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Aubrey Nunn (born 19 November 1966, Bloomsbury, North London, England) is an English bass guitarist, songwriter, producer, and educator. He is best known as a long-serving former member of the British band Faithless.
He has the accolade of having performed on two of the UK Top 40 Best-Selling Studio Albums of All Time, [1]
Having fronted the pop band Troy Tempest during the mid-1980s, Nunn gave up music to study languages, eventually teaching English at Lycée Boucher de Perthes in Picardy, Northern France.
The death of a mutual friend in 1989 saw him return to London to form The Big Truth Band with Jamie Catto (later of Faithless and 1 Giant Leap, and Paul Herman (writer and producer of Dido and Corinne Bailey-Rae) with whom he extensively toured the UK university circuit, releasing only one EP The Summer EP on Akashic Records.
In 1993, Nunn joined Heavy Stereo, (later to sign to Creation Records), fronted by Gem Archer (later of Oasis), and in 1994 toured with the heavy rock band Stiltskin (who had already achieved number one status in many European countries with their Levis' Jeans advertisement soundtrack "Inside"), simultaneously recording new material for the band with their guitarist and producer Peter Lawlor (although this was never released).
In 1994, Nunn regrouped with Paul Herman to form the rock trio Bee alongside drummer Matt Benbrook (latter of Faithless, Skinny, and writer and producer of Paolo Nutini). The band caught the attention of producer Rollo, and together they produced a demo recording, but failed to gain industry recognition.
When Bee disbanded in 1995, Rollo asked all three members to join a new studio project he was already working on with Maxi Jazz (who had been working with The Soul Food Cafe System and Jah Wobble), and the DJ/keyboardist Sister Bliss, to be named Faithless. The resulting studio sessions formed the basis of the band's debut album Reverence . [2]
Alongside his tenure with Faithless (1995 – late 2006), Nunn contributed bass guitar performances to releases by Santana, Corinne Bailey-Rae, Dido No Angel and Life For Rent albums, both among the UK Top 40 Best-Selling Studio Albums of All Time, [1] Sister Bliss, Freakpower, Gabrielle, Skinny, The Happening, Dina Vass, Pauline Taylor, Slovo and R. Kelly. [3]
He has multi-instrumental, writing and production credits for Dido's Life For Rent album and has appeared as a guest with 1 Giant Leap and Tim Booth (James) for their TV appearances.
As a writer and producer he has also contributed writing and production to Polly Scattergood, Kelly Erez, Dan Akio and Paul Cattermole (S Club 7).
In 2009, he formed the studio project 'Tribadelica', with the Jamaican percussionist / vocalist Asambai, recording material for an intended album release. This was halted three months into production following Asambai's accidental death.
For live work, Nunn has used several Fender Jazz Basses, notably a black 1967 (nicknamed D'Artagnan) which he used for most of his Faithless touring work, and a 1990 fretless Wal Custom Bass Mk 1.
In the studio he has mainly used 1960s Fender Jazz Basses, a 1989 fretted Wal Custom Mk 1, and a 1962 Gibson EB2.
For touring he has mainly used a pair of Ampeg SVT Classic heads and 810 cabs.
His current setup is a 1963 Fender Jazz Bass and an Ashdown Drophead LB-30.
Briefly employed in A&R by Champion Records' boss Mel Medalie during the early days of Faithless, he was the managing director of Faithless' production companies from 1996 to 2006.
In 2004, at the invitation of Feargal Sharkey, he joined the UK Government task force the 'Live Music Forum', to evaluate the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on the performance of live music.
In 2007 he formed Thaitonic Productions with songwriter Alex Von Soos (All Saints) to develop new artists. The same year, he was elected a member of the London Regional Committee of the UK Musicians Union for whom he has been a frequent industry panel member.
In 2009, he joined Radio One Samui as a broadcaster, recording the highest listening figures at the station for "The 'O' Show".
In 2010, he managed and performed with the Thailand-based jazz band The Samui Syndicate, featuring Grammy Award-winning singer Keithen Carter (best known for The Mazda 'Zoom Zoom Zoom' advertisement) and Australian jazz pianist Josh Evans. The same year, he became the co-owner of The Spirit House, a cultural community centre in Maenam, Koh Samui, hosting local and international live music.
Nunn's family is of Welsh descent from the Aberdare / Cwmaman area, and his relatives include Stuart Cable, formerly the drummer of Welsh rock band Stereophonics and BBC broadcaster, who died in 2010.
He was educated at Highgate School. [4]
He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and currently teaches at The International School of Samui where he is Head of Sixth Form (formerly Director of Music and Head of Senior School).
Lives in Thailand on the island Koh Samui.
Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong, known professionally as Dido, is an English singer and songwriter. She attained international success with her debut album No Angel (1999). Hit singles from the album include "Here with Me" and "Thank You". It sold over 21 million copies worldwide, and it won her several awards, including two Brit Awards; additionally, she won Best British Album and Best British Female as well as the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act. The first verse of "Thank You" is sampled in "Stan", a critically acclaimed collaboration with American rapper Eminem. Her next album, Life for Rent (2003), continued her success with the hit singles "White Flag" and "Life for Rent". In 2004, Dido performed with other British and Irish artists in the Band Aid 20 version of the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?".
