Elevator Suite

Lore & Background

Elevator Suite were formed in January 1999 by DJs Andy Childs, Paul Roberts, and Steve Grainger. Their first single was 'Man in a Towel', followed by 'Barefoot' and 'Weekend Wonderboy'. The first two singles were BBC Radio 1’s 'Record of the Week', and the group subsequently toured Europe supporting Morcheeba. Their debut album, Barefoot & Shitfaced, was released on 25 October 1999 on Infectious Records. Their track 'Back Around' peaked at No. 71 in the UK Singles Chart in August 2000.

Between 2003 and 2004, they released two singles on vinyl: a cover of Idris Muhammad's 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' titled 'I Feel Music' in 2003, and 'Blue Lights' in 2004. These later appeared as bonus tracks on their 2008 compilation Elevator Suite (The Remixes). The group released their self-titled second album on 9 October 2007 on Pure Mint Recordings, with a line-up of Roberts (vocals), Dan Brown (bass guitar, formerly of Ilya), Childs (vocals/tambourines/producer/arranger), Dan Moore (keyboards), and Jock (drums). The single 'The Wheel' was released on 26 November 2007, with remixes by Phil Hartnoll and Alex Metric.

Reader's Guide

Elevator Suite occupy a modest but distinct place in late-1990s British electronic pop. Their early success with BBC Radio 1's 'Record of the Week' and a European tour with Morcheeba gave them initial exposure, but their commercial peak was limited: 'Back Around' reached only No. 71 in the UK Singles Chart. Their debut album, Barefoot & Shitfaced, and later self-titled album on Pure Mint Recordings show a group that continued to release music into the 2000s, including vinyl singles and a remix compilation. The group's significance lies in their persistence as an independent electronic act, with later remixes by notable figures like Phil Hartnoll and Alex Metric. Their legacy is that of a cult British group whose work, while not widely charting, found a niche audience and was revisited through compilation releases.