The Moody Boys

History

The Moody Boys project began in 1988 with the single "Acid Rappin'", producing dance music that mixed techno, dub, acid house, hip hop, drum and bass, and African influences. Their 1991 track "Funky Zulu" is regarded as a house classic.

The group also acted as in-house remixers for the KLF, creating mixes of "3 a.m. Eternal", "What Time Is Love?", and "Last Train to Trancentral" that appeared on separate 12-inch releases in 1990 and 1991. The KLF, under the name The JAMs, co-produced the Moody Boys' "First National Rapper" in 1988 and remixed "What Is Dub?" in 1991.

Tony Thorpe is listed as an additional performer on the KLF's album The White Room. The role of Jimmy Cauty is unclear: some sources say he was a member, while others credit the project to Thorpe and occasional collaborators. On the 1991 single "Lion Dance", tracks by "Tony Thorpe and Jimmy Cauty" were listed separately from those by "The Moody Boys". A 1994 interview with Thorpe and a related discography note that "Journey into Dubland" was made with Cauty, suggesting he was a collaborator.

The Moody Boys recorded a Peel Session in 1991 without Cauty, with programming by Thorpe and Nick Coler. A remixed version, Recycled for the Environment, was well received and included contributions from remixers such as Andrew Weatherall and Dave Hedger.

Did You Know?

• AllMusic awarded Product of the Environment 4 stars out of 5, calling it a visionary collection of subtly innovative techno and tribal house with African and Caribbean influences.
• Recycled for the Environment also received 4 stars from AllMusic, which noted styles ranging from lush tribal techno to murky ambient and spacy electro.