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Lee Baker | |
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| Also known as | Muddy |
| Born | 16 November 1969 |
| Origin | Watford, England |
| Genres | Alternative rock, electronic |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, guitar, tabla |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Eye Industries, Chrysalis |
| Website | My Federation |
Lee "Muddy" Baker (born 16 November 1969) is a UK-based singer-songwriter, producer, performer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist.
Lee Baker grew up in Watford, England where he attended Watford Boys' Grammar School. Having gained A-Levels in Art, Maths & Physics he went on to read Modern Art at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, where he graduated in 1992. During his time at university, Baker formed and fronted his first band, called Cup of Sunshine.
Baker left Newcastle to settle in Brighton and it was here that he truly focused on forging a career in the music industry, forming a new 4 piece band, Marbaker. The new band soon proved hugely popular on the live music circuit. It was not long before Marbaker was signed to Chrysalis Music and toured the UK to promote the band's debut single "Hope You Find".
This first release received national radio airplay and the accolade of Melody Maker's Single of the Week as voted by the band Gomez. However, frustrated with the direction in which the band was going, Marbaker split up and the first album was never made.
After the breakup of Marbaker, Baker continued to perform, write and produce new material both for himself, other artists, including Mo Solid Gold and Chung King, and for TV programmes and advertising. In a move away from the more soulful and hypnotic beats of Marbaker, Baker co-wrote, performed and produced a clutch of club tunes under the guise of "Special Unit". The most successful of these was "Sights on You" which was hugely popular on the UK and Miami club scene, reaching number 1 in Pete Tong's BBC Radio 1 Buzz Chart in the UK.
Baker continues to work for and with others; he produced an acoustic remix of the hit single "Borderline" by Michael Gray and wrote the score for an episode of BBC Four's Arena series, celebrating 57 years of the BBC Radio 4 radio drama serial The Archers – a testament to Baker's breadth of musical capabilities.
Baker teamed up with Tim Booth at the time the ex-front man of the band James. The two formed a strong friendship based on a chance meeting in Brighton which ultimately led to the release of the highly acclaimed album Bone, which was produced by Baker and written by Booth, Baker and KK (Kevin Kerrigan). The album artwork was also created by Baker. The band was called "Tim Booth and the Individuals", and toured the UK and the US and received much radio airplay, including the UK's Virgin Radio and BBC Radio 2 with Jonathan Ross. The band also appeared on TV on BBC Three and played to a packed crowd at the Glastonbury Festival. The album, although highly acclaimed, never achieved commercial success, and the band have moved on to pursue their individual interests. Tim Booth had a small part in the film Batman Begins and is writing a screenplay, but most notably is now back with James who announced their reformation in January 2007. Lisa Lindley Jones is embarking upon a solo career, and her first single "Firetime" was released in October 2006.
With James' reformation, Baker produced two new songs, followed by James's new album Hey Ma , which was released on 7 April 2008. He sings backing vocals for James on Hey Ma and also does so on "Not So Strong", an additional track released via the James website in 2009.
In 2011, Baker and Booth released their second collaboration album titled Love Life. It was released under Booth's name, but Baker produced, mixed, and performed on the recording, while co-writing many tracks on the album as well.
Since the end of Tim Booth and the Individuals, Baker formed a new band, called My Federation. The band has released a debut album called Don't Wanna Die and an EP Honey Bee. [1]
After the departure of Fern Britton from ITV's This Morning in 2009, it was announced Holly Willoughby would take over her position along with a full graphic, logo and music rebrand. Baker was approached to rearrange the familiar signature tune, which needed updating after sixteen years on air. His rendition remained until 2013 when a new version premiered to celebrate the 25th Anniversary year, though this rendition was short lived and Baker's arrangement was reinstated for another year between 2014 and 2015.
James are an English rock band from Manchester, formed in 1982. They achieved popularity during the 1990s, with four top-10 hits on the UK Singles Chart and nine top-10 placings on the UK Albums Chart. The band's best-known singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", "She's a Star" and "Laid". "Laid" also became a hit on American college radio. Following the departure of lead singer Tim Booth in 2001, the band became inactive, but members reunited in January 2007 and have since released a further seven albums. Live performance has continually remained a central part of the band's output. As of 2010, the band had sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.
