Jump to content

Stuart Price

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Abelmoschus Esculentus (talk | contribs) at 13:03, 24 August 2018 (Reverted 2 edits by 79.64.235.180 (talk): Unsourced. (Twinkle)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Stuart Price
Birth nameStuart David Price
Also known asLes Rythmes Digitales
Zoot Woman
Paper Faces
Man With Guitar
Thin White Duke
Jacques Lu Cont
Adrien Brody
Pour Homme
S.D.P.
Tracques
Crystal Pepsi
Born (1977-09-09) 9 September 1977 (age 47)
North Yorkshire, England
OriginReading, Berkshire, England
GenresElectronica, house, synthpop, dance-rock
Occupation(s)Electronic musician, DJ, songwriter, record producer
Years active1996–present

Stuart Price (born 9 September 1977) is a three-time Grammy-winning English electronic musician, DJ, songwriter, and record producer known for his work with artists including Madonna, The Killers, New Order, Kylie Minogue, Example, Take That, Missy Elliott, Scissor Sisters, Pet Shop Boys, Brandon Flowers, Gwen Stefani, Seal, Keane, Frankmusik, Hard-Fi, Hurts and Everything Everything. His acts include his own band Zoot Woman (with Adam Blake and Johnny Blake), Les Rythmes Digitales, Paper Faces, Man With Guitar, Thin White Duke (not to be confused with David Bowie's earlier persona of the same name), and the parodic French moniker Jacques Lu Cont (though he actually grew up in Reading, England).[1][2]

Solo and group work

Price was born in Bedale, North Yorkshire, but grew up in Reading, Berkshire. His musical career started with two acts working simultaneously, releasing music on London-based label, Wall Of Sound. He formed Zoot Woman with Adam Blake and Johnny Blake, and their debut 12", Sweet To The Wind EP, was released in 1995. Around the same time, under the pseudonym Jacques Lu Cont, Price was making music as Les Rythmes Digitales. Initially choosing the name as a reference to the explosion in demand for French house in the United Kingdom during the 1990s, Price even went as far as to conduct interviews with British journalists in French via an interpreter. In interviews from around this time, Price also claimed that he had grown up listening exclusively to classical music, until one day encountering the album Dare by the Human League.

The first Les Rhythmes Digitales album, Liberation, was released in 1996. A single, "Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)", followed the next year. It was re-released in 1999, reaching #60 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] and was included on that year's album, Darkdancer. Greatly influences by 1980s dance music, Darkdancer would later be included in Vice magazine's 99 Greatest Dance Albums of All Time list.[4]

Zoot Woman released their debut album, Living in a Magazine, in 2001, following it up in 2003 with an eponymous album. The same year, Price released DJ mix album FabricLive.09, part of a series of mix releases from London club Fabric, under his Jacques Lu Cont moniker. He made his first original release under the name the following year; "...And Dance" was a single featuring General Degree. Another Zoot Woman album, Things Are What They Used To Be, was released in 2009, and further Jacques Lu Cont singles followed, released both in physical formats and as free downloads from Soundcloud.

As producer

Price has produced, and at times co-written, numerous songs for popular artists. Price has also remixed and re-produced numerous songs under his own name as well as the names Thin White Duke (originally used by David Bowie), Jacques Lu Cont, and Les Rythmes Digitales. Other aliases include Man with Guitar and Paper Faces (an alias for him and Adam Blake of the band Zoot Woman). Price's remixes are characterised by club-lead beats with arpeggios, riffs, and vocal lines faded and filtered throughout the song for a climactic effect.[citation needed] He favours keeping the original vocal arrangement of songs and re-contextualizing the lyrical content in creating his new versions.[citation needed]

Work with Madonna

Price is best known for his work with Madonna's tenth studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). He began collaborating with Madonna as musical director for her 2001 Drowned World Tour after remixing some of the tracks on her Music album via Mirwais. He reprised the role for her 2004 Re-Invention World Tour and 2006 Confessions Tour. Price created remixes for the album's singles "Hung Up", "Sorry" (under the Man with Guitar alias), "Get Together", and "Jump", as well as the album tracks "I Love New York" and "Let It Will Be" (under the Paper Faces alias). Price co-wrote the song "X-Static Process" for Madonna's 2003 album American Life. Price has also remixed the Madonna songs "Hollywood" from American Life and "Miles Away" from the album Hard Candy. Madonna chose his remix of "Hollywood" for her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Missy Elliott.

