The Moody Boys
Encyclopedia
The Moody Boys was a UK
house music
production
and remix
outfit active since 1988
, consisting of Tony Thorpe and, until 1992, Jimmy Cauty
.
co-founder Jimmy Cauty
produced dance music that incorporated elements of techno
, dub
, acid house
, hip hop
, drum and bass
and African music
. Their 1991 single "Funky Zulu" is considered a house classic. The Moody Boys' original releases were complemented by duties as the authorised remixers of The KLF's highly-charting singles "3 a.m. Eternal
", "What Time Is Love?
" and "Last Train to Trancentral
". In each case, The Moody Boys' mixes were released on separate 12"s
to the charting singles.
Cauty's contributions to The Moody Boys ended upon The KLF's 1992 retirement, but Thorpe continued under the revised "Moody Boyz" moniker until 1994, producing in this time what is considered to be the Moody name's best work, including another "classic", "Destination Africa", and the album, Product of the Environment. An early example of a remix album
, released as a double EP
, Recycled for the Environment was also released to acclaim in 1994, featuring contributions from many remixers, including Andrew Weatherall
and Dave Hedger
.
In awarding Recycled for the Environment 4 stars (again, out of 5), Allmusic said, "styles range from lush tribal techno to murky ambient and spacy electro, each offering an inspired extrapolation of Thorpe's originals.".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
production
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 remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
outfit active since 1988
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
, consisting of Tony Thorpe and, until 1992, Jimmy Cauty
Jimmy Cauty
James Francis Cauty is a British artist and musician born in Liverpool, England, in 1956...
.
History
Beginning in 1988 with the single "Acid Rappin'", Tony Thorpe and The KLFThe KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
co-founder Jimmy Cauty
Jimmy Cauty
James Francis Cauty is a British artist and musician born in Liverpool, England, in 1956...
produced dance music that incorporated elements of techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
, 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...
, drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
and African music
Music of Africa
Africa is a vast continent and its regions and nations have distinct musical traditions. The music of North Africa for the most part has a different history from sub-Saharan African music traditions....
. Their 1991 single "Funky Zulu" is considered a house classic. The Moody Boys' original releases were complemented by duties as the authorised remixers of The KLF's highly-charting singles "3 a.m. Eternal
3 a.m. Eternal
"3 a.m. Eternal" is a song by The KLF, numerous versions of which were released as singles between 1989 and 1992. In January 1991, an acid house pop version of the song became an international top ten hit single, hitting #1 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and leading to...
", "What Time Is Love?
What Time Is Love?
"What Time Is Love?" is a song released, in different mixes, as a series of singles by the band The KLF. It featured prominently and repeatedly in their output from 1988 to 1992 and, under the moniker of 2K, in 1997...
" and "Last Train to Trancentral
Last Train to Trancentral
"Last Train to Trancentral" is a song released, in different mixes, as a series of singles by The KLF, including "Last Train to Trancentral ", a commercially successful single of April 1991 that reached # 2 in the UK Singles Chart and achieved international top ten placings...
". In each case, The Moody Boys' mixes were released on separate 12"s
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
to the charting singles.
Cauty's contributions to The Moody Boys ended upon The KLF's 1992 retirement, but Thorpe continued under the revised "Moody Boyz" moniker until 1994, producing in this time what is considered to be the Moody name's best work, including another "classic", "Destination Africa", and the album, Product of the Environment. An early example of a remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
, released as a double EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Recycled for the Environment was also released to acclaim in 1994, featuring contributions from many remixers, including Andrew Weatherall
Andrew Weatherall
Andrew Weatherall is a DJ, producer, and remixer.Andrew, Terry Farley, Cymon Eckel and Steve Mayes started Boy's Own initially as a fanzine commenting on fashion, records, football, and other issues...
and Dave Hedger
Dave Hedger
Dave Hedger, from England, is a house DJ, producer and remixer. He began his musical career as a studio engineer in the late 1980s, working with house music pioneers such as David Holmes and Rocky & Diesel...
.
Reviews
Allmusic awarded Product of the Environment 4 stars (out of 5), dubbing the album "a visionary collection of subtly innovative techno and tribal house, with heaps of African and Caribbean influences".In awarding Recycled for the Environment 4 stars (again, out of 5), Allmusic said, "styles range from lush tribal techno to murky ambient and spacy electro, each offering an inspired extrapolation of Thorpe's originals.".
Singles
Acid Rappin' Artist: The Moody Boys Year: 1988 Catalogue Number: City Beat CBE 1230 |
|
Funky Zulu (You're So Fresh) Artist: The Moody Boys Year: 1990 Catalogue Number: XL Recordings XL Recordings XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire... XLT 011 |
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Journey into Dubland Artist: The Moody Boys Year: 1990 Catalogue Number: XL Recordings XL Recordings XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire... XLEP 107 Remixes by The KLF, including a "Kings of Low Frequency dub version" |
|
What Is Dub? Artist: The Moody Boys introduce Screamer Year: 1991 Catalogue Number: Love Records EVOLX 03 |
|
Recycled EP Artist: Moody Boyz Year: 1994 Catalogue Number: Prime PRIME 028 Featuring "Destination Africa" |
Albums
Product of the Environment Artist: Moody Boyz Year: 1994 Catalogue Number: Guerilla GR 013 |
|
Recycled for the Environment Artist: Moody Boyz Year: 1994 Catalogue Number: SSR SSR140 |
Remixes
What Time Is Love? What Time Is Love? "What Time Is Love?" is a song released, in different mixes, as a series of singles by the band The KLF. It featured prominently and repeatedly in their output from 1988 to 1992 and, under the moniker of 2K, in 1997... (Remodelled & Remixed) Artist: The KLF Year: 1990 Catalogue Number: KLF Communications KLF Communications This discography lists the key British and notable international releases of The KLF and the other pseudonyms of Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty. It also details the other releases on their independent record label, KLF Communications, by KLF-spinoff Disco 2000 and Space... KLF 004Y Featuring "What Time Is Love? (The Moody Boys vs The KLF)" |
|
3 a.m. Eternal 3 a.m. Eternal "3 a.m. Eternal" is a song by The KLF, numerous versions of which were released as singles between 1989 and 1992. In January 1991, an acid house pop version of the song became an international top ten hit single, hitting #1 in the UK Singles Chart and #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and leading to... Artist: The KLF Present The Moody Boys Year: 1991 Catalogue Number: KLF Communications KLF 005Y |
|
Last Train to Trancentral Last Train to Trancentral "Last Train to Trancentral" is a song released, in different mixes, as a series of singles by The KLF, including "Last Train to Trancentral ", a commercially successful single of April 1991 that reached # 2 in the UK Singles Chart and achieved international top ten placings... Artist: The KLF Meets The Moody Boys Uptown Year: 1991 Catalogue Number: KLF Communications KLF 008Y |
|
The Right Decision Artist: Jesus Jones Jesus Jones Jesus Jones are a British rock band. The Wiltshire-based group, formed in late 1988, recorded and performed in the late 1980s, throughout the 1990s, and into the 2000s. They are best remembered for their track, "Right Here, Right Now", an international hit and subsequently globally appropriated for... Year: 1993 Catalogue Number: Food Food Records Food Records was a record label set up in 1984 by David Balfe, who later took on Andy Ross as his partner. Originally formed as an independent record label with distribution going through Rough Trade Distribution, Food licenced acts to the Polygram offshoot London and Warner's WEA Records, before... 12 PERV P2 Featuring "The Right Decision (Moody Reconstruction Mix)" |