Big Chill Festival
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The Big Chill was an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of
Eastnor Castle Eastnor Castle, Eastnor, Herefordshire, is a 19th-century mock castle. Eastnor was built for John Cocks, 1st Earl Somers, who employed Robert Smirke, later the main architect of the British Museum. The castle was built between 1811 and 1820 ...
during early August. The 2011 line-up included
The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands in Manchester in 1992. They were pioneers in bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture. Originally known as The Dust Brothers, th ...
,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
, Rodrigo Y Gabriela,
Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind ...
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Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...
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Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris (and sometimes under the stage name Love Regenerator), is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'' (2007 ...
,
Neneh Cherry Neneh Mariann Karlsson (; born 10 March 1964), better known as Neneh Cherry, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, rapper, occasional disc jockey, and broadcaster. Her musical career started in London in the early 1980s, where she performed in a numb ...
,
Aloe Blacc Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III (born January 7, 1979), known professionally as Aloe Blacc (), is an American singer and rapper. He is known for his guest performance on Avicii's 2013 single "Wake Me Up (Avicii song), Wake Me Up", which peaked on ...
,
Chipmunk Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of subtribe Tamiina. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks are classified as four genera: '' ...
,
Katy B Kathleen Anne Brien (born 8 May 1989), known professionally as Katy B, is an English singer. She released her debut studio album, '' On a Mission'', in 2011, which spawned two top five hits, " Katy on a Mission" and " Lights On". In 2014 she re ...
&
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. The festival has not been staged since 2011.


History

Founded in 1994 by Pete Lawrence and Katrina Larkin, The Big Chill began as a series of ambient parties at the Union Chapel in
Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...
, but developed into an outdoor festival in 1995, with an unlicensed event in the Black Mountains of
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
. In the early days the most prominent DJs were Matt Black of
Coldcut Coldcut are an English electronic music duo composed of Matt Black and Jonathan More. Credited as pioneers for pop sampling in the 1980s, Coldcut are also considered the first stars of UK electronic dance music due to their innovative style, ...
,
Tom Middleton Tom Middleton (born 18 August 1971) is a British electronic recording artist, sound designer, composer, music producer, remixer and DJ. His solo albums include '' Lifetracks'' (2007), ''Glasstracks'' (2011) and ''Sleep Better'' (2018). Middleto ...
of
Global Communication Global Communication is an electronic music duo consisting of Tom Middleton and Mark Pritchard; the duo have also recorded under other aliases, including Reload and Jedi Knights. They founded the labels Evolution Records and Universal Langua ...
and
Mixmaster Morris Mixmaster Morris (born Morris Gould; 30 December 1960) is an English electronica DJ and underground musician who has also recorded as The Irresistible Force. His work in the 1990s blended ambient music and chill-out influences with UK dance st ...
, also known as the Irresistible Force. In 1996 the event took place in Norfolk and in 1998 a new home for the event (now known as "The Enchanted Garden") was found at
Larmer Tree Gardens The Larmer Tree Gardens near Tollard Royal in south Wiltshire, England, were created by landowner Augustus Pitt Rivers in 1880 as pleasure gardens, pleasure grounds for "public enlightenment and entertainment". They were the first private garde ...
in
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
where it was held for five years. During this time the festival slowly developed its hallmarks, such as high quality visuals, an excellent range of food stalls, highly unusual line-ups and a Body & Soul field with many healers, masseurs and alternative therapists. In 2001 a second summer festival was also held at
Lulworth Castle Lulworth Castle, in East Lulworth, Dorset, England, situated south of the village of Wool, is an early 17th-century hunting lodge erected in the style of a revival fortified castle, one of only five extant Elizabethan or Jacobean buildings of ...
in Dorset. In 2002 the festival moved to Eastnor Castle where it remained until 2011. In 2002 PK Events Limited was liquidated and 50% shares were sold to the Cantaloupe Group, a company that managed a bar chain. A new company, Chillfest Limited, was created, with Katrina Larkin and Pete Lawrence each owning 25% and retaining a controlling management role in the company. The Big Chill staged many events around the world, in locations such as Naxos (Greek islands), Austalasia, Japan, Goa (India) and all over Europe. In 2007, the Cantaloupe Group bought out Pete Lawrence, who left the company, and some of Katrina Larkin's shares, to become the majority shareholder. In 2009, the festival went into liquidation and the brand was bought by Festival Republic. Katrina Larkin moved on to work with Festival Republic as creative director. She handed over creative direction to Festival Republic in 2010. Throughout its history, The Big Chill showcased a variety of different music, uptempo as well as ambient. Live acts and DJs like
Norman Jay Norman Jay MBE (born Norman Bernard Joseph on 6 November 1957) is a British club, radio and sound system DJ. He first came to prominence playing unlicensed "warehouse" parties in the early 1980s, and through his involvement with the then-pir ...
,
Mr Scruff Andrew Carthy (born 10 February 1972), known professionally as Mr. Scruff, is an English record producer and DJ. He lives in Stretford, Greater Manchester and studied fine art at the Psalter Lane campus of Sheffield Hallam University. Before ...
, Hexstatic,
Mixmaster Morris Mixmaster Morris (born Morris Gould; 30 December 1960) is an English electronica DJ and underground musician who has also recorded as The Irresistible Force. His work in the 1990s blended ambient music and chill-out influences with UK dance st ...
, alucidnation, Laura B,
DJ Derek DJ Derek, born Derek Serpell-Morris (18 December 1941 – July 2015) was an English Disc jockey, DJ based in Bristol. In a DJ career that spanned over 40 years, he was known for playing a blend of 60s rocksteady, reggae, ska, dancehall and soul ...
, Leggo Beast and
Gilles Peterson Gilles Jérôme Moehrle MBE (; born 28 September 1964), better known as Gilles Peterson (), is a broadcaster, DJ, record label and festival owner. He is renowned for his genre-defying approach to music with jazz at its core. From this base he ...
were regular performers, but the festival also provided a diverse range of music from folk and jazz to African and dub. In addition to a widely varied musical line-up, a focus on art, films, poetry, circus, cabaret, comedy and gourmet food all played a key part in setting The Big Chill apart from the competition. The Big Chill saw contributions from and collaborations with many artists and arts bodies, including Johnny Easterby, I Am The Mighty Jungulator
Spencer Tunick Spencer Tunick is an American photographer best known for organizing large-scale nude shoots. Early life and education Spencer Tunick was born in Middletown, Orange County, New York into a Jewish family, being the fourth generation of photogra ...
, Pete Fowler,
Gavin Turk Gavin Turk (born 1967) is a British artist from Guildford in Surrey, and was considered to be one of the Young British Artists. Turk's oeuvre deals with issues of authenticity and identity, engaged with modernist and avant-garde debates surround ...
, Cedric Christie, Peter Blake, Rankin, Bob & Roberta Smith,
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Tate Britain Tate Britain, known from 1897 to 1932 as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery, is an art museum on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London, England. It is part of the Tate network of galleries in En ...
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British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
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Institute of Contemporary Arts The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is an modernism, artistic and cultural centre on The Mall (London), The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. Located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps a ...
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Bompas & Parr Bompas & Parr is a British food and beverage company focused on creating food art using gelatin desserts, colloquially called jellies. It was founded June 2007 by Sam Bompas and Harry Parr. The company uses food moulds to make edible decorations ...
, the Roundhouse, Apples & Snakes,
Penguin Books Penguin Books Limited is a Germany, German-owned English publishing, publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers the Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the ...

The World Famous
Film4 Film4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned by Channel Four Television Corporation launched on 1 November 1998, dedicated to broadcasting films. The standard-definition channel is available on Freeview and Freesa ...
, and the Art Car Boot Fair.


Past line-ups

Over the years, The Big Chill's line-up has included the following performers and DJs: 1995 Big Chill Gala, Llanthony, Black Mountains, Wales:
Nightmares On Wax George Herbert Evelyn (born 15 January 1970), better known by his stage name Nightmares on Wax or DJ E.A.S.E., is an English DJ and record producer from Leeds. His music has been released by Warp Records. He is based in Ibiza. Nightmares on Wax ...
(DJ set),
Global Communication Global Communication is an electronic music duo consisting of Tom Middleton and Mark Pritchard; the duo have also recorded under other aliases, including Reload and Jedi Knights. They founded the labels Evolution Records and Universal Langua ...
, The Gentle Experience (Gentle People vs Karminsky Experience), Spring Heel Jack,
Mixmaster Morris Mixmaster Morris (born Morris Gould; 30 December 1960) is an English electronica DJ and underground musician who has also recorded as The Irresistible Force. His work in the 1990s blended ambient music and chill-out influences with UK dance st ...
, Matt Black,
Another Fine Day ''Another Fine Day'' is Golden Smog's third full-length album. It was released on July 18, 2006. It reached number 95 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Background Golden Smog's lineup was chiefly made up of Kraig Johnson (Run Westy R ...
. 1996 Big Chill Gala - Hingham, Norfolk:
LTJ Bukem Daniel Andrew Williamson (born 20 September 1967), better known as LTJ Bukem (), is a British drum and bass musician, producer and DJ. He and his record label Good Looking are most associated with the jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass m ...
,
Squarepusher Thomas Russell Jenkinson (born 17 January 1975), known professionally as Squarepusher, is an English electronic musician, record producer, bassist, multi-instrumentalist and DJ. His music spans several genres including drum and bass, IDM, a ...
,
Mr Scruff Andrew Carthy (born 10 February 1972), known professionally as Mr. Scruff, is an English record producer and DJ. He lives in Stretford, Greater Manchester and studied fine art at the Psalter Lane campus of Sheffield Hallam University. Before ...
,
Talvin Singh Talvin Singh OBE (born 1970) is a British musician, producer, and composer. A tabla player, he is known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music with drum and bass. Singh is generally considered involved with an electronica ...
, Pork Recordings,
Zion Train Zion Train are a British Dub music, dub ensemble that formed in Oxford, 1988. They have consistently released music and toured from 1992 to present day. Their mix of reggae and dance music was a notable innovation in the early 1990s. History ...
,
Autechre Autechre ( ) are an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are among the best known acts signed to UK electronic label Warp Records, through which all o ...
,
Andrea Parker Andrea Parker (born March 8, 1969) is an American film and television actress. She is known for her roles on '' ER'', '' JAG'', '' The Pretender'', ''Less than Perfect'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and ''Pretty Little Liars''. Early years Parke ...
, Bedouin Ascent, Wishmountain, Earthtribe, Muslimgauze, Sounds From The Ground. 1998 Enchanted Garden, Larmer Tree, Wilts: Instrumental v Mao, Jimpster, Bedouin Ascent,
Ian O'Brien Ian Lovett O'Brien (born 3 March 1947) is an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1960s who won the Swimming at the 1964 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre breaststroke, 200 metre breaststroke at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in wo ...
, Dego (
4 Hero 4hero (sometimes referred to as 4 Hero or 4-Hero) are an electronic music group from Dollis Hill, London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Denis "Dego" McFarlane. 4hero are known for being pioneers of breakbeat hardcore, Jungle musi ...
), Rainer Trüby, Michael Reinboth,
Robert Miles Roberto Concina (; 3 November 1969 – 9 May 2017), known professionally as Robert Miles, was an Italian record producer, composer, musician and DJ. His 1995 composition "Children" sold more than 5 million copies and topped the charts worldwid ...
,
London Elektricity Tony Colman (born 28 April 1961), better known by his stage name London Elektricity, is an English electronic musician and co-founded Hospital Records. History The first incarnation of London Elektricity was the duo Tony Colman and Chris Goss. ...
, Joi. 1999 Enchanted Garden, Larmer Tree, Wilts:
Fila Brazillia Fila Brazillia is an English electronica duo from Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England, formed in 1990 by Steve Cobby and David McSherry. History Their early albums were released on Pork Recordings, also based in Hull: '' Old Codes New Cha ...
,
Fridge A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to its external enviro ...
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BJ Cole Brian John Cole (born 17 June 1946) is an English pedal steel guitarist, who has long been active as a session and solo musician. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles, ranging from main ...
and
Luke Vibert Luke Vibert (born 26 January 1973) is a British electronic musician and producer, also known for his work under several aliases such as Plug and Wagon Christ. Raised in Cornwall, Vibert began releasing projects in the 1990s across varied genre ...
, Hexstatic, Hefner,
Gilles Peterson Gilles Jérôme Moehrle MBE (; born 28 September 1964), better known as Gilles Peterson (), is a broadcaster, DJ, record label and festival owner. He is renowned for his genre-defying approach to music with jazz at its core. From this base he ...
, Plaid, A Man Called Adam,
Roots Manuva Rodney Hylton Smith, better known by his stage name Roots Manuva (born 9 September 1972), is a British rapper and producer. Since his debut in 1994, he has produced numerous albums and singles on the label Big Dada, achieving commercial succ ...
,
Jazzanova Jazzanova is a German Berlin-based DJ/producer collective consisting of Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Jürgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, and Axel Reinemer. Formed in 1995, the group's music is characterized by nu j ...
, Paino Circus,
Harold Budd Harold Montgomory Budd (May 24, 1936December 8, 2020) was an American music composer and poet. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Mojave Desert, he became a respected composer in the minimal music and avant-garde scene of Southern California ...
, Bollywood Brass Band. 2000 Enchanted Garden, Larmer Tree, Wilts:
Amon Tobin Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin (; born February 7, 1972) is a Brazilian electronic musician, composer and producer. He is noted for his unusual methodology in sound design and music production. He has released eight major studio albums unde ...
,
State Of Bengal Saifullah "Sam" Zaman (17 April 1965 – 19 May 2015), known by the stage name State of Bengal, was a British DJ and music producer of Bangladeshi descent associated with the UK and Asian Underground movement. Early life Zaman was born on 1 ...
, Blue States,
DJ Food DJ Food is an electronic music project currently headed by Kevin Foakes (also known as Strictly Kev). It was conceived in 1990 by Jonathan More and Matt Black of Coldcut and the Ninja Tune record label. It has since included various lineups ...
,
Norman Jay Norman Jay MBE (born Norman Bernard Joseph on 6 November 1957) is a British club, radio and sound system DJ. He first came to prominence playing unlicensed "warehouse" parties in the early 1980s, and through his involvement with the then-pir ...
, The Bays, Amba, Bent, Paper Recordings, Shur-i-Ken, Pork Recordings, Chris Coco 2001 Enchanted Garden, Larmer Tree, Wilts:
Zero 7 Zero 7 is an English musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. Both of them began as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, '' Simple Things'', was released in 2001; their song "Destiny" stayed in ...
,
The Cinematic Orchestra The Cinematic Orchestra is a British nu jazz and downtempo music group created in 1999 by Jason Swinscoe and later involving his music collaborator Dominic Smith. The group is signed to independent record label Ninja Tune. The Cinematic Orches ...
, Kinobe,
Goldfrapp Goldfrapp were an English electronic music duo from London, formed in 1999. The duo consisted of Alison Goldfrapp (vocals, synthesiser) and Will Gregory (synthesiser). Despite favourable reviews and a short-listing for the Mercury Prize, thei ...
, Laura B,
Terry Callier Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul music, soul, Folk music, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Life and career Callier was born in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was ...
,
Blu Mar Ten Blu Mar Ten is a music production group based in London, and is made up of Chris Marigold and Michael Tognarelli. History Blu Mar Ten's first track to be released was "The Fountain" / "Lunar" in 1996 on Way Out Records. The track appeared on c ...
, Spacek,
LTJ Bukem Daniel Andrew Williamson (born 20 September 1967), better known as LTJ Bukem (), is a British drum and bass musician, producer and DJ. He and his record label Good Looking are most associated with the jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass m ...
,
DJ Derek DJ Derek, born Derek Serpell-Morris (18 December 1941 – July 2015) was an English Disc jockey, DJ based in Bristol. In a DJ career that spanned over 40 years, he was known for playing a blend of 60s rocksteady, reggae, ska, dancehall and soul ...
, Richard Norris,
Neotropic The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In biogeogra ...
, Alucidnation, Sidestepper. 2001 Lulworth Castle, Dorset:
Kruder & Dorfmeister Kruder & Dorfmeister, named after members Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister, is an Austrian duo, known for their trip hop/downtempo remixes of pop, hip hop and drum and bass songs. Career In 1993, they released their first EP '' G-Stoned'' ...
,
Future Sound of London The Future Sound of London (often abbreviated FSOL) is a British electronic music duo composed of Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans. They have been described as a "boundary-pushing" electronic act, covering techno, ambient, house music, trip h ...
, Phil Asher and
Nathan Haines Nathan Haines (born 1972) is a New Zealand-born producer/vocalist/saxophonist based between London (since 1995) and his native Auckland. Life and career Haines was born in 1972 in Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore. His father, Kevin was one of ...
, Mixmaster Morris, Laura B, Landslide, Modaji,
Howie B Howard Simon Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbie Robertson, Elisa, Mukul Deo ...
, Herbert, Crazy Penis, Pitch Black, Funky Lowlives. 2002 Enchanted Garden, Larmer Tree, Wilts: Lamb, Badmarsh and Shri,
Peshay Paul Pesce (born 18 December 1970), better known as Peshay, is a British drum and bass and electronic music producer and DJ. Early life Peshay is of British and Italian heritage. His first introduction to music was at an early age through h ...
, Lambchop, Quantic,
Lemon Jelly Lemon Jelly are a British electronic music duo from London that formed in 1998 and went on hiatus starting in 2008. Since its inception, the band members have always been Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen. Lemon Jelly has been nominated for awards ...
,
To Rococo Rot To Rococo Rot were a Berlin-based band who combined electronic and analog elements to create instrumental post-rock music. Pitchfork described the band's sound as "unmistakably digital, yet 100% human." The group was composed of bassist Stefan ...
, Pole,
DJ Krush , better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a Japanese record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature, and extensive use of jazz and soul samples. Early life Ishi ...
, Boomclick, Osymyso,
Dominic Glynn Dominic Francis Glynn (born 27 September 1960) is an English electronic composer. Glynn is a prolific composer of music for television and film. His work includes the arrangement of the ''Doctor Who'' theme music which served as the series' ...
(No Bones), Laura B. 2002 Eastnor Castle:
Gotan Project Gotan Project is a musical group based in Paris (France), consisting of musicians Eduardo Makaroff (Argentina), Philippe Cohen Solal (French) and Christoph H. Müller (Swiss), a former member of Touch El Arab.Madlen Albrecht ''Le développemen ...
,
Röyksopp Röyksopp () a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø formed in 1998. The duo consists of childhood friends Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland who formed Röyksopp during the Bergen Wave. After experimenting with different Electronic Mu ...
, Plaid,
Fila Brazillia Fila Brazillia is an English electronica duo from Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England, formed in 1990 by Steve Cobby and David McSherry. History Their early albums were released on Pork Recordings, also based in Hull: '' Old Codes New Cha ...
,
Koop __NOTOC__ Koop or KOOP may refer to: People *Koop (surname), multiple people Culture and entertainment *Koop (band), a Swedish jazz duo consisting of Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson *KOOP (FM), a radio station (91.7 FM) in Austin, Texas, Unit ...
,
Maurice Fulton Maurice Garland Fulton (December 3, 1877 – 1955) was an American historian and English professor. He was a professor of English and History at the New Mexico Military Institute for three decades. He was the (co-)author or (co-)editor of several ...
, Gilles Peterson, Hint,
Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan language, Isan/, ; ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli ''isāna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thai ...
,
Ulrich Schnauss Ulrich Schnauss (born 8 September 1977) is a German Electronic music, electronic musician and producer based in London, England. He was a member of Tangerine Dream from 2014 to 2020. Biography Ulrich Schnauss was born in the northern German ...