Marc Riley is an English radio DJ, alternative rock critic, musician, and former music businessman. He currently presents on BBC Radio 6 Music.
Splodgenessabounds are an English punk rock band formed in Keston, Kent. The band is associated with the Oi! and punk pathetique genres. Their frontman is Max Splodge. They have scored three UK Singles Chart entries, including one Top 10 hit and a second Top 30 hit.
Laid is the fifth studio album by British rock band James. It was released on 27 September 1993 through Fontana Records. The album's sound, which is "stripped-down" compared to their prior releases, was inspired by their recent experience touring as supporting act to Neil Young. Enlisting Brian Eno as producer, James recorded for six weeks at The Windings in Wrexham, Wales, and Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire. The sessions also resulted in the experimental sixth studio album Wah Wah (1994). Laid is a folk and pop rock album that was reminiscent of their earlier releases with its atmosphere and minimal arrangements.
Timothy Booth is an English singer-songwriter, actor and dancer. He is the lead singer and co-founder of the indie rock band James, and co-wrote several of their hit singles including "Sit Down", "Come Home", and "Laid". As an actor, Booth is also known for portraying Victor Zsasz in the 2005 film Batman Begins.
Timothy Alan Patrick Rose was an American singer and songwriter who spent much of his life in London, England, and had more success in Europe than in his native country.
Strip-mine is the second studio album by English rock band James. It was released on 26 September 1988, through Sire and Blanco y Negro Records. After minimal touring and lack of success for their debut studio album Stutter (1986), the label was apprehensive about letting them record another album. Sessions for it were held in early 1987 at Rockfield Studios with Hugh Jones producing the majority of the album, except for "Are You Ready", which produced by Steve Power and Steve Lovell. After the recording, the release was delayed a number of times, until it was eventually remixed early the following year at London's Battery Studios. Described as a folk-pop album, the songs on Strip-mine tackled the topics of misinformation, addiction, and human mortality.
Seven is the fourth studio album by English rock band James. It was released on 17 February 1992, through Fontana Records. After writing new material in their practice space, the band began recording at The Manor Studios. The sessions lasted for several months, with the band producing the proceedings themselves. After a lack of progress, Fontana halted the sessions, and sent them to work at Olympic Studios with Martin "Youth" Glover. Half of the songs were produced by Youth, while the remainder was produced between James and Steve Chase. Described as a stadium rock album, Seven drew comparison to the likes of Simple Minds and U2.
Pleased to Meet You is the ninth studio album by English rock band James. Less than a year after the release of Millionaires (1999), the band were playing new material live. Recording was split between Ridge Farm, Whitfield St., House in the Woods studios; producer credit was split between Brian Eno, guitarist/violinist Saul Davies, KK and the band. "Getting Away with It " was released as a single in late June, followed a week later by Pleased to Meet You on 2 July through Mercury Records.
Millionaires is the eighth studio album by British alternative rock band James. During the Whiplash release cycle, guitarist Adrian Oxaal replaced founding member Larry Gott, and guitarist Michael Kulas joined the band. Touring to promote the release was cut-short when Booth injured his neck. With the release of The Best Of in early 1998, the band began recording their next album in May 1998. The sessions continued into February 1999 at a variety of studios: Ridge Farm, Hook End, Townhouse and Metropolis. While Brian Eno produced most of the record, the producer credit was also given to guitarist/violinist Saul Davies, keyboardist Mark Hunter, Steve Osborne, drummer David Baynton-Power and Faithless. Millionaires is an indie rock and pop release that drew comparison to Lou Reed and New Radicals.
Kenneth Mobley Brice Jr., known professionally as Lee Brice, is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Curb Records. Brice has released five albums with the label: Love Like Crazy, Hard to Love, I Don't Dance, Lee Brice. and Hey World. He has also released eighteen singles, of which eight have reached number one on Billboard Country Airplay: "A Woman Like You", "Hard to Love", "I Drive Your Truck", "I Don't Dance", "Rumor", "I Hope You're Happy Now", "One of Them Girls" and "Memory I Don't Mess With". He has also charted within the top 10 with "Love Like Crazy", "Parking Lot Party", "Drinking Class", and "That Don't Sound Like You". "Love Like Crazy" was the top country song of 2010 according to Billboard Year-End, and broke a 62-year-old record for the longest run on the country chart.
