L.A. Style was a Dutch electronic dance music group, consisting of founder, producer and

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

Wessel van Diepen Wessel Dietrich van Diepen (born 12 November 1966) is a Dutch radio host, music producer, voice actor and former TV presenter. Under the pseudonym DJ Delmundo, he is part of Danski & Delmundo, the production duo behind internationally famous act ...

(who later also created Nakatomi and the successful

Vengaboys Vengaboys () are a Dutch Eurodance music group based in Rotterdam. The group was the creation of Dutch producers Wessel van Diepen and Dennis van den Driesschen (known as Danski and Delmundo). It consists of lead vocalist Kim Sasabone, female v ...

), composer Denzil Slemming (a.k.a. Michiel Van Der Kuy of Laserdance fame) and FX aka Frans Merkx, as well as Foco (Alfons "Fonny" de Wulf) and Ray Decadance (surname Muylle) of the Belgian project Rofo (credited i.e. as writers and producers of "Balloony"). L.A. Style was most notable for their

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phi ...

single "

James Brown Is Dead "James Brown Is Dead" is a song by Dutch electronic dance music duo L.A. Style, produced by Wessel van Diepen and Denzil Slemming. It was released in August 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, ''L.A. Style'' (1993). The song was a m ...

", which appeared on Billboard's

Hot 100 Airplay The Radio Songs chart (previously named Hot 100 Airplay until 2014 and Top 40 Radio Monitor until 1991) is released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and measures the airplay of songs being played on radio stations throughout the United States acro ...

chart, becoming the first

EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstrat ...

group to venture near the top 50 of the main Billboard singles chart. Another famous song of L.A. Style was ''Balloony'' of 1992.

Career

The group was fronted by rapper/singer/songwriter & producer FX AKA Eazee F & The BFD (real name Frans Merkx). Wessel van Diepen was known for his skill in bringing a different sound to dance and mixing that with the talents of the lead artist FX. FX is considered as one of the first to set the trend of combining Euro pop with Rap in an effort to bring the masses the flavor of Rap music with a different twist. FX had numerous hits with Infobeat, most notable the single 'We got the Funk' and 'Are u Ready'. At the time L.A. Style followed up the huge success of International hit "

" with the smash hit 'I'm Raving'. L.A. Style appeared on 'MTV 'The Grind' and toured extensively all over North America, Asia & Europe with massive success. FX lso known as The Godfather of Technoand Wessel van Diepen helped pushed the boundaries of dance music to another level where it was acceptable to mix Rap, Rock & Techno and for all genres and people from walks of life to come together. It was a bold statement but because of their groundbreaking styles L.A. Style set the trend for other super groups like 2 Unlimited and 2 brothers on the 4th floor to name but a few. They released a self-titled album as well as other singles, but despite massive success overseas as well as

dance club Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

play, L.A. Style's moment faded after the departure of the lead artist FX Frans Merkx and they quickly faded and dispersed in

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...

. In recent years the group has again come to the attention of the pop world and rumors are that the group could be reformed with the original line up of FX as lead artist. There were also rumors that L.A. Style would be fronted by a totally new line up, however all agreed this would not go down well with the fans. Since the time of L.A. Style Wessel van Diepen continues to be one of the most sought after radio DJ's in The Netherlands and FX has been working with the main producer and old friend behind DJ Chukie, Mr. Fabian Lennsen. As FX has said, "I've worked with many great artists and even found great artists and if something comes a long that excites me then I will be back in the studio."

Discography

Albums

*''

L.A. Style L.A. Style was a Dutch electronic dance music group, consisting of founder, producer and radio DJ Wessel van Diepen (who later also created Nakatomi and the successful Vengaboys), composer Denzil Slemming (a.k.a. Michiel Van Der Kuy of Laser ...

'' (1993)

Singles

References

{{Authority control Dutch dance music groups Dutch techno music groups Hardcore techno music groups Musical groups established in 1991 Musical groups disestablished in 1995 1991 establishments in the Netherlands