Sneaker Pimps
Encyclopedia
Sneaker Pimps were a British
trip-hop band formed in Hartlepool
, England
in 1994. They are best known for their first album Becoming X
(released in 1996) and particularly the singles "6 Underground
", "Spin Spin Sugar
", and "Tesko Suicide" from the same album. They took their name from an article the Beastie Boys
published in their Grand Royal
magazine about a man they hired to track down classic sneakers
.
The band's founding members were Liam Howe
and Chris Corner
, who then recruited Kelli Dayton
(formerly of Lumieres, now recording under the name Kelli Ali) for vocal duties and long-time friend Ian Pickering to provide lyrics. After the first album, the band felt that demos for the second album (on which Corner provided the guide vocals) better suited his voice, especially in regard to the more raw, personal quality of the lyrics. Following the promotional tour for Becoming X, Kelli was dismissed from the group, and Corner became the singer.
began working on a side project in 2003 and released three solo albums in 2004, 2006, and 2009 under the moniker IAMX titled Kiss + Swallow , The Alternative
, and Kingdom of Welcome Addiction. His latest album was release in March 2011 titled, Volatile Times
. He has also sung guest vocals for TNT Jackson, Moonbootica and The Strike Boys, as well as produced material for Robots in Disguise
. Corner also collaborated with Sue Denim from Robots in Disguise, under the name Sibling.
Joe Wilson
formed Trash Money
with Chris Tate in 1999 and plays live with Client
.
Liam Howe
has become a successful writer / producer and has written and produced the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, and Ellie Goulding
, he is signed to Columbia records for his solo project which includes collaborations from Alan Vega
, Neneh Cherry
and Princess Superstar
. David Westlake currently plays drums in Trash Money
, has done session work for Natalie Imbruglia
, Mediaeval Baebes, Zero-G, and played drums with Ultrafox
on tour.
Kelli Ali (Dayton) recorded her third solo album Rocking Horse at the beginning of 2008 and released it through One Little Indian late Autumn 2008. She is quoted as saying this is a very different affair from her two previous solo albums, Tigermouth and Psychic Cat. Rocking Horse was produced by Max Richter
.
Ian Pickering is a lyricist/songwriter currently writing and recording with the band Polaroid Kiss with Brandun Reed whose debut album 'Weakness of the Beautiful Souls' is due for release in 2011. He wrote lyrics for a number of tracks on the IAMX albums "Kiss + Swallow" and "The Alternative
" and released the album All These Lines Make Noises in 2005 as singer/songwriter/lyricist with the band transporter. He is also currently contributing lyrics to a number of other projects and has previously written lyrics for Anomie Belle
, Natalie Imbruglia
, Neil Barnes from Leftfield
and The SuperDead.
Also note:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
trip-hop band formed in Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, 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...
in 1994. They are best known for their first album Becoming X
Becoming X
Becoming X is the debut album from Sneaker Pimps released in 1996. The album was successful in the United Kingdom, while "6 Underground" and "Spin Spin Sugar" would become hits in the US....
(released in 1996) and particularly the singles "6 Underground
6 Underground
"6 Underground" is a song by the British band Sneaker Pimps, from their 1996 album Becoming X. First released as a single in the UK in October 1996, the song reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and had moderate radio airplay in the United States...
", "Spin Spin Sugar
Spin Spin Sugar
"Spin Spin Sugar" is a 1997 single released by Sneaker Pimps from their 1996 debut album Becoming X. The album version is in true Sneaker Pimps style and format. There is a driving bass line produced by synthesizer keyboard. As the bass drives there is a second synth loop playing above. The track...
", and "Tesko Suicide" from the same album. They took their name from an article the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
published in their Grand Royal
Grand Royal
Grand Royal was the Los Angeles, California based vanity record label set up in 1992 by the Beastie Boys in conjunction with Capitol Records after the group left Def Jam Recordings....
magazine about a man they hired to track down classic sneakers
Athletic shoe
Athletic shoe is a generic name for the footwear primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise but in recent years has come to be used for casual everyday activities....
.
The band's founding members were Liam Howe
Liam Howe
Liam Coverdale Howe is a London based record producer, musician and songwriter.- Musical beginnings :...
and Chris Corner
Chris Corner
Chris Corner is an English musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of the band Sneaker Pimps and is now active with the IAMX solo project.He has been living in Berlin since 2006, where he has set up his new IAMX studio for music and visual work....
, who then recruited Kelli Dayton
Kelli Dayton
Kelli Dayton, also known as Kelli Ali , was born 30 June 1974 in Birmingham, England....
(formerly of Lumieres, now recording under the name Kelli Ali) for vocal duties and long-time friend Ian Pickering to provide lyrics. After the first album, the band felt that demos for the second album (on which Corner provided the guide vocals) better suited his voice, especially in regard to the more raw, personal quality of the lyrics. Following the promotional tour for Becoming X, Kelli was dismissed from the group, and Corner became the singer.
