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Biography
Refimprove|date=April 2009Infobox musical artist | name = Sneaker Pimps| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Hartlepool , United Kingdom | genre = Trip-hop Downtempo Electronica dub music|Dub | years_active = 1994–2005| label = Clean Up Records Virgin Records Tommy Boy Records | associated_acts =| website = http://web.archive.org/web/20040606203448/ http://sneakerpimps.com/ Sneakerpimps.com (archived)| past_members = Kelli Ali|Kelli Dayton Chris Corner Liam Howe Ian Pickering Joe Wilson (musician)|Joe Wilson David Westlake | notable_instruments = Sneaker Pimps were a United Kingdom|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 athletic shoe|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.cite web|url= http://www.kelliali.com/index.php/kelliali/ |title=Kelli Ali |publisher=Kelli Ali |date= |accessdate=2012-03-31
Side projects
Chris Corner 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 (album)|The Alternative , and Kingdom of Welcome Addiction . His latest album was released in March 2011 titled, Volatile Times .cite web|url= http://www.discogs.com/artist/IAMX |title=IAMX Discography at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=1974-01-23 |accessdate=2012-03-31 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 (musician)|Sue Denim from Robots in Disguise, under the name Sibling .
Joe Wilson (musician)|Joe Wilson formed Trash Money with Chris Tate in 1999 and plays live with Client (band)|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 (album)|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.
Members
In the studio, the band share instrumental duties, however in the live environment they could usually be observed playing the following:
Chris Corner ( guitar , synthesiser , vocal s)
Liam Howe ( synthesiser )
Joe Wilson ( guitar|bass )
David Westlake ( drum s and Sampling (music)|sampling )
Ian Pickering ( Lyrics )
Also note:
Chris Tate (friend of Joe Wilson and stand-in for Liam Howe on synthesiser during Bloodsport )
Kelli Ali|Kelli Dayton (ex- vocalist , asked to leave after making their first album Becoming X )
Discography
Albums
Becoming X (1996) – #27 UK Albums Chart|UK , #111 U.S., #1 U.S. Heatseekers – British Phonographic Industry|BPI : Gold
Becoming Remixed (1998) – #24 U.S. Heatseekers
Splinter (Sneaker Pimps)|Splinter (1999) - #80 UK
Bloodsport (album)|Bloodsport (2002) – #16 U.S. Electronic, #46 U.S. Indie
SP4 (album)|SP4 (unreleased) – most songs ended up on Chris Corner's IAMX project
cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 511
Singles
Year
Song
UK Singles Chart
U.S. Hot 100
U.S. Modern Rock
U.S. Hot Dance Club Play
Album
1996
"Tesko Suicide"
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-
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Becoming X
1996
"Roll On"
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Becoming X
1996
" 6 Underground "
15
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-
Becoming X
1997
" Spin Spin Sugar "
21
87
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-
Becoming X
1997
"6 Underground (re-issued)"
9
45
7
-
Becoming X
1997
"Spin Spin Sugar (remixes)"
46
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2
Becoming X
1997
"Post Modern Sleaze"
22
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-
-
Becoming X
1999
"Low Five"
39
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-
-
Splinter
1999
"Ten To Twenty"
56
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-
-
Splinter
2002
"Sick"
100
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-
16
Bloodsport
2002
"Bloodsport"
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Bloodsport
2002
"Loretta Young Silks"
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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
Also the song "Velvet Divorce" on the "A Life Less Ordinary" soundtrack, and a collaboration track with Marilyn Manson on "The Spawn" soundtrack, "The Long Hard Road out of Hell".
Promo singles
1996 "Firestarter"
2002 "Kiro TV"
2002 "M'Aidez"
References
Reflist
External links
http://web.archive.org/web/20040606203448/ http://sneakerpimps.com/ Sneaker Pimps Official Website (archived)
http://www.sneakerpimps.be Sneaker Pimps Unofficial Website (including discography) (links to download or play music/videos are broken or no longer work)
http://www.sneakerpimps.it Sneaker Pimps Unofficial italian Website
http://kelliali.com/ Kelli Ali – official website
http://www.weirdmusic.net/kelliali Kelli Ali Interview for WeirdMusic.net magazine
http://web.archive.org/web/20041130025926/ http://www.phantomlimbsting.co.uk/meanings/ Band members' comments about their songs (archive.org copy)
http://www.trashmoney.co.uk/ Trash Money Official Website
http://www.gashaus.com/home/43-bands/686-the-sneaker-pimps-trip-hop-is-dead.html Gashaus Profile with concert photos from June 21st 1997 in Prague's Akropolis
Category:British electronic music groups Category:English dance music groups Category:Trip hop groups Category:Virgin Records artists Category:Tommy Boy Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 1994