, Andreas Vollenweider, Laura B, Bola, The Bees, Charles Webster,
Jerry Dammers Jeremy David Hounsell Dammers GCOT (born 22 May 1955) is a British musician who was a founder, keyboard player and primary songwriter of the Coventry-based ska band the Specials (also known as the Special A.K.A.) and later the Spatial AKA Orch ...
, Jedi Knights. 2003 Eastnor Castle:
Nitin Sawhney Nitin Sawhney (; born 1964) is a British musician, producer and composer. A recipient of the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award in 2017, among multiple international awards throughout his career. Sawhney's work combines Asian and other ...
,
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...
,
Trüby Trio Trüby Trio are a German music group specialising in nu jazz and broken beat. Founded in 1997 by Rainer Trüby, Roland Appel and Christian Prommer, their Latin-influenced sound, integrating bossa nova and flamenco styles, saw the band become pione ...
,
Jaga Jazzist Jaga Jazzist (also known as Jaga) is a Norwegian experimental jazz band, that rose to prominence when the BBC named their second album, ''A Livingroom Hush'' (Smalltown Supersound/Ninja Tune), the best jazz album of 2002. (in Norwegian) Biograph ...
,
Boozoo Bajou Boozoo Bajou is a German musical duo composed of Florian Seyberth and Peter Heider. They are noted for their distinct blend of Cajun sounds with island rhythms. Their first album, '' Satta'', was released in 2001. In 2005 they released ''Dust M ...
, Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band, Laura B, Bussetti, François K,
Jimi Tenor Jimi Tenor (born Lassi O. T. Lehto, 1965) is a Finnish composer and a musician. His artist name is a combination of an instrument and the first name comes from Lassi's childhood. When he was little next door neighbour girls used to call him Jimi ...
, Nightmares On Wax,
A Guy Called Gerald Gerald Rydel Simpson (born 1967), better known as A Guy Called Gerald, is a British record producer and musician. He was an early member of the electronic group 808 State, contributing to their debut LP '' Newbuild'' (1988) and hit single " ...
, Murcof,
Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, she was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix ...
, Dubtribe Sound System,
The Wurzels The Wurzels are an English Scrumpy and Western band from Somerset, best known for their number one hit " The Combine Harvester" and number three hit " I Am a Cider Drinker" in 1976. Name The name of the band was dreamt up by founder Adge C ...
, Dominic Glynn (Cybajaz). 2004 Eastnor Castle:
Coldcut Coldcut are an English electronic music duo composed of Matt Black and Jonathan More. Credited as pioneers for pop sampling in the 1980s, Coldcut are also considered the first stars of UK electronic dance music due to their innovative style, ...
, Lemon Jelly, Laura B, Fragile State, Quantic Soul Orchestra,
Mylo Myles MacInnes (born 10 May 1978), better known by his stage name Mylo, is a Scottish electronic musician and record producer. His 2004 album '' Destroy Rock & Roll'' peaked at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart. He is best known for his 2005 si ...
,
Hot Chip Hot Chip is an English synth-pop band formed in London in 2000. The group consists of multi-instrumentalists Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard (musician), Joe Goddard, Al Doyle, Owen Clarke, and Felix Martin. They are occasionally joined by former memb ...
,
Phil Hartnoll Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as a root ter ...
, The Egg,
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, Xpress 2,
Adam Freeland Adam Freeland (born 7 August 1973) is an English record producer and DJ. He is also the owner and creative director of the record label Marine Parade, which has released material by artists including Evil Nine, ILS, Alex Metric and Jape. ...
, Memory Band, Oi Va Voi, Flipsyde, New Sector Movement,
Biosphere The biosphere (), also called the ecosphere (), is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the zone of life on the Earth. The biosphere (which is technically a spherical shell) is virtually a closed system with regard to mat ...
,
Four Tet Kieran Miles David Hebden (born September 1977), known as Four Tet, is an English electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the post-rock band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist with charting and critically acc ...
,
Bugz In The Attic Bugz in the Attic is a collective of DJs and producers based in West London, who are prominent in broken beat. The collective includes Orin Walters (Afronaut), Paul Dolby (Seiji), Kaidi Tatham, Daz-I-Kue, Alex Phountzi (Neon Phusion), Cliff Sco ...
, Bent, Sparky, Dominic Glynn. 2005 Eastnor Castle: The Bays,
Mad Professor Neil Joseph Stephen Fraser (born 27 March 1955, Georgetown, Guyana) known by his stage-name Mad Professor, is a British dub music producer, engineer and remixer. He has collaborated with reggae artists Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sly and Robbie, ...
,
Fat Freddy's Drop Fat Freddy's Drop is a New Zealand seven-piece band from Wellington, whose musical style has been characterised as any combination of dub, reggae, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and techno. Originally a jam band formed in the late 1990s by mus ...
, The Earlies,
Tinariwen Tinariwen (Tamasheq language, Tamasheq: ; with vowels ; plural of ténéré meaning "desert") is a collective of Tuareg people, Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region of southern Algeria and of northern Mali, in the region of Azawad. Considered ...
,
The Necks The Necks are an Australian avant-garde jazz trio formed in 1987 by founding mainstays Chris Abrahams on piano and Hammond organ, Tony Buck (musician), Tony Buck on drums, percussion and electric guitar, and Lloyd Swanton on bass guitar and dou ...
, Lunz,
Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is an English musician, composer, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session mu ...
, St. Etienne, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain,
The Rebirth ''The Rebirth'' (originally titled ''Underground Love'') is the third studio album by American R&B singer Bobby V, who had recorded his first two albums under the name Bobby Valentino. It was released on February 10, 2009. The album was V's fi ...
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Youngblood Brass Band The Youngblood Brass Band is an American brass band from Madison, Wisconsin that was established in 1998. The band has released six albums and has toured throughout the United States and Europe. History The band came together in 1995 as the On ...
,
Emiliana Torrini Emiliana is a feminine name of Italian origin. It can refer to: As a given name * Emiliana of Trasilla and Emiliana, Catholic saints * Emilíana Torrini (born 1977), Icelandic singer As a surname * Cesare Emiliani (1922–1995), Italian-Ameri ...
, The Beat, Laura B,
Róisín Murphy Róisín Marie Murphy ( , ; born 5 July 1973) is an Irish singer, songwriter and record producer who first became known in the 1990s as one half of the Pop music, pop duo Moloko alongside the English musician Mark Brydon. After the breakup of M ...
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The Swingle Singers The Swingles are an a cappella vocal group. The Swingle Singers were originally formed in 1962 in Paris under the leadership of Ward Swingle. In 1973, Swingle disbanded the French group, and formed an English group known initially as Swingle I ...
, Alice Russell,
Kate Rusby Kate Anna Rusby (born 4 December 1973) is an English folk singer-songwriter from Penistone, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Sometimes called the "Barnsley Nightingale", she has headlined various British folk festivals, and is one of the be ...
,
Tunng Tunng are an English folk music band. They are often associated with the folktronica genre, due to the electronic influences evident in some of their work. Tunng are often noted for their use of unconventional instruments, including seashells ...
,
London Elektricity Tony Colman (born 28 April 1961), better known by his stage name London Elektricity, is an English electronic musician and co-founded Hospital Records. History The first incarnation of London Elektricity was the duo Tony Colman and Chris Goss. ...
, Patife and
Dynamite MC Dynamite MC (born Dominic Smith, 7 October 1973) is an English rapper and MC. He originally gained prominence in jungle/drum and bass, working with Roni Size & Reprazent, but has also released hip hop material. Career He started his MCing ca ...
. 2006 Eastnor Castle: Laura B, Bussetti, José González,
Aim AIM or Aim may refer to: Computing * AIM alliance, an Apple-IBM-Motorola alliance * AIM (software), AOL Instant Messenger * Fortyfive, a Japanese software development company previously known as AIM Military * Abrams Integrated Management, an ...
, The
Heritage Orchestra ] The Heritage Orchestra is a British orchestra founded in 2004 under the artistic direction of Christopher Wheeler, Chris Wheeler. The orchestra perform a mix of styles and genres and are known as the premiere non-classical orchestra in the UK ...
with Eumir Deodato, Deodato, Amadou and Mariam,
Arrested Development ''Arrested Development'' is an American satire, satirical television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz. It follows the Bluths, a formerly wealthy, dysfunctional family and is presented in a Serial (radio and television), serialized format, inco ...
,
The Proclaimers The Proclaimers are a Scottish Rock music, rock duo formed in 1983 by twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid (born 5 March 1962). They came to attention with their 1987 single "Letter from America (song), Letter from America", which reached No. 3 ...
, Sebastian Tellier,
Brian Eno Brian Peter George Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Eno (, born 15 May 1948), also mononymously known as Eno, is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, visual artist, and activist. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to ambien ...
,
Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. List of awards and nominations received by Lily Allen, Her accolades include a Brit Award, alongside nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivi ...
, Coldcut, Robert Owens, Biggabush,
Nathan Fake Nathan Fake (born 3 March 1983) is an English electronic music artist from Necton, Norfolk, England. He has released music on the Border Community, Ninja Tune, and Cambria Instruments labels (the latter a project by Fake and Wesley Matsell). ...
,
Jon Hopkins Jonathan Julian Hopkins (born 15 August 1979) is an English musician and producer who writes and performs electronic music. He began his career playing keyboards for Imogen Heap, and has produced but also contributed to albums by Brian Eno, Co ...
, Lambchop, Beauty Room, Bellowhead,
Jamie Lidell James Alexander Lidderdale (born 18 September 1973), known professionally as Jamie Lidell, is an English musician, soul singer and podcast host. Lidell was formerly a part of Super Collider. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, US. Career Lidel ...
, Vashti Bunyan, A Hawk and a Hacksaw,
Lou Rhodes Lou Rhodes is an English singer and songwriter from Manchester, now living in Wiltshire. In addition to providing vocals and lyrics for the band Lamb, Rhodes has released four solo albums: '' Beloved One'', '' Bloom'' and '' One Good Thing'' a ...
, Neil Cowley Trio,
Shri Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Assamese, Meitei ( Manipuri), Marathi, Malay (including In ...
, Bugz In The Attic, Sparks, E.S.T, Digitonal, The Egg,
Scritti Politti Scritti Politti are a British band formed in 1977 in Leeds by singer-songwriter Green Gartside, who is the sole remaining member of the original band. Initially formed as a punk culture, punk-aligned underground act influenced by leftist poli ...
. 2007 Eastnor Castle: Kruder & Dorfmeister, Mr Scruff,
The Cinematic Orchestra The Cinematic Orchestra is a British nu jazz and downtempo music group created in 1999 by Jason Swinscoe and later involving his music collaborator Dominic Smith. The group is signed to independent record label Ninja Tune. The Cinematic Orches ...
,
Seasick Steve Steven Gene Wold (né Leach; March 19, 1951),freight trains">freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains/nowiki> for 14 years off and on..", adding "I've been married to this one girl for 25 years, so I’m a litt ...
,
The Bad Plus The Bad Plus is an American jazz group from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, formed in 2000. They were originally a piano trio, but became a quartet in 2021: founding members Reid Anderson on bass and David King on drums, as well as guit ...
,
Richie Havens Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk music, folk, soul music, soul (both of which he frequently cover song, covered), and rhythm and b ...
,
The Blockheads The Blockheads are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1977. Originally fronted by lead singer Ian Dury as Ian Dury and the Blockheads or Ian and the Blockheads, the band has continued to perform since Dury's death in 2000. me ...
, Mr Hudson and The Library, Mixmaster Morris,
Faze Action Faze Action are a British dance music band, composed of brothers Simon and Robin Lee. Over the years, Faze Action blended house music with Western classical, pan-African, and Latin music. Its music is also heavily influenced by funk, disco, and ...
, Laura B,
Morgan Geist Morgan Geist (born November 5, 1972) is an American music songwriter, producer, mix engineer and DJ from Wayne, New Jersey. Among mainstream music consumers, he is best known for his UK number one song " Look Right Through," recorded under the al ...
,
Max Hattler Max Hattler is a German video artist and experimental filmmaker. He created the kaleidoscopic political short films "Collision" (2005) and "Spin" (2010), abstract stop motion works "Shift" (2012) and "AANAATT" (2008), and psychedelic animatio ...
,
Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records in the 1960s, serving as an in-house songwr ...
, Ojos De Brujo, Skatalites, Paul Hartnoll,
Kevin Rowland Kevin Rowland (born 17 August 1953) is a British singer and musician best known as the frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners (currently called Dexys). The band had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being " Geno" and " ...
, John Metcalfe, The Spatial AKA Orchestra,
Roedelius Hans-Joachim Roedelius (born 26 October 1934) is a German electronic musician and composer, known as a co-founder of the influential ' kosmische' groups Cluster and Harmonia. He is notable for his prolific discography, either as a solo artist, ...
, Shlomo, Crazy P,
The Go! Team The Go! Team are an English indie rock band from Brighton, England. The band initially began as a solo project conceived by Ian Parton; however, after the unexpected success of the Go! Team's debut album, '' Thunder, Lightning, Strike'', Parton ...
