Stereo MC's

Stereo MC's
Stereo MC's in concert, August 2006
Stereo MC's in concert, August 2006
Background information
OriginClapham, London, England
Genres
Years active1985–present
Labels
MembersNick Hallam
Rob Birch
Cath Coffey
Tansay Omar
Past membersOwen If
WebsiteOfficial website

Stereo MC's are an English hip hop and electronic dance group that formed in Clapham, London, England, in 1985.[1] They had an international top 20 hit with their single "Connected" and a UK top 20 hit with "Step It Up". After releasing eight albums for Island Records, K7, Graffiti Recordings, and Pias, they formed the label Connected with the band Terranova to release their own material and that of other artists within the house/techno/electronic genre.[2]

Career

Stereo MC's 2005 in Berlin

Rob Birch (vocalist/songwriter) and Nick Hallam (DJ/producer) co-founded the Gee Street recording studio and record label, in 1985 along with Jon Baker and DJ Richie Rich.[3][4] Part of the finance came from Birch and Hallam's joint receipt of £14,000 from a property developer, on condition they vacated their adjacent flats.[3]

When Gee Street attracted the attention of 4th & Broadway, they recorded the debut Stereo MCs' studio album, 33-45-78 (1989), on a shoestring budget with DJ Cesare.[3] Drummer Owen If and backing vocalist Cath Coffey joined the group for the Supernatural LP.[1] In 1990, "Elevate My Mind" was the first British hip hop single to reach the US Billboard R&B chart.[3][5] Having supported the Happy Mondays on a US tour, in the emerging UK alternative dance scene, it took an alliance with the Jungle Brothers to ensure chart success for Supernatural (1990).[1] Remix work for U2 and Queen Latifah followed.[5]

Their live band included singers Andrea Bedassie and Verona Davis,[1] and they were one of the few hip hop outfits to play at rock music festivals at the time.[5] 1992's mainstream breakthrough Connected, a number 2 success in the UK Albums Chart, contained the hit singles "Connected", "Step It Up", "Creation", and "Ground Level", and won them 1994 Brit Awards for Best Group and Best Album.[1] Hallam and Birch then created the music-publishing firm Spirit Songs, which signed Finley Quaye.[5]

However, the follow-up to Connected did not appear for almost a decade. Further remix duties for Madonna ("Frozen"), Tricky ("Makes Me Wanna Die" Weekend Mix), and the Jungle Brothers ("Jungle Brother") in 1998 kept the Stereo MCs' name in the limelight.[5] Madonna went on to use the "Frozen" remix on her 2001 Drowned World Tour.[citation needed]

In 2000, they released a Disc Jockey mix for Studio !K7's DJ-Kicks series and remixed another song for Madonna ("Music"). The following year saw the release of Deep Down & Dirty, followed by a tour including slots opening for the recently re-united Jane's Addiction.[citation needed]

Their sixth studio album, Double Bubble, was released in July 2008, followed by their seventh, Emperor's Nightingale, in August 2011. In December 2008, they supported Madness at the O2 Arena in London.[citation needed]

Stereo MC's at the Orange Music Experience Festival, Haifa, 29 June 2005

Drummer Owen If died on 10 July 2022, at the age of 63.[6]

Members

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Certification
UK
[7] 		AUS
[8][9] 		AUT GER NZ SWE SWI
33-45-78
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Gee Street
 — — — — — — —
Supernatural
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Island
 — 132 — — — — —
Connected
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Fourth & Broadway
 2 86 12 47 33 17 19
Deep Down & Dirty
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Island
 17 58 2 10 — 60 20
  • BPI: Silver
Paradise
  • Released: 2005
 — — — — — — —
Double Bubble
  • Released: 2008
 — — — — — — —
Emperor's Nightingale
  • Released: 2011
 — — — — — — —

Compilation albums

  • Retroactive (2002)
  • Live at the BBC (2008)

Other albums

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
[10][7] 		AUS
[8] 		AUT
[11] 		BEL
(FL)
[12] 		FRA
[13] 		NED
[14] 		NZ
[15] 		SWE
[16] 		SWI
[17] 		US
[18]
1988 "Move It" (with DJ Cesare) — — — — — — — — — — Single only
"What Is Soul?" — — — — — — — — — — 33-45-78
1989 "On 33" 94 — — — — — — — — —
"Lyrical Machine" — — — — — — — — — — Single only
1990 "Elevate My Mind" 74 154 — — — — — — — 39 Supernatural
1991 "Lost in Music" 46 — — — — 20 — — — —
"I'm a Believer" (Continental Europe only) — — — — — — — — — —
1992 "Connected" 18 47 5 19 27 54 24 8 6 20 Connected
"Step It Up" 12 87 12 29 50 — 13 8 — 58
1993 "Ground Level" 19 — — — — — — — — —
"Creation" 19 — — — — — — — — —
2001 "Deep Down & Dirty" 17 115 — — — 98 — — 97 — Deep Down & Dirty
"We Belong in This World Together" 59 — — — — — — — — —
2002 "Running" 81 — — — — — — — — —
2005 "Warhead" — — — — — — — — — — Paradise
"Paradise" — — — — — — — — — —
"Set It Off" — — — — — — — — — —
2008 "Black Gold" — — — — — — — — — — Double Bubble
2011 "Boy" (featuring Jamie Cullum) — — — — — — — — — — Emperor's Nightingale
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 935. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  2. ^ "KOMPAKT.FM // BLOG // Read: Terranova and Stereo MC's start new label, Connected + win merch". Kompakt.fm. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  4. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 134. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
  5. ^ a b c d e Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 420. ISBN 0-85112-072-5.
  6. ^ a b Doole, Kerry (14 July 2022). "Obituaries, July 14, 2022". Fyimusicnews.ca. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  7. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 528. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. ^ a b Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
    • Top 50 peaks: "Stereo MC's - Australian Chart". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
    • Top 100 peaks: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 266.
  9. ^ "Stereo MC's ARIA Chart history (complete 1988-2024)". ARIA. Retrieved 28 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  10. ^ "Stereo MC's - UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Stereo MC's - Austrian Chart". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  12. ^ "Stereo MC's - Flemish Chart". Ultratop.be. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Stereo MC's - French Chart". Lescharts.com. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  14. ^ "Stereo MC's - Dutch Chart". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  15. ^ "Stereo MC's - New Zealand Chart". Charts.nz. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  16. ^ "Stereo MC's - Swedish Chart". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  17. ^ "Stereo MC's - Swiss Chart". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  18. ^ "Stereo MC's - US Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved 4 January 2016.