Deee-Lite

Deee-Lite was an American house and dance music group formed in New York City. The group's single "Groove Is in the Heart", which was released in 1990 from their debut studio album, ''World Clique'' (1990), was a top-ten hit in multiple countries. In December 2016, ''Billboard'' ranked them as the 55th most successful dance artists of all time.

History

1986–1989: Background and early history

The band began in 1986 as a duo, in New York City, with Lady Miss Kier (born Kierin Magenta Kirby, primarily on vocals) and Supa DJ Dmitry (born in USSR as Dmitry Brill) as DJ. The two then became a trio when Korean-Japanese DJ Towa Tei joined the group in 1988.

Beginning in 1986, Kier and Dmitry performed their songs monthly at various downtown New York nightclubs; in 1987, Kier bought an Akai S900 sampler, which influenced their sound tremendously. She also bought a Casio FZ-series sampler, which was used almost exclusively on their debut album. Sampling played an important role in their music leading them to name their production company "Sampladelic". From the band's inception, Kier designed their promotional posters and club fliers, and was also the graphic designer for all three of their albums and 12" singles. The group played at hip hop and house clubs, at both gay clubs and straight establishments, and at the New York drag festival ''Wigstock''. They also opened for Native Tongue Movement's De La Soul and Jungle Brothers. As described by ''Rolling Stone'', "they were drawing vivid, multiracial, pan-sexual crowds...". Part of the band's appeal was their inclusivity, as noted by ''Mademoiselle'' magazine: "as a group, they're a festival of individuality; as a band, they're a party anyone can attend." These live shows garnered a steady following, and attracted future third member Towa Tei as a fan.

In 1988, Towa sent Kier and Dmitry a bedroom demo tape he had made, and they realised he, like them, also enjoyed a fusion of funk and techno. Towa and Dmitry began jointly-programming the band's computer. Although Towa did not play any instruments, he was a record collector and added various sounds and samples. Kier and Dmitry invited him to join the group that year, and together the three produced their first album. Kier wrote all the lyrics and melodies, and also asked bass guitarist Bootsy Collins to join-in on recording sessions. Dmitry played guitar, keyboard, and bass, while Towa gathered samples for fill-ins and grooves. Collins introduced the trio to The Horny Horns, Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Mudbone Cooper, and Bernie Worrell, and also helped assemble their touring ensemble. Together, Deee-Lite would produce their first and second albums under their own production company, Sampladelic.

1990–1997: Album releases and fame

In 1990, the group released their first album, ''World Clique'', preceded by the debut single "Groove Is in the Heart", which became a hit in many countries, including No. 1 in Australia and topping the ''Billboard'' US Dance Club Songs chart. The song features vocals from Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) as well as a bass guitar loop sampled from Herbie Hancock's "Bring Down The Birds" (1967), with additional vocals by collaborator and funk musician Bootsy Collins. In 1992, they released their politically-charged second album, ''Infinity Within''. The album failed to chart as high as their debut, but they still managed two Top 10 dance hits in the US with "Runaway" and "Pussycat Meow".

Towa ultimately did not join the group on their world tours, for which they had assembled a nine-piece band, as he had desired to start working on the second Deee-Lite album (''Infinity Within'') from the comfort of his own home, where his records and samples were kept. As expressed to MTV News: "...a reason I left Deee-Lite was that I hated the touring—playing the same songs over and over again every night," Towa said. "I'm not that type of person. I don't like being in front of the people." After extensively touring, Kier and Dmitry were not given funding for ''Infinity Within'', as originally promised by their Warner contract. Upon the release of the album, Kier and Dmitry wondered if Deee-Lite's overall sound was "losing touch" with the dancefloor crowds, and thus they began creating the dancefloor album '' Dewdrops in the Garden'' (1994). At the time, creative differences were intensifying with Towa and Kier and Dmitry. Speaking again to MTV News, Towa explained: "When I made a big decision to take a break, I started to listen to different types of music again— bossa nova, soundtracks. I started getting materials that went beyond the Deee-Lite concept. For me it fit, but for them it didn't really fit." Prior to the release of ''Dewdrops in the Garden'', Towa abruptly left the band (appearing only on the track "Call Me"), and was replaced by DJ Ani. Kier was determined to keep the band together, and offered Towa the chance to remix a song of his choice so he'd have a presence on the third Deee-Lite album. Even with a lineup change and minimal record label support, Deee-Lite managed to tour for another year after the release of the album, selling even more records than their sophomore release. In 1994, Kier and Dmitry's increasingly turbulent relationship came to an end, as did the group.

In total, the group scored six No. 1 hits on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play chart over the five years they were together. In the years since the band's dissolution, financial problems due to bad management impacted both Kier and Dmitry; however, they persevered and are both still in-business as writers, producers and DJs. Kier is still primarily a singer-songwriter and DJ, having traveled extensively and recorded on numerous albums with internationally acclaimed artists. She is often regarded as a style "icon" by publications, such as ''Vogue'', for her distinctive style of dress and perpetual influence on the international fashion scene. Dmitry continued working as a DJ, everywhere from Hong Kong to Jerusalem, from Berlin's Love Parade to Brazil's Rock In Rio. He was given the "DJ of the year" award in Ibiza, and has remixed with post-editing by Marty Munsch on several versions, for many artists including Arthur Russell, Jungle Brothers, Sinéad O'Connor, Ziggy Marley, Nina Hagen, Ultra Naté, and others. He collaborated with Julee Cruise (of ''Twin Peaks''/David Lynch fame) to release the album '' My Secret Life'' (2011). Dmitry is currently based in Berlin, where he continues to DJ, compose, produce and remix.

Towa Tei has recorded several albums as a solo artist, and was featured in the Japanese supergroup METAFIVE. In a 2011 interview, Tei denied the possibility of Deee-Lite reuniting, even fleetingly, citing the creative and personal differences that prompted him to depart in the first place.

Members

*Supa DJ Dmitry aka DJ Dmitry (Dmitry Brill, born June 4, 1964, Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR), composer, producer, keyboards, guitar
*Lady Miss Kier (Kierin M. Kirby, born August 15, 1963, Youngstown, Ohio, United States), vocalist, producer, arranger, lyricist, choreographer, art director, manager
*Towa Tei (born September 7, 1964, originally from Yokohama, Japan), composer, producer, keyboards, turntables, programming
*DJ Ani (Ani Q. Schempf, born December 14, 1973, Kansas City, Kansas, United States), mixing, bass

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

See also

*List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
* List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart

References

External links

Lady Miss Kier
– official website
Deee-Liteful Experience
Deee-Lite fan site
Deee-Lite Discography
at Discogs.com
MusicBlob: Archivio documenti
This Italian website has archived some legal documents including the "Kirby v.Sega" case involving Lady Miss Kier of Deee-Lite
Archival copy of Kirby v. Sega appeal documents
(musicblob.it stopped hosting this content)

{{Authority control

Electronic music groups from New York (state)
American house music groups
American pop music groups
American dance music groups
Musical groups established in 1986
Musical groups disestablished in 1997
Elektra Records artists
American funk musical groups
1986 establishments in New York City