, Hexstatic,
Tom Middleton Tom Middleton (born 18 August 1971) is a British electronic recording artist, sound designer, composer, music producer, remixer and DJ. His solo albums include '' Lifetracks'' (2007), ''Glasstracks'' (2011) and ''Sleep Better'' (2018). Middleto ...
. 2008 Eastnor Castle:
Thievery Corporation Thievery Corporation is an American electronic music duo consisting of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. Their musical style mixes elements of dub, acid jazz, reggae, Indian classical, Middle Eastern music, hip hop, electronica, and Brazilian music, ...
, Trentmoller,
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...
,
The Mighty Boosh The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows, The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show), ''The Mighty Boosh'', Arctic Boosh, ''Arctic Boosh'' (1999) and Autoboosh, ...
,
Bill Bailey Mark Robert Bailey (born 13 January 1965), known professionally as Bill Bailey, is an English musician, comedian, actor and television presenter. He is known for his role as Manny in the sitcom '' Black Books'' (2000–2004), and for his regula ...
, Irresistible Force,
The Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band that singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto formed in Manchester in 1976. During their career, the band combined elements of punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They ...
,
Beth Orton Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall ...
,
Roots Manuva Rodney Hylton Smith, better known by his stage name Roots Manuva (born 9 September 1972), is a British rapper and producer. Since his debut in 1994, he has produced numerous albums and singles on the label Big Dada, achieving commercial succ ...
, Ty, David Holmes,
The Orb The Orb are an English electronic music group founded in 1988 by Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty. Known for their psychedelic sound, the Orb developed a cult following among clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. Their influential ...
,
Lee "Scratch" Perry Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, songwriter and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development ...
,
Russell Howard Russell Joseph Howard (born 23 March 1980) is an English comedian, television presenter, radio presenter and actor. He has hosted his own television shows, ''Russell Howard's Good News'' and ''The Russell Howard Hour'', and appeared on the topi ...
,
Flying Lotus Steven Ellison (born October 7, 1983), better known as Flying Lotus or sometimes FlyLo, is an American record producer, DJ, filmmaker, and rapper. He has released seven critically acclaimed albums: ''1983'' (2006), ''Los Angeles'' (2008), '' Co ...
, Benga,
Derrick Carter Derrick Carter (born October 21, 1969) is an American DJ, record producer and musician from Chicago, Illinois. He is regarded as one of the bestMatthew Herbert Big Band, Laura B,
DJ Krush , better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a Japanese record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature, and extensive use of jazz and soul samples. Early life Ishi ...
,
Hot 8 Brass Band The Hot 8 Brass Band is a New Orleans–based brass band which blends hip-hop, jazz and funk styles with traditional New Orleans brass sounds. It was formed by Bennie Pete, Jerome Jones, and Harry Cook in 1995.
, John Shuttleworth,
Jilted John ''Jilted'' is the past tense of jilt and may refer to: * "Jilted", the eighth song from The Puppini Sisters' 2007 album '' The Rise and Fall of Ruby Woo'' * ''Jilted'' (film), a 1987 film directed by Bill Bennett * "Jilted" (song), a popular ...
, Fink, Camille. 2009 Eastnor Castle:
Basement Jaxx Basement Jaxx are an English electronic music duo consisting of Felix Buxton (born 30 April 1970) and Simon Ratcliffe (born 28 November 1969). The pair got their name from the regular club night they held in Brixton, London, UK. They first ros ...
, Orbital,
David Byrne David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads. Byrne has ...
, Lamb,
Spiritualized Spiritualized (stylised as Spiritualized®) are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Jason Pierce (often known as J. Spaceman), formerly of Spacemen 3. After several line up-changes, in 1999, the band centred on Pie ...
,
Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...
, Amadou & Mariam,
Max Romeo Maxwell Livingston Smith (22 November 1944 – 11 April 2025), known professionally as Max Romeo, was a Jamaican reggae and roots reggae recording musician who achieved chart success in his home country and in the United Kingdom. He had several ...
,
Mulatu Astatke Mulatu Astatke (; French pronunciation: Astatqé; born 19 December 1943) is an Ethiopian musician and arranger considered as the father of "Ethio-jazz". Born in Jimma, Mulatu was musically trained in London, New York City, and Boston where he ...
,
Chris Cunningham Chris Cunningham (born 15 October 1970) is an English video artist and music video director who directed music videos for electronic musicians such as Autechre, Squarepusher, and Aphex Twin and Björk. Early in his career he worked as a com ...
,
Josie Long Josie Isabel Long (born 17 April 1982) is an English comedian. She started performing as a stand-up at the age of 14 and won the BBC New Comedy Awards at 17. In 2006, Long won the If.comeddies Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Festival Frin ...
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Tim Minchin Timothy David Minchin Order of Australia#Levels of membership, AM (born 7 October 1975) is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician, poet, composer, and songwriter. Minchin has released six CDs, five DVDs, and live comedy shows that he ...
,
Dylan Moran Dylan William Moran ( ; born ) is an Irish comedian, writer, actor and artist. He is best known for his observational comedy, the comedy series '' Black Books'' (which he co-wrote and starred in), and his work with Simon Pegg in films such as ' ...
,
Noel Fielding Noel Fielding (; born 21 May 1973) is an English comedian, artist, and actor. He was part of The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside Julian Barratt in the 2000s, and has been a co-presenter of ''The Great British Bake Off'' since 2017. He is kn ...
, Russell Howard,
Metro Area Metro Area is a Brooklyn-based house and nu-disco duo formed in 1998 by Morgan Geist and Darshan Jesrani. History Geist grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, Spring Arts Clubs: Electro-Shock by Tricia Romano">village voice > nyclife > Spring Arts ...
, Michael Lang,
Friendly Fires Friendly Fires are an English indie rock band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to Polydor Records. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008, and was announced as one of the shortlisted twe ...
,
Mr Hudson Benjamin Hudson McIldowie (born 26 June 1979), better known by his stage name Mr Hudson, is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer from Birmingham, England. He formed the band Mr Hudson and the Library in 2006, for which he served ...
,
Chrome Hoof Chrome Hoof are an experimental chamber rock orchestra based in London, England. The group was formed in 2000 by Cathedral bassist Leo Smee and his brother Milo Smee. Initially performing as a duo, their music was mostly electronic. Sinc ...
,
Calexico Calexico () is a city in southern Imperial County, California. Situated on the Mexican border, it is linked economically with the much larger city of Mexicali, the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California. It is about east of San Dieg ...
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Ashley Beedle Ashley Beedle (born November 25, 1962, in Hemel Hempstead, England) is a British house music DJ and producer. He was a member of the groups Black Science Orchestra and X-Press 2 in addition to releasing material under his own name. Career Bee ...