Side projects
Chris CornerChris Corner
Chris Corner is an English musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of the band Sneaker Pimps and is now active with the IAMX solo project.He has been living in Berlin since 2006, where he has set up his new IAMX studio for music and visual work....
began working on a side project in 2003 and released three solo albums in 2004, 2006, and 2009 under the moniker IAMX titled Kiss + Swallow , The Alternative
The Alternative (album)
* Lyrics on Tracks 3 and 5 co-written by Sue Denim* Lyrics on Track 8 co-written by Igor Vdovin* Lyrics on Tracks 4, 5 and 10 co-written by Ian Pickering* Lyrics on Tracks 5 and 10 co-written by Liam Howe- Trivia :...
, and Kingdom of Welcome Addiction. His latest album was release in March 2011 titled, Volatile Times
Volatile Times
Vinyl2-vinyl, it includes the 11-track CD as a bonus....
. He has also sung guest vocals for TNT Jackson, Moonbootica and The Strike Boys, as well as produced material for Robots in Disguise
Robots in Disguise
Robots in Disguise are an English electropunk band. The group is composed of Dee Plume , Sue Denim , and a rolling live line-up of backing musicians...
. Corner also collaborated with Sue Denim from Robots in Disguise, under the name Sibling.
Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson (musician)
Joe Wilson is a British record producer and musician, best known for his work with Sneaker Pimps. He has exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and The CCA in Glasgow. as well as producing music for films for Channel 4 and the BBC...
formed Trash Money
Trash Money
Trash Money is an English rock band, created in 1998 by the former Sneaker Pimps members, Joe Wilson and Chris Tate. They are joined in live performances by David Westlake, also formerly of the Sneaker Pimps, Molly Dolittle Slade, formerly of Little Killers, and Cary Creed.Trash Money diverges...
with Chris Tate in 1999 and plays live with Client
Client (band)
Client are an English electronic musical group from London. They are most popular in Germany where they have had limited commercial success...
.
Liam Howe
Liam Howe
Liam Coverdale Howe is a London based record producer, musician and songwriter.- Musical beginnings :...
has become a successful writer / producer and has written and produced the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, and Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
, he is signed to Columbia records for his solo project which includes collaborations from Alan Vega
Alan Vega
Alan Vega For several years other sources stated that he was born in 1948 – see 'Myth' section is an American vocalist, primarily known for his work with electronic protopunk duo, Suicide...
, Neneh Cherry
Neneh Cherry
Neneh Mariann Cherry is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster...
and Princess Superstar
Princess Superstar
Princess Superstar is an American emcee and DJ.Her musical style, as she describes it, is flip-flop — a mixture of 'hip hop, electroclash and electronica'.-Background:...
. David Westlake currently plays drums in Trash Money
Trash Money
Trash Money is an English rock band, created in 1998 by the former Sneaker Pimps members, Joe Wilson and Chris Tate. They are joined in live performances by David Westlake, also formerly of the Sneaker Pimps, Molly Dolittle Slade, formerly of Little Killers, and Cary Creed.Trash Money diverges...
, has done session work for Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
, Mediaeval Baebes, Zero-G, and played drums with Ultrafox
Ultrafox
Ultrafox is an electropop band formed by German twins Claudia and Connie Holzer. Liam Howe and Joe Wilson of Sneaker Pimps were also involved in the band's creation. The band was formed in 2001, and their only album, Ice Skating, was released in June 2004...
on tour.
Kelli Ali (Dayton) recorded her third solo album Rocking Horse at the beginning of 2008 and released it through One Little Indian late Autumn 2008. She is quoted as saying this is a very different affair from her two previous solo albums, Tigermouth and Psychic Cat. Rocking Horse was produced by Max Richter
Max Richter
Max Richter is a German-born British composer.-Biography:Richter studied composition and piano at University of Edinburgh, the Royal Academy of Music and with Luciano Berio in Florence. After finishing his studies, Richter co-founded the contemporary classical ensemble Piano Circus...
.
Ian Pickering is a lyricist/songwriter currently writing and recording with the band Polaroid Kiss with Brandun Reed whose debut album 'Weakness of the Beautiful Souls' is due for release in 2011. He wrote lyrics for a number of tracks on the IAMX albums "Kiss + Swallow" and "The Alternative
The Alternative
VH1 Classic 120 Minutes is a music video program that airs on the U.S. cable television network VH1 Classic. The show debuted in August 2004 and mainly features videos from alternative, post-punk, punk, and '80s New Wave artists.-Summary and format:Most of the videos are from the '70's and 80's...
" and released the album All These Lines Make Noises in 2005 as singer/songwriter/lyricist with the band transporter. He is also currently contributing lyrics to a number of other projects and has previously written lyrics for Anomie Belle
Anomie Belle
Anomie Belle is an American musician and activist. Originally a classical violinist and songwriter from Portland, Anomie began performing and recording her own music as a child. She has since worked as a musician and producer in Madrid, Glasgow, Amsterdam, New York, Buenos Aires, and London...
, Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
, Neil Barnes from Leftfield
Leftfield
Leftfield are a British duo of electronica artists and record producers, namely Paul Daley and Neil Barnes, who formed in 1990 in London, England...
and The SuperDead.
Members
In the studio, the band share instrumental duties, however in the live environment they could usually be observed playing the following:- Chris CornerChris CornerChris Corner is an English musician and songwriter. He was a founding member of the band Sneaker Pimps and is now active with the IAMX solo project.He has been living in Berlin since 2006, where he has set up his new IAMX studio for music and visual work....
(guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, synthesiser, vocals) - Liam HoweLiam HoweLiam Coverdale Howe is a London based record producer, musician and songwriter.- Musical beginnings :...
(synthesiser) - Joe Wilson (bassGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) - David Westlake (drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and samplingSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
) - Ian Pickering (LyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
)
Also note:
- Chris Tate (friend of Joe Wilson and stand-in for Liam Howe on synthesiser during Bloodsport)
- Kelli Dayton (ex-vocalist, asked to leave after making their first album Becoming X)
Albums
- Becoming XBecoming XBecoming X is the debut album from Sneaker Pimps released in 1996. The album was successful in the United Kingdom, while "6 Underground" and "Spin Spin Sugar" would become hits in the US....
(1996) – #27 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, #111 U.S., #1 U.S. Heatseekers – BPIBritish Phonographic IndustryThe British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
: Gold - Becoming RemixedBecoming RemixedBecoming Remixed is an album by the trip-hop group Sneaker Pimps. It was released on March 10, 1998. It is a limited edition remix album of their previous effort, Becoming X...
(1998) – #24 U.S. Heatseekers - SplinterSplinter (Sneaker Pimps)Splinter is the second full studio album from Sneaker Pimps. Released in 1999, Splinter is the first release from the band without Kelli Dayton singing lead vocals; she was replaced by founding band member Chris Corner.-Track listing:# "Half Life"...
(1999) - #80 UK - BloodsportBloodsport (album)Bloodsport is the third album by Sneaker Pimps. It was released on January 22, 2002.Despite being a UK chart flop it made the Austrian top 75 album chart at #68.-Track listing:#"Kiro TV"#"Sick"#"Small Town Witch"#"Black Sheep"#"Loretta Young Silks"...
(2002) – #16 U.S. Electronic, #46 U.S. Indie - SP4 (unreleased) – most songs ended up on Chris Corner's IAMX project
Singles
| Year | Song | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
U.S. Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. Modern Rock Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
U.S. Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Tesko Suicide" | - | - | - | - | Becoming X |
| 1996 | "Roll On" | - | - | - | - | Becoming X |
| 1996 | "6 Underground 6 Underground "6 Underground" is a song by the British band Sneaker Pimps, from their 1996 album Becoming X. First released as a single in the UK in October 1996, the song reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and had moderate radio airplay in the United States... " |
15 | - | - | - | Becoming X |
| 1997 | "Spin Spin Sugar Spin Spin Sugar "Spin Spin Sugar" is a 1997 single released by Sneaker Pimps from their 1996 debut album Becoming X. The album version is in true Sneaker Pimps style and format. There is a driving bass line produced by synthesizer keyboard. As the bass drives there is a second synth loop playing above. The track... " |
21 | 87 | - | - | Becoming X |
| 1997 | "6 Underground (re-issued)" | 9 | 45 | 7 | - | Becoming X |
| 1997 | "Spin Spin Sugar (remixes)" | 46 | - | - | 2 | Becoming X |
| 1997 | "Post Modern Sleaze" | 22 | - | - | - | Becoming X |
| 1999 | "Low Five" | 39 | - | - | - | Splinter |
| 1999 | "Ten To Twenty" | 56 | - | - | - | Splinter |
| 2002 | "Sick" | 100 | - | - | 16 | Bloodsport |
| 2002 | "Bloodsport" | - | - | - | - | Bloodsport |
| 2002 | "Loretta Young Silks" | - | - | - | - | Bloodsport |
| 2005 | "Low Five (digital remix EP)" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | The Mix You Miss website |
| 2005 | "Loretta Young Silks (digital remix EP)" | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | The Mix You Miss website |
External links
- Sneaker Pimps Official Website (archived)
- Sneaker Pimps Unofficial Website (including discography) (links to download or play music/videos are broken or no longer work)
- Sneaker Pimps Unofficial italian Website
- Kelli Ali – official website
- Kelli Ali Interview for WeirdMusic.net magazine
- Band members' comments about their songs (archive.org copy)
- Trash Money Official Website
- Gashaus Profile with concert photos from June 21st 1997 in Prague's Akropolis