Underworld In-depth Biography
Underworld} became one of the most crucial electronic} acts of the 1990s via an intriguing synthesis of old and new. The trio's two-man frontline, vocalist Karl Hyde} and guitarist Rick Smith}, had been recording together since the early-'80s new wave} explosion; after two unsuccessful albums released as Underworld} during the late '80s, the pair finally hit it big when they recruited Darren Emerson}, a young DJ hipped to the sound of techno} and trance}. Traditional pop} song forms were jettisoned in favor of Hyde}'s heavily treated vocals, barely there whispering, and surreal wordplay, stretched out over the urban breakbeat trance} ripped out by Emerson} and co. while Smith}'s cascade of guitar-shard effects provided a bluesy foil to the stark music. All in all, the decision to go pop} was hardly a concession to the mainstream. The first Underworld} album by the trio, Dubnobasswithmyheadman}, appeared in late 1993 to a flurry of critical acclaim; the trio then gained U.S. distribution for the album with TVT}. Second Toughest in the Infants}, the group's sophomore LP, updated their sound slightly and received more praise than the debut. Unlike the first, the LP also sold well, thanks in part to the non-album single "Born Slippy,"} featured on the soundtrack} to the seminal film Trainspotting}.
The roots of Underworld} go back to the dawn of the 1980s, when Hyde} and Smith} formed a new wave} band called Freur}. The group released Doot-Doot} in 1983 and Get Us out of Here} two years later, but later disintegrated. Hyde} worked on guitar sessions for Debbie Harry} and Prince}, then reunited with Smith} in 1988 to form an industrial}-funk} band called Underworld}. The pair earned an American contract with Sire} and released their debut album, Underneath the Radar}, in 1988. Change the Weather} followed one year later, even though little attention had been paid to the first. By the end of the decade, Underworld} had disappeared also.
As they had several years earlier, Hyde} and Smith} shed their skin yet again, recruiting hotshot DJ Darren Emerson} and renaming themselves Lemon Interrupt}. In 1992, the trio debuted with two singles, "Dirty"}/"Minneapolis"} and "Bigmouth"}/"Eclipse,"} both released on Junior Boys Own Records}. After they reverted back to Underworld}, 1993's "Rez"} and "MMM...Skyscraper I Love You"} caused a minor sensation in the dance} community. Instead of adding small elements of techno} to a basically pop} or rock} formula (as many bands had attempted with varying success), Underworld} treated techno} as the dominant force. Their debut album, Dubnobasswithmyheadman}, was praised by many critics upon release later in 1993 and crossed over to the British pop} charts. Hyde}, Smith}, and Emerson} impressed many at their concert dates as well; the trio apparently relished playing live, touring Great Britain twice plus Japan, Europe, and the annual summer-festival circuit, where their Glastonbury appearance became the stuff of legend.
Dubnobasswithmyheadman} was released in the U.S. in 1995 after being licensed to TVT Records}. During the rest of the year, Underworld} were relatively quiet, releasing only the single "Born Slippy."} Finally, Second Toughest in the Infants} appeared in early 1996 to much critical praise. The trio gained no small amount of commercial success later in the year when "Born Slippy"} was featured on the soundtrack} to Trainspotting}, the controversial Scottish film that earned praise from critics all over the globe. Underworld} also remained busy with Tomato -- their own graphic-design company responsible for commercials from such high-profile clients as Nike, Sony, Adidas, and Pepsi -- and remixing work for Depeche Mode}, Björk}, St. Etienne}, Sven Väth}, Simply Red}, and Leftfield}. Emerson} continued to DJ on a regular basis, releasing mix albums for Mixmag!} and Deconstruction}. Though Underworld}'s 1999 LP Beaucoup Fish} was a bit of a disappointment critically and commercially, the band continued to tour the world. The live album Everything, Everything} followed in 2000, after which Emerson} left to continue his DJ career. A Hundred Days Off}, Underworld}'s first LP as a duo since 1989, was released in mid-2002. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide