| The Chemical Brothers are made up of | | | | After a break of almost two years, the |
| childhood friends Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, | | | | Chemical Brothers returned with a new single |
| and are a Grammy Award winning electronic | | | | which signalled a subtle change in direction. |
| music sensation. Originally referred to as | | | | Hey Boy, Hey Girl was immediately a more |
| the The Dust Brothers until a legal threat | | | | commercial record, and as a result went to |
| from another band of the same name, they | | | | number 3 in the UK charts and gained them |
| changed their name in 1995 after a successful | | | | huge publicity. |
| tour of the U.S. | | | | |
| | | | The third album, Surrender, was released in |
| The Chemical Brothers are one of the few | | | | June 1999, again featuring the likes of Noel |
| bands that successfully made the transition | | | | Gallagher on backing vocals. The album |
| to arena-sized concerts, and the fact they | | | | reached number 1 in the UK and received |
| are an electronic act makes this feat even | | | | widespread recognition from all sections of |
| more impressive. Along with The Prodigy, The | | | | the music press. |
| Chemical Brothers have become known as | | | | |
| pioneers of the big-beat electronic dance | | | | Memorable gigs at Glastonbury and a UK tour |
| genre, and have a reputation unsurpassed for | | | | followed. The album Come With Us was released |
| their use of complicated sound and light | | | | in 2001, but it was less well received than |
| effects to produce amazing live gigs. | | | | any of their previous work. This didn't |
| | | | prevent it topping the UK charts in its first |
| In the studio, they have been releasing | | | | week of release however, as they proved their |
| albums since 1995, when they first put out | | | | fan base was loyal to the core. |
| Exit Planet Dust. Shortly after its release | | | | |
| they were snapped up by Virgin Records, under | | | | Early in 2003, the Chemical Brothers went |
| which they started their own offshoot label, | | | | back into the studio to work on new material, |
| Freestyle Dust. | | | | including The Golden Path, a collaboration |
| | | | with Wayne Coyne, lead singer of The Flaming |
| During that year's Glastonbury Festival, | | | | Lips. This came out in September 2003, around |
| Rowlands and Simons met up with Noel | | | | the same time their Singles 93-03 (best of) |
| Gallagher from Oasis, who told them how much | | | | album was released. |
| he liked their debut album, and that he would | | | | |
| like to sing on a future track. They got | | | | The following year, they were back in the |
| together and recorded Setting Sun, the song | | | | studio to work on their fifth studio album, |
| being released in October 1996. It gave the | | | | Push The Button, again featuring |
| duo their first number one single, and also | | | | collaborations with Tim Burgess, Kele Okereke |
| starting a popular trend they would continue, | | | | and Anwar Superstar, amongst others. The |
| of working with guest vocalists. | | | | album was released in January 2005 and saw |
| | | | good initial sales, but it wasn't until July |
| In 1997 the Chemical Brothers released their | | | | 2007 that the Chemical Brothers released |
| second album, Dig Your Own Hole, after | | | | their best-selling sixth album, We Are the |
| recording it at their studio in south London. | | | | Night. |
| During that summer they toured extensively, | | | | |
| playing clubs and festivals, particularly in | | | | To help promote this, the Chemical Brothers |
| the United States. In Tokyo, they became | | | | embarked on a hugely sucessful UK tour this |
| residents in the Liquid Rooms. | | | | December. Their latest single from the album, |
| | | | The Salmon Dance, is out now. |