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Justin Robertson
Justin Robertson will perform at The Big Chill festival 2008 A-Z line up | Ticket infoJustin Robertson - Biography
Justin Robertson's tastes have always been catholic, though in 2008 you would be hard pushed to find a musician working successfully in areas as diverse as dancehall, house and art pop. Justin is a true modernist: he excels as a DJ of international repute; is a creator of bespoke acid house; a remixer for the likes of Radio 4, Bjork, The Whip ,Cherry Ghost and Felix Da Housecat, and, most recently, has co-written an album with studio boffin Gez Dewar under the name Thee Earls.
Justin came to the attention of Gez after he heard ‘Push and Shove’ the gospel tinged love song he wrote and sang on Fatboy Slim’s Palookaville. Using a stream of consciousness lyrical style and hitting a creative purple patch Justin and Gez have written and recorded an album swiftly. They take their influences from early 80s New Pop and the focused pretension of artists like David Bowie and Talking Heads and flesh out to a five piece when they play live; Nick Abnett, Simon Hanson (Death in Vegas) and Charly Casy (Akasha) are amongst their live squad.They have brought the house down with their shows over the last year,with Bestival and Fabric amongst the most memorable! Expect to see them hitting the road with gusto this year!
Justin’s new label Never Work provides a platform for his own primitive, visceral house music. So far he has released ‘Machine’, which was popular with the likes of Miss Kittin, Paul Woolford and Trevor Jackson the stealth attack of ‘Pylon Theory’ and The lithesome dancefloor smash 'Zazous'.
Justin also records wonky acid house with Gez as Kid Science with their ‘The Lights/Absolution’ being licenced to Brique Rouge, and causing quite a stir world wide. Neverwork also serves as a platform for the talents of various friends and colleagues, with releases by Paul Stix and Jon Kahuna slated for release over the coming months.
Justin’s lineage through music has taken many twists and turns. He began as a DJ in Manchester and his early 90s clubs - Spice and Most Excellent - were hugely influential and cornerstones of the burgeoning dance movement. The Chemical Brothers, then students in the city, cited him as their mentor. His Rebellious Jukebox club - also in Manchester - pre-empted the Heavenly Social and the mid 90s trend for mish-mashing musical styles. In the 90s Justin generally operated under various nom de stages, the most renowned being Lionrock, with whom he scored several Top 40s hits - 'Rudeboy Rock' and 'Packet Of Peace' among them - and appeared on Top Of The Pops in a dashing purple suit opting for gramophones over Technics.
Songs were plucked from the albums Instinct For Detection and City Delirious for the films Go and City Of Industry, and Lionrock shared the stage with acts as diverse as Death In Vegas, The Chemical Brothers and the Cocteau Twins. It wasn't until 2001 that Justin stepped out under his own name releasing house and techno like 'Have Mercy' for the Bugged Out imprint.
In 2001 he recorded his most critically acclaimed project to date Justin Robertson presents Revtone which brought primitive house and new wave disco into the digital age. Originally on Nuphonic the best tracks came out through Bugged Out, with 'Love Movement' - remixed by Ulrich Schnauss who cited Justin's early work as an influence - being placed second best single of 2003 by Jockey Slut magazine. Contemporaries Black Strobe, Chicken Lips and Kiki also remixed Revtone tracks. Expect the second chapter from Revtone in 2008 as Justin is busy on new material with Mark Ralph, with a single-'Ride Ride Ride"/"Insect Army" out early February or March.
Justin is also currently writing and recording his first album under his own name, combining cutting edge,playful electronics with memorable songs. For someone with such diverse tastes it should have come as no surprise to anyone when Justin began recording and singing with a guitar. He has been writing songs since his school days and played electric guitar in Lionrock. 2004’s 'Twisted and Torn' (released on Slut Smalls) reflected his love for singer songwriters like Gram Parsons ,Neil Young and Nick Drake. In the same year he also wrote a song with Tim Burgess and Rob Playford called 'Yes It Is’. It became one of the most requested songs on Sean Rowley’s BBC London show and came out on Justin’s Blister Ballads 7” label in the fall of 2006.
Justin continues his successful song-writing carrier with songs on Norman Cooks new album, and Ashley Beedles new project- Ralph and Beedle. As a man as reknowned for his reggae collection as well as his electronica, Justin was an obvious choice for Wall of Sound's Two Culture Clash album project. He recorded in Jamaica in 2005 at the legendary Gee Jam studios with the lovers rock of 'Save Me' - featuring guitarist Ernest Ranglin and Nadine Sutherland - the beautiful result.
As a DJ Justin plays a mix of techno and electronic house at clubs such as The Loft in Barcelona, Pacha in Buenos Aires, Bugged Out in Manchester, Roxy in Prague, Chibuku in Liverpool, Together at Turnmills in London, and at various clubs all over Europe and the rest of the world. He also plays more eclectic sets featuring his love of reggae, northern soul and pop at nights like Sunday Best. Justin will continue to wear several hats, metaphorical as well as some stylish real ones!
www.myspace.com/djjustinrobertson
www.myspace.com/neverworkuk
Justin Robertson will perform at The Big Chill festival 2008 A-Z line up | Ticket info
Written: 8th May, 08
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