John Digweed
Encyclopedia
John Digweed is an English
DJ
, record producer
and acclaimed actor
.
Club in Mansfield after fellow DJ Alexander Coe (aka Sasha
) heard his demo.
Digweed is known for promoting the progressive house sound that became popular in Europe and North America in the late 1990s and early 2000s, releasing several popular mix compilations on labels like Renaissance
and Global Underground
. He started the record label
Bedrock Records
to further promote the music he was playing at the time. In addition to starting the Bedrock imprint, he and friend Nick Muir
produce under the Bedrock
alias. In his sets, Digweed is noted for adopting tracks with new and different styles.
Between 2000 and 2005, John Digweed promoted his "Bedrock" sound with monthly club nights for members and newcomers to the electronic music scene. He played Thursday nights at Heaven in London and Friday nights at a smaller club night at The Beach in Brighton. These nights featured numerous guest DJs including Danny Howells
, Phil Thompson
, Hernan Cattaneo
, and Chris Fortier
. As Digweed's international schedule increased, these events drew to a close, although occasional reunions are still held at Heaven. Digweed celebrated 10 years of his Bedrock club night at Matter, London on 10 October 2008 with a near on 10-hour set.
Digweed has enjoyed popularity throughout North America in addition to Europe. Digweed, as well as Sasha, established a monthly residency at the now defunct New York club Twilo
, which proved a key location for the American electronic music scene. The residency began in 1996 with a lukewarm reception but grew into one of the most popular club nights in New York City by the end of its run in 2001. Sasha and Digweed DJ'd at Twilo on the last Friday of every month, playing sets that lasted between 8 and 12 hours. In early 2001, Sasha suffered an ear injury and was unable to play for their last 4 dates until Twilo was closed by the New York City. Digweed continued to play the time slot by himself until May 6, 2001 when Twilo was raided by the NYPD and subsequently forced to close down.
Digweed DJed as himself in the Greg Harrison's 2000 movie Groove
, which tells the story of an all-night rave in San Francisco. His on-screen presence led to one reviewer dubbing him "the new De Niro".
In early 2002, Digweed underwent a six week country-wide tour of the United States with Sasha and Jimmy Van M
called Delta Heavy. Promotion of the tour was done by Clear Channel
and attendance reached 850,000. The tour took place in a variety of venues but was completely self-reliant from a technical point of view. Sound, lights, and visual setups were brought along to every gig of the tour. Also in 2002, Digweed created the soundtrack to the film Stark Raving Mad
.
From September 2000 to January 2011, Digweed hosted a weekly two-hour radio show on Kiss 100
in the UK, in which Digweed played the first hour of music and a guest DJ played the second hour. Beginning in September 2006, John Digweed's show was available on all 3 Kiss radio stations
. By that time, the show's name became Transitions, which was also the name of a four-volume series of mix albums by Digweed released every six months during 2006-2008. In January 2011, "Transitions" aired for the last time on Kiss 100
. The show continues to be broadcast online.
2008 saw Digweed and Sasha reuniting for a Spring Club Tour that once again featured performances all over North America. Also in 2008, Digweed's music is to be featured in the film movie adaptation of Irvine Welsh
's best-selling novel Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance
.
In 2010, he was voted the number 29 DJ in DJ Mag's annual Top 100 vote. He has been featured in the top 10 from 1998–2008 and was voted number one DJ in 2001.
John is the brother of 19 times World Clay Shooting Champion George Digweed
MBE.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
DJ
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...
, record producer
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...
and acclaimed actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Biography
John Digweed began DJing around age 4. His breakthrough came in 1993 when he got a gig at the RenaissanceRenaissance (club)
Renaissance is a British electronic dance music club brand and record label. Renaissance was started by Geoff Oakes at Venue 44 in Mansfield, England in 1992. Renaissance was Geoff Oakes' antidote to the sci-fi imagery and dressed down clubbers of the 'rave' scene .In 1993 Renaissance moved to a...
