Bizarre Inc | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Stafford, England |
| Genres | Techno,breakbeat hardcore |
| Years active | 1989–1996 |
| Labels | Blue Chip Records(1989) Sony Records(1992–1995) Vinyl Solution(1990–1994) Some Bizzare /Mercury Records(1996) |
| Members | Andrew Meecham(1990–present) Dean Meredith(1989–present) |
| Past members | Mark Archer (1989–1990) Carl Turner (1990—1997) |
Bizarre Inc were an Englishtechno group. Formed in 1989 as aduo betweenEnglishDJs Dean Meredith and Mark "Aaron" Archer (not to be confused with thefilm producer of thesame name), they later re-formed as atrio consisting of Meredith, Andrew Meecham, and Carl Turner in 1990.[1]
The group formed as Meredith and Archer linked to start an acid-house/techno project under 'Blue Chip Records'. A label owned by former Wigan Casino DJ Kev Roberts.
The first releases were (and still are) only available on 12'' vinyl: "It's Time to Get Funky" (BLUE C14R), later shortened to "Time to Get Funky" (BLUE C14RR); and the 6-track debut albumTechnological, both written and produced by Meredith and Archer.
By 1990, Archer left Meredith to work as producer and writer with different house and techno projects, a greater part of which were for Network Records. He was also known as DJ Nex for a long time; later on he released material under names such as Mr. Nex, O.P.D., Xen Mantra, and others (includingNexus 21 andAltern-8 with co-producer Chris Peat). Still in the same year, two other experienced DJs – Andrew Meecham and Carl Turner – joined Bizarre Inc, thus forming a new trio. The first 12'' they released together was "Bizarre Theme" / "X-Static" on the now-defunctrecord label,Vinyl Solution. This first track got a moderate acceptance, and their next single, "Such a Feeling", which sampled theAurra club hit "Such a Feeling", peaked at number 13. The next single, "Playing with Knives", peaked at number 4; the song's vinyl (7-inch and 12-inch) releases were issued on a couple of different European labels.[1]
On 19 October 1992, Bizarre Inc released the albumEnergique.[1] shortly after theBPI Silver Certified"I'm Gonna Get You" single featuringAngie Brown was released on 21 September viaVinyl Solution on12-inch vinyl. It reachednumber one on theUnited StatesHot Dance Club Playchart for two weeks in January (also hitting number 47 on theBillboard Hot 100). The follow up "Took My Love", also made number one for two weeks on the Hot Dance Club chart in late April.Angie Brown is featured as lead vocalist on both releases. A third song, "Love in Motion" (featuring Yvonne Yanney), peaked at number 4 on the U.S. dance chart in late 1993. Three of Bizarre Inc's hit singles appeared onEnergique in 1992. In 1994, a remix for Madonna's single "Secret" was included on both the U.S. 12" Single and CD Maxi-Single.
They also released a third album, the more commercialSurprise, on Some Bizzare in 1996.
Meecham and Meredith have continued releasing new music together under the nameChicken Lips. In theUK, their biggest singles remain "Playing with Knives" (number 4) and "I'm Gonna Get You" (number 3), the latter of which was acrossover dance-pop hit and was one of the biggest sellers of that year.
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [2] | ||||||||||||||
| Technological |
| — | ||||||||||||
| Energique |
| 41 | ||||||||||||
| Surprise | — | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [2] | BEL [3] | EUR [4] | IRE [5] | NED [6] | SCO [7] | US [8] | CAN Dance [9] | UK Dance [10] | US Dance [11] | |||||
| 1989 | "It's Time to Get Funky" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Technological" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1990 | "Bizarre Theme"/"X-Static" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1991 | "Playing with Knives" | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Such a Feeling" | 13 | — | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Playing with Knives"(re-issue) | 4 | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Energique | |||
| 1992 | "I'm Gonna Get You"(featuringAngie Brown) | 3 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 3 | — | 47 | 1 | — | 1 | |||
| 1993 | "Took My Love"(featuring Angie Brown) | 19 | — | 71 | 17 | 22 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | |||
| "Love in Motion" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | ||||
| "Agroovin'" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1996 | "Keep the Music Strong" | 33 | — | 54 | — | — | 39 | — | — | 3 | — | Surprise | ||
| "Surprise" | 21 | — | 46 | — | — | 20 | — | — | 10 | — | ||||
| "Get Up (Sunshine Street)" | 45 | — | 78 | — | — | 40 | — | — | 17 | — | ||||
| 1999 | "Playing with Knives"(remix) | 30 | — | 98 | — | — | 28 | — | — | 1 | — | Non-album single | ||
| "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
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