William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandross, and saxophonists Wayne Shorter and David Sanborn, among others. He was the main songwriter and producer on three of Davis' albums: Tutu (1986), Music from Siesta (1987), and Amandla (1989). His collaboration with Vandross was especially close; he co-produced and served as the arranger for most of Vandross' albums, and he and Vandross co-wrote many of Vandross' songs, including the hits "I Really Didn't Mean It", "Any Love", "Power of Love/Love Power" and "Don't Want to Be a Fool". He also co-wrote the 1988 single "Da Butt" for Experience Unlimited.
Faithless are an English dance music band that formed in 1995, with its core members being Rollo, Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz. Their first album, Reverence, was released in 1996 and their most recent, All Blessed, in 2020. They have sold millions of physical records, and their catalogue has been uploaded to streaming sites in 2018. They average almost 3 million streams a month. Faithless' records have charted at No. 1 in numerous countries and they were voted the 4th greatest dance band of all time by Mixmag.
Rowland Constantine O'Malley Armstrong, known professionally as both Rollo and R Plus, is an English music producer. He is one half of the remix/production duo Rollo & Sister Bliss and is a founding, non-touring, member of the electronic music group Faithless. He has produced and remixed many tracks for Dido, Pet Shop Boys, Simply Red, R. Kelly, U2, Moby, Grace, Tricky and Suede. He is also known for producing UEFA Euro 2008 theme, which is also used as UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Women's Championship, and youth tournaments theme since 2017.
Maxwell Alexander Fraser, better known by his stage name Maxi Jazz, was a British musician, rapper, singer, songwriter and DJ. He was the lead vocalist of British electronic band Faithless from 1995 to 2011 and 2015 to 2016.
Joseph Daniel Principe is an American musician. He is the bassist, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against.
Ayalah Deborah Bentovim, better known by her stage name Sister Bliss, is a British keyboardist, record producer, DJ and songwriter. In the studio, she is best known for her work with Rollo Armstrong as one half of the production duo Rollo & Sister Bliss, and particularly as part of Faithless.
Kristian Leontiou is an English singer. Formerly a solo artist, he is the lead singer of indie rock band One eskimO.
Life for Rent is the second studio album by English singer Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by her brother Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid-2002. It was certified 9× Platinum by the BPI, and sold over 12 million copies worldwide, making it the fourth best-selling album worldwide of 2003. The album became the seventh best-selling album of the 2000s in the United Kingdom, making Dido the only singer to have two albums in the top 10 list.
The New Mastersounds are a British four-piece jazz fusion and blues/funk band from Leeds, England. Over the last 16 years, they have issued ten studio albums, two live dates, two remix collections, and a compilation album.
"One Step Too Far" is a song by British electronic music group Faithless. The track features member Rollo Armstrong's sister Dido on vocals and was remixed for single release. "One Step Too Far" was released on 8 April 2002 as the fourth and final single from their third studio album, Outrospective (2001). The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, number four on the US Dance Club Play chart, and number 21 on the Australian Singles Chart.
James Martin Frost is the guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of Welsh band The Automatic, and guitarist and backing vocalist for Cardiff-based band Effort. As well as his musical duties for The Automatic, Frost has also directed two of the band's music videos and their tour video diaries. He currently resides in Cardiff, Wales.
Pauline Taylor is a British singer and songwriter who came to recognition as the lead vocalist on the singles "Love Love Love, Here I Come" by Rollo Goes Mystic and "Let This Be a Prayer" by Rollo Goes Spiritual. Both groups are pseudonyms for producer Rollo Armstrong, a member of the band Faithless.
To All New Arrivals is the 5th studio album by dance music act Faithless. The album was created after the positive response to the Faithless Greatest Hits tour, originally described as their "final tour". The album was released on 27 November 2006, a week after the single "Bombs". The title for the album was inspired by the recent birth of two babies to band members Rollo and Sister Bliss. The album cover features the 1880 oil painting, Nightfall on the Thames, by John Atkinson Grimshaw.
"Salva Mea" is a song by British electronic band Faithless, written by members Rollo, Sister Bliss, and Maxi Jazz. The female vocals on all versions are performed by Rollo's sister Dido. "Salva Mea" was released in 1995 as the group's first single and became a hit on the UK Dance Singles Chart; following a re-release in 1996, it peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart. The single topped the US Hot Dance Club Play chart twice—during its first chart run in 1996 and again in 1997 when the track was remixed and reissued.
Zoë Johnston is a Grammy-nominated British singer, songwriter and artist, born in Nottingham, England c.1976. She has written and recorded songs with a number of bands including Faithless, Above & Beyond, Bent, and Delerium, and also with former Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton as part of his solo projects. Her longest musical collaborative partnership is with UK trance group Above & Beyond.
"Life for Rent" is the title track from English singer Dido's second studio album, Life for Rent (2003). The song was released as a single on 1 December 2003 and peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. The song also became a top-40 hit in several other countries, including Hungary, Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands. The music video, directed by Sophie Muller, shows Dido in several rooms in a house.
The discography of Dido, a British pop singer, consists of six studio albums, one demo album, two extended plays, 31 singles, and one video album. She debuted in 1993, performing and touring with trip hop group Faithless. In 1997, she began composing solo material and signed a recording contract with Arista Records in the United States.
The Dance is the sixth studio album by dance music act Faithless on their own record label, Nates Tunes, and first for PIAS Recordings. Dido is featured on the songs "North Star" and "Feelin' Good". Actress and singer Mía Maestro performs the vocals on "Love Is My Condition".
Still on My Mind is the fifth studio album by English singer Dido, released on 8 March 2019 through BMG. It is her first studio album since 2013's Girl Who Got Away. The album was supported by singles "Give You Up", "Take You Home", "Friends" and "Just Because".
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