Work with The Killers

Price's work with The Killers began with his remix of their hit single "Mr. Brightside", released under the Thin White Duke name. Subsequently, Price remixed the song "When You Were Young", the first single from The Killers album "Sam's Town". Price produced two of the tracks re-recorded for the release of The Killers' B-sides album, Sawdust: "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf" and "Sweet Talk". His remix of "Mr. Brightside" appeared as a bonus track on that release. Price went on to produce The Killers' third studio album, "Day & Age", released on 24 November 2008.[5] He also created an extended remix of the lead single "Human" released under the Thin White Duke name. Price also worked for The Killers vocalist Brandon Flowers' debut solo album Flamingo, producing most of the songs on it, including the second single "Only the Young". The album was released on 6 September in the UK and Ireland and 14 September in the US and Canada.

The Killers' album, Battle Born, contains two tracks that Price produced, as well as a Jacques Lu Cont remix of the album's first track, "Flesh and Bone".[6]

Price also produced the song "Just Another Girl", a new track on the Killers compilation album 'Direct Hits'.

In the deluxe version of The Killers' most recent album, Wonderful Wonderful, Price did a remix of the album's single, "The Man".

Work with Pet Shop Boys

Price was the musical director on the Pandemonium tour, and produced their 2013 album Electric which was very highly acclaimed by critics and reached No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart – their highest charting album since 1993.[7] He also toured with them on at least several shows in the Electric tour (Las Vegas and Oakland). Price produced Super. It was released in 2016 to positive reviews.

Other production work

Price was the album producer on Seal's fifth studio album System, which was released in November 2007. He also co-wrote several of the album's songs. Price was among the producers of Keane's album Perfect Symmetry, which was released in October 2008.[8]

Price was also reported to be working with New Order's Bernard Sumner on a "synthesiser album".[9] However, it appears the project has been shelved[10]

Price co-produced the Scissor Sisters album "Night Work" released on 28 June 2010,[11] entitled Night Work. The first track to be released from the album was "Invisible Light". The first official single off the album was "Fire With Fire", followed by "Any Which Way".

Price is the executive producer for Kylie Minogue's 11th studio album titled Aphrodite which was released on 5 July 2010. On 28 June, the hit single "All the Lovers" was released, and later "Get Outta My Way", which was remixed by Price into an extended version.

In 2010, Price produced Take That's studio album Progress which saw Robbie Williams return to the band. Progress was the biggest selling album of 2010 and the second fastest selling British album of all time.

In 2011, Price worked as a producer on Hard-Fi's 2011 album Killer Sounds. He worked with the band for second single "Fire in the House".

In May 2012, the fourth Scissor Sisters album Magic Hour was released with two tracks produced by Stuart Price: "The Secret Life of Letters" and "Somewhere".

For the London 2012 Olympic Games, Price was asked to create a theme song as the keystone of what director Danny Boyle called the "sonic branding" of the games. Intended to be played in multiple venues, Price set out to create a modular piece, "Different elements can layer on top of each other to create a fast-paced version for the velodrome, something slow for the background on TV, or a triumphant version of it for the medal ceremonies."[12]

In 2014, Price produced multiple tracks on Take That's seventh studio album III.

In 2015, Price produced the critically acclaimed studio album "Get to Heaven" by Manchester-based band Everything Everything which Digital Spy described as "a contender for album of the year". Q also awarded the album 5 stars.

In 2016, Price was made one of the main producers for Kacy Hill's debut album, which is set for release later on in the year

In 2017, Price produced with many different people. His first venture was with Kiesza on her 2017 single, entitled "Dearly Beloved", which is expected to be the lead single on her upcoming second album. He also was credited as Jacques Lu Cont when remixing The Knocks's single "Trouble", featuring vocals from Absofacto. The song became the second single to be released from their fifth extended play, entitled Testify.

Remixes

Price remixed Coldplay's single "Viva la Vida", released on the band's website as the Thin White Duke remix. Price has also produced and mastered tracks for Frankmusik's debut album, one of which is "3 Little Words". This track was released as a single on the "3 Little Words" EP. He provided two Thin White Duke remixes for the release of Depeche Mode's 2009 single, "Wrong".