Saving Aimee were a British pop rock band from Hertfordshire. The band toured extensively for four years, and released three singles and an album produced by Justin Hawkins from The Darkness. On 14 December 2009 the band went on an indefinite hiatus.
Hey Ma is the tenth studio album by British rock band James. After reuniting in 2007, James went on tour until September that year, when they began recording their next recording. Taking up residence in Château de Warsy in France, the band worked on 120 pieces of music. While extra recording was done in England, sessions concluded by December. Hey Ma was a return-to-form for the band as they continued their signature sound of loud guitars and big choruses, with occasional trumpet appearances. Before the album was released, the cover was banned due to its depiction of a baby with a gun close by.
Hatcham Social are an English indie pop band. The group first met and formed in New Cross, London in 2006 and have since released a string of singles on indie labels, followed by three studio albums. With the debut album, they made headway in the mainstream media with The Guardian describing them as "irrestistible" and Tim Burgess calling them "a wonderful pop group with the world's coolest drummer."
The Night Before is the 11th studio album by British rock band James, serving as the first of two mini-albums. Following the release of their 10th studio album Hey Ma (2008), the band sought to experiment and take risks for their next record. They worked on material and uploaded it to a FTP server, for download by others. After three months, Lee Muddy Baker pieced the tracks together. The Night Before is a power pop and space rock release, with individual track comparisons to U2, Joy Division and Cocteau Twins. Preceded by a UK tour, The Night Before was released on 19 April 2010. The album reached number 20 in the UK, and received a mainly favourable response from music critics, with a few of them finding it an enjoyable record.
The Morning After is the 12th studio album by British rock band James, serving as the second of two mini-albums. As their first mini-album The Night Before was being released in April 2010, the band began working on its follow-up. Spending less than a week in the studio, the band self-produced the sessions, with Lee Muddy Baker handling vocal production. The Morning After featured slower and softer songs, in contrast to the happy, upbeat ones heard on The Night Before. Preceded by festival appearances in the UK, Greece and Portugal, The Morning After was released on 6 September. The album reached number 19 in the UK, and received a mainly favourable response from music critics, with some of them stating it was the better release out of the two mini-albums. The band promoted it with tours in North America, Portugal and the UK.
La Petite Mort is the 13th studio album by British rock band James. Throughout 2012 and 2013, the band worked on a follow-up to the 2010 mini-albums The Night Before and The Morning After. After contacting producer Max Dingel, they began recording at RAK Studios in London. Preceding the album, "Moving On" was released as a single in April 2014, with La Petite Mort appearing in June through BMG and Cooking Vinyl. Coinciding with this, the band played various festivals across Europe, though some were cancelled due to Booth losing his voice. "All I'm Saying" was released as a single in November, as the band was on a UK tour.
The Mono Polys were an English indie pop band, formed in Colchester in 2012 by vocalist and guitarist Tom Knights and keyboardist Josh Harrison. The band was later expanded to include brothers Luke Vosper on bass and Isaac Vosper on drums. Knights and Harrison had previously been a member of Red Fentre, who had performed at a Sixth Form College battle of the bands competition at Colchester Arts Centre, and later changed their name to Broken Bottles.
Girl at the End of the World is the 14th studio album by British rock band James. It was released on 11 March 2016, through BMG. The band spent three weeks in the Scottish Highlands working on new material for their album. Re-enlisting producer Max Dingel, who produced their previous studio album, La Petite Mort (2014), James spent five months between May and September 2015 recording in separate blocks. Long-time collaborator Brian Eno, and former member Adrian Oxaal, contributed instrumentation to the sessions. The album reprised its predecessor's electronic-centred songs and dance rhythm sections.
All the Colours of You is the 16th studio album of English rock band James that was released on 4 June 2021 through Virgin Music Label & Artist Services. James began writing the album before the release of their 15th studio album Living in Extraordinary Times (2018); they accumulated 100 Jam sessions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, the band members were stuck in different countries. Vocalist Tim Booth began working with producer Jacknife Lee at his studio in Topanga Canyon, California, where Booth acted as a liaison between the band and Lee. The album has been described as a stadium rock and electronic; its songs were influenced by the pandemic, the lockdowns, and the murder of George Floyd.
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