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Big Boss Man are a four piece band hailing from Newbury in Berkshire, and are the hottest news to come out of the area since the bypass got the go ahead. Their music is a hip Hammond hybrid of Pop, 60's R'n'B/Latin/Soul and Funk. The band formed in early 1999, signing to Blow Up in the Autumn of the same year:
nasser bouzida: Vocals, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion
trevor harding: Guitar
scott milsom: Bass Guitar & Double Bass
nick nichols: Drums (live shows)
Having already played together in various bands and being old friends, the guys thought it made more than a little sense to put their heads together to form a suitably funked up outfit that reflected their shared love of original dance music flavours. Since then BBM have taken their infectious ramshackle road-show around Spain twice (selling out 500+ venues), and through Germany and Italy. They have played huge festivals in France, as well as being invited by Artemy Troitsky (Russia's answer to John Peel) for a special one-off in Moscow. All of which have helped them earn their deserved reputation as the punks of Hammond funk!
new album out now!
Winner is the long-awaited follow-up to Big Boss Man's debut Humanize (2001). The album is produced by the band and Morgan Nicholls (The Streets / Muse / Senseless Things / Morgan). The initial recording sessions, when the band laid down the basic tracks, took place in a disused classroom using just a crusty old analogue 8-track tape recorder and about 3 cheap mics to get that required dirty funk sound. The results were taken to A Major Studios in Shepherds Bush, West London, for editing and additional recording and mixing with Morgan. Morgan is the son of Immediate Records' in-house songwriter Billy Nicholls, so the studio was choc-full of groovy stuff: The Who's Hammond, Steve Marriott's first guitar, Clavis, Wurlis etc, etc. All of which were put to good use on the album!
Winner continues the trip through 60's Funk, along the way taking in Bongo/Fuzz in Everybody Boogaloo, Latin Soul in Complicated Lady, French Beat in Tu As Gaché, Floor-fillers such as Kelvin Stardust, Boogaloo in, er, B.o.o.g.a.l.o.o. and general Hammond/Moog mentalness everywhere else. (See track listing)
humanize
The release of their debut Humanize album in 2001 was marked by a show at the opening of the "My Generation" H&M Fashion & Photography Exhibition in Stockholm, and since then BBM have built up a loyal following touring extensively in the UK, Europe and further afield.
In-between their hectic live schedule their debut LP Humanize provide the entire soundtrack to short film "Sweet" starring the Perrier award winning comedy duo The Mighty Boosh (currently appearing in their own show on BBC2/3). The band were also featured as the live band in the nightclub sequences in the film, which has won a Turner Classic Film Award at the National Film Institute, an Empire film award, as well as being nominated for a BAFTA.
The same year also saw the inclusion of a specially recorded BBM track "Christmas Boogaloo", on the Xfm charity album It's A Cool Cool Christmas, alongside such artists as Belle and Sebastian, and The Flaming Lips.
Music Week called their debut "A joyful romp through Hammond-flecked funk and acid jazz-tinged songs", whilst Musik described it as "Solid ebony sounds that merge Latin, funk, rhythm & blues and soul - 5/5." Other press included: OK! "One to watch out for - 4/5" and Hi-Fi Choice "4/5", as well as features and reviews in NME, Mojo, Loaded, Record Collector, Select, Evening Standard, and Scootering. (Read Humanize reviews here)
remixes
BBM also found time to work their magic on a re-mix of Japanese sensation Mansfield's track "If I Want It" for his album "Golden Hour", as well as reworking an obscure 60's cult Euro TV theme, "Robbi, Tobbi..." for Germany's Diggler records. Most recently, BBM were requested to provide two remix versions of Paul Weller's UK Top 20 hit The Bottle (2004), both of which featured on a limited 7"-only version of the single which sold out on the day of release (and is now doing a roaring trade on E-bay!). The band have also featured on numerous compilations. (See releases on which BBM feature here).
other projects
You may also know Nasser as his alter-ego The Bongolian, a dirty funk driven solo project for Blow Up which saw him exploring his talents as a multi-instrumentalist, writing, recording and performing his eponymous long-player all by himself. Loaded magazine said: "one of the best British funk releases in years. Pay attention, Jay Kay." Although having all bases covered on record, it's simply not possible to play everything live, so amongst others Nasser has enlisted Trevor for the live shows.
Nasser has also been touring with Holly Golightly in the UK and the USA (as well as supporting as The Bongolian), as well as being busy recording with her on her forthcoming new album. Scott has just come back from a year in Berlin, where he was involved with various live performance projects. He also plays with the cult Psychobilly band The Coffin Nails. |
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