Stereo MC’s Biography

They call it The Frontline: a street in Brixton, South London, that has witnessed more than its share of heavy vibes and crazy scenes.

It ought to come as no surprise to find that this is where the Stereo MC’s have made their home. Deep under the pavement they’ve built a studio, creating a space for themselves in the debris of an abandoned building that used to house an illegal night club.

The story began in Nottingham, in the midlands of England, with Rob and Nick’s friendship. Although they’d known each other since schooldays, it’s significant that they didn’t decide to form a group until 1987, by which time they’d left the Midlands for London. It’s always easier to find like-minded souls in London than anywhere else in Britain; regional insularities are broken down by constantly evolving cultural atmospheres of the capital city, and an eclectic approach to music, art and life is essential. Energised by the vitality of the American hip-hop music seeping into the country, and liberated by the simplicities of the format, the Stereos began to evolve. Along with Jon Baker, a music fashion entrepreneur, they started their own label, Gee Street.

In 1989 ‘Move It’, the debut single, was released and the Stereo MC’s caught the imagination of Island Records who signed them up, and subsequently the group recorded their debut LP, ’33 45 78’.

Released in 1988, the album made the band begin to realise the potential of what they could do live.

With their own club night, W11 Express in Notting Hill’s Tabernacle, and a nationwide tour with their own lights, films, backdrops and DJs, the Stereo MC’s started to gain a foothold as a live attraction and also as skilled DJs.

By the time the band were ready to start work on their second LP, Supernatural, Cath Coffey had arrived and the band’s sound was already moving beyond the limiting confines of the hip-hop, and the hip-hop audience’s expectations. ‘Elevate My Mind’, the first single from the group’s 1990 second album, was obviously going to be a hit. A product of London clubs and the groups’ determined belief in their own ability, it was to vindicate them beyond their expectations. In America.

In 1992, the seminal 3rd album ‘Connected’ was released and provided a song-heavy and easily accessible summation of everything the group had been about. Its title track, a massive, hulking slab of funk with no proper chorus, just layers of call-and-response vocals and hypnotic, echoing moans, brought them a long-overdue Top 20 hit that summer. Still played to death nearly ten years later after it was recorded, the track still sounds as fresh as it did back then.

Three other singles all made the top 20, and the album was to reach number 2 in the British LP charts, staying in the upper reaches for over a year as the band played stadium gigs across Europe.

Following the success of Connected, Nick and Rob got back to basics. Buying their Frontline base was the catalyst. After a year or more the studio was finished, and the pair had a space they could call their own in which to regroup and start over. They made a mix album released early in 2000 in the K7 label’s DJ Kicks series, an experience that got them back in the groove of making music and also refreshing their inherent desire to DJ.

Next they got their sleeves rolled up, got back to basics, and got ‘Deep Down And Dirty’.
And the Stereo MC’s have always been about moving upwards, forever moving forward, looking at the musical world around them, taking the bits they want and grafting them onto their own sound and style, stepping sideways and starting over again, keeping you guessing. This is exactly what they achieved with deep Down and Dirty which was another classic collection of Stereos material which reached fans, old and new alike!

Now working on the 5th album, planned for 2005, the boys are again going back to their organic roots and going back to the dance floor. The DJ sets they are creating are rocking clubs and festivals across the UK, Europe and the World.

The Stereo MCs will be at a venue near you soon!!

Hold Tight!!