Big Audio Dynamite were an English band, formed in London in 1984 by Mick Jones, former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. The band mixed various musical styles, incorporating elements of punk rock, dance music, hip hop, reggae, and funk. After releasing a number of well-received studio albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Big Audio Dynamite broke up in 1997. In 2011, the band embarked on a reunion tour.
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bassist for the Clash. More recent work includes his involvement in the supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen and playing on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach in 2010, which saw Simonon reunite with The Clash guitarist Mick Jones and Blur frontman Damon Albarn – and which also led to Simonon becoming the live band's touring bassist for Gorillaz's Escape to Plastic Beach Tour. Simonon is also an established visual artist.
Nicholas Bowen "Topper" Headon is an English drummer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer of punk rock band The Clash. Known for his contributions to the drumming world, Headon was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of The Clash in 2003.
Michael Geoffrey Jones is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of punk rock band the Clash, until his dismissal by frontman Joe Strummer in 1983. In 1984, he formed Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts. Jones has played with the band Carbon/Silicon along with Tony James since 2002 and was part of the Gorillaz live band for a world tour in 2010–2011. In late 2011, Jones collaborated with Pete Wylie and members of the Farm to form the Justice Tonight Band.
Dreadzone are a British electronic music group formed in 1993 in London by ex-Big Audio Dynamite drummer Greg Roberts and musician Tim Bran. They have released eight studio albums, two live albums, and two compilations.
Anthony Eric James is an English pop musician and record producer, who was the bassist for the 1970s–1980s bands Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik and the Sisters of Mercy.
Donovan Letts is a British film director, disc jockey (DJ) and musician. Letts first came to prominence as the videographer for the Clash, directing several of their music videos. In 1984, Letts co-founded the band Big Audio Dynamite with former Clash lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist Mick Jones, acting as the band's sampler and videographer before departing the band in 1990.
This Is Big Audio Dynamite is the debut studio album by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, led by Mick Jones, the former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. It was released on 1 November 1985 by Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 103 on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Three singles were released from the album, all of which charted in the UK. "The Bottom Line" released a month before the album, barely made the Top 100, peaking at No. 97, becoming their lowest charting single, whereas its follow-up single "E=MC²" released in 1986, became their only Top 20 hit, peaking at No. 11, and becoming their best-selling single. The final single from the album, "Medicine Show" also released in 1986, became their last single to chart within the Top 40 under the original line-up, peaking at No. 29. The music video for "Medicine Show", directed by Don Letts, featured two other former members of the Clash, Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon as police officers as well as John Lydon of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd.
Carbon/Silicon is a rock music duo consisting of Mick Jones and Tony James. The band formed around 2002.
No. 10, Upping St. is the second studio album by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, led by Mick Jones, the former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. The album's title is a pun on 10 Downing Street, the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom. The album reunited Jones for one album with former Clash bandmate Joe Strummer, who was a co-producer of the album and co-writer of 5 of its 9 songs.
Daniel Donovan is an English keyboardist, composer, photographer and remixer. He was a founding member of Big Audio Dynamite and of Dreadzone.
Basement 5 were a reggae punk fusion band from London founded in 1978. Their first vocalist was Winston Fergus, then Don Letts. One of their early performances was a support for Public Image Ltd.'s London debut at the Rainbow on Christmas Day 1978. Finally in 1979 Dennis Morris - photographer of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols, took over as creative force, lead vocalist and lyricist. He also designed the Basement 5 logo and created their image. The drums were played by Richard Dudanski, who had played in the bands 101ers, The Raincoats and Public Image Ltd. Their songs reflected the political situation of the time in Great Britain in the era of Margaret Thatcher: youth unemployment, strikes, racism and the poverty of the working class.
Second Light is the second album by the British band Dreadzone. It was released on Virgin Records in May 1995 as their first album on the label and their follow-up to 360° (1993). The record mixes the group's distinctive blend of dub music, electronic instrumentation and sampling with a wider array of styles, such as Celtic music, Indian music and poetry, a result of the group conceiving the album as a representation and celebration of modern multicultural Britain. They were inspired by the films of Michael Powell and the Festival of Britain era.
Biological Radio is the third album by the British band Dreadzone, released in 1997 by Virgin Records. Less successful than its predecessor, Biological Radio represents a mellowing of style. The track "Dream within a Dream" was included in "The Saint" soundtrack and is also present during the movie itself.
Megatop Phoenix is the fourth and final studio album by the original line-up of English band Big Audio Dynamite, released on 4 September 1989 by CBS Records. Mick Jones and Bill Price produced the album. It was recorded at the Kinks' Konk Studios in Hornsey, London, who were considered an inspiration in the album's liner notes.
Tighten Up Vol. 88 is the third studio album by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, released in June 1988 by Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 33 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 102 on the Billboard 200 but was their first not to receive a certification.
Planet B.A.D. is a compilation album by Big Audio Dynamite. The album was released 12 September 1995.
Super Hits is a compilation album by Big Audio Dynamite. The album was released on 4 May 1999.
Greg Roberts is an English drummer. He was a member of Big Audio Dynamite from 1984 to 1990, a band led by Mick Jones, former lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. He went on to form Screaming Target in 1991 with ex-Big Audio Dynamite members Don Letts and Leo "E-Zee Kill" Williams, then started Dreadzone with Tim Bran, Williams and Dan Donovan, another former Big Audio Dynamite member. Dreadzone had a No. 20 hit in the UK Singles Chart with "Little Britain" in 1996.
"Other 99" is a song by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, released as both a 7" and 12" single from their third studio album, Tighten Up Vol. 88 (1988). Written by Mick Jones and Don Letts, and following the moderate success of "Just Play Music!", "Other 99" was released as the second and final single from the album, peaking at No. 81 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 13 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. The single features the non-album track, "What Happened to Eddie?" as its B-side, which remains exclusive to the single.
