Jon Carter
Encyclopedia
Jon Carter is an Essex
, England
-born DJ
who initially rose to prominence as a big beat
electronica
DJ. However, as his career progressed both his productions and his DJ sets became known for including a variety of musical styles.
scene of the early 1990s. During his spare time, Carter began making his own tracks, which caught the ear of Mark Jones
, the founder of the Wall of Sound
record label. Carter was eventually signed to Wall of Sound and released his first record "The Dollar" under the name Artery.
At around the same time, Carter was beginning to develop a reputation as one of the regular DJs at The Heavenly Social
, a Sunday evening club in the Albany pub on Great Portland Street
in central London
. Alongside the other regular DJs The Chemical Brothers
, Fatboy Slim
and Richard Fearless of Death in Vegas
, the night was instrumental in developing the form of electronic dance music
that became known as big beat
, with its mix of rock
, indie and breakbeats as well as dance.
In 1995 Carter left Wall of Sound and signed with Heavenly Records
to produce dub
and dancehall
-influenced dance music under the name of Monkey Mafia. The project developed into a full band playing live shows, and an album, Shoot the Boss, appeared in 1998. By now he was also in demand to produce mix albums and remix songs by bands as diverse as U2
, Manic Street Preachers
and The Beach Boys
. By the end of the 1990s he had secured DJ residencies at several nightclubs in the UK and was regularly playing sets abroad.
In 1999 Carter moved back to Wall of Sound and its new subsidiary Nu Camp to release "Women Beat Their Men", a house
record under the new pseudonym
of Junior Cartier. In 2003 he and fellow DJ Tim Sheridan formed a short-lived record company, Saville Row, and released a few singles on the label.
A severe bout of tinnitus
curtailed his DJing activity and brought a halt to his record productions for a couple of years, but by 2008 Carter had returned, first with another one-off collaboration with Tim Sheridan, and then "The Rabbit" with Stretch Silvester of Stretch & Vern, the first single in a planned series of collaborations with other DJs under the name Gentleman's Agreement. He has also teamed up with Liverpool
-born, New York
-based DJ Alex Blanco under the name Roosevelt High. In 2009 he became a member of the Rizla Invisible Players, an ever-changing collective of musicians and artists. Alongside Carter, the 2009 line-up included Jazzie B
, Micachu
, Gruff Rhys
and David Shrigley
and performed at a number of festivals across the UK that year, including RockNess, Lovebox
, The Big Chill
and Bestival
.
in October 2001. Their daughter Lola Anne was born on 13 June 2004. In December 2005 the couple announced their split, and divorced the following year. Carter also has a son from another relationship.
Carter became co-owner of The Lock Tavern pub in Camden
, London
in 1998. The pub is part of the 580 Limited group of live music pub venues across the UK. Working with the company, Carter has helped to set up The Lock Tavern Tent at the Glastonbury Festival
in 2003 and every year since, and a Lock Tavern arena at the Field Day
festival in 2010.
):
The Naked All-Stars (with Derek Dahlarge):
Monkey Mafia:
Junior Cartier:
Jon Carter:
Tim Sheridan/Jon Carter:
Tim Sheridan vs. Jon Carter featuring Ferank Manseed:
Stretch Carter (with Stretch Silvester):
Roosevelt High (with Alex Blanco):
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
who initially rose to prominence as a big beat
Big beat
Big beat is a term employed since the mid-1990s by the British music press to describe much of the music by artists such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method, and Propellerheads typically driven by heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns in...
electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
DJ. However, as his career progressed both his productions and his DJ sets became known for including a variety of musical styles.
Biography
Carter began his musical career playing in bands when he was at Southampton University. Dropping out of his studies, he moved back to London and started to learn studio engineering, ending up working in the No U-Turn studios which at the time was involved in the nascent jungleOldschool jungle
Jungle is a genre of electronic music that incorporates influences from genres including breakbeat hardcore, and reggae/dub/dancehall. There is debate as to whether jungle is a separate genre from drum and bass as many use the terms interchangeably...
scene of the early 1990s. During his spare time, Carter began making his own tracks, which caught the ear of Mark Jones
Mark Jones (Wall of Sound)
Mark Jones is the founder of Wall of Sound record label.-Early life:He was born in Hayes, Middlesex. He went to art college and left after one day to form a visuals company called Pop with Michael Speechley...
