Looking at a career as long and varied as James Ash’s, it’s pretty weird to think that it all began in a mates London bedroom studio back in 1989. ‘That was the critical moment I was exposed to Dance Music’, explains James, Before that it had all been about Hip Hop and electronics.
Long term collaborator Steve Davis was to blame… When Steve started putting all these records on, it just blew my head off. I knew then Dance music was something special Now inspired and receiving DJ lessons from Steve.
James began putting together mix tapes and basic tracks sequenced on his Commodore Amiga – but when James moved to Australia in 1992, his career really started taking off.
Soon after coming to Melbourne, I got involved in a radio station called Hitz FM – these guys were the first people to play dance music. I was lucky to be at the crest of that wave and soon was presenting a show and releasing my first track. That first track was ‘Thunderchild’, released on Melbourne’s famous Vicious Vinyl records – an instant club smash that was to force James into considering DJ / Producing as a real career option.
During the mid nineties, James got back together with long term UK collaborator Steve D, and formed the disco house act ‘Union State’. The duo released four singles including the club anthems ‘Retrosexual’, ‘The One’ and ‘Out to Getcha’ – all of which were licensed world wide. After joining Kiss FM in 1996, James’ DJing career really took off, and he was soon holding down residencies all over the city – everywhere from The Mansion to The Metro, from Q Bar to Chasers.
Meanwhile, back in the studio, James got working with singer song writer Melinda Richards, and they formed the act ‘Elan’, releasing the classic single ‘Find Your Way’ – which went on to become the most played track ever on Kiss FM. In 2000.
James finally got back together with old mate Steve D – and the ‘Rogue Traders’ were born. This time he went on to enjoy cross-over commercial success with the club anthems ‘Give in to me, ‘Stay’ and of course the infamous INXS collaboration ‘One of my Kind’.
In 2003 James receive his first of twelve Aria nominations, and ended up taking home the statue for Best Dance Release for ‘One Of My Kind’. We could of just stopped there and been happy, but to be honest that was really Phase 1 – and we had big plans for Phase 2 of the Rogue Traders. But no matter how large the plans might have been, no-one could have seen what was coming next. James was joined in the band by siren Natalie Bassingthwaighte and the Rogue Traders enjoyed no less than six consecutive Top Ten singles – multiple gold and platinum records, and a four-times platinum selling album in ‘Here Come The Drums’. They even had a UK top 3 hit with Voodoo Child and toured the world for three years.
The Rogue Traders went from being the coolest new thing to the biggest band in the country. All this time I kept DJing, explains James, It was just natural. No matter how large we might have got it always came back to the music for me – playing records is just what I have always done - and always will do. Now with a new phase of his band on the horizon, James is devoting himself more than ever to his passion for dance music. Strings of remixes have followed, for the likes of Mr Timothy, The Script and Stockholm Syndrome.
But it was also time to represent with something of his own, too. After all these years it was finally time to release something under my own name - but I needed it to represent me and what I stood for. The result? ‘Son of ’91', a glorious celebration of old-school rave and piano house, smashed up with today’s emerging tribal house sound. Released on TV Rock’s seminal label, Bimbo Rock, ‘Son of 91' has been setting clubs on fire and reminding punters of where our music came from, which for James is what it’s always been about. I’ve always felt that my life was meant to be about sharing music.
When I DJ I’m always smiling. If I’m having it – then so are the crowd – and that’s the way it’s meant to be… That’s proper old-school!
Currently James is producing the next INXS album which features special vocalists including Rob Thomas and Brandon Flowers whilst simultaneously writing, recording and producing the next smash Rogue Traders album which is due for release in 2010.
Career Highlights: 6 Top Ten Australian Singles, 1 Platinum Single [Voodoo Child], 1 Platinum Album [Better In The Dark], 1 Four times Platinum Album [Here Come The Drums], 4 Gold Singles [Way To Go, We're Coming Home, Don't You Wanna Feel and I Never Liked you], Over 1 million records sold worldwide, 12 Aria Nominations – including 3 for Best Engineer, Won 2003 Aria Award Winner for ‘One of My Kind’ 12 Music Videos. Won APRA award for most performed Dance Work in 2006 and 2008. Produced over 60 remixes for artists from New Order to Planet Funk, from The Sex Pistols to Delta Goodrem. Released an additional ten original singles as ‘Union State’, ‘Thunderchild’ and ‘Elan’. Performed several world tours – from Las Vegas to Dublin, London to Seoul. Headlined the nationwide sold-out Rogue Traders ‘We’re Coming Home’ tour in 2006, supported by TV Rock. Headlined major events such as Summadayze, Two Tribes and Hed Kandy parties. Headlined major club nights such as One Love and Famous. DJ’ed in virtually every major venue in every corner of Australia – from under the Sydney harbour bridge on New Years Eve party ‘Mobile Home’ to far flung club dates in Broome, Margaret River and Toowoomba. Mixed Ministry of Sound’s ’2 Step – The Album’. Released ‘Clubwork’ mix CD on Vicious Vinyl with Dirty South.
Retieved on 4th Nov 2010 from...
http://www.kulone.com/....
‘Disco, rock n roll, it’s all the same to me!’ is the wry claim at the heart of Rogue Traders’ new single, ‘Would You Raise Your Hands?’, a sly commentary on the business of music appreciation. But it’s another line that perhaps has most significance in the song.
