Ursula 1000
Encyclopedia
Alex Gimeno is a DJ best known for Ursula 1000, a wide-ranging musical project including lounge, breakbeat, glam and cha cha.
Gimeno was born in Brooklyn, New York. During his childhood, he and his family moved to Miami Beach where his father, a member of the Spanish orchestra, Los Chavales De Espana, had an extended residency. He moved back to Brooklyn in the late 1990s.
, world music
, bossa nova
and mambo his parents listened to which deeply influenced him. His own personal tastes were deep in new wave
, post punk, glam rock
, hip hop
and acid house
. He began collecting records as a teenager and in his own words "never stopped".By 2005, he owned over 20,000 records, filling up an entire room in his apartment. His father worked as a musician and was a member of a flamenco band called Los Chavales de España.
. He also had his own show on the pirate radio
station WOMB.
After extensive work as a DJ, he sent a tape of original work to Washington, D.C.
-based record label ESL Music, which was immediately interested in signing him. On that label, Gimeno has released a number of albums containing mixes of an eclectic selection of bands, ranging from The Bees
to Kraak & Smaak
; Gimeno knows many of the artists whose work he uses in his mixes personally. Aside from mixing the music of others, he also creates his own original works such as the studio albums Kinda' Kinky and Here Comes Tomorrow
.
The name Ursula 1000 is a reference to Ursula Andress
, famous Swiss actress who played Bond girl
in first Bond movie Dr. No
. Currently, he travels the world as a dj and has monthly residencies in New York. His works have been used in episodes of Sex And The City
, Grey's Anatomy
, Desperate Housewives
and ad campaigns for Samsung, AT&T, Adidas, and La Vie Grand Marnier.
Gimeno was born in Brooklyn, New York. During his childhood, he and his family moved to Miami Beach where his father, a member of the Spanish orchestra, Los Chavales De Espana, had an extended residency. He moved back to Brooklyn in the late 1990s.
Influences
In his youth, Gimeno was exposed to 50s and 60s exoticaExotica
Exotica is a musical genre, named after the 1957 Martin Denny album of the same title, popular during the 1950s to mid-1960s, typically with the suburban set who came of age during World War II. The musical colloquialism, exotica, means tropical ersatz: the non-native, pseudo experience of Oceania...
, world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
, bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
and mambo his parents listened to which deeply influenced him. His own personal tastes were deep in new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, post punk, glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and 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...
. He began collecting records as a teenager and in his own words "never stopped".By 2005, he owned over 20,000 records, filling up an entire room in his apartment. His father worked as a musician and was a member of a flamenco band called Los Chavales de España.
Career
Gimeno entered the music business around 1990. He was a DJ on Miami Beach for nearly a decade, and early in his career, he played drums for a band called 23. Other members of 23 later formed the band The PostmarksThe Postmarks
The Postmarks are a pop band from Pompano Beach, Florida. Their self-titled LP was released in February 2007 and has been met with critical acclaim from Rolling Stone and Spin, as well as Pitchfork Media and a host of other music blogs. The group was discovered by Andy Chase of Ivy and...
. He also had his own show on the pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station WOMB.
After extensive work as a DJ, he sent a tape of original work to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based record label ESL Music, which was immediately interested in signing him. On that label, Gimeno has released a number of albums containing mixes of an eclectic selection of bands, ranging from The Bees
The Bees (UK band)
The Bees are an English band from Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Although their sound is generally classified as indie rock or psychedelic rock, the band have a colourful range of styles and influences, such as 1960s garage rock, country, reggae and jazz.-History:The Bees have so far released four...
to Kraak & Smaak
Kraak & Smaak
Kraak & Smaak are a musical producer trio from the town of Leiden, the Netherlands consisting of Oscar de Jong, Mark Kneppers and Wim Plug.-Biography:...
; Gimeno knows many of the artists whose work he uses in his mixes personally. Aside from mixing the music of others, he also creates his own original works such as the studio albums Kinda' Kinky and Here Comes Tomorrow
Here Comes Tomorrow (album)
Here Comes Tomorrow is a 2006 album by Ursula 1000.-Track listing:# "Kaboom"# "Hello! Let's Go to a Disco"# "Got Cha"# "Electrik Boogie"# "Two Tone Rocka"# "Boop"# "Mirkin the Mystic"# "Urgent/Anxious"# "Descarga en la discoteca"# "Arrastão"...
.
The name Ursula 1000 is a reference to Ursula Andress
Ursula Andress
Ursula Andress is a Swiss actress and a sex symbol of the 1960s. She is known for her roles as Bond girl Honey Ryder in Dr...
, famous Swiss actress who played Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
in first Bond movie Dr. No
Dr. No (film)
Dr. No is a 1962 spy film, starring Sean Connery; it is the first James Bond film. Based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel of the same name, it was adapted by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather and was directed by Terence Young. The film was produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R...
. Currently, he travels the world as a dj and has monthly residencies in New York. His works have been used in episodes of Sex And The City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
, Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
and ad campaigns for Samsung, AT&T, Adidas, and La Vie Grand Marnier.
Albums
- The Now Sound of Ursula 1000 (1999)
- All Systems are Go Go (2000)
- Kinda' Kinky (2002)
- Ursadelica (2004)
- Here Comes TomorrowHere Comes Tomorrow (album)Here Comes Tomorrow is a 2006 album by Ursula 1000.-Track listing:# "Kaboom"# "Hello! Let's Go to a Disco"# "Got Cha"# "Electrik Boogie"# "Two Tone Rocka"# "Boop"# "Mirkin the Mystic"# "Urgent/Anxious"# "Descarga en la discoteca"# "Arrastão"...