, the founder of the Wall of Sound
Wall of Sound (record label)
Wall of Sound is an independent record label based in London, England. It is part of the [PIAS] Entertainment Group, a European independent music company....
record label. Carter was eventually signed to Wall of Sound and released his first record "The Dollar" under the name Artery.
At around the same time, Carter was beginning to develop a reputation as one of the regular DJs at The Heavenly Social
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
, a Sunday evening club in the Albany pub on Great Portland Street
Great Portland Street
Great Portland Street is a street in the West End of London. Linking Oxford Street with Albany Street and the busy A501 Marylebone Road and Euston Road, the road forms the boundary between Fitzrovia to the east and Marylebone to the west...
in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Alongside the other regular DJs The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...
, Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
and Richard Fearless of Death in Vegas
Death in Vegas
Death in Vegas are a psychedelic rock and electronic rock band from the United Kingdom, comprising two permanent members: Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes...
, the night was instrumental in developing the form of electronic dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
that became known as big beat
Big beat
Big beat is a term employed since the mid-1990s by the British music press to describe much of the music by artists such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method, and Propellerheads typically driven by heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns in...
, with its mix of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, indie and breakbeats as well as dance.
In 1995 Carter left Wall of Sound and signed with Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
to produce dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
and dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
-influenced dance music under the name of Monkey Mafia. The project developed into a full band playing live shows, and an album, Shoot the Boss, appeared in 1998. By now he was also in demand to produce mix albums and remix songs by bands as diverse as U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
and The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. By the end of the 1990s he had secured DJ residencies at several nightclubs in the UK and was regularly playing sets abroad.
In 1999 Carter moved back to Wall of Sound and its new subsidiary Nu Camp to release "Women Beat Their Men", a house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
record under the new pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Junior Cartier. In 2003 he and fellow DJ Tim Sheridan formed a short-lived record company, Saville Row, and released a few singles on the label.
A severe bout of tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
curtailed his DJing activity and brought a halt to his record productions for a couple of years, but by 2008 Carter had returned, first with another one-off collaboration with Tim Sheridan, and then "The Rabbit" with Stretch Silvester of Stretch & Vern, the first single in a planned series of collaborations with other DJs under the name Gentleman's Agreement. He has also teamed up with Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
-based DJ Alex Blanco under the name Roosevelt High. In 2009 he became a member of the Rizla Invisible Players, an ever-changing collective of musicians and artists. Alongside Carter, the 2009 line-up included Jazzie B
Jazzie B
Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE , better known by his stage name Jazzie B, is a British DJ, music producer, and entrepreneur. He is a founding member of Soul II Soul.-Life and career:...
, Micachu
Micachu
Mica Levi, known by her stage name Micachu , is an English singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. She is classically trained and is best known for experimental music in a variety of genres.-Biography:...
, Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
and David Shrigley
David Shrigley
-Life and career:Shrigley was born in Macclesfield on 17 September 1968, the younger of two children born to Rita and Joseph Shrigley. Shrigley grew up in Oadby, Leicestershire, England...
and performed at a number of festivals across the UK that year, including RockNess, Lovebox
Lovebox Festival
Lovebox is a three-day music festival held in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, London. The event has been running since 2002 and was founded by DJs Groove Armada...
, The Big Chill
The Big Chill (music festival)
The Big Chill is an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle during early August...
and Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
.
Personal life
Carter married model-turned-DJ/presenter Sara CoxSara Cox
Sara Cox , known as "Coxy", is an English TV presenter and radio DJ, most well known for presenting the breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 between 2000 and 2003...
in October 2001. Their daughter Lola Anne was born on 13 June 2004. In December 2005 the couple announced their split, and divorced the following year. Carter also has a son from another relationship.
Carter became co-owner of The Lock Tavern pub in Camden
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1998. The pub is part of the 580 Limited group of live music pub venues across the UK. Working with the company, Carter has helped to set up The Lock Tavern Tent at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 2003 and every year since, and a Lock Tavern arena at the Field Day
Field Day (festival)
Field Day is an outdoor music festival which takes place in Victoria Park in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, organised by events promoter Tom Baker of Eat Your Own Ears. Similar to sister festival Underage, the single day event takes place around early August of each year. Both festivals...
festival in 2010.
Singles and EPs
Artery (with Mark JonesMark Jones (Wall of Sound)
Mark Jones is the founder of Wall of Sound record label.-Early life:He was born in Hayes, Middlesex. He went to art college and left after one day to form a visuals company called Pop with Michael Speechley...