, The Field, James Yuill,
Todd Terje Terje Olsen (born 1981), known professionally as Todd Terje, is a Norwegian DJ, songwriter, and record producer. His stage name is a homage to house music producer Todd Terry. Called "King of the summer jams" by ''Mixmag'', "one third of the ...
,
Bass Clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical staff. Placing a clef on a staff assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines or four spaces, whi ...
, Tomb Crew,
Don Letts Donovan Letts (born 10 January 1956) is a British film director, disc jockey (DJ) and musician. Letts first came to prominence as the videographer for the Clash, directing several of their music videos. In 1984, Letts co-founded the band Big Au ...
, Laura B,
Bonobo The bonobo (; ''Pan paniscus''), also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee (less often the dwarf chimpanzee or gracile chimpanzee), is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the genus ''Pan (genus), Pan'' (the other bei ...
,
Justin Robertson Lionrock was a British big beat group, comprising record producer Justin Robertson, MC Buzz B, and producer, engineer, programmer and synthesist Roger Lyons. Lyons replaced recording engineer Mark Stagg in 1995. Their biggest chart success cam ...
,
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is an eight-piece, Chicago-based brass ensemble consisting of eight sons of the jazz trumpeter Phil Cohran. Their musical style ranges from hip hop to jazz to funk and rock, including calypso and gypsy music. They call t ...
,
To Rococo Rot To Rococo Rot were a Berlin-based band who combined electronic and analog elements to create instrumental post-rock music. Pitchfork described the band's sound as "unmistakably digital, yet 100% human." The group was composed of bassist Stefan ...
,
David Shrigley David John Shrigley (born 17 September 1968) is a British visual artist. He lived and worked in Glasgow, Scotland for 27 years before moving to Brighton, England in 2015. Shrigley first came to prominence in the 1990s for his distinct line drawi ...
, Norman Jay,
Gong A gongFrom Indonesian language, Indonesian and ; ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ; ; ; ; is a percussion instrument originating from Southeast Asia, and used widely in Southeast Asian and East Asian musical traditions. Gongs are made of metal and ...
,
John Cooper Clarke John Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet and comedian who styled himself as a "punk poet" in the late 1970s. In the 1970s and early 1980s, he released several albums and performed on stage with punk and post-punk ...
, Mixmaster Morris, Congo Natty,
Jazzie B Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE (born 26 January 1963), better known as Jazzie B, is a British DJ and music producer. He is the founder of music collective Soul II Soul. Life and career Jazzie was born in London UK to parents of Antiguan descent ...
, Keb Darge,
Adrian Sherwood Adrian Maxwell Sherwood (born 20 January 1958) is an English record producer specialising in the genre of dub music. He has created a distinctive production style based on the application of dub effects and dub mixing techniques to other forms ...
, Greg Wilson, DJ Derek, Sparky,
Suns of Arqa Suns of Arqa are a world music collective founded in 1979 by Michael Wadada. Since the group's formation, over 200 people from around the world have played and recorded with them, and in many cases these were like-minded musicians Wadada met ...
,
Dominic Glynn Dominic Francis Glynn (born 27 September 1960) is an English electronic composer. Glynn is a prolific composer of music for television and film. His work includes the arrangement of the ''Doctor Who'' theme music which served as the series' ...
. 2010 Eastnor Castle:
Massive Attack Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol, England, by Robert Del Naja, Robert "3D" Del Naja, Daddy G, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, Tricky (musician), Adrian "Tricky" Thaws and Andrew Vowles, Andrew "Mushroom" ...
, M.I.A., Lily Allen,
Thom Yorke Thomas Edward Yorke (born 7 October 1968) is an English musician who is the vocalist and main songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. He plays guitar, bass, keyboards and other instruments, and is noted for his falsetto. ''Rolling Stone'' desc ...
, Roots Manuva,
Gregory Isaacs Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDI ...
, Explosions In The Sky, Plan B,
Tinie Tempah Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born 7 November 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie (formerly Tinie Tempah), is a British rapper and singer. He has been signed to Parlophone since 2009, now a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his ...
,
Bebel Gilberto Isabel Buarque de Hollanda Gilberto de Oliveira (born May 12, 1966), known as Bebel Gilberto, is an American-born Brazilian people, Brazilian popular singer often associated with bossa nova. She is the daughter of João Gilberto and singer Miú ...
,
Kelis Kelis Rogers (; born August 21, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and chef. She attended Manhattan, New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she played saxophone and was selected for the Girls Ch ...
,
Roy Ayers Roy Edward Ayers Jr. (September 10, 1940 – March 4, 2025) was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several studio albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure ...
, Mike Patton's Mondo Cane,
Kruder & Dorfmeister Kruder & Dorfmeister, named after members Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister, is an Austrian duo, known for their trip hop/downtempo remixes of pop, hip hop and drum and bass songs. Career In 1993, they released their first EP '' G-Stoned'' ...
,
Layo & Bushwacka! Layo & Bushwacka! is the pseudonym of British Disc jockey, DJ duo Layo Paskin and Matthew Benjamin, who released four tech house albums between 1998 and 2012. Layo Paskin Paskin, from London, began his DJ career at the age of sixteen while wor ...
,
Magnetic Man Magnetic Man is an English electronic music project from London, consisting of dubstep producers and DJs Benga, Skream and Artwork (previously known as Menta). The trio first met in the late 1990s at the Big Apple Records store in Croydon. The ...
, Mr. Scruff,
Craig Charles Craig Joseph Charles (born 11 July 1964) is an English actor, comedian and radio presenter. He is best known for his roles as Dave Lister in the science fiction sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' and Lloyd Mullaney in the soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2 ...
,
Mystery Jets Mystery Jets are an English indie rock band, formed on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, London. The founding members still part of the band consist of Blaine Harrison (vocals, guitar and keyboards), Henry Harrison (lyrics), and Kapil Trivedi (dr ...
, Steve Mason, Chris Coco,
Benji B Benjamin Benstead, known professionally as Benji B, is a British DJ, radio presenter, and record producer. A longtime BBC Radio producer and presenter, he has presented a weekly show on BBC Radio 1 since 2010 that highlights an eclectic mix of ...
, Liars,
Caribou The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represe ...
,
Mount Kimbie Mount Kimbie is an English electronic music and indie rock group consisting of Dominic Maker, Kai Campos, Andrea Balency-Béarn and Marc Pell. Mount Kimbie was formed in 2008 by Maker and Campos. The duo expanded on the musical template of the U ...
,
The Leisure Society The Leisure Society are an English rock band formed by Nick Hemming and Christian Hardy of Burton upon Trent. History Hemming was formerly of early 1990s indie band She Talks to Angels, which included actor Paddy Considine, and film director ...