The band’s lynchpin James Ash explains the genesis of ‘Would You Raise Your Hands?’: "We were listening to a lot of glam at the time - T. Rex, Bolan, Slade - and felt that this was a musical area that we wanted to explore and try mixing with electro. The line, ‘Unplug the jukebox, do us all a favour’ (from the classic Adam & the Ants track ‘Ant Music’) kept popping up - we couldn’t get it out of our heads and it fitted into the song so well. In the end, we asked Adam Ant if we could use it and were delighted to receive his blessing."
Kicking off with a blustering riff, ‘Would You Raise Your Hands?’ ploughs straight into a rumbling drum pattern that gives the track a classic glam flavour. Buoyed by swaggering guitars and chunky synths, ‘Would You Raise Your Hands?’ bounds relentlessly towards its addictive sing-a-long chorus refrain, the song’s breathless energy and addictive melodies setting the tone for the upcoming Rogues album Night Of The Living Drums.
And as if the original wasn’t enough to get people moving, mixes from Chardy, Chris Fraser (One Love) and Chew Fu are starting to light up the nation’s dance floors.
The third chapter in the band’s rich history is well underway - a history that has seen Rogue Traders evolve from ARIA Award-winning DJs/producers to chart-topping pop stars and beyond - and the future looks bright. With Night Of The Living Drums - the 4th album from the Rogues - in the can, James Ash has a spring in his step and an enthusiasm in his voice that attests to the excitement and determination of a man with musical opportunity lying wide open before him. "I can’t quite believe it’s all happening again - it’s really exciting! The future is open, and there’s a huge energy and hunger for it!"
Joining the band as their new singer is Ms. Mindi Jackson, a tall, lithe bundle of energy, who brings her own vocal and visual talents to the band’s make-up, and sounds as effortless tearing through the new numbers, many of which she co-wrote with Ash, as she does wrapping her vocal interpretation around Rogues classics such as ‘Voodoo Child’ and ‘Don’t You Wanna Feel’.
When former singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte departed to pursue her own solo journey, James Ash launched straight back into the familiar world of DJing in clubs as he started to write new Rogues material and consider the band’s next step.
“It was very edifying to return to the world of dance music, and this defined what the next [Rogue Traders] record would be like... Better In The Dark was more electro-rock; the essence of this record is more dance-based. At its heart, it’s still pop music, [but] with a dance music edge”.
Luckily, MySpace soon provided him with a talented new vocalist. “Nothing really stopped when Nat left,” says James. “I continued to write music, and looked around for a new singer, and didn’t settle until I found the right one. Mindi was that right singer.” For her part, Mindi couldn’t believe her luck, and describes hearing from James as a “massive shock”.
The new songs immediately flowed, emerging from a songwriting process that James describes as being “less calculated and less self-conscious with a looser feel than previous work.”
‘Would You Raise Your Hands?’ is the next step in the Rogue Traders’ never-ending evolution, part of a new collection of music that marks a move back to the group’s club roots, yet loses none of the pop smarts that have seen the band sell over 1 million records worldwide.
Rogue Traders have released three previous albums - We Know What You’re Up To, Here Come the Drums, and Better in the Dark - yielding numerous hit singles, an ARIA Award, multiple APRA Awards and an MTV Award.
‘Would You Raise Your Hands?’ is available online from 19th February, with a package containing b-sides and remixes available on 26th March.
Night Of The Living Drums will follow in June 2010.
Five facts about Mindi Jackson:
• Her grandfather was a lead tenor with the Australian Opera
• She started singing when she was 5
• Her favourite albums include Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Prince - Purple Rain, and Divinyls - Desperate
• She was once struck by appendicitis onstage in the middle of a gig
• She has an obsession with yellow shoes
Retieved on 4th Nov 2010 from...
http://www.peppermintblue.com.au/Artists/RogueTraders.htm
Rogue Traders started out in 1989 when long time friends James Ash and Steven Davis began collaborating under the moniker Union State. The duo saw international success early on thanks to their hit singles Out to Get You and Retrosexual in 1992.
That same year they boys relocated from London to Melbourne to pursue their musical careers, but it wasn't until a decade later that the pair reinvented themselves as the Rogue Traders.
The first album, We Know What You're Up To, under their new identity was released in 2003. Although comprised mostly of self written material, it was the duo's remix of INXS' One of My Kind that gained them national recognition in the form of an ARIA award.
The aforementioned track attracted both public and industry attention. The fact that it was a remix meant that the duo began to be widely viewed as producers rather than artists. While production remained an integral part of the Rouge Traders sound, representation of the live element was of equal importance to the pair.
After multiple line-up changes and an evolving to a distinctly pop rock sound. The Rouge Traders (now comprising of James Ash, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Tim Henwood and Cam McGlinchey) released their second album Here Come the Drums in October 2005.
The album reflected the new musical direction the quartet were moving in, with sharp rock riffs and driving beats built on a strong electronic base.
The release was embraced by the Australian electronic and commercial music worlds alike, reaching triple Platinum status.
In mid 2006, the UK began to take notice of the Rouge Traders. The first single Voodoo Child off their second album debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart in July 2006, with the release of the LP following later that month.
Retrieved on 4th Nov 2010 from...
http://videohits.com.au/vh/artists/5465/Rogue-Traders