GROOVE ARMADA

'Groove Armada' is an electronic music group from England, composed of two members, Yorkshireman Andy Cato (real name Andrew Cocup)^[1] and Tom Findlay, hailing from Cambridge. They are now primarily based in London, and continue to produce and record music as well as hosting semi-regular club nights in London and an annual London festival under the Lovebox banner.
The group has collaborated with a diverse array of artists including Neneh Cherry, DJ Gram’Ma Funk, Sophie Barker, Nappy Roots, Sunshine Anderson, Mutya Buena and Richie Havens. They have expressed their desire to work with Kylie Minogue on her comeback album due in late 2007 and have now confirmed that they are indeed collaborating with Kylie. They also recently stated that one of the tracks on which they have collaborated with Kylie is one, if not ''the'' best, track they have ever done. Tom Findlay has also described working with Prince as his dream collaboration, although there are no plans for such at the moment.^[2]
Groove Armada is probably best known to the music listening public for producing music that have featured in numerous media including advertising campaigns, movies and computer games (see below).

Contents

History

Appearances in media

Albums

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Singles

Other work

References

External links

History

Groove Armada first formed in the mid-1990s after they had been introduced by Cato’s girlfriend and soon started their own club, also called Groove Armada, after a 70’s discotheque.^[3]
By 1997 they had released a few singles including “4 Tune Cookie” and the song that first brought them minor fame, “At The River”, which sampled "Old Cape Cod" by Patti Page. The song has gone on to be one of Groove Armada’s most well-known tracks and has since been found on numerous chill out compilations.
Their first album ''Northern Star'' was released in 1998, and was followed by their second album ''Vertigo'' in 1999, which made the British chart’s Top 20 and silver status in the UK.^[4] An album of remixed tracks from ''Vertigo'' entitled ''The Remixes'' debuted in 2000, along with their contribution to the Back To Mine series.
Their next studio album ''Goodbye Country: Hello Nightclub'' was released in 2001, and as its title suggests marked a move away from chill out to more upbeat music. Another mix album followed, this time for the Another Late Night series, before the 2003 debut of ''Lovebox'', which featured a variety of genres and was noticeably sassy and brought a new type of funk to Groove Armada.^[4]
A Greatest Hits album appeared in 2004, the last of their releases with Pepper Records, before their latest studio album ''Soundboy Rock'', was released in 2007.

Appearances in media

★ "I See You Baby", remixed by Fatboy Slim in the big beat style was used extensively in a 2003 Renault UK television marketing campaign advertising the Renault Mégane.

★ "If Everybody Looked The Same" in a 2001 Mercedes-Benz UK television advert.

★ "At The River" is being used in a 2007 Marks & Spencer Food UK television campaign, a decision which Groove Armada now regret making.^[6]

★ "Hands of Time", starring folksinger Richie Havens, is featured in the movie 2004 ''Collateral'', and is referred to by Jamie Foxx's character as a "classic song."

★ "Hands of Time" was also used at the end of the ''Las Vegas'' episode "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" in 2003.

★ "Edge Hill" is featured in the 2001 movie '', and was used by Channel 4 (UK) promotional adverts for the hit series ''Lost'' in 2005.

★ "Madder" is featured in the video game '' as the game introduction.

★ They also have an appearance on the soundtrack of the popular TV series, ''Sex And The City'', remixing the show's theme song into an extended chillout track.

★ "But I Feel Good" appeared on the multi-platform cricket game ''Brian Lara International Cricket 2007''.

★ The song "Superstylin'" was featured in the hit film ''Bride and Prejudice'' starring former Miss World Aishwarya Rai.

★ "Purple Haze" appeared in the 2004 film The Girl Next Door.

Albums

★ Groove Armada's debut album was ''Northern Star'', released in 1998.

★ In 1999 Groove Armada released ''Vertigo'', which had a more mainstream and more 'polished' sound. This album includes "At The River", which was re-released as a single. (#23 UK)

★ In 2001, ''Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)'' was released. The title suggested that their new album is more upbeat and less chill out - as demonstrated by the Grammy nominated single "Superstylin'". (#5 UK)

★ In 2002, they released the DJ mix album, '', part of the Another Late Night series on Azuli Records.

