The Sneaker Pimps were a British band that was widely known in the 1990s and early 2000s. The main genre in which the musicians worked was electronic music. The band's most famous songs are still the singles from the first disc - 6 Underground and Spin Spin Sugar. The songs debuted at the top of the world charts. Thanks to the compositions, the musicians became world stars.
Creation of the Sneaker Pimps Collective
The group was founded in 1994 in the city of Hartlepool. Its founders are Liam Howe and Chris Corner. After the decision was made to create the team, Kelly Ali was additionally accepted. She took the role of the main vocalist. Additionally, the guys took drummer Dave Westlake and guitarist Joe Wilson into their band.
Corner and Howe became friends back in the 1980s. They both loved experimental music, so even then they united in the duet FRISK and actively experimented at the studio. So they released the first EP album (small format release - 3-9 songs) Soul of Indiscretion. The album was created in the popular genre of trip-hop. The guys continued this practice and began to play even more actively with hip-hop beats and folk on releases - EP FRISK and World as a Cone.
After the release of the albums (which were well appreciated by listeners and critics), both musicians were signed to the Clean Up Records label. In parallel, they worked as DJs, uniting in the duet Line of Flight. Guys were often invited to parties and small festivals. In addition, they helped record music for other musicians.
Group members
In 1994, another interest in musical experiments led the musicians to the idea of creating the Sneaker Pimps band. The name, by the way, was taken in an interview with the famous Beastie Boys (one of the most famous hip-hop groups of the 1980s and 1990s). In 1995, the guys invited Ian Pickering to write lyrics for their debut album. Pickering wrote several lyrics. But after Korner recorded them in the studio, it became clear to the guys that all this would sound much better in a female performance.
So Kelly Ali was invited as the main vocalist (she was accidentally noticed by the musicians at a performance in one of the local pubs). After the recorded demo of 6 Underground, it became clear that her voice was what Korner and Howe were looking for. Having made several demos, the musicians took them to producers from Virgin Records. The songs were highly appreciated by the company's management. Therefore, the Sneaker Pimps soon got the opportunity to sign a great contract.
Debut work of the group and concerts
The group was presented as a trio - Howe, Korner and Ali. The rest of the musicians were not part of the main line-up and only supported the guys at the performances. The debut album Becoming X (1996) was successful. Songs from the compilation topped the pop and dance music charts for a year.
The release provided the band with endless concerts for the next two years. At this time, the musicians did nothing but perform. There was no question of creating new music - the concerts were too exhausting. Against the background of such a load, disagreements occurred in the group. Their result was Howe's departure during the tour.
The next release, Becoming Remixed (1998), was not a new composition, but only a remix of songs from the first disc. Korner and Howe set up their own record label, Line of Flight, and began work on the band's next studio album.
Vocalist change
Ali at that moment was on vacation after a long tour, so the first demos were recorded with Corner's vocals. In the process, he and Howe realized that male vocals now fit the new album concept perfectly. Therefore, when Ali returned from vacation, they announced that they no longer needed her help. The fears of the leaders of the group also played their role here.
They were afraid that the image of "trip-hop with female vocals" would be fixed for the group. Neither Howe nor Korner wanted this. This is an interesting fact, given that most musical groups are afraid to change the line-up of the group after overwhelming success.
Nevertheless, the leaders made such a decision, and Korner became the main vocalist. Such changes did not please Virgin Records, so the duo was forced to leave the label.
The album Splinter was released in 1999 on Clean Up Records. The sales of this album, as well as the popularity of individual singles, cannot be compared with the demand for the debut release. The record was received very coldly. Nevertheless, the group Sneaker Pimps began to work on the creation of the third record. Once again, the new label Tommy Boy Records was chosen to release Bloodsport. And again there was a failure, dubious statements from critics and listeners. Nevertheless, Howe and Korner remain in demand as authors and help other artists create songs.
Sneaker pimps today
In 2003, there was an attempt to record a fourth disc, but its release did not take place. Songs from the unreleased album could later be heard on Corner's IAMX solo project. Since then, Corner and Howe have worked together intermittently. The last time rumors about a new Sneaker Pimps album appeared in 2019, when the musicians were seriously working on recording songs.