Club in Mansfield after fellow DJ Alexander Coe (aka Sasha
Sasha (DJ)
Sasha is a Welsh DJ and record producer. Sasha began his career playing acid house dance music in the late 1980s...
) heard his demo.
Digweed is known for promoting the progressive house sound that became popular in Europe and North America in the late 1990s and early 2000s, releasing several popular mix compilations on labels like Renaissance
Renaissance Recordings
Renaissance Recordings was a British record label, founded by the club Renaissance in 1994. In went into administration in 2008 and the back catalogue was sold to Phoenix Music International Ltd.-Series:Current*3D*Digital*Masters Series...
and Global Underground
Global Underground
Global Underground is a music label founded in 1996 by Andy Horsfield and James Todd. The label symbolizes the international explosion of dance music during the 1990s and first manifesto for high-end DJs such as Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, Danny Tenaglia, Nick Warren, Dave Seaman, Darren...
. He started the record 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,...
Bedrock Records
Bedrock Records
thumb|200px|Bedrock RecordsBedrock Records is an English record label for trance, house and techno started by Nick Muir and John Digweed.Its name comes from a nightclub in London that is also called Bedrock. Bedrock Records has released many singles from artists such as Astro & Glyde, Brancaccio &...
to further promote the music he was playing at the time. In addition to starting the Bedrock imprint, he and friend Nick Muir
Nick Muir
Nick Muir is a musician, composer and electronic music producer. He is best known as one half of the production team Bedrock, which consists of himself and DJ John Digweed, although he has enjoyed considerable success as an artist in his own right....
produce under the Bedrock
Bedrock (producers)
Bedrock is a British trance and house production duo, featuring John Digweed and Nick Muir. They produced the singles "For What You Dream Of" , "Set In Stone" / "Forbidden Zone" , "Heaven Scent" and "Voices" , all of which reached the UK Singles Chart...
alias. In his sets, Digweed is noted for adopting tracks with new and different styles.
Between 2000 and 2005, John Digweed promoted his "Bedrock" sound with monthly club nights for members and newcomers to the electronic music scene. He played Thursday nights at Heaven in London and Friday nights at a smaller club night at The Beach in Brighton. These nights featured numerous guest DJs including Danny Howells
Danny Howells
Danny Howells is an English producer and DJ. His music is often described as progressive house, though he prefers to associate more with tech house and is sometimes described simply as "deepsexyfuturistictechfunkouse". At performances, he is well known to interact personally with the audience...
, Phil Thompson
Phil Thompson
Philip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions...
, Hernan Cattaneo
Hernán Cattáneo
- Biography :Hernán Cattáneo was born in Buenos Aires, where he grew up listening to bands like Simply Red, Level 42, Depeche Mode and New Order while carefully studying Billboard magazine, the only source of information that was readily available at the time. In 1987, one of his friends visited...
, and Chris Fortier
Chris Fortier
Chris Fortier is an American DJ and founder of the Balance Record Pool as well as co-founder and owner of Fade Records. Fortier's DJ-ing covers a range of styles from dark progressive to minimalist techno...
. As Digweed's international schedule increased, these events drew to a close, although occasional reunions are still held at Heaven. Digweed celebrated 10 years of his Bedrock club night at Matter, London on 10 October 2008 with a near on 10-hour set.
Digweed has enjoyed popularity throughout North America in addition to Europe. Digweed, as well as Sasha, established a monthly residency at the now defunct New York club Twilo
Twilo
Twilo was an American nightclub in operation from 1995 to 2001 in New York City and from 2006 to 2007 in Miami. The New York location at 530 West 27th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan regularly attracted a crowd of thousands to its warehouse-like dance floor...
