Cass Browne

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Cass Browne
Birth nameCassian Ingmar Browne
Born27 September 1971 (1971-09-27) (age 52)
Wimbledon, Surrey, England
Genres
Occupation(s) Musician
Author
Instrument(s) Drums
Percussion
Years active1986–present

Cass Browne (born 27 September 1971 in Wimbledon, Surrey) [1] [2] is an English musician and writer.

Contents

He was a member of the band The Psychotics who became Senseless Things in 1986. Senseless Things made four studio albums, achieved two UK Top 20 hits and released many other singles in their nine years together, before splitting up in 1995. Jamie Hewlett was a big fan of the band and designed many of their sleeves. Senseless Things were known for their relentless touring schedule which saw them perform across the UK, as well as Europe, Japan and the United States.

When the Senseless Things split up, Browne formed a new band Delakota, which he toured with for a couple of years. Delakota made their first live appearance on Newsnight and released the album One Love in 1998, tracks from which received remixes from Fatboy Slim, David Holmes, the pre-UNKLE producer Tim Goldsworthy, Royal Trux, the artist Four Tet (under his "Joshua Falken" moniker), Freddy Fresh and others. In 2022 the album saw a Deluxe Digital Edition release, alongside the original remixes and B-Sides. A visual was released for the Fatboy Slim remix of the single "C'mon Cincinnati" in September 2022, which was assembled from recovered footage of the first Delakota concert in 1998, performed "200ft underground" at the Hellfire Caves in High Wycombe.

Cass performed with Urge Overkill for the promotion of the band’s single "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon" taken from the soundtrack of the Quentin Tarantino film "Pulp Fiction". Cass Browne also worked with Damon Albarn as his drummer on 2002's Mali Music

Browne was an important member of the Gorillaz family from his addition in 2001, until his departure in 2012. [3] From 2001 to 2010, he provided drums and drum machines on Gorillaz’ Gorillaz (album) and Demon Days. He performed at all dates on Gorillaz live shows and appears on Demon Days Live behind the drums at the Manchester Opera House. [4]

Cass performed on the 2010 The Escape to Plastic Beach Tour debuting at The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Palm Springs, on 18 April 2010. The live band were now joined by additional musicians such as Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Neneh Cherry, Mark E. Smith, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, De La Soul, Mos Def, Bootie Brown, Little Dragon, Shaun Ryder, Bashy and Kano, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, The Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music and more. Performances were the undertaken throughout the year with a headlining spot at 2010’s Glastonbury Festival. The world tour would take in appearances across Europe, the U.S., China, Australia and New Zealand, with additional headline concerts at the Roskilde and Benicassim festivals.

Cass Browne was the author of all the dialogue of the band members, penning the autobiography Rise of the Ogre in 2006 and writing dialogue such as MEL's website tour in Phase One: Celebrity Take Down in 2002. He chiefly writes all the interviews as the characters for magazines who wish to interview Noodle, 2D, Russel and Murdoc. He co-wrote and co-directed the 2001 mock-documentary "Charts of Darkness" on Gorillaz for Channel 4 in association with Dazed TV, and hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy. This was subsequently licensed to MTV and shown worldwide. Cass also wrote, voice-directed and was the musical supervisor for the Gorillaz episode of MTV Cribs, which featured Murdoc Niccals showing the viewers around the Gorillaz Kong Studio. The video aired on 26 December 2005.

With Gorillaz he worked on the campaigns and collaborations with 3 Mobile, Motorola, Microsoft and Converse. The collaboration with Converse was a part their "Three Artists. One Song" project, which commissioned the Gorillaz track DoYaThing featuring LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy and André 3000 of Outkast.

He is also featured in the film Bananaz, which documents the journey of the Gorillaz band from 2001 until 2005, playing in the studio and live. [5]

From 2009 to 2019, Cass was a member of the reimagined Penguin Cafe, originally conceived by Arthur Jeffes, son of Simon Jeffes and Emily Young, as a continuation of his father's project the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Penguin Cafe appeared at various festivals, theatre venues and Arts events and were frequent visitors to Japan.