★ In 2002, less than a year after ''Goodbye Country, Hello Nightclub'', Groove Armada produced ''Lovebox'', which included a variety of genres. Some tracks had a rock element to them such as "Madder", while others were closer to their traditional house, such as the title track "Lovebox", and "Remember", which has vocals made up entirely of samples of Sandy Denny's singing for Fairport Convention. An additional 'bonus' track was later released on their website entitled 'Fairport'.

★ In 2004 Groove Armada released a ''Best Of'' album, including their hits and new productions. (#6 UK)

★ In 2007 ''Soundboy Rock'' was released featuring tracks such as "Get Down", "Groove Extracts" which follow the current UK trend of electric hard-house with rock elements and "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)" featuring the vocals of ex-Sugababes singer Mutya Buena, hailed by online music guide Popjustice as one of the best songs of 2007.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	UK Albums Chart	U.S. Top Electronic Albums
1998	''Northern Star''	—	—
1999	''Vertigo''	23	—
2000	''The Remixes''	—	—
2001	''Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)''	5	7
2002	''Lovebox''	9	3
2004	''Best Of''	6	—
2007	''Soundboy Rock''	10	—

Compilations

★ ''Groove Armada Presents...''

★ ''Doin' It After Dark Vol 1''

★ ''Doin' It After Dark Vol 2''

★ ''Another Late Night (Groove Armada)''

★ ''Back to Mine (Groove Armada)''

Singles

Year	Single	UK Singles Chart	U.S. Dance	Album
1997	"At the River"	—	—	Non-album single
1997	"Captain Sensual"	—	—	''Northern Star''
1997	"Four Tune Cookie"	—	—	Non-album single
1997	"M2 Many"	—	—	''Northern Star''
1999	"Innocence is Lost" (featuring Boy George)	—	—	Non-album 12" promo
1999	"If Everybody Looked the Same"	25	—	''Vertigo''
1999	"At the River" (re-release)	19	—	''Vertigo''
1999	"I See You Baby" (featuring Gram'ma Funk)	17	12	''Vertigo''
2001	"Superstylin'"	12	40	''Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)''
2001	"My Friend"	36	—	''Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)''
2002	"Purple Haze"	36	—	''Lovebox''
2002	"Final Shakedown"	—	—	''Lovebox''
2003	"Easy"	31	5	''Lovebox''
2003	"But I Feel Good"	50	—	''Lovebox''
2003	"Fireside Favourites EP"	—	—	Non-album single
2004	"I See You Baby" (re-issue)	11	—	''Best Of''
2007	"Get Down"	9	—	''Soundboy Rock''
2007	"Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)" (featuring Mutya Buena)	8	—	''Soundboy Rock'' and ''Real Girl''
2007	"The Things That We Could Share"	TBR	TBR	''Soundboy Rock''

Other work

From 1995 to 2000, Andy Cato was part of the progressive house music projects Mother's Pride and Qattara, and produced solo efforts under the aliases Caia and Journeyman DJ. In 2002 Cato collaborated with Rachel Foster, producing the album ''Pursuit Of Happiness'' under the name Weekend Players. He also co-wrote with Sophie Ellis-Bextor on her album ''Shoot From the Hip'', and released his first solo single under his own name, "La Luna".
Tom Findlay makes up one half of Sugardaddy, with Tim Hutton, and has collaborated with Keeling Lee. In 2005 he set up Tunetribe, a music download store.
Andy Cato has also been working with Roisin Murphy on her new album ''Overpowered''. Work with Roisin includes the forthcoming single "Let Me Know" plus another track entitled "You Know Me".
They are currently collaborating with singer Kylie Minogue on her upcoming album, slated to be released late 2007.

References

1. http://www.entlawdigest.com/story.cfm?storyID=2771
2. Tom Findlay interview - ''ilikemusic''. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
3. Groove Armada Biography [1], retrieved July 12 2007
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. "Groove Armada Q&A" by Cameron Adams, ''Herald Sun'', May 10 2007, [2], retrieved July 12 2007

External links

★ Official Groove Armada website

★ Official Groove Armada MySpace

★ Interview with Tom Findlay on ilikemusic.com

★ Groove Armada at inthemix.com.au

★ Groove Armada fansite