, which proved a key location for the American electronic music scene. The residency began in 1996 with a lukewarm reception but grew into one of the most popular club nights in New York City by the end of its run in 2001. Sasha and Digweed DJ'd at Twilo on the last Friday of every month, playing sets that lasted between 8 and 12 hours. In early 2001, Sasha suffered an ear injury and was unable to play for their last 4 dates until Twilo was closed by the New York City. Digweed continued to play the time slot by himself until May 6, 2001 when Twilo was raided by the NYPD and subsequently forced to close down.
Digweed DJed as himself in the Greg Harrison's 2000 movie Groove
Groove (film)
Groove is a movie released in the year 2000; it portrays one night in the San Francisco underground rave scene. Through a single email, the word spreads that a huge rave is going to take place in an abandoned warehouse...
, which tells the story of an all-night rave in San Francisco. His on-screen presence led to one reviewer dubbing him "the new De Niro".
In early 2002, Digweed underwent a six week country-wide tour of the United States with Sasha and Jimmy Van M
Jimmy Van M
Jimmy Van M is a DJ of progressive house and downtempo music. He was a large part of the "Delta Heavy Tour" with Sasha & John Digweed, in addition to performing with many other DJs, such as James Zabiela and Lee Burridge. He has released a few singles as well as mix albums on Ultra Records and...
called Delta Heavy. Promotion of the tour was done by Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
and attendance reached 850,000. The tour took place in a variety of venues but was completely self-reliant from a technical point of view. Sound, lights, and visual setups were brought along to every gig of the tour. Also in 2002, Digweed created the soundtrack to the film Stark Raving Mad
Stark Raving Mad (film)
Stark Raving Mad is a film, produced by A Band Apart, about a heist pulled during a rave. The film was directed and written by Drew Daywalt and David Schneider. It stars Seann William Scott, Lou Diamond Phillips, Timm Sharp, Patrick Breen, John B. Crye, Monet Mazur, Suzy Nakamura, C. Ernst Harth,...
.
From September 2000 to January 2011, Digweed hosted a weekly two-hour radio show on Kiss 100
Kiss 100 London
Kiss is a UK radio station broadcasting on FM and Digital Radio, specialising in hip hop, R&B, urban and electronic dance music. It also broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio around the UK & nationally on Freeview, Sky and TalkTalk TV...
in the UK, in which Digweed played the first hour of music and a guest DJ played the second hour. Beginning in September 2006, John Digweed's show was available on all 3 Kiss radio stations
Kiss Network
Kiss is a brand of a group of dancemusic radio stations, a TV channel and music merchandise in the United Kingdom.-Stations:Radio:Television:*Kiss TV-Former Kiss Stations:Radio:...
. By that time, the show's name became Transitions, which was also the name of a four-volume series of mix albums by Digweed released every six months during 2006-2008. In January 2011, "Transitions" aired for the last time on Kiss 100
Kiss 100 London
Kiss is a UK radio station broadcasting on FM and Digital Radio, specialising in hip hop, R&B, urban and electronic dance music. It also broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio around the UK & nationally on Freeview, Sky and TalkTalk TV...
. The show continues to be broadcast online.
2008 saw Digweed and Sasha reuniting for a Spring Club Tour that once again featured performances all over North America. Also in 2008, Digweed's music is to be featured in the film movie adaptation of Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
's best-selling novel Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance
Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance
Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance is a collection of three novellas by Irvine Welsh.-Lorraine Goes To Livingston:After suffering a stroke, Rebecca Navarro, a best-selling romance novelist, discovers the truth about her corrupt, pornography-loving husband...
.
In 2010, he was voted the number 29 DJ in DJ Mag's annual Top 100 vote. He has been featured in the top 10 from 1998–2008 and was voted number one DJ in 2001.
John is the brother of 19 times World Clay Shooting Champion George Digweed
George Digweed
George Digweed MBE was born in Hastings, Sussex on 21 April 1964. He is a multi-World and European English sport shooter clay-shooting champion....
MBE.
