band that was formed in the early 1990s.Marc Hutner and Josh Blum formed the group after meeting each other on the California band circuit . They worked with two different drummers over time...
's album The Sounds of Solid.
In 1998, the duo were approached by director David Fincher
David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher is an American film and music video director. Known for his dark and stylish thrillers, such as Seven , The Game , Fight Club , Panic Room , and Zodiac , Fincher received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for his 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and...
to assemble the score for the film Fight Club
Fight Club (film)
Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
, most notably "This Is Your Life", a song featuring lines from the film, including a monologue by the character Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
). This remains their only original release to date.
In 1999, the Dust Brothers collaborated with Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
and Eagle-Eye Cherry
Eagle-Eye Cherry
Eagle-Eye Lanoo Cherry is a Swedish musician of African-American descent.-Life and career:Cherry was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of African American jazz artist Don Cherry and Swedish painter/textile artist Monika "Moki" Cherry . He is half-brother of singer Neneh Cherry, his mother's...
on Santana's multi-platinum album Supernatural. They received their first Grammy for 'Album of the Year'; after having received numerous nominations for their past work with Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
and as artists for their instrumental song on the X-Files soundtrack. They also recorded, produced and mixed an album by the rap group 10 Cents, named Buggin Out.
2000s
In the 2000s, the Dust Brothers have had continued success, again collaborating with Beck on the albums GueroGuero
Guero is the ninth studio album by American alternative rock artist Beck, first released in March 2005 on Interscope Records. It debuted on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart at #2 , and in the UK at #15 . To date, this is Beck's highest charting CD...
and The Information
The Information
The Information is the tenth studio album by American alternative rock musician Beck, released in October 2006 on Interscope Records. It was produced and mixed by longtime Beck collaborator Nigel Godrich. Recording began in 2003 concurrently with Guero, but the album was not completed until 2006...
; Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
on their self-titled debut; Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
with a track called "With You" on their album Hybrid Theory
Hybrid Theory
Hybrid Theory is the debut album by American rock band Linkin Park, released on October 24, 2000 through Warner Bros. Records. The album was a huge commercial success, having sold over 10 million units in the United States alone as of 2010 and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 while also...
; remixing the Styles Of Beyond
Styles of Beyond
Styles of Beyond is an underground rap group from the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The group consists of MCs Ryan Patrick Maginn and Takbir Bashir , Colton Raisin Fisher , and producer Jason Rabinowitz . They have released two LPs, one mixtape and were heavily featured on Mike...
track "Winnetka Exit" on their promotional
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
CD Spies Like Us; and producing the They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
album The Else
The Else
The Else is the 12th studio album by rock duo They Might Be Giants, released by Idlewild Records in 2007. The album was produced in part by The Dust Brothers, along with Pat Dillett and the band....
.
Note
- The Dust Brothers was also the original name used by the British duo, The Chemical BrothersThe Chemical BrothersThe Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...
. They took it as an homage to the American group, but they changed their name when they were threatened with a lawsuit by the producer duo.