):
- 1994: "The Dollar" (Wall of Sound)
The Naked All-Stars (with Derek Dahlarge):
- 1996: "Hot Pursuit" (Wall of Sound)
Monkey Mafia:
- 1995: "Blow the Whole Joint Up" (Heavenly Records)
- 1996: "Work Mi' Body" (featuring PatraPatra (singer)Patra is a reggae singer. In her beginnings as a Female Dancehall deejay in the late 1980s, she used the stage name, Lady Patra...
) (Heavenly Records) - 1997: "15 Steps EP" (Heavenly Records)
- 1998: "Long As I Can See the Light" (Heavenly Records)
- 1998: "Work Mi' Body" (remixes) (Heavenly Records)
Junior Cartier:
- 1999: "Women Beat Their Men" (Nu Camp)
Jon Carter:
- 2002: "Everlasting Life" (Bugged Out!)
- 2002: "Humanism" (Shine)
- 2003: "Go Down" (Saville Row)
- 2004: "The Dance" (Saville Row)
Tim Sheridan/Jon Carter:
- 2003: "Justice Is a Must"/"Need I Say More" (Saville Row)
Tim Sheridan vs. Jon Carter featuring Ferank Manseed:
- 2008: "Freakshow" (Very Very Wrong Indeed Recordings)
Stretch Carter (with Stretch Silvester):
- 2008: "The Rabbit" (Pieces of Eight)
Roosevelt High (with Alex Blanco):
- 2009: "Stevie’s Drop"
DJ mix albums
- 1996: Essential Mix 4: Pete Tong/Paul Oakenfold/Jon Carter (third CD of a three-CD set) (FFRR)
- 1996: Live at the Social Volume 2 (Heavenly Records)
- 2000: 7 Live #1 (DMC Publishing)
- 2002: Viva Bugged Out! (Virgin)
- 2003: Acid House Reborn! (Mixmag)
- 2004: Ministry of Sound Saturday Sessions (with Mark Hughes) (Ministry of Sound)
Notable remixes
- 1996: Saint EtienneSaint Etienne (band)Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
- "Filthy" (Monkey Mafia Vocal Mix) - 1996: Manic Street PreachersManic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
- "Kevin Carter" (Busts Loose) - 1997: U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
- "Last Night on Earth" (First Night in Hell Mix) - 1998: 808 State808 State808 State are a British electronic music outfit, formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and their common state of mind...
- "Cubik" (Monkey Mafia Remix) - 1999: The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
- "God Only KnowsGod Only Knows"God Only Knows" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys. It is the eighth track on the group's 11th studio album, Pet Sounds , and one of their most widely recognized songs. "God Only Knows" was composed and produced by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Tony Asher and lead vocal by Carl...
" (Jon Carter Remix) - 2000: Mekon - "What’s Going On?" (Junior Cartier Remix)
- 2000: The Stone RosesThe Stone RosesThe Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
- "I Am the ResurrectionI Am the ResurrectionI Am the Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey is a tribute album to guitarist John Fahey released in 2006. The album's title is taken from the title of the third track of his album The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death.-History:...
" (Jon Carter Remix) - 2001: Stereo MCsStereo MCsStereo MCs are an English electronic dance group, which formed in Clapham, London in 1985. They are best known worldwide for their 1992 transatlantic Top 20 hit single, "Connected"...
- "Deep Down and Dirty" (Jon Carter Club Mix) - 2001: U2 - "ElevationElevation (song)"Elevation" is the third track and third single release from U2's 2000 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind. Featuring a thunderous beat, a variety of sound effects on the central guitar riff, and an easy rhyming lyric for the audience to shout along with, it was highly effective in its...
" (Escalation Mix) - 2002: Happy MondaysHappy MondaysHappy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
- "24 Hour Party People" (Jon Carter Remixes) - 2004: Fatboy SlimFatboy SlimNorman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
- "Jin Go Lo Ba" (Jon Carter Remix) - 2005: GorillazGorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
- "Dirty HarryDirty Harry (song)"Dirty Harry" is a song from Gorillaz' second album Demon Days. It was the third single from the album, released 21 November 2005. It peaked at #6 in the UK. It was also released as a promo and onto iTunes earlier that year. An early version of "Dirty Harry" titled "I Need a Gun" was included on...
" (Jon Carter Remix)