Ashley Beedle (born November 25, 1962, inHemel Hempstead, England) is a Britishhouse music DJ and producer. He was a member of the groupsBlack Science Orchestra andX-Press 2 in addition to releasing material under his own name.
Beedle first began DJing in the late 1980s during the heyday ofacid house. After hearingNorman Jay onKISS FM, he became more interested in deepdisco. In the early 1990s, he teamed up with Rob Mello and John Howard to form theBlack Science Orchestra, who released several club hits in the 1990s (such as their remix ofThe Trammps's "Where Were You?", "Strong", and "New Jersey Deep").[1] Beedle and the Black Science Orchestra were among the first British acid house artists to achieve notice in the house music community in the United States.[2]
While working with the Black Science Orchestra (whose debut full-length arrived late in 1994), Beedle also started a project withDavid Hill and Rocky & Diesel, known asThe Ballistic Brothers. The resulting LP, 1994'sLondon Hooligan Soul, was a major dance music hit. Soon after this release, he teamed up again with Rocky & Diesel asX-Press 2; their single "The Sound" became a dance hit in America.[1]
The Ballistic Brothers returned in 1997 with a second full-length,Rude System, and alongside them Beedle released two soloEPs.[1] Beedle continued to remix into the 2000s, and was head of the labels Soundboy Entertainment, Afroart, and Ill Sun.
In 2003, Beedle remixedElton John's 1979 single "Are You Ready for Love". It became a number-one hit, Beedle's first chart-topper and John's fifth.[3][4]
In 2010, he collaborated withDarren Morris onMavis, an album inspired byMavis Staples.[5]
Beedle is one of the musicians mentioned in the lyrics to theDaft Punk song "Teachers".[2] He featured on the song "Should I Stay or Should I Blow", fromthe BPA's 2009 debut album,I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat.
On September 2, 2024, it had been revealed by Beedle and his family that he had been battling against Stage 4prostate cancer for the past four years. He received his last cancer treatment in October 2023. According to a GoFundMe set up for Beedle, "He suffered a brain bleed and seizure due to the rupture of a brain mass". It was also revealed that, during a 16-hour operation to remove the mass, "he suffered a major stroke that caused the loss of movement in the leg and arm on Ashley’s right-hand side and robbed him of his power of speech."[6]
After just two days, the GoFundMe had already cleared more than £100,000 of the £125,000 target, including sizable donations from fellow British DJsCarl Cox,Jazzie B,Jon Carter, andFatboy Slim.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
