Span Thang

Basement Jaxx are an English electronic music duo consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe. The pair got their name from the regular club night they held in Brixton, London, UK. They first rose to popularity in the underground house scene of the mid-1990s, but would go on to find international chart success and win Best Dance Act at both the 2002 and 2004 BRIT Awards.

History

1992–98: Formation

In 1992, Simon Ratcliffe began releasing white label records, gaining him the attention of several music producers including LTJ Bukem and Goldie. The success of these releases enabled him to buy a few electronic musical instruments and set up a basic studio in a friend's mother's basement.

Ratcliffe and Buxton first met in 1993 through a mutual friend in a pub in Clapham, London. The two bonded over an appreciation of New York house music. They released their first extended play called ''EP1'' via the British independent record label Wall of Sound, with the help of its founder Mark Jones. The album went on to sell over 1,000 copies and was played on American radio by Tony Humphries in New York City.

Basement Jaxx began in Brixton, South London, in 1994, where Ratcliffe and Buxton held a regular club night called Basement Jaxx. The night was also held in a variety of venues including The George IV, The Crypt and The Junction. They were joined by DJs including DJ Sneak, Daft Punk, and singer Corrina Joseph. They mutated the night into an equally popular club called Rooty, the namesake of their second album. Initially, the duo considered "Underground Oasis" as a name for the group, but the idea was scrapped reportedly after a friend informed them of a similarly named rock band that might "get big".

An important milestone for Basement Jaxx's career was their role as the opening act for successful French dance group Daft Punk's Daftendirektour. It was around this time that Basement Jaxx began collaborating with vocalist Corrina Joseph, a collaboration that resulted in the single, " Fly Life", which was released by Virgin Records in 1997. Following the success of "Fly Life", the duo signed a record deal with XL, with whom they released their subsequent six albums.

1999–2001: ''Remedy''

In 1999, the group released their first full-length album, '' Remedy''. It included the singles " Jump N' Shout", " Bingo Bango", and "Rendez-Vu", which is Basement Jaxx's highest UK Singles Chart entry to date, at number 4. Basement Jaxx also released ''Jaxx Unreleased'', a compilation album of B-sides, remixes, and other assorted material, in 1999. 2000 saw them release '' Camberwell'', another release of new material.

2001–2004: ''Rooty''

Their next album, 2001's ''Rooty'' included singles "Romeo", "Jus 1 Kiss", " Where's Your Head At?", " Do Your Thing", which was featured in the film ''Bend It Like Beckham'' as well as Nickelodeon and Coca-Cola commercials. The music video for album opener "Romeo" is an homage to the Bollywood film style. "Where's Your Head At?" became an international hit in 2002, also known for its inclusion on the '' Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' soundtrack. "Do Your Thing" was included in the video game ''SSX 3''. ''Xxtra Cutz'' was released shortly after ''Rooty'', containing B-sides from the album's singles. ''Span Thang'' and ''Junction'', two EPs, were released in 2001–2002.

Basement Jaxx decided to close the Rooty club in May 2001 after it became "too popular."

2003–05: ''Kish Kash'' and ''The Singles''

In 2003, Basement Jaxx released their third full-length album, '' Kish Kash'', which included contributions from Lisa Kekaula (of the Bellrays), Me'shell Ndegeocello, Dizzee Rascal, Totlyn Jackson, JC Chasez, Siouxsie Sioux, and Phoebe. From this album, the tracks "Lucky Star", "Good Luck", and "Plug It In" were released as singles. The track "Good Luck" was re-released in 2004, after exposure from being the theme to BBC
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