Death In Vegas' debut album Dead Elvis was released in 1997 and
quickly made its name as one of the most intriguing albums of the year. Springing
from a recently revitalized London club scene that centered around a creative
DIY ethic, Death In Vegas consisted of 23 year old graphic artist/club DJ Richard
Fearless and BBC World Service engineer Steve Hellier. At first glance Death
In Vegas were something of a dance music anomaly; a mixed up clattering garage
band with a love of dirty basslines, dub reggae, Vegas-era Elvis, '60s pop art
and James Ellroy thrillers. While their single "Dirt" was an absolute
gem which managed to soundtrack an exciting time for a burgeoning British eclectic
dance scene, it wasn't until the Dead Elvis LP appeared that it became clear
that Death In Vegas were much more than just a couple of good-time studio boffins
with a neat line in mashed up breakbeats and Studio One samples.
The music on Dead Elvis was a mish-mash of influences from New York art school
bands to dub, ska, hip-hop and techno. Dead Elvis was not a club record, but
it was a record that clubbers picked up on instantly, partly through the introduction
of those early singles and their wriggling dancehall beats and partly through
Richard Fearless' resident DJ slot at the legendary Heavenly Social club. Dead
Elvis was described by the UK's NME at the time as "gloriously sprawling,
stretching from nodding-dog dub to knuckle-duster electro and the Spiritualized-meets-Kraftwerk
glide of "68 Balcony." Dead Elvis was universally and critically lauded,
and spent the year sailing high in the British music press polls. Death In Vegas
would later go on to secure a healthy following in America partly thanks to
the groove-heavy "Dirt" infecting American radio airwaves as well
as doing the rounds on MTV with the superb Andrea Giaconne directed video.
Time then, for phase two. The Chemical Brothers world tour in 1997, during which
America bowed to reason and thoroughly embraced what was termed "electronica,"
put Death In Vegas in front of thousands of eager danceheads. The Death In Vegas
live experience was very different to that of Tom & Ed's flashing of strobes
and bands of samplers and sequencers. Death In Vegas live featured proper instruments,
guitars and vocals (courtesy of Rankin Roger). Much to everyone's surprise Death
In Vegas were definitely, and defiantly, a little bit rock. The impressive live
visuals were a hodgepodge of images of pop culture and Americana projected behind
the band on a grainy 16mm film. Deaths In Vegas were clearly a band with a vision.
Always keen to throw a curve ball, Death In Vegas were never going to be predictable.
Their name itself sounds like some sort of death metal band and the artwork
does nothing to discourage that assumption. Something of a cottage industry,
all of the band's sleeves are designed by Richard Fearless and graphic artist
cohort Will Beaven. The sleeves draw on the spirit of Americana trash culture
and feature gothic lettering, twisted spines, skulls and x-rays. The artwork
created enough of an interest around the time of the debut album to merit its
own exhibition at Dazed & Confused magazine's gallery in London, quickly
becoming the gallery's most popular event to date.
In the two years since they've been in the studio Death In Vegas have never
completely disappeared from view. Richard has continued to DJ around the world
and has produced tracks for singer Dot Allison. His recent foray into filmmaking
won him a spot at one of London's Kentra film nights and exhibitions of his
artwork are being mooted in San Francisco, Paris and Tokyo. Following the departure
of Steve Hellier, Richard set up his own recording studio and design workshop
and christened it The Contino Rooms. Tim Holmes, engineer and collaborator on
Dead Elvis, joined as a full-fledged member in 1998. Together they've created
the most intangibly brilliant record of the year.
Soundtracking the last twilight months of the 20th century, Death In Vegas'
latest masterpiece is The Contino Sessions, a record that spans a massively
diverse emotional range. Trepidation, tranquility, out-and-out fear and exhilaration
seep through the tracks. Taking in influences that range from The Rolling Stones,
The Velvet Underground, Can and The Stooges to techno originators Underground
Resistance and Primal Scream, each and every track stands in isolation, a warped
masterpiece of 21st century psychedelia, sonically leaps and bounds ahead of
the band's debut album. Death In Vegas have produced an album that trips determinedly
through late night and into the wee hours of the morning.
For a relatively little-known British band, sending a tape to Iggy Pop with
a note asking if he'd like to sing on it seems like a wild stab in the dark.
It speaks volumes that Iggy's response was immediate. Other collaborators were
just as eager: Dot Allison, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and The Jesus &
Mary Chain's Jim Reid. The resulting album is one of those records that takes
a million twists and turns, constantly turning different, more outlandish corners.
It's a journey that you'll be taking again and again, always wanting to see
what's lurking around the next corner. The Contino Sessions is quite simply
the most perfect curve ball of the year; get ready to catch it.
Official
Death In Vegas Website
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DEAD
ELVIS |
DIRT
- 12" |
THE
CONTINO SESSIONS Aisha - sound clip Soul Auctioneer - sound clip |
© 2000 Time Bomb Recordings