,
Rye Rye Ryeisha Rochelle Berrain (born November 25, 1990), known by her stage name Rye Rye, is an American rapper, singer, dancer and actress. Signed to N.E.E.T. Recordings, she released her first mixtape RYEot PowRR in 2011 and her anticipated debut albu ...
, Riva Starr,
Bonobo The bonobo (; ''Pan paniscus''), also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee (less often the dwarf chimpanzee or gracile chimpanzee), is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the genus ''Pan (genus), Pan'' (the other bei ...
, Villagers, Henrik Schwarz, Andy Weatherall,
Hospital Records Hospital Records is a British independent record label based in South London. Primarily releasing drum and bass, the label was started in 1996 by Tony Colman ( London Elektricity) and Chris Goss and has grown in recent years to become one of t ...
,
Little Dragon Little Dragon are a Swedish electronic music band from Gothenburg, Sweden, formed in 1996. The band consists of Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion), Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Wallin (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards). Little Dragon's ...
, The Bug, Mad Professor, Joker,
Appleblim Skull Disco was an independent dubstep record label, based in Bristol, England. It was established in 2005 by Shackleton (musician), Sam Shackleton and Laurie "Appleblim" Osborne, and ended in 2008. Releases on the label prominently featured Af ...
,
Theo Parrish Theo Parrish (born 1972) is an American DJ and record producer based in Detroit, Michigan, and known for his genre-spanning DJ sets and unconventional house productions. He is an owner of the Sound Signature record label, and a member of the grou ...
, Greg Wilson, DJ Derek, Tom Middleton, Futureboogie, Alice Russell, The Heavy, Andreya Triana,
Funki Porcini James Patrick Darcy Braddell is an English musician and filmmaker who uses the stage name of Funki Porcini. "Funki Porcini" is a twist on "Funghi Porcini", the Italian name of the mushroom Boletus edulis, commonly known as "penny bun". He spen ...
,
Lol Hammond Lol Hammond (born 1965 in Stoke Newington, London) is an English musician, producer and DJ. Hammond's career in electronic music started in the sound system Spiral Tribe in 1991. Simultaneously he created the production/remix act Drum Club toge ...
, Willkommen Collective, Dry The River,
Beth Jeans Houghton Beth Jeans Houghton (a.k.a. Du Blonde) (born 3 January 1990) is an English multi-disciplinary musician, composer, artist, animator and video director. Their influences range from psychedelic rock, punk, blues, 1960s garage rock and soul. They c ...
, Sparky,
Dominic Glynn Dominic Francis Glynn (born 27 September 1960) is an English electronic composer. Glynn is a prolific composer of music for television and film. His work includes the arrangement of the ''Doctor Who'' theme music which served as the series' ...
. 2011 Eastnor Castle:
The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands in Manchester in 1992. They were pioneers in bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture. Originally known as The Dust Brothers, th ...
,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
,
Rodrigo y Gabriella Rodrigo y Gabriela (, "Rodrigo and Gabriela") are a Mexico, Mexican acoustic guitar duo featuring musicians Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero. Residing in Mexico City, they began their career in Dublin, Ireland, where they played for the fir ...
, Empire of The Sun,
Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind ...
, Robert Plant & The Band of Joy,
Neneh Cherry Neneh Mariann Karlsson (; born 10 March 1964), better known as Neneh Cherry, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, rapper, occasional disc jockey, and broadcaster. Her musical career started in London in the early 1980s, where she performed in a numb ...
,
Metronomy Metronomy are an English electronic music band, formed in Totnes in 1999. Their lineup consists of founding member and leader Joseph Mount (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Oscar Cash (keyboards, backing vocals, guitar, saxophone), Anna Prior (drums ...
, Warpaint,
Wild Beasts Wild Beasts was an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in Kendal. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Recording Company, Domino ...
, Bullitts, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force,
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Festival Site

The festival was situated in the grounds of
Eastnor Castle Eastnor Castle, Eastnor, Herefordshire, is a 19th-century mock castle. Eastnor was built for John Cocks, 1st Earl Somers, who employed Robert Smirke, later the main architect of the British Museum. The castle was built between 1811 and 1820 ...
near
Ledbury Ledbury is a market town and civil parish in the county of Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and west of the Malvern Hills. It has a significant number of Tudor style timber-framed structures, in particular along Church Lane a ...
in
Herefordshire Herefordshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England, bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh ...
. The grounds are normally used as a reserve for
deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...
. The organisers encouraged a "
leave no trace Leave No Trace, sometimes written as LNT, is a set of ethics promoting conservation of the outdoors. Originating in the mid-20th century, the concept started as a movement in the United States in response to ecological damage caused by wilderne ...
" policy to dissuade people from littering the site. Camping was divided into Red, Blue, Green and Purple areas, as well as Family Camping, Quiet Camping and Accessible Camping.


Sale to Festival Republic

In September 2009, Chillfest Limited - the company responsible for running the festival since 2003 - was placed into
voluntary liquidation Liquidation is the process in accounting by which a Company (law), company is brought to an end. The assets and property of the business are redistributed. When a firm has been liquidated, it is sometimes referred to as :wikt:wind up#Noun, w ...
by its owners. The rights to the festival brand were purchased by
Festival Republic Festival Republic is a UK music promoter. It was founded as Mean Fiddler Group in 1982 by Irish-born chairman John Vincent Power, as a venue-management and music-promotion group. After the group was taken over by Hamsard Ltd in 2005, the focus ...
. Vantis Plc - the company appointed as liquidators - released a statement blaming poor ticket sales for the 2009 festival as the reason for liquidation.


Cancellation

In early January 2012, the managing director of Festival Republic, Melvin Benn, released a statement outlining that the 2012 festival would not be going ahead: Although there was speculation at the time that a smaller indoor event could see the festivals return in 2013, this was revealed not to be the case the following January when the organisers released a statement informing there were "no plans" for a return that year. In August 2013 it was again announced that there were "no plans" for a 2014 festival, leading to doubt that the event would return again.


World record

In 2009 Chris Boyle, the filmmaker for the independent film ''I Spit on Your Rave'', collaborated with ''The Big Chill'' to break a
Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
for "Most Amount of Zombies Captured on Camera". 4,206 people showed up for the event, breaking the record for any previous gatherings recorded by Guinness. The unreleased film is currently being re-developed as a potential six-part TV series for E4.


See also

*
List of electronic music festivals The following is an incomplete list of music festivals that feature electronic music, which encapsulates music featuring electronic instruments such as electric guitars and keyboards, as well as recent genres such as electronic dance music (E ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Chill Music festivals in Herefordshire Recurring events disestablished in 2011 Electronic music festivals in the United Kingdom Music festivals established in 1994