Compilation albums
- 1994: Journeys by DJ Volume 4: Silky Mix (Music Unites)
- 1994: Sasha & John DigweedSasha & John DigweedSasha & John Digweed are a pair of DJs from the United Kingdom. John Digweed had been DJ-ing for ten years before getting a gig at Renaissance where he met Sasha, who had been working the past few years in various acid house clubs and raves. Together, he and Sasha honed their DJ skills, focusing...
- Renaissance: The Mix Collection (RenaissanceRenaissance (club)Renaissance is a British electronic dance music club brand and record label. Renaissance was started by Geoff Oakes at Venue 44 in Mansfield, England in 1992. Renaissance was Geoff Oakes' antidote to the sci-fi imagery and dressed down clubbers of the 'rave' scene .In 1993 Renaissance moved to a...
) - 1995: Renaissance: The Mix Collection Part 2 (Renaissance)
- 1996: Sasha & John Digweed - Northern ExposureNorthern Exposure (album)Northern Exposure is a 1996 mix album by DJs Sasha & John Digweed. There is both a British edition released by Ministry of Sound and an American edition released by Ultra Records...
(Ministry of SoundMinistry of SoundMinistry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
) - 1997: Sasha & John Digweed - Northern Exposure 2Northern Exposure 2Northern Exposure 2 is a mix album by Sasha & John Digweed released in 1997. In the United Kingdom, it was released by Ministry of Sound as a double CD package, whereas in the United States, it was on Ultra Records as two separate CDs — a "West Coast Edition" and an "East Coast Edition".-Disc 1:...
(Ministry of Sound) - 1997: The Winning Ticket (Jackpot)
- 1998: Global Underground 006: Sydney (BoxedBoxedBoxed was a record label which has released around forty mix albums from DJs such as John Digweed, Nick Warren, and Danny Howells. They are most known for their Global Underground series. After stopping releases due to financial difficulties in 2003, Global Underground Ltd...
) - 1999: BedrockBedrock (album)Bedrock is a DJ mix album produced by John Digweed. It was released in the United Kingdom on INCredible and in the United States on Ultra Records.-Disc one:#Raff 'N' Freddy - Listen – 7:41#Tiny Trendies - The Sky Is Not Crying – 5:40#B.P.T...
(INCredibleINCredibleAn understating phrase often used when describing the most incredible person in the world Bonnie Sleeman, Bonnie is also commonly mentioned as the most amazing person in history, stunning, beautiful, and better than Ryan Pasfield. she is also known as Beautiful Bonnie and Super Sleeman.'INCredible...
) - 1999: Sasha & John Digweed - Northern Exposure: ExpeditionsNorthern Exposure: ExpeditionsNorthern Exposure: Expeditions is a 1999 progressive trance mix album by Sasha and John Digweed. The UK release was featured on INCredible whereas the United States edition was released by Ultra Records...
(INCredible) - 1999: Global Underground 014: Hong Kong (Boxed)
- 2000: Sasha & John Digweed - CommunicateCommunicate (mix album)Communicate is a mix album by Sasha & John Digweed.-Disc one:#Jaimy & Kenny D. - "Like A Bitch" – 8:23#Eric Clapton - "Get Lost " – 6:04#Sven Väth - "Barbarella " – 10:11...
(INCredible) (Billboard 200Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
#149) - 2001: Global Underground 019: Los Angeles (Boxed)
- 2002: MMIIMMII (album)MMII is a DJ mix mixed by John Digweed and released on Bedrock Records. Progressive-Sounds calls it a "cornucopia of sound" and a mix of "dark, spacey grooves".- Track listing :# Pollon - "Lonely Planet" – 7:09# Pole Folder & CP - "Dust" – 8:19...
(Bedrock RecordsBedrock Recordsthumb|200px|Bedrock RecordsBedrock Records is an English record label for trance, house and techno started by Nick Muir and John Digweed.Its name comes from a nightclub in London that is also called Bedrock. Bedrock Records has released many singles from artists such as Astro & Glyde, Brancaccio &...