In 2009, Price remixed "It's Not My Problem" for Sneaky Sound System under the Thin White Duke alias, as well as doing remixes for Depeche Mode's "Wrong", Friendly Fires' "Jump in the Pool", Röyksopp's "This Must Be It" and, most recently, Muse's "Undisclosed Desires". Producing the tour arrangement for the Pandemonium Tour by Pet Shop Boys, Price fulfilled a personal dream. He also produced an exclusive arrangement for Pet Shop Boys' Brit Awards performance in February. Both older hits and brand new songs were combined to create a ten-minute-long mash up that closed the 2009 Brits.

He mixed and remixed Miike Snow single "The Rabbit", then produced Take That's album Progress, featuring their reunion with Robbie Williams, later working again on their first EP, Progressed, released in summer 2011. Meanwhile, the band promoted their Progress Live which featured Price as musical director. Price mixed and co-produced several tracks on Duffy's album Endlessly, including first single "Well, Well, Well".

Under his Jacques Lu Cont alias, he released several massive club remixes including ones for U2, Katy Perry, Miike Snow and Coldplay.

In June 2012 his remix of Charlie Brown was rejected by Coldplay,[13] though Price did end up having it released through Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio One on 13 July.[14]

He also created a remix of Juliet's "Avalon".

Awards

Price won his first Grammy Award in 2004 for his remix of No Doubt's "It's My Life" produced under the moniker Thin White Duke. In 2005, he was nominated for two Grammys: one for his production of New Order's "Guilt Is a Useless Emotion" and a second for his remix of The Killers' "Mr. Brightside". He won a second Grammy in 2006 for his remix of Coldplay's "Talk" (as Thin White Duke). He was also nominated in 2007 for Best Dance Recording with Madonna on the single "Get Together" from the album Confessions on a Dance Floor. Price won his third Grammy in 2007 for Best Electronic / Dance Album for Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor.

In 2011, Price won a Music Week Award for Best Producer of the Year.[15]

June 2015, saw Price inducted into Pete Tong's Hall of Fame.[16]

Discography

Albums

Zoot Woman (with Adam Blake and Johnny Blake)

Les Rythmes Digitales

Jacques Lu Cont

Tracques

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[18]
AUS
[19]
FIN
[20]
IRE
[21]
"Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)" 1997 9 38 12 30 Darkdancer
"Music Makes You Lose Control" 1998 69
"(Hey You) What's That Sound?" 80
"Sometimes"
(featuring Nik Kershaw)
1999 56
"Safe With You"
(with Alex Metric featuring Malin)
2013 TBA
"Feel of Love"
(with Tensnake featuring Jamie Lidell)
2014 Glow
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Songwriting and production list

References

  1. ^ Allmusic. Les Rythmes Digitales – Stuart Price Biography.
  2. ^ "The sound of victory". London Evening Standard. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  3. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 318. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ "The 99 Greatest Dance Albums of All Time | Thump". Thump.
  5. ^ "Rollingstone.com". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  6. ^ NME (10 July 2012). "The Killers Confirm Release Date". Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Announce Stuart Price-Produced Album 'Electric': Watch The Video Tease | Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on". Idolator.com. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Keanemusic.com". KeaneMusic.com. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  9. ^ "Pitchfork.com". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  10. ^ Slacker, Inc. "Spinner.com". Spinner.com. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Popjustice.com". Popjustice. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  12. ^ Smyth, David (27 July 2012). "The Sound of Victory". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  13. ^ Thornton, JR. "Coldplay – Charlie Brown (Jacques Lu Cont Remix) [Preview]". Dancing Astronaut. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Coldplay – Charlie Brown (Jacques Lu Cont Mix)". YourMusicRadar.com.
  15. ^ "Music Week Award Winners 2011". 26 May 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  16. ^ "Stuart Price - Hall of Fame, Stuart Price, Danny Daze and Solomun, Pete Tong - BBC Radio 1". BBC. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  17. ^ All Music entry for Blueprint. All Music
  18. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in the United Kingdom:
  19. ^ "Discography Les Rythmes Digitales". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  20. ^ "Discography Les Rythmes Digitales". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  21. ^ "Discography Les Rythmes Digitales". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)