(2006) - Undressed ...Remixed (2008)
- Mystics (2009)
- Mondo Beyondo (2011)
Singles
- Very Leggy EP (1999)
- The Shake EP (2000)
- Kinky Sounds of Ursula 1000 (2000)
- Rennsport EP (2000)
- Beatbox Cha Cha EP (2001)
- Mucho Tequila EP (2001)
- Samba 1000 EP (2003)
- Boop EP (2006)
- Urgent/Anxious (2006)
- Electrik Boogie (2007)
- Step Back feat. Sista Widey (2007)
- Zombies (2009)
- Star Machine (2009)
- Rocket (2010)
Remixes
- Pierre Henry and Michel Colombier - ("Psyche Rock") (2000)
- Nicola ConteNicola ConteNicola Conte is an Italian DJ, producer, guitarist, and bandleader, known initially for introducing an innovative style of acid jazz that incorporates bossa nova themes, melodies drawn from Italian film scores of the 1960s, easy listening themes, and ethnic Indian music...
- ("Missione A Bombay") (2001) - Felix da HousecatFelix da HousecatFelix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
featuring Miss KittinMiss KittinMiss Kittin is an electronic music DJ, vocalist, and songwriter. Since rising to prominence in 1998 for her singles "1982" and "Frank Sinatra" with The Hacker, she has worked with other musicians such as Chicks on Speed, Felix da Housecat and Golden Boy...
- ("Madame HollywoodMadame Hollywood"Madame Hollywood" is the third single featuring Miss Kittin from Felix da Housecat's album Kittenz and Thee Glitz.-Critical reception:Paul Cooper of Pitchfork Media said,"Kittin's dull-as-dishwater celebrity fantasies and irritatingly neutral delivery pale in comparison to how Harrison Crump...
") (2002) - The FaintThe FaintThe Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele, Dapose, Joel Petersen and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst...
- ("You're Retro Career Melted") (2003) - Don Tiki - ("The Other Side of The MoonThe Other Side of the MoonThe Other Side of the Moon may refer to:*The Other Side of the Moon , an album of rarities and B-sides by The Cardigans*The Other Side of the Moon , an anthology of science fiction stories edited by August Derleth...
") (2004) - The IncrediblesThe IncrediblesThe Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
- ("Main Theme") (2004) - Bill Cosby and Quincy Jones - ("Along Came Mister Nobody") (2004)
- The ChordettesThe ChordettesThe Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. The Chordettes were one of the longest lived vocal groups with beginnings in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s...
- ("Lollipop") (2005) - ThunderballThunderballThunderball may refer to:*Thunderball , a 1961 James Bond novel by Ian Fleming**Thunderball , a 1965 film adaptation of the novel starring Sean Connery**Thunderball , the soundtrack from the film, or the title song...
- ("Get Up With The Get Down") (2007) - Federico AubeleFederico AubeleFederico Aubele is an Argentine singer-songwriter whose music blends a variety of genres and styles: Jamaican dub and reggae, American ambient and hip-hop, Mexican bolero, and Argentine tango...
- ("CorazonCorazón (song)"Corazón" is a song performed by Ricky Martin, included on his album A Medio Vivir. It was released as a single in Finland on October 27, 1997, after the success of "Maria".The song peaked at number twenty on the Finnish Singles Chart....
") (2007) - Fagget Fairys - ("Uzela") (2008)
- Mocean WorkerMocean Worker-Background:Philadelphia native Adam Dorn is the son of famous jazz and R'n'B producer Joel Dorn. He grew up around the jazz and R&B discs his father produced for Atlantic Records in the '60s and '70s. As a 15-year-old, he sent a fan letter to bassist Marcus Miller...
- ("Shake Ya Boogie") (2009) - The SuperionsThe SuperionsThe Superions are an American comedy synthpop band formed in Orlando, Florida in 2006 as a side project of The B-52s frontman Fred Schneider with Noah Brodie and Dan Marshall.- Formation and early years :...
- ("Totally Nude IslandTotally Nude Island"Totally Nude Island" is the debut single by The Superions, a side project of Fred Schneider of The B-52s. The single was released to iTunes Stores internationally as a digital download on October 31, 2008. "Totally Nude Island " was also released as a digital single on December 18, 2008...
") (2010) - The PostmarksThe PostmarksThe Postmarks are a pop band from Pompano Beach, Florida. Their self-titled LP was released in February 2007 and has been met with critical acclaim from Rolling Stone and Spin, as well as Pitchfork Media and a host of other music blogs. The group was discovered by Andy Chase of Ivy and...
- ("Go Jetsetter") (2010) - The Glass - ("Superhero") (2010)
- Wet Cookies - ("I Got Reasons") (2010)
- Tom Piper and Destroy Disco - ("My SoundMy Sound"My Sound" is a song by Belgian DJ Laurent Wéry, from his debut album Ready for the Night. The song was written by Serge Ramaekers and Laurent Wery...
") (2010) - Hayz - ("Ghetto Base") (2010)
- Robb G - ("12 Inch Therapy") (2010)
- Nappy Riddem - ("Rastar") (2010)
- The Pinker TonesThe Pinker TonesThe Pinker Tones are an alternative pop band from Barcelona, Spain. They have released 6 albums to date, and have been included on many more. The Whistling Song is featured in all versions of EA Sports' FIFA 2009.- Artists and Music :...
- ("Sampleame") (2010)