Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a critically acclaimed
UK house music duo, comprised of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, that rose to popularity in the late
1990s.
Basement Jaxx started in
Brixton,
South London in
1994, where they held a regular club night called
Rooty, which would later become the name of their second artist album.
In 1999, the group released their first full length album,
Remedy, to wide acclaim.
Remedy includes the "Red Alert", "Rendez Vu", "Jump N' Shout", and "Bingo Bango" singles. "Red Alert" was used in a
Coca-Cola commercial. Basement Jaxx also released
Jaxx Unreleased, a compilation of
b-sides, remixes, and other assorted material, in 1999.
Their next full length album, 2001's
Rooty included singles "Romeo", "Jus 1 Kiss", "Where's Your Head At?", and "Get Me Off". The
music video for album opener "Romeo" is a parody of a
Bollywood movie. "Where's Your Head At?", which relies on a sample of
Gary Numan's "M.E." for its hook, became a huge international hit in 2002 (see
2002 in music) and is perhaps Basement Jaxx's best known song.
Traktor's video for "
Where's Your Head At?" (monkeys with human faces) has been praised by
Mixmag as the best dance music video ever made.
Xxtra Cutz was released just after
Rooty, containing b-sides from this album's singles.
2003 brought Basement Jaxx's third full length album,
Kish Kash, which included contributions from
Lisa Kekaula (of
the Bellrays),
Me'shell Ndegeocello,
Dizzee Rascal, Cotlyn Jackson,
J C Chasez,
Siouxsie Sioux, and Phoebe.
Kish Kash won the 2004 Grammy for best dance album. From this album, the tracks "Lucky Star", "Good Luck" and "Plug It In" were released as singles. The track "Good Luck" was re-released in 2004, after exposure from being the theme to
BBC's
Euro 2004 coverage, with a special remix. "Good Luck" is also in the soundtrack of
Appleseed, an anime movie released in 2004. The album won the Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance Album in 2005.
In 2005, the duo released
The Singles, comprising of all the singles from their previous three albums, some earlier releases (featured on
Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: A Compilation), and two new tracks, "Oh My Gosh" and "U Don't Know Me", which were both released as singles.
The Singles (Special Edition) was also released, which contained the original compilation, as well as a bonus disc entitled
Bonus Traxx, which contained many previously unreleased tracks, as well as some remixes of existing Basement Jaxx songs. The video for "U Don't Know Me" featured a drunken, carousing, and violent
Queen Elizabeth II lookalike and was banned from daytime rotation on MTV. They appeared as a headline act on the Pyramid stage at
Glastonbury Festival in 2005, and they are currently on tour with
Robbie Williams and will headline their own UK arena tour this winter. Also, they are currently developing their next album, called
Crazy Itch Radio and is scheduled to be released in September 2006. The first single released off of the new album is called "Hush Boy", and it premiered on
The Essential Selection on
June 302006In addition to their own work, Basement Jaxx have become in-demand remixers. Their more prominent work includes "4 My People" by
Missy Elliott (which turned the song into a massive chart and club hit), "Like I Love You" by
Justin Timberlake and "She Wants to Move" by
N.E.R.D.
Albums
Remedy (1999) #2 UK
Rooty (2001) #5 UK, #149 US
Kish Kash (2003) #17 UK, #172 US
Crazy Itch Radio (2006)
Compilations
Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: A Compilation (1997)
Jaxx Unreleased (1999)
Xxtra Cutz (2001)
The Singles + Singles Special Edition (2005) #1 UK
Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: a Compilation Vol.2 (2006)
Singles
EPs
*"Sleezycheeks" EP (1996)
*"Urban Haze" EP (1997)
*"Summer Daze" EP (1997)
From Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: A Compilation
*"Fly Life" (1997) #19 UK
*"Samba Magic" (1997)
From Remedy
*"Red Alert" (1999) feat. Blue James #5 UK
*"Rendez-Vu" (1999) #4 UK
*"Jump N' Shout" (1999) feat. Slarta John #12 UK
*"Bingo Bango" (2000) #13 UK