) (Billboard Top Electronic Albums #7) - 2003: Stark Raving Mad (Thrive RecordsThrive RecordsThrive Records is a United States based independent electronic record label. It also operates as a part of ThriveDance label.-History:...
) (Billboard Electronic #9) - 2004: Layered Sounds (Bedrock Records)
- 2005: fabric 20Fabric 20Fabric 20 is a DJ mix compilation album by John Digweed, as part of the Fabric Mix Series. It was whittled down from a five hour set based on Digweed's time at Fabric.-Genre:...
(fabricFabric (club)Fabric is a nightclub in London, United Kingdom. It was voted number 1 in DJ Magazine's "Top 100 Clubs in the World" poll in 2007 and number 2 in 2008, 2009 and 2010...
) (Billboard Electronic #13) - 2005: Choice – A Collection of Classics (Azuli RecordsAzuli RecordsAzuli Records is an independent record label, focusing mainly on house music and other forms of electronic dance music. The label was founded by DJ Dave Piccioni in London, UK in 1991 and went into liquidation in April 2009. It's assets were sold to Phoenix Music International Ltd...
) - 2005: Layered Sounds 2 (Bedrock Records)
- 2006: TransitionsTransitions (mix album)Transitions is a DJ mix compilation album by John Digweed released on Renaissance Records-Track listing:#Partial Arts - "Cruising" #Every - "Feelin'" #Popnoname - On The Run...
(Renaissance) (Billboard Electronic #16) - 2007: Transitions Vol. 2 (Renaissance)
- 2007: Transitions Vol. 3 (Renaissance)
- 2008: Transitions Vol. 4 (Renaissance)
- 2008: Bedrock 10: Past Present Future (Bedrock Records)
- 2009: Bedrock Eleven (Bedrock Records)
- 2010: StructuresStructures (album)Structures is a compilation album by English progressive house DJ and producer John Digweed, released on 12 July 2010 by Digweed's own label Bedrock Records.- Track listing :-External links:*...
(Bedrock Records) - 2010: Bedrock Twelve (Bedrock Records)
- 2011: Structures Two (Bedrock Records)
Singles
- 1993: BedrockBedrock (producers)Bedrock is a British trance and house production duo, featuring John Digweed and Nick Muir. They produced the singles "For What You Dream Of" , "Set In Stone" / "Forbidden Zone" , "Heaven Scent" and "Voices" , all of which reached the UK Singles Chart...
- "For What You Dream Of" (Stress Records) (UK #25) - 1997: Bedrock - "Set in Stone" / "Forbidden Zone" (Stress Records) (UK #71)
- 1999: Bedrock - "Heaven Scent" (Bedrock Records) (UK #35)
- 2000: Bedrock - "Voices" (Bedrock Records) (UK #44)
- 2001: Bedrock - "Beautiful Strange" (Bedrock Records)
- 2002: Bedrock - "Emerald" (Bedrock Records)
- 2003: Bedrock - "Forge" (Bedrock Breaks)
- 2005: Bedrock - "Santiago" (Bedrock Records)
- 2006: Bedrock - "Warung Beach" (Bedrock Records)
- 2007: John Digweed - "Gridlock" (Renaissance)
- 2009: John Digweed & Nick Muir - "Tangent" (Bedrock Records)
- 2010: John Digweed & Nick Muir - "Satellite / Meteor" (Bedrock Records)
- 2010: John Digweed & Nick Muir - "Satellite / Meteor (Remixes)" (Bedrock Records)
External links
- Official Site
- Bedrock Records Interview John Digweed - Actualites Electroniques Interview John Digweed - Actualites Electroniques
- 10 years of Bedrock Interview by Laptoprockers
- John Digweed Transitions - Official Tracklistings - 2006 to Now
- John Digweed Transitions - Archive - 2000 to Now - Streaming & Downloads
- John Digweed Essential Mix 2010