In 2016 Cass joined east London band Deadcuts, which also features former Senseless Things frontman Mark Keds, [6] but has since taken an extended leave from the group.

Alongside original Senseless Things member Morgan Nicholls, Delakota partner Des Murphy and guitarist Ade Emsley, Cass formed Circle 60, a "neuer Klang sonic-assemblage of psychedelic-punk, art and Sci-fi melodics". They released their debut album "Sawnoff ShotGold" in 2018.

In 2019 he formed alternative rock supergroup Loup GarouX, with Mercury-nominated songwriter Ed Harcourt and Richard Jones of The Feeling. The Loup GarouX track "Sleep Forever" was featured as the title and show music for the ITV2 zombie-apocalypse show "Zomboat!" The first official single 'I Know The Truth About You' received airplay from BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music.

Loup GarouX made their first live appearance On 21 February 2020 at Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom as support to the recently reformed Supergrass on their UK Tour. This culminated in two nights at London’s Alexandra Palace venue, on 6 and 7 March.

Loup GarouX are to release their debut album “Strangerlands” - written, recorded and produced by the band at Harcourt’s Wolf Cabin studio - in October 2021. The album is mixed by Cenzo Townshend.

Selected discography

with Senseless Things

with Delakota

with Damon Albarn

with Gorillaz

with Penguin Cafe

with Deadcuts

with Circle60

with Loup GarouX

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorillaz</span> British virtual band

Gorillaz are an English virtual band created in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs (drums). Their universe is presented in media such as music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons. Gorillaz's music has featured collaborations with a wide range of featured artists, with Albarn as the only permanent musical contributor.

<i>Gorillaz</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Gorillaz

Gorillaz is the debut studio album by English virtual band Gorillaz, released on 26 March 2001 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone and in the United States by Virgin Records. The album reached number three in the UK and number fourteen in the US, and the top ten in several other countries. Gorillaz has sold over seven million copies worldwide. The album's success earned the group an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "Most Successful Virtual Band", and spawned the singles "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000", "Rock the House", and "Tomorrow Comes Today".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penguin Cafe Orchestra</span> 20th century minimalist folk pop band

The Penguin Cafe Orchestra (PCO) were an avant-pop band led by English guitarist Simon Jeffes. Co-founded with cellist Helen Liebmann, the band toured extensively during the 1980s and 1990s. The band's sound is not easily categorized, having elements of exuberant folk music and a minimalist aesthetic occasionally reminiscent of composers such as Philip Glass.

Senseless Things were an English pop punk band, formed in 1986 in London. The band released four studio albums and achieved two UK Top 20 hit singles before splitting up in 1995. Senseless Things reformed in 2017 to play several gigs including Shepherd's Bush Empire, as well as to record and release new material. Vocalist Mark Keds died in early 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Eastwood (song)</span> 2001 single by Gorillaz

"Clint Eastwood" is a song by English virtual band Gorillaz, released as the first single from their self-titled debut album on 5 March 2001. The song is named after the actor of the same name due to its similarity to the theme music of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The song is a mix of electronic music, dub, hip hop and rock. The verses are rapped by Del the Funky Homosapien, portrayed as a blue phantom in the video, while the chorus is sung by Damon Albarn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock the House (Gorillaz song)</span> 2001 single by Gorillaz featuring Del the Funky Homosapien

"Rock the House" is a song from Gorillaz' self-titled debut album. It was released as the third single from the album in October 2001. It peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The song features a horn section loop sampled from "Modesty Blaise", a piece by British jazz musician John Dankworth. Rapper Del the Funky Homosapien is the only artist to provide vocals for the song.

<i>Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades</i> 2006 video album by Gorillaz

Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades is a compilation DVD by Gorillaz, released in October 2006. The DVD is similar to the band's first DVD, Phase One: Celebrity Take Down, but compiles the videos and animatics related to the release of the band's second album, Demon Days, as well as the related singles.

