Kicks Like a Mule is a British

electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...

duo consisting of Richard Russell and

Nick Halkes Nick Halkes (born Nigel Halkes) is a UK based music industry executive best known for signing a breaking dance act the Prodigy and being one of the founders of the XL Recordings label. He is now an artist manager and music publisher, managing Liam ...

. Their first

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

, " The Bouncer", peaked at No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart when it was released in 1992. Although both Halkes and Russell worked at the

XL Recordings XL Recordings is a British independent record label founded in 1989 by Tim Palmer and Nick Halkes. It has been run and co-owned by Richard Russell since 1996. It forms part of the Beggars Group. It releases an average of six albums a year. T ...

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...

at the time of the single's release (XL being run by Russell to this day), it was released on

Rebel MC Michael Alec Anthony West (born 27 August 1964 in Islington, London, England), better known as Rebel MC and Congo Natty, is a British jungle producer, spiritual chanter and toaster. He has also gone by aliases including Conquering Lion, Blackst ...

’s independent Tribal Bass label. It featured a repeated vocal sample of an archetypal club bouncer saying "Your name's not down, you're not coming in" and "Not tonight, you're not on the list." Kicks Like a Mule were also responsible for the

remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

of Awesome 3's "Don’t Go", and produced the song "Pass the Rizla" by London Posse which was featured on the ''London Underground'' EP on XL Records in 1993. This was also featured on the 2001 reissue of London Posse's

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

''Gangster Chronicle''. Their second single, "Number One" was also released on the Tribal Bass label. As 'Lifelike', Russell and Halkes also recorded the song "Like Life", which was released on

FFRR Records FFRR Records (sometimes credited as Full Frequency Range Recordings) is a dance music label founded as a subsidiary of London Records in 1986, with A&R run by the British DJ Pete Tong. Originally a part of London Records' label roster, F ...

. Although this was meant to be the first fruits of an album project, the album never materialised. In 2006, homage was paid to Kicks Like a Mule in the form of a cover of "The Bouncer" by

Klaxons Klaxons were an English Rock music, rock band, based in London. Following the release of several Gramophone record, 7-inch singles on different independent record labels, as well as the success of previous singles "Magick (Klaxons song), Magick ...

, with Kicks Like a Mule returning the favour by covering the Klaxon's "

Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by the American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In partic ...

". In 2008, live DJ sets at Epidemik, Bestival, Bangface and Break! followed with remixes of the likes of M.I.A. (featured on ''Kitsune Maison Vol. 5''),

Axwell Axel Christofer Hedfors (; born 18 December 1977), better known by his stage name Axwell, is a Swedish DJ, record producer, remixer and owner of Axtone Records. He is a member of Swedish House Mafia along with Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello ...

The Gossip Gossip (or the Gossip) is an American indie rock band from Searcy, Arkansas, formed in 1999. For most of their career, the band has consisted of singer Beth Ditto, multi-instrumentalist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, and drummer Hannah Blil ...

DJ Mehdi Mehdi Favéris-Essadi (20 January 1977 – 13 September 2011), better known by his stage name DJ Mehdi, was a French-Tunisian hip hop and house music producer and DJ. He was signed to the label Ed Banger Records, founded by his friend Pedro W ...

and more. Most recently, under the revised artist name K.L.A.M., the act have both remixed and supported

The Prodigy The Prodigy are an English electronic music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboardist, and songwriter Liam Howlett. The original line-up also featured Rapping, MC and vocalist Maxim (musician), Maxim, dancer and occasi ...

on part of their arena tour and also remixed

Kid Sister Melissa Lauren Young (born July 3, 1980), known professionally as Kid Sister, is an American rapper and singer based in Chicago. She is known for her single " Pro Nails", which features Kanye West, and for her covert work as a member of the Bri ...

for Fools Gold and DJed at

Bestival Bestival was a four-day music festival held in the south of England. The name Bestival is a portmanteau of the words best and festival. It had been held annually in the late summer since 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. In 2017 the festi ...

in 2010.

Discography

*1992: " The Bouncer" - UK #7 *1992: "Number One" (featuring Longsy D) *2007: "

" *2010: ''Funky 4'' EP

References

External links

Myspace
{{Authority control English electronic music duos Breakbeat hardcore music groups British electronic dance music duos British male musical duos Musical groups from Sheffield XL Recordings artists