<i>Rise of the Ogre</i> 2006 fictional autobiography by Cass Browne and Damon Albarn

Rise of the Ogre is an autobiography about the virtual band Gorillaz, ostensibly written by the four band-members in collaboration with (actual) Gorillaz musician and official scribe Cass Browne. It was released in the UK on 26 October 2006 by Michael Joseph Ltd. and in the US on 2 November 2006 by Riverhead Books. A paperback edition of the book was released in the US on 6 November 2007.

Delakota were an English alternative dance band from the late 1990s. The band mixed elements of Madchester, retro-rock, and modern dance music to produce a sound which was often compared to Primal Scream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Nicholls</span> British musician

Morgan Daniel Nicholls is an English musician, member of English pop band Senseless Things and best known for performing with Muse, Gorillaz, The Streets and Lily Allen. He has released one solo album under the mononym Morgan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Jones (The Feeling)</span> British music producer, songwriter and bass guitar player (born 1979)

Richard Jones is a British music producer, songwriter, bass guitar player and founding member of the rock band The Feeling.

"5/4" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz and is the second track on their 2001 self-titled debut album. According to the Gorillaz biography Rise of the Ogre, "5/4" was originally intended to follow "Clint Eastwood" as a single, but was instead replaced by "19-2000" at the "last minute." The storyboards Jamie Hewlett had started for the accompanying music video before the switch were later included on the DVD Phase One: Celebrity Take Down. The title is a reference to the 5
4
time signature
of the guitar riff that appears throughout the track. The song was performed live by the band on their first tour, and was subsequently brought back on the Humanz Tour, with Jehnny Beth taking lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penguin Cafe</span> Musical artist

Penguin Cafe is a band originally conceived by Arthur Jeffes, son of Simon Jeffes and Emily Young, as a continuation of his father's project, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. The group is distinct from the original Penguin Cafe Orchestra, despite the similarities in genre, name, and even repertoire There are no members of the original PCO in Penguin Cafe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhinestone Eyes</span> 2010 song by Gorillaz

"Rhinestone Eyes" is a song from British virtual band Gorillaz featured on their third studio album, Plastic Beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">911 (Gorillaz and D12 song)</span> 2001 single by Gorillaz and D12 featuring Terry Hall

"911" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz and American hip-hop group D12 and features guest vocals from the Specials member Terry Hall. The song was recorded without Eminem during 2001 in West London, when D12 were left stranded in England after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City. Bizarre re-named the song “London” on one of his compilation albums.

Arthur William Phoenix Young Jeffes is an English composer, musician, and arctic explorer. He is the frontman of the musical group Penguin Cafe, a group he formed in 2007 to play the music of his father's band, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. He is one half of the band Sundog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorillaz Live</span> 2001–02 concert tour by Gorillaz

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demon Days Live</span> 2005–06 concert tour by Gorillaz

Demon Days Live was a limited concert tour performed by the British alternative rock virtual band Gorillaz, in support of their second studio album Demon Days. Demon Days Live consisted of two residencies, with five shows played at the Manchester Opera House in England, and another five played at New York City's Apollo Theater. The Manchester residency was later released onto DVD as Demon Days: Live at the Manchester Opera House. One of the New York shows was broadcast on MHD as Gorillaz: Live in Harlem. The Manchester Opera House film was later nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Film.

Deadcuts is an English post punk group formed in 2012 by former Senseless Things front man, Mark Keds (vocals/guitar) and Jerome Alexandre . Keds was also known for his previous work with The Wildhearts and Jolt, as well as co-writing The Libertines' "Can't Stand Me Now".

Mark Myers, better known as Mark Keds, was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, from Twickenham, London, best known for leading the bands Senseless Things and Deadcuts. Kerrang! hailed him as a "prolific musician" and "unvarnished talent".

References

  1. "BMI - Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  2. "findmypast.co.uk". search.findmypast.co.uk.
  3. Browne, Casse. "Cass Browne". cassbrowne.com. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. scififantasylitchick (10 November 2013). "Book Review – "Rise of the Ogre" by Cass Browne & Gorillaz". Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  5. Roberts, Jo (3 December 2010). "Gorillaz face the music" via The Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. "The Quietus - News - WATCH: